Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/139

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IDAHO
113
IDAHO FALLS

timber being white and yellow pine, fir, cedar, spruce, hemlock, and tamarack.

Mineralogy.—Gold, silver, and lead occur in abundance throughout all the mountains in the State. Large bodies of gold-bearing gravel are found along the Snake, Salmon, and Boisé rivers, the Boisé basin being noted for its auriferous gold deposits. About one-third of the lead mined in the United States comes from the Cœur d'Alêne district. The production and value of the principal metals in 1917 was as follows lead, 196,780 tons, valued at $33,846,119 zinc, 38,927 tons, valued at $8,145,122; copper, 7,827,574 pounds, valued at $2,136,928; silver, 12,029,338 fine ounces, valued at $9,912,175; gold, 38,933 fine ounces, valued at $804,809. The total value of the mineral products of the State in 1917 was $55,244,026.

Agriculture.—The N. part of the State is noted for its wheat. Owing to the sheltered location of many of the irrigated valleys agricultural products cover a wide range. All cereals and the ordinary garden vegetables and small fruits are grown. Peaches, pears, apples, apricots, and prunes are the principal products of horticulture. The mountains of the S. portion afford excellent pasturage and, with irrigation, the plains of the Snake river and its tributary valleys are rapidly being converted into cereal fields. The production and value of the principal crops in 1919 was as follows: corn, 840,000 bushels, valued at $1,386,000; oats, 7,700,000 bushels, valued at $7,546,000; barley, 3,360,000 bushels, valued at $4,704,000; wheat, 18,705,000 bushels, valued at $38,345,000; hay, 1,625,000 tons, valued at $35,750,000; potatoes, 5,400,000 bushels, valued at $8,154,000.

Manufactures.—There were in 1914, 698 manufacturing establishments in the State, employing 8,919 wage earners. The capital invested amounted to $144,961,000; wages paid amounted to $7,491,000; value of materials used to $14,892,000; and the value of the finished product to $28,454,000. The principal articles of manufacture include flour and grist, railroad cars, lumber and timber products, printed matter, harness and saddlery, dairy products, furniture, foundry and machine-shop products, clothing, tobacco, and cigars.

Banking.—In 1919 there were 71 National banks in operation, having $4,385,000 in capital, $3,298,882 in outstanding circulation, and $18,643,000 in United States bonds. There were also 138 State banks.

Education.—There are about 125,000 pupils in the public schools. The teachers number about 3,000. The average salary of women teachers is about $73.00 a month and of men teachers about $95.00. The total expenditure for educational purposes is about $5,000,000 annually. For higher education there were high schools (public), private secondary schools, public normal schools. College of Idaho and the University of Idaho.

Churches.—The strongest denominations in the State are the Mormon, Roman Catholic, Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational, Lutheran, and Protestant Episcopal.

Railroads.—The total railway mileage in the State in 1919 was 3,629 miles of single main line track. There was practically no new construction in the past years. The systems having longest mileage are the Oregon Short Line, the Northern Pacific, and the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul.

Finances.—The receipts for the biennial period ending Sept. 30, 1918, were $8,641,270, and the disbursements $9,121,013. There was a balance at the end of the year of $705,187. The State has a bonded debt of about $3,000,000.

Charities and Corrections.—The charitable and correctional institutions of the State include the Soldiers' Home at Boisé; Insane Asylum at Blackfoot; Sanitarium at Orofino; Sanitarium at Nampa; and a penitentiary at Boisé.

State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of two years. Legislative sessions are held biennially, and are limited in length to 60 days each. The Legislature has 37 members in the Senate and 65 in the House. There are two representatives in Congress. The State government in 1920 was Republican.

History.—Idaho was for years successively a part of Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Nebraska, and was explored early in the 19th century by Lewis and Clarke. A mission was established at Cœur d'Alêne in 1842, but till the discovery of gold in 1852 the State was visited only by hunters. Idaho was organized as a Territory, March 3, 1863, but in 1864 part of it was set apart as Montana and in 1868, another part, forming part of Wyoming. In the summer of 1889 a convention framed a constitution and a petition for admission to the Union, being admitted the following year, the 30th State in order of admission.

IDAHO FALLS, a city of Idaho, the county seat of Bonneville Co. It is in the midst of an important agricultural region, well irrigated. It has excellent water power. It has a sugar factory