The New Student's Reference Work/Boise, Idaho

Boise (boi'zắ), Idaho, the capital of the state, and the county seat of Ada County, on the Boise River, about 48 miles east of its junction with the Snake River. It is reached by the Oregon Short Line Railroad (now part of the Union Pacific system.) It lies in an important mining district and besides a military post it has a federal assay office, U. S. Court and land offices, together with a soldier's home, a penitentiary and the state capitol. Its civic institutions, besides the city hall, include a public library, several schools and academies, a business college and a natatorium. The Boise River is utilized considerably in the region for irrigation purposes, as well as for water power for the city's manufactures. The latter embrace saw mills, wood-working factories, foundries and machine shops. In the vicinity there is much farming carried on, as well as stock-raising, while Boise has become noted as a wool market. Population (1910), 17,358.