Year: 1879




EprroR STATESMAN The following is
submitted for the edification of your readers,
who are unacquainted with this section OF
our beloved Uncle Sans wide domain. The
average traveller over the sage plains OF
Southern Idaho, Judging the country as ne
sees it from the roads, labors under the erro-
ne0us impression tha. this is poor country
At no great distance from the main thor.
ougllfares the scene entirely changes, and
the eye finds refreshing relief from the m
terminable sage brush in the


BUNCH GRASS HILLS,


Covered at this period with every variety OF
wild flowers on which browse many thous-
and head of stock, whose thirst IA slaked In
the crystal waters Of every hving spring on
nearly every hill, or in the timber lined
creeks running into the rivers tributary to
Snake, ON this side of the great Sawtooth
Divide. Along the Boise, Payette, and
Weiser rivers, are some OF the finest farms IN
the North West, ami travellers from the
plains feast their weary eyes on the SEMI
tropical luxuriant verdure presented to the
senses as they meander through the Boise
valley with its fine residences. we'll filled and
gaily painted granaries bearing substantial
evidences of the general prosperity which
prevails in this section. The valley OF the
Lower Weiser is a narrow strip of bottom
land, on the north side of the stream CON-
mencing about six miles from its mouth and
debouching into what Is known as


THE SNAKE RIVER VALLEY,


4 level expanse of sage land extending from
the mouth uf the Weiser and running down
30 or dra-
tance of nine miles, comprising about y, 600
acres of as fine land as ever crow flew over.
This Washington county, was organized at
the last session Of our legislature; it en-
braces all the settlements along the Weiser
and its tributaries, and also the famous
Salmon meadows originally part of Idaho
county the altitude of that section has
hitherto been drawback to its settlement,
but last year with a cold simmer, a good
average crop OF cereals and vegetables were
raised by ITS solitary inhabitant, and this
wear several families intend removing there,
and in the near future is bound tn be thickly
settled. Thirty five miles southwark is Hor-
net creek, 4 fork OF the Weiser, another
flourishing settlement, which before the ad-
vent of the irrepressible pioneers two wears
ago, was 4 fayorite summer rendezvous for
Indians from all quarters who came here to
trade horse race and hold poU ,ro,cs hence
its name Council valley. Fifteen miles fur
.her south is Indian valley, until last sum-
mer the head quarters of the


wgIsrR INDIAN.


Then comes the settlements of Little and
Upper Weiser, all peopled by enterprising
vindns- trious citizens. and possessing the
only -four mill in the country Still keeping
south You strike the Middle valley, and
then from Manns creek to Weiser bridge is
4 continuous line of farms in high state of
cultivation The county seat is located one
half mile west and south of Weiser bridge,
and possesses all the requisites necessary for
building up high grade town; Touring
mill is to be erected in readiness to grind
the crop of 1880 A large hotel and saloon
building is going up, and will he open for
business on the coming glorious Fourth.
when lively times will be in order An irri-
CATION company has been formed to reclaim
the sage land spoken of above, and work will
be commenced this fall On the whole, the
prospects in this comfy are bright with
promise for brilliant future At present
we have two hundred voters with capacity
for twenty thousand. There is


No BETTER LAND IN THE WIDE WEST


Than that along the rivers and creeks of
this country We have been at q standstill
for the last nine years, because it is off the
main thoroughfare and travellers hitherto
have never thought of making enquiries Or
prospecting for themselves to see ii there is
anything in our country for them; hard
times die hard, but there is visible i'm
provement all along the line We possess
the crude elements OF wealth; our stock
roam the hills unsold Opr mines are unde-
veloped We want e;iterprIsIng men 10 come
into our county seat as they are coming
grow up with lis :nd get rich while we de-
velop our magnificent resources soon to be
intersccted by the Oregon Pacific railroad


There is no excitement on the Indian
question of war or no war. Onr citizens
know that Gen. Howard Is master of the
situation, and believe that he knows quite
as niue: of his profession as


SANCTUM SOLDIERS


Who have never followed the trail of a
wild Indian OIL the war path. and it is sug-
gestcd to these hypercritical editors, that it
will be only common decency to give the
General this year a fair show TO inaugurate
the campaign before finding fault with his
tactics. Last years war was brought directly
home to us here, for connected as the people
of the frontier are with each other the mas
sacre of our friends in Long valley filied
every heart with M Indignation against tie
iousey siwashes not yet appeased. The
writer was one of three citizens of this place
who started out on an independent hunt
after the bodies OF


OUR MURDERED FRIENDS,


and to follow up and punish the red fiends
After travelling day and night and warming
upon fresh trail they became aware OF the
pursuit, and led us down to the river bot
tom across countless beaver creeks where
horses had to swim. then penetrated into
the fallen timber and live brush and scat
tered on u.s. Newspaper men can howl all
they like, but You can't get Indians to fight
nowadays, and our people know it. Wha.
this wild western country wants is not bet
ter generals but few dime novelists to show