Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-09-13
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TIE L. TELLER.
The WaIlowa Wagon Road

Two weeks ago last Thursday Mr.. Il.
Pearcy and Mr.. Owsley, left the Aseo.
tlu settlement to go through to Wallowa
on the contemplated route for wagon
road. They travelled along the route
all the way save down the ravine on the
north side Of the Grand Rondc river.
This they had before explored and it
had been pronounced good with easy
grade, and requiring. little grading
and cutting out of timber and brush
along the upper portion. At the cross
sing Of the river they found Il place at
the foot Of the ravine where bridge
can easily be built with 100 feet span
from bluff rock 20 feet above the
water on this side reaching to pier on
shoal rock bottom on TIE other side aud
not far from the shore will span the
main current Of the stream at any stage
of water, and the portion where logs
aud drift pass. 4 short apron from this
pier will reach the opposite bank. Mr..
Owsl1y will commence the construction
of bridge at this point as soon as the
lumber can be got down from the mill
through the ravine. From the bridge
tho route passes along on level bottom
on the south side of the river about one.
fourth of a mile and then takes up a
raviue with good roadway for about
four miles, then leaves and winds out
on the west side to u saddle in the hill
where are 200 or 800 acres of GOOD
farming land, upon which are several
good springs of water, then asconds an
easy grade about two miles to the sum.
nit of the table land south of the Grand
Ronde river. In swinging from this
last ravine to the saddle some grading
will have to be done. This however il
on the Oregon side of the line and is
pledged to be done by the settlers in the
Wallowa valley. From the summit to
the middle Wallowa valley is about SO
miles over as good a route for wagon
road as can be found any where, no
grading to be done, but few trees and
brush to be removed, and one place a
corduroy bridge may be required in wet
weather, but which was dry when Mr..
Pearcy passed over it. The whole work
on the Oregon side Of opening the road
including the grading to the saddle as
above mentioned Pearcy says will not
cost to exceed $500, eadins into the
middle Wallowa valley. This work Is
now being undertaken BY the citizens
of Wallowa, who are deeply anxious Ia
open the route to Lewiston and do their
trading here instead Of going to Grand
Ronde valley and across the Blue noun.
tain to Walla Walla ashley now do. Mr.
N"oy e"l0 thae u ioau u iuWef w al
Iowa would be shorter by about s or l0
miles as he thinks from the lay Of the
country, and DO in a more direct limo Ia
connect with the overland route in the
Grand Ronae valley. But the heavies,
settlement Of the Wallowa isin the mid,
die and upper valleys, and the people
there want the road there aud they arc
willing to open it themselves. Their,
are four post Offices in the Wallowa val
Icy at present supplied with mails twic,
week from Union. The lower is call
ed Wallowa =. o., the middle II mile,
above is called Lostine, and two in thu
upper valley near the lako call Alder
and Prairie Creek. The lower vale,
contains from Is to 20 farmers viii
their families. The middle valley con
tains about 10 farmers with their fami
lies, and the upper valley contains up
wards of 100 farmers with their families
So that in the entire valley there ar,
about 200 farms occupied, aud larg,
area of land not yet claimed. The val
ley is capable of containing population
of several thousand persons engaged il
grain raising and stock raising, who's
trade will be a great importance to an,
commercial emporium that secures it
We shall hereafter as We have spac, an,
time mention other advantages aud re
sources of that valley, going to disprov
the allegation formerly made that tn
valley was only fit for an Indian rescr
walton.
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