Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

the funnel of the upper Del Norte. There are other influences more nearly local, like the Yellowstone geysers and the Pacific warm stream. Deep snows fall in the more elevated regions, and brief periods of severe cold are experienced, but the longest Idaho winter is short compared with those of the Atlantic states. For Boisé Valley the average temperature for eight years, from 1874 to 1881, was between 51° and 53°, while the mean temperature for 1880 and 1881 in Lapwai Valley, much farther north, was 56.08°. Peach-trees frequently blossom in February at Lewiston. The extremes in the Boisé Valley for seven years have been 12° below zero in January, and 108° above in July; but the average temperature in January has been 26.01°, and for July 75.86°, this being the hottest month in the year. Spring and autumn are delightful. The average rainfall for seven years has been twelve inches; the lowest less than three, and the greatest over seventeen inches.

Taking Boisé for a standard of valley climate, it should be remembered that altitude to a considerable, and latitude to a less, extent influence temperature in Idaho. Boisé is 2,800 feet above sea-level; Lapwai, nearly three degrees farther north, and 800 feet lower, has an average temperature in July of 90° and in January of 20°, being both hotter and colder than Boisé. Other valleys vary in climate, in accordance with altitude and position with reference to the prevailing south-west wind. Another factor in the climate of Idaho is the dryness and rarity of the atmosphere, which lessens the intensity of heat and cold about twenty degrees, out-door labor being seldom suspended on account of either. The same general remarks apply to every portion of the country; the cold and snowfall are in proportion to altitude.

The soil of the mountains and wooded regions is deep, rich, black, and contains much vegetable mould. Its altitude would determine its fitness for cultivation. The valleys having an elevation of from 600 to

[blocks in formation]

5,000 feet, it would depend upon the situation of the mountain lands whether they could be successfully farmed. The soil of the grass and sage plains in Snake River Valley is the best that nature has provided for the growth of cereals, would man but contrive the appliances for bringing water upon it. In the northern portion of Idaho, wheat and other grains may be grown without artificial irrigation, but not in the southern portion, which must be redeemed from drought. There is a limited amount of alkali soil, which produces only grease-wood, on which cattle subsist in the absence of or in connection with the native grasses.

Of grazing lands, it is estimated that there are not less than 25,000,000 acres in Idaho, a large proportion of which furnish food continuously throughout the year; hence it is essentially a cattle-raising country. The native grasses are the bunch, rye, timothy, redtop, and blue-stem varieties, which together with the white sage sustain and fatten immense herds of cattle and sheep.

The area of forest lands is computed at 7,000,000 acres, lying for the most part in the mountainous regions, which division of territory amounts to 18,400,000 acres. Out of this amount comes also most of the lake surface of Idaho, computed to be 600,000 acres. The waste lands are less than have been supposed.

For salubrity of climate Idaho stands unequalled, the percentage of deaths in the army, by disease, being lower than in any of the United States. Thus nature provides compensations for her sternness of aspect by real benignity. Those who best know the resources of the territory predicted for it a brilliant and honorable future. This is the more

'No great accuracy can be attained. Gilbert Butler divides the area of Idaho as follows: Rich agricultural lands 5,000,000 acres; that may be reclaimed by irrigation 10,000,000; grazing lands 20,000,000; timber lands 10,000,000; mineral lands 10,000,000; lakes and volcanic overflow 3,328,160. Silver City Idaho Avalanche, June 29, 1881.

remarkable when the hardships and liability to accident of a new country are considered; the death rate being one third that of Colorado, one fifth that of California, and half that of Oregon.

The settlement of Idaho having been begun for the sake of its mineral productions, little attention was at first given to agriculture. Further than this, there was the prejudice against the soil and climate, resulting from false conclusions and ignorance of facts. Thirdly, there was the constant danger of loss by Indian depredations to discourage the stock-raiser, and the want of transportation to deter the farmer from grain and fruit raising beyond the demands of. the home market.

CHAPTER VII.

MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.

1864-1886.

ADA COUNTY-CREATION OF THE CAPITAL OF IDAHO ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF TOWNS-FARMING SETTLEMENTS-ORCHARDS-STOCK-RAISING -PIONEERS-ALTURAS COUNTY-MINERAL AND AGRICULTURAL LANDS AND SETTLEMENT-BEAR LAKE COUNTY-BOISÉ, CASSIA, CUSTER, IDAHO, KOOTENAI, LEMHI, NEZ PERCÉ, ONEIDA, OWYHEE, SHOSHONE, AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES-PUBLIC LANDS IN IDAHO-SOCIAL CONDITION -EDUCATION-RELIGION-BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES-PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS RAILROADS AND TELEGRAPHS.

I WILL now take up the progress and condition of Idaho. Ada county was created out of Boisé in December 1864, with Boisé City as the county seat. The location of Fort Boisé on the 5th of July, 1863, was the immediate cause of the location of the town, which followed on the 7th. But before either of these were founded, on the 3d of February of the same year, Thomas and Frank Davis and Sherlock Bristol took up a land claim and built a cabin on a part of the town site as subsequently located, where they had a vegetable garden. The town was laid off by C. Jacobs and H. C. Riggs, and incorporated by a company of seventeen men, including several officers of the fort, who had it surveyed and a plan lithographed, as I have mentioned in another place, for the use of the legislature, to induce that body to

'Hughes, quartermaster, was one. Sherlock Bristol, who was president of the company and owned one ninth of the lots, furnished me a manuscript on the nomenclature of Idaho and scraps of early history. He was born in Cheshire, Conn., June 5, 1815. He removed in time to Fond du Lac co., Wis., and from there to Idaho in 1862. Bristol's Idaho, MS., 5.

make it the capital of the territory, as it did. It prospered notwithstanding some contention as to ownership, which was settled by the government issuing a patent to the mayor, in 1870, of the town site, to be held in trust by him until the territorial legislature should prescribe the mode of the execution of the trust, and the disposal of the proceeds. It had 300 inhabitants when it became the metropolis of Idaho, and a population in 1885 of 2,000.*

2 Walla Walla Statesman, Sept. 5, 1863; Boisé News, Nov. 28, 1863; Or. Argus, Oct. 5, 1863; Idaho Statesman, Oct. 10, 1868.

Idaho Statesman, Dec. 12, 1870. The act concerning the town site, passed by the legislature, made the mayor trustee to execute deeds to claimants on sufficient proof of the validity of their pretensions. For the purpose of defraying the expenses of procuring the title, the sum of from $1, $5, and $10 per lot, according to the situation, was required to be paid into the treasury of Boisé City and disbursed for that purpose, the residue, if any, to be expended under the direction of the common council. Idaho Laws, 1870-1, 29-31.

Cyrus Jacobs, who purchased the first parcel of gold-dust taken from the Boisé basin, took a stock of goods to Boisé City in the summer of 1863, and sold them from a tent as fast as they arrived, by the help of H. C. Riggs and James Mullaney, clerks. Riggs and James Agnew erected the building known as Riggs' Corner in July, and about the same time J. M. Hay and John A. James erected a meat market. A well was dug by Thompson & McClellan. The first justice of the peace was D. S. Holton, his office being in a log cabin on the site of the present Overland Hotel. H. J. Adams was the first blacksmith, the shop being where Levy's shop now stands. The first school, started in the winter of 1863-4, was taught by F. B. Smith. First hotel was kept by Burns & Nordyke. The first newspaper, published by J. S. Reynolds & Co., has been noticed. The first contractors and builders were Joseph Brown and Charles May, brick-makers and masons. First drygoods establishment was by B. M. Du Rell and C. W. Moore. Idaho Statesman, April 1, 1876. Du Rell and Moore opened a national bank in 1869. Silver City Avalanche, May 11, 1869. The first saw-mill was erected by A. H. Robie, in 1864, who removed his mill from Idaho City. The first church erected was by the catholics, in 1870, at a cost of $8,000. It was destroyed by a fire in 1871, which burned $57,000 worth of property. Not a mining, but a commercial centre, with the capital and a military post to give it standing, Boisé City is regarded as the most important as well as the most beautiful town in the territory. The Boisé River emerges from the mountains about seven miles above the town, where the valley proper begins. The city stands on the river bank, with the fort on a higher plateau a mile removed. The streets are wide and well shaded, the residences neat and tasteful, standing in flowery enclosures kept green by streams of living water flowing down the streets. The squares devoted to public buildings are well kept, and the edifices of brown stone. Up and down the river are many charming drives, and altogether the place is an attractive one. Its central location with reference to other commercial towns in the surrounding states and territories is likely to continue it in its present eminence as the chief town of Idaho.

Some other facts concerning the capital of Idaho may be of interest, as follows: Its altitude is 2,800 feet; latitude 43° 37'; distance from Chicago, 1,400 miles west and a little over 100 miles north; from San Francisco, 380 miles east and about the same distance north; from Portland, about 170 miles east and 140 south; from Salt Lake City, 200 miles north and 150 west. It had in

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »