Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1877-03-20
THE ATLANTA ROAD.

Since puDllsnlng our eulSolldl VI
the plan for wagon road to Atlanta
from Banner that subject has been the
leading topic Of conversation. The
people of this county have been
awakened to the necessity of such
route. and we have listened to many
suggestions from mountaineers and
business men, and have learned more
of the lay Of the country through
which the road would pass. We have
been over portions of the country, and
also up the river, where the route for
the road first proposed to Boise City
was to be built The river runs
through a gorge the greater part OF
the distance, and the building OF the
road would cost more than the people
Of Southern Idaho can stand. Six or
eight miles in passing around Black
Warrior mountain would have to be
blasted, and more or less blasting
would have to be done over the whole
route. Blasting in hard granite is
slow work and costly, and should work
ever be commenced, the people would
find themselves, we think, unable to
complete it. The building of the road
from Banner would be over compar-
atively easy country, and not to ex-
coed one-third of the distance, if that,
as the Middle Boise route. All rocks
and granite mountains can be avoided,
and the grading could easily be done
with the pick and shovel. The cost of
this enterprise is estimated by differ
ent men at from $4,000 to $4,000,
which is but small when we look at
the advantages it would bring. The
travel would be through Boise county,
our farmers would have good market
for their produce, the mines of Alturas
county would attract immediate at
tention among capitalists, and the
long looked for development of both
counties would be almost imme-
diately. Business men and laborerS
alike should consider these thin. S.
Any enterprise that helps one class Of
a community helps all in an indirect
way. When the laborer gets steady
employment all kinds of business will
flourish. One should not wait on the
other, but let both go to work, build
the road Immediately, and all will be
greatly benefited in short time.
When San Francisco men learn of the
people taking an interest in such i'm
provements, they will necessarily be
led to understand that we have the
mines to justify them. Banner will
then receive more attention, and that
rich district, almost unknown outside
of Idaho, will be opened up in proper
shape, more mills erected, and its
rich mines worked to advantage; and
as they are undoubtedly an extension
of the Atlanta belt, the working of
one portion will hasten the opening up
of the other
AS the law stands the Commission
ers cannot appropriate to exceed 81 900
unless petitioned by one-third Of the
taxpayers that are legal voters, when
they may, after holding such petition
three months, do as they think best
for the interests of the county. In
order to get things into proper shape
we think the best plan would be to
call meeting and have committee
of prominent citizens who have the
interests of the country at heart ap-
pointed to circulate petitions and re-
ceive contributions, SO that work can
be commenced as soon as the weather
) will permit, and also to confer with
the Commissioners of Alturas county.