The west shore., June 07, 1890, Page 717, Image 13

WEST SHORE.
a new country. The mill was erected three years ago,
at a cost of 110,000, and has all the latest and best
milling machinery. It has a capacity of 200 barrels
of flour per day. Since its erection the production of
wheat in this vicinity has increased more than tenfold.
The great Wood river mineral belt, which has al
ways been the largest ore-producing section of Southern
Idaho, is a vast lead-silver Waring zone, extending
north and Bouth on either sido of the river a distance
of seventy miles, and varying in width from two to
twelve miles. The center of this great mineral region
is Galena gulch, near the town of Broudford, across
the river one mile from Bellevue. Here are located
that inoBt famous of all Idaho silver mines, tho "Min
nie Moore," and her scircoly less celebrated sister, tho
"Queen of the Hills," which are the best developed
mines in Southern Idaho. The former of theso has
produced no lees than ffl,GOO,000 in tho pant seven
years, and the latter 11,800,000; and both still have
large reserves. Aside from these are many other mines
that have not yet been worked on such an extensive
scale, but which have mado largo and valuable ship
ments of ore without concentration, and now possess
big bodies that, by means of adequate milling facili
ties, will render the mines of great valuo. Prominent
among theso may be mentioned tho "Relief," "fiato
City," "Michigan," "Rig Bonanza," "Pacific Tunnel,"
" San Joho," " Monday," and many others situated on
either side of the river within fivo miles of the city.
Tho mining industry of Wood river is in its infancy,
and the country has as yet scarcely been prosjccted.
But it is not alone upon the great mining resources
of the country that Bellevue dejend8. It is now, and
will always be, tho business center of a flno agrlcul
I tural and stock country. As in every other section of
I Southern Idaho, with ono or two exceptions, tho ques-
tion of irrigation is of paramount imjiortanco, and tho
; whole, grand, agricultural development of tho country
j depends upon water. Wherever this can bo obtained
tho soil yields amazingly large crops. Tho farming
1 inhabitants of Wood river arc happily situated in this
respect. Tho river in itself carries water sufficient to
! irrigate its entiro valley, and it is obtained with com-
parativo easo and trilling cost. Beginning at Bellevue
the valley suddenly widens to tho southward for twenty
miles into a sort of basin, containing many thousand
! acres of land remarkable for its richness and fertility.
This large scope of country is especially adapted to
fruits and berries of all sorts, and also to wheat and the
other cereals. Fall wheat requires no irrigation, as
I the snows of winter, slowly melting, furnish sufficient
I moisture. This basin, which is traversed id entire
j length by the railroad, will, in a few years, become one
of the most productive agricultural regions of South
ern Idaho.
Fifteen miles to tho west lies that wonderful stretch
of country known as Camas prairie, where no longer
ago than 1878 tho Bannock and Shoshone Indians
began their murderous raid through Idaho and East
ern Oregon clear up to tho banks of tho Columbia.
Then it was a wilderness; now it is a garden. Then
it was tho homo of tho restless Indian; now thero is
not an Indian within 150 miles. It stretches along
tho banks of tho Malad river a distance of 100 miles,
and tho tillable area is, crhaps, eighty miles long by
eighteen to twenty in width. Every foot of this exten
sive tract, which is unquestionably tho bed of an an
cient lake, is susccptiblo of a high state of cultivation,
irrigation not being required, owing to a Mculiar nat
ural condition. During tho dryest timo in midsummer
tho moisture rises to within a foot or two of tho sur
face of tho ground. The average altitude of tho prairio
is about fv'MX) feet, but tho climate Is mild and flue.
Tho soil, owing to tho peculiar, natural "sub-irrigation,"
yields immensely, small grains doing cscelally
well. Much of tho land is still oen for settlement,
and tho immigration this season is very largo.
Ten or twelve miles down tho valley from Bellevue
is tho most famous trout stream of Idaho, and proba
bly the best in tho west. This is Silver creek, from
tho head waters of which thousands of Munds of
mountain trout, somo of them weighing three and four
pounds, are taken every spring and summer without
apparently diminishing tho numbers. It is essentially
tho fisherman'a paradise, and sportsmen flock thither
from all quarters. From 100 to 17.f magnificent trout
are but an ordinary catch for a good fisherman in a
few hours.
Like every other section of Idaho tho great Wood
river mining region Is anxiously awaiting tho dawn of
statehood. With its advent a new era will Imi inaug
urated in mining, business and agriculture.
Tho Victoria, Tort Crescent it Chehalis It. It. Co.
has been incorjMirati'd by Northern Pacific olliclals
and others, for tho pursue of building a road from
Port Crescent, on the Straits of Fuca, southward on
tho western slojK) of tho Olympic mountains to (i ray's
harbor, a distance of I V) miles, where it will connect
with tho Tacoma, Olympia V (i ray's Harbor, the
Northern Pacific's branch linn now under construc
tion. Port Crescent will b connected by fi rry with
Beechey bay, on Vancouver island, from which place
a rood will be built to Victoria, thus giving the chief
city of British Columbia direct connection with the
Northern Pacific. Tho region to be traversed In West
ern Washington is one rich In timber and agricultural
land, and is especially adapted to dairying, Survey
ing parties are now in tho field and more will soon ho
known about that somewhat mysterious region.
4