, 1862-01-03
The Road to Salmon River


tracing the most attention of any otherI will offer
you my opinions based upon some personal ex-
perlence and large amount of information de-
rived from other sources Having resided in this
valley some three years. and being constantly in !
quest of information relative to the future pros
poets Of this country, l have obtained some in
formation which is at least satisfactory to myself |
in regard to the location of these mines and the
country surrounding them through which miners
must necessarily travel from the more populous
sections of the lower country.
From the Dalles to the upper Umatia one
must travel nearly East At this point the ques-
ton is raised as TO which route to travel. Shall
you turn South,an from thence S. E. by S.eighty
miles further lover hlly road as that in cross
ing the Blue Mountains from the Umatilla to
Grand Ronde) to point near the mouth of Pow
der river. From here your route is Northeast
by North to the Salmon mines
We will now start from the Umatilla by way of
Walla Walla, North east 80 miles, from here to
Lewiston 60 miles; and in that distance you are
20 miles North of Walla Walla. You then have
so miles more Southeast by east, and then 80
miles Southward and you arrive at the mines.-
Now we have by this line of travel a rodd-as
direct and good road for the distance as can be
found in any part OF the Eastern country.
Thus much for the outlines Suppose now we
examine some of the details or particulars of each
route. From the Umatilla, the first step is to as
cend spur of the Blue Mountains, very steep
and four miles and threequarters to the first place
that a wagon can can stand without blocking In
this ascent you attain an elevation of $500 feet
This is the first step on the proposed new route
by way of Grand Ronde and from this on, the
road is very hllly, still more elevated, and certain
y the most rocky road l ever travelled Arriving
at the Grand Ronde river, you descend a long
\ and he l..
that no two yoke of oxen can draw an empty
wagon up it which would be capable to carry so
hundred. There you again attain an elevation of
something over 5000 feet. This hill of itself is
so steep as to be almost barrier to freighting in
that direction unless some more practicable route
can be found near this point. Eight miles more
brings you to the descent into the Grand Ronde
valley, which is of corresponding height with the
ascent from the river eight miles more over
most excellent road and you arrive at the foot of
hill more difficult and dangerous to ascend going
out of the valley, than can be found on any wagon
road where teaming is done within my knowledge
From this on the road is good until you leave the
valley of Powder river, from which you enter
very mountainous country though destitute of
timber, yet the SUBMITS of these hills are some
four or five thousand feet high, piled in together
like an immense number of hay stacks thrown in
heap; and when any one finds a good road
through that chain of country which borders
Snake river from the Blue Mountains to mouth
of Burnt river, and is about 30 miles wide-uness
they go down through some such canyon as that
through which the emigrant road follows in COM
ing up Burnt river-l am in hopes that they will
give US the particulars of it as soon possible.
But here we must close the details OF this route,
as nothing further is known of it, more than that
after-f it should be possible to reach and cross
So 10 Ill l., IL Col-
the mountains must be re-crossed, that river fer
ried, and the mountains which the mines are
situated assembled before the Eldorado can be
reached.
| Turn now to the other route. From the Una
tllla to Lewiston, every one who has travelled ac-
knowledge it to be a good wagon road, over
which four-horse teams draw 30 hundred without
any trouble; and from Lewiston to the foot of the
mountains those who have been frequently over
the road assure me that it is better road than
from here to Lewiston. You are within thirty
miles of the mines and you must ascend a noun
tain of almost $500 feet in height, and proceed
on that mountain to the mining region, which is
situated on the south side of this range. Through
this last stretch no wagon road has as yet been
prospected, and no effort has been made to do it
but probably such an effort will be made when
spring opens. As it is but short distance, sure
ly 1t will be as easy to find wagon road
through the same kind of country tor distance
of about 100 miles, which still remains to be done
on the other route. And l will here say that a
pack trail even still remains to be found for this
distance of 100 miles.
Will any man of reason undertake to force his
way around through that mountainous region
while more direct and better road is already
open?
Now let us examine the acts and doings of
lOfh in ~ III 70 uyhia
Iecty on this subject. l aIlude to the granting of
charter by the legislature of Washington Terri
tory to Capt. Pierce for the construction of
wagon road from Walla Walla to Fort Boise
THIS road is intended to enable emigrants to reach
the Dalles by nearer and better route than that
travelled at present. This proposed route is now
being surveyed, and goes by way of the Nez Perce
country, crossing Snake river near Lewiston.
would ask now if it is more direct to 90 by the
Grand Ronde valley to the mines on Salmon river,
would it not be infinitely more so to go that way
to Fort Boise, instead of coming by way of this
point and Lewiston? But, says one, what evil
dence have we that this is the best route? In an
swer, | will remark that, that old mountaneer,
Capt. Pierce, was so well satisfied on this point
that he spent one whole winter and large
amount OF money in obtaining his charter, and
was also enabled to produce the testimony of
those who had been often through that cou try,
and convince the Legislature that it was practca
BILE and of great advantage. l will allude to
part of this evidence, which had the pleasure of
reading, given by the Rev. Mr.. Spaulding, who
for many years resided in the Nez Perce country,
and frequently travelled that road in going to Ft.
Boise for trading purposes. He gives it as fact
that it was good road and so direct that he had
no doubt that it would shorten the distance mate
rally in reaching the Dalles.
Now, when any body represents the discovery
of better route than the one by way of Walla
Wala valley, and introduce it to the travelling
public, will then discuss its merits; but as long
as men merely say they are going to open route,
ETC.. shall not trouble myself to discuss it, as no
man of sense would start on such proposition
while there is good road and trail open, and
travelled every day. A. b. H.
COMPLIMENTARY TO BRIGADIER GEN. WRIGHT
The Fort Benton Road party will pass the win
ter on the Big Backfoot river, Bitter Root valley
1868 miles from Walla Walla. To their winter
quarters has been given the title of " Cantonment