THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



337 



rious features appreciated, perhaps, later than her 

 sister States, very largely, no doubt, because Nature 

 has here disguised her most precious gifts with be- 

 fitting modesty and prudence. Idaho is the best wa- 

 tered State in the arid West. The Snake River con- 

 forms in the most accommodating manner to the wants 

 of the irrigator, coiling its thousand miles of length 

 through as much territory as possible. The stream 

 carries enough water each season to cover its entire 

 valley of 5,000,000 acres over seventy-six inches. In 

 some places this wonderful river is unfathomable at 

 one point, in fact, sounding to a depth of 240 feet 

 failed to find bottom. As a contrast to the indefatig- 

 able Snake, Idaho has in the Lost River a mystery yet 

 unsolved a torrent swallowed outright, hustled sud- 

 denly down into the bowels of the earth, as if Nature's 

 generosity in her watering operations had suddenly 

 taken fright and collapsed. 



Snake River valley, all begemmed with the glittering 

 splendor of electrical illumination, and humming with 

 the wheels of progress. 



Pocatello, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Rexburg and St. 

 Anthony are among the more important towns which 

 have grown up in this region, counting populations of 

 front two to six thousand all prosperous, growing 

 communities, everyone of them administered with a 

 zealous regard to the best civic ideals. Idaho ranks 

 high in her educational institutions. There is not a 

 town in this locality which can not point with pride 

 to its public schools. 



THE AMERICAN FALLS POWER, LIGHT AND WATER 

 COMPANY, LTD. 



This company is one of the most advanced of Mr. 

 Brady's several enterprises. It had its inception in 

 the undertaking to furnish the City of Pocatello with 

 cheap electric light and power, the rate now obtaining 



Headgate, Great Feeder Canal. 



Idaho is unique because it is a region of volcanic 

 origin. Its mineral treasures have been locked up for 

 ages under a combination which excites interest and 

 is inviting investigation. In the meantime the sage 

 plains are clearing and drawing water, the valleys here 

 and there are blossoming into green and golden harvests 

 and glistening with handsome orchards. And still 

 there is unlimited water and free land for all. 



But to return to the Snake River. While ample 

 provision was made for the supply of water, the most 

 modern demands of the settlers were not overlooked in 

 the economy of this admirable watercourse, although 

 this serviceable quality was quite effectively disguised 

 behind a fair exterior. The innumerable tourists who 

 have admired the Shosbone Falls on the Snake River 

 have compared them favorably with the great Niagara. 

 The Salmon Falls and Twin Falls are not less inter- 

 esting to the traveler. The sightseer witnessed the 

 scene and passed on well pleased. It was not until 

 Mr. J. H. Brady came upon the ground and located at 

 Pocatello that this enormous energy, harmlessly await- 

 ing control was called into life, and the mysterious Spirit 

 which the Indian legend assigns to the Snake River 

 commenced to sing a new song, and tossin? her cornu- 

 copia, strewed a string of smart towns along the upper 



there for the same being, in fact, much lower than the 

 average in other cities. This problem Mr. Brady pro- 

 posed to solve by harnessing the power disengaged by 

 the great American Falls. Apparently insurmountable 

 obstacles attended the undertaking from the start. The 

 only sites for the erection of a plant on either bank 

 of the river were already guarded by other claimants. 

 Nothing daunted, the Brady forces did not hault then, 

 nor at any time, until victory had crowned their 

 efforts. Ignoring the riparian claimants, a jutting rock 

 in the middle of the falls was deemed good enough 

 with such enterprise behind the project; a foundation 

 was blasted out of the solid rock, a thousand horse- 

 power plant at once installed, and at an outlay of 

 $350,000 the cities of Pocatello and Blackfoot "(the 

 latter at a distance of fifty miles from American Falls) 

 are at the present time supplied with- excellent light 

 and electric power by this company. Improvements are 

 now in progress to increase the capacity of the plant 

 to 6,000 horse power. The total energy to be derived 

 from the American Falls is estimated at 40,000 horse 

 power, all of which this company proposes to utilize 

 eventually. With this pressure at command, and a line 

 of high tension wire connecting the Power City with 

 Idnho Falls and St. Anthony, the enterprise will rejoice 



