The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-09-30

moral and financial. He will find real home
and old Mother Nature will likely throw in health
strength and happiness for good measure
one of the photographs reproduced herewith
elbows Royal N. Allen of the Chicago Motor club
welcoming William %. Scott, leader Of the cara
van. Mr. Scott used to live In Minneapolis Then
ne went to Boston. Later he became successful
sales manager In Brooklyn with home at 230
Decatur street. He is middle-aged man, with a
wife and two children. During the war he made
a reputation as 'four-mnute man." He had
made up bis mind to drive to the West this sum-
mer buy ranch, hang up his hat and grow up
with the country. Several Of his neighbors grew
interested and asked to 60 along. And that's how
the colony idea started.
Then Mr.. Scott wrote to commercial clubs and
state and county officials In different parts Of the
West Gov. David w. Davis of Idaho responded
promptly with definite offer Mr.. Scott went to
Idaho and made study OF land In Twin Falls
county, along the Snake river. Here's the way
Mr., Scott tells it,
"Tbat settled 1t. When / saw that land knew
1t was Just the place was looking for, and inn
mediately took an option on 5,120 acres. The land
was offered to me at the uniform price Of SIPS an
acre, with water rights, $25 acre to be paid
down at purchase and the balance within ten years
at per cent interest.
"This whole land project is supervised by the
state 1t is financed by the Idaho Farm Develop
ment company, the president Of which Is d. T.
Meredith, who was President Wilson's secretary
Of agriculture and who is practical farmer and
the proprietor of agricultural newspaper in
Des Moines, Ia Mr. Meredith and his associates,
Incorporating under the Cary act, spent $625,000
developing these tracts The waters of three trib-
utaries of the Snake river, draining the watershed
of the Jarbidge mountains, AZ miles southwest
ward from our colony, were damned and Inn
pounded in the Cedar Greek reservoir. Thence
steel fume leads the water down through the
canyon of the Little Salmon river, irrgating the
lands which we have taken up for our future
homes and ranches. We have, In all, an area Of
about three miles by six.
"Thls irrigation enterprise Immediately made
marvelously fertile many thousands Of acres which
heretofore had been merely sagebrush prairie
The area had been used only as cattle range and
was of the most sparsely settled districts In the
state With Irrigation there isn't better country
for growing alfalfa, onions and the famous Idaho
potatoes. On farms in the same neghborhood and
enjoying like advantages TO ours there have been
grown world record crops Of alfalfa, wheat to the
tune of 90 bushel to the acre. and potatoes rating
as high as 642 bushels to the acre.
sBuhl. our nearest railroad town, is about ~
miles from the most distant ranches of our colony.
1t is lively town only nine years old. but with
about 1000 population. A fine road, which is more
than 50 miles long and which runs directly through
our tract, connects Bull with the new mining town
Of Jarbdge Out of the Jarbidge mountains the
Guggepheim interests have taken more gold than
all the yellow metal yieiued Dy Aiaska. Inc town
of Jarbidge Is the natural center OF that rich
try, and our colony will be It's nearest source OF
supply with good road running straight into IT.
Mr.. Scott returned to Brooklyn bubbling over
with enthusiasm. His enthusiasm was infectious.
He was besieged with applications for member
ship. But the 5,120 acres will make only l2S
tracts of 40 acres each. So weeding-out process
was begun. Every prospective member was put
through the third degree. The rule was laid down
that every accepted member must be 100 per cent
American must have at least 5000 In cash
must be able TO take care Of himself and family
until the first crops are marketed. Even then the
12S members of the colony were quickly secured
In the meantime. the idaho people, who had EVIL
IDENTIFY taken a shine to the Brooklyn people. were
doing their part. Governor Davis visited Brook.
Ign and addressed a meeting OF the coionists. The
Bull chamber OF commerce sent Ben II. Bushman
one Of its leaders and secretary OF the Rotary club
With offers of service from the chamber and tbs
club. So tho deal went Through without q hitch