Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-09-29

moral and financial. He will find a real home
And old Mother Nature will likely throw in health,
strength and happiness for good measure.
One of the photographs reproduced herewith
shows Royal n Allen of the Chicago Motor club
welcoming William d. Scott, leader of the cara
van Mr.. Scott used to live in Minneapolis. Then
he went to Boston. Later he became a successful
sales manager in Brooklyn, with home at 23G
Decatur street. He is mddle-aged man, with
Wl1e and two children. During the war he made
a reputation a 'four-mnute man." He had
made up his mind to drive to the West this
mer, buy ranch, hang up his hat and grow up
with the country. Several of his neighbors grew
interested and asked to go 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:
THAT settled it. When 1 saw that land knew
it just the place | was looking for, and i'm
mediately took an option on 5,12O acres The land
offered to me at the uniform price Of $125 an
acre, with water rights, $25 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
nlent company the president Of which Is E. r.
Meredith, who was President Wilson's secretary
Of agriculture and who is a practical farmer and
the proprietor Of agricultural newspaper In
Des Molnes, Ia. Mr.. Meredith and his associates
incorporating under the Cary act spent $625,00O
developing these tracts. The waters of three trib
uaries Of the Snake river, draining the watershed
of the Jarbidge mountains At miles southwest
ward from colony, were damned and i'm
pounded in the Cedar Creek reservoir. Thence
steel fiume leads the water down through the
canyon of the Little Salmon river, irrigating the
lands which have taken up for our future
homes and ranches We have, In all, an area of
about three miles by six.
"This irrigation enterprise Immediately made
marveously fertile many thousands of acres which
heretofore had been merely sagebrush prairie.
The area had been used only cattle range and
was one of the most sparsey 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 neighbOrhood and
enjoying disadvantages to ours there have been
grown world record crops of alfalfa, wheat to the
tune Of 90 bushel to the acre. and potatoes rating
high 642 bushels to the acre.
"Buhl our nearest railroad town, is about 70
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 80 miles long and which runs directly through
our tract, connects Bull with the new mining town
of Jarbdge Out of the Jarbdge mountains the
Guggenheim interests have taken more gold than
all the yellow metal yielded by Alaska. The town
of Jarbldge 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 bubbllng over
with enthusiasm. His enthusiasm infectious.
He besieged with applications for member
ship. But the 5,120 acres will make only 1913
tracts Of 40 acres each. SO weeding-out process
was begun. Every prospective member was put
through the third degree. The rule laid down
that every accepted member must be 100 per cent
Americana; must have at least $4,000 in cash
must be able to take Of himself and family
until the first crops marketed. Even then the
12S members of the colony were quickly secured.
In the meantime, the Idaho people, who had evil
IDENTITY taken shine to the Brooklyn people, were
doing their part. Governor Davis visited Brook
Ign and addressed a meeting of the colonists. The
Bull chamber of commerce sent Ben H. Bushman,
one Of It's leaders and secretary Of the Rotary club
with offers Of service from the chamber and the
club. SO the deal went through without a hitch