The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-10-06


DEVELOPMENT OF BLACK
FOOT DISCUSSED
People who observed that the Of
fetal census Of Blackfoot in 1910
was given as 1902 and the census Of
1920 as 1892 need not be excited
over the apparent gain of 11s per
cent in ten years. That is not the
true situation. When the census
was taken in 1910 q large number Of
the residents Of Blackfoot were out
of town living on dry farms, or at
tending dry herds in the mountains
and when the enumerator did not
find people at home he did not go
back again afterwards to get their
names. There were several blocks
where nearly everybody was away
from home when the enumerator
visited those places. 1t was esti-
mated that the report turned in at
that time was several hundred short
of the actual residents. A count
that was made by the school a short
time afterwards indicated that If
there was even q greater difference
than few hundred the difference
would be represented by something
like q thousand. According to the
census taken by the school in the
past few years the annual gain Of
population in Blackfoot ranged from
about 140 to 100.
A Peek at the
Future
II other conditions were about the
same the town at its present size
should be expected to gain something
like 200 a year for the next two or
three years, but owing to the condi-
lions brought about by the war and
owing to the expected era of pros
perity the gain may be more than
that annually. 1t would be safe to
expect that the population will pass
the 5000 mark sometime next spring
and that there will be gain Of two
or three or perhaps four hundred
year for the next four or five years.
BY 1880 1t will probably increase
to 1000 or 1900, if times are good
and considerable reclamation is 60
ing on in our state.
More School
Considering The matter Of public
improvements we may expect that
there will be need for another school
building soon, in fact the need is al
ready pressing, SO much that sone Of
the churches is being used for school
purposes.
With the Blackfoot school districts
so very heavily in debt as indicated
in an issue of few days ago, with
the prospects of a pressing need for
q new school building in 1921 we
may as well make up our minds to
pay heavy school taxes for number
Of years to come and not grumble
with the school board because they
caused the tax to be levied. They
are not levying the tax for them
selves. The money does not go into
their pockets and we might as well
pay the tax and be sweet about it.
Better Water =
System
There is need for very marked
advance and improvement in the
water service for the city. We might
rs we'll face the fact that we mush
enlarge the water works and it goes
without saking that it will cost us
money to do 1t. We may expect that
our municipal taxes will be increased
very substantially to meet the water
situation or there must be a bond
issue to meet 1t or there must be
large increase in the number of
customers who buy their water and
pay for it monthly.
More Sewers
Needed
There will need to be a large
amount of improvements and addi-
lions made to the sewer system. New
branches will have to be put in in
many places and within the next few
years a new main will have to be
aid to accommodate the southwestern
portion of the city.
When the new pavements are COM
pleted on the streets already indi-
Gated to be paved this fall there is
going to be considerable adjustment
Of travel and people will arrive at
some conclusions about what they
want which they are undecided about
at the present time. Travel will be
diverted to the streets on which