The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-08-19
SMALL FARMS WITH
BRIGHTER OUTLOOK
WRITER OF VISION WHO SEES
BETTER CONDITIONS WHEN
LEMHI Is DIVIDED UP.
By DIR. o. 7. Stratton.

By LIT, ~. L. Stfalton.
tThe subjoined contribution comes
to The Recorder from a man of
broad, practical ideas and far-seeing
outlook, who proposes something for
the improvement and growth OF the
Salmon country. 1t was only a little
while ago that DIR. Stratton, the writ
er, put forward the proposition that
one telephone system was enough for
any community after Salmon had
been afflicted with two systems for
many years. Ii required only a little
of his forceful energy and well direct
ed effort applied just right to bring
about the desired reform in this pub
lie utility, one company buying out
the other, with vastly better service
directly resulting and with no loss To
either company or anybody connected
therewith.)
This is about the time for some ex-
hilerating report to be started about
some enormous mine TO be opened or
that the railroad is surely going to be
built down the river next spring"
which reminds one OF the story of the
Chinaman with all his belongings on
board a wheelbarrow crossing the di-
vide above Gilmore. When asked
where he was going the Chinaman
said he did not know but he was sure
ly leaving Salmon, for "it was all
time-e too dam muchee something go
ing to happen next year.
The railroad story, despite numer-
Gus disappointments. is the one tha.
always appeals TO the credulous and
when IL is sprung once again il Is
/ just like meeting an old friend. But,
for the sake of argument, let us ad-
NIT that at this time IT is not a canard
and we are really going TO realize
upon hopes that have been deferred
until all our hearts are sick, what
would It really mean?
In order TO determine just that let
as let our imagination run riot to this
extent. The railroad il being built,
and steel is being shipped in from the
east and ties are being bought right
and left from anyone with the indus
try To cut them; five hundred men are
here and work is really started. OF
course with that number of men the
contractors will have their own COM
missary and the men will obtain all
their supplies therefrom. IL will on
~ take them short time to build
down as far as Morthfork and Indian
there on will make the progress less
rapid but the activity will be just
that distance from Salmon. Some
money will be spent for horses and
provender, for both man and beast
and the Salmon country will profit to
that extent at least and possibly the
railroad shops will be located here,
which should furnish much To be
desired pay roll Real estate will adj
vance during the boog that would be
inevitable during the construction per
iod. After that times will 20 back
to the level of what is produced as the
basis of all permanent prosperity.
Seeing transcontinental trains pass
through will spell nothing to the in
habitants if they have nothing more
than they have now to offer for sale.
Now, let us say the railroad IN not
extended further than Boyle creek but
Is improved 10 the extent that with
the promised gas motor we have a
daily mail service Then switch your
imagination into all three speeds for
ward and imagine that some phiian-
threpist form company with strong
financial backing or that the govern
mcnt should have it's attention dis
traeted from the woes in Russia or
Patagonia sufficiently 10 do little
charity work at home and either Of
these would try TO do something
worth while in i.emhi county -x-say
that they bought up all the Lcmhi as
far ~ Baker and all the land along
the Salmon river including the Shoup
ranch and the Edwards Big Flat
ranch with all the irrlgable land be-
tween. Then they cut II up into ten
acre tracts with a seryiceable road
between each two tracts and gravel
led highway along the section lines.
and with "A sidewalk extending 10 the
railroad at every mile. These tracts
all leveled. irrigation laterals run
to them, fenced with hog tight wire,
and brick house OF four rooms erect
ed for each purchaser. The brick
could be- furnished much cheaper than
. lumber and could be supplied from
kilns large enough 10 produce a suf-
! ficient supply from clay that is known
TO be available These houses should
have domestic water supplied from a
central pumping and fltering plan,
in the Salmon river or by aid of wind
| mills and wells upon each tract. Each
? house should have u bath room and q
/. septic tank if nothing better ean be
: provided for disposal of sewage. Hea,
and light could be provided from the
Z huge hydro-electric plant we will
! build and the housewife can have hei
2 electric ehurn or separator. electric
iron, sewing machine and vacuum
3: cleaner and thus have every advan-
, tage Of her urban sister. The ter
= acres should be divided up into N
i. alfalfa field, potatoes, domestic or
!. chard. chicken runs and last, but tbs
;, the most important, raspberry ans
strawberry patches.
5. The last two are the ones that vii
}, bring home the real money. This elm
!. ate and soil can beat the world in tn,
production OF raspherries and witt
Strawberries il is no slouch. Will
many natives think they cannot pie
either for less than twenty-five cent
. per box have heard of boys and girl
!. making three dollars per day at thre