Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-12-05

Of railroad prospects Well, what OF
1T Can we as publisher discuss any
other question of more vital import
ance to people whose present isolated
condition is like ours? We deem it the
duty Of a publisher in our situation to
bring everything available to bear
steadily against the true barriers to
our growth and prosperity, and what
to-day is more antagonistic to that
growth than the high cost of trans
portation of both our imports and ex
ports to and from the seaboard Tis
true that during the nine months past
great changes have been wrought in
the public mind abroad that render
our prospects for the near future far
more bright than have any previous
changes during any FIVE years period of
our previous history. For this we
should feel grateful to the causes
which have produced these changes,
and to nothing more do we owe this
debt Of gratitude than to the faithful
and untiring efforts of our local public
Journals in their endeavors to portray
the natural advantages of our situa
ton as people and their earnest So
licitation that men Of capital should
be made to sec the inviting fields we
offer to them for investment. The
movements made during the nine
months last past by the different rail
road companies are unlnistakeable evil
dences that the work of our local
press has not been in vain. But should
we tell these companies that their
movements had been hurried forward
in the least by what the local press
has said, they would he too proud to
acknowledge The fact, yet we know
that they have felt our influence in
times and ways almost innumerable,
and that knowledge is stimulus to
further exertion in the same direction.
The Northern Pacific board. have been
prompted to commence work on this
side Of the Rocky mountains and have
already 30 miles of their road graded
from the mouth Of the Snake river
northeastward towards the Pen
d'Orielle lake, and although they could
not he induced to believe that they
could better serve the public and them
selves by adopting the route via Clear.
water, yet the route they have adopt
cd has left open to anothescoinpany Of
abundant means the Clearwater route
and . large area Of the best Of oul
country north Of the Snake and Clear
water rivers for the investment of cap
ital in the building Of tributary rail
roads to these rivers from the nortl
which will also be tributary to theil
main trunk road should they conclude
to cross through the Big Hole pass o
\ the Rockies and the Ska-ka-ho pass o
the Bitter Root mountains and com,
down the Clearwater and Snake river
to the Columbia. This last move tn
magnates Of the new company, as w
learn, have seriously in contemplation
and we maintain fully our former faitl
that this Clearwater pass is both feast
bic and practicable for railroad, ant
= far better route than any one cross
ing the continent, both in point Of dis
tance and cheapness of construction
Of better average grade, and travers
ing better country for settlement an
local support than any Of the Others
We to-day publish the letter Of s. 1
Sherwood, Esq, in reference to tn
SkA-ka-ho pass of the Bitter Roo,
Mr.. Sherwood's letter, as far as
goes, cannot be gainsaid, and it goe
far enough to establish the fact tina
the Ska-ka, no pass is a much lowe
pass than is the Lo Lc. which is onl
about 1000 feet above tide. 1t O.
tablishes another fact that Nee CARNEY
survey last Summer was too far sout
to reach this pass. 1t establishes sti
another fact, to wit, that the Ska-ks
no pass is south Of the Lo Lo, an
within view Of the summit of the L
Lo pass, and that it is approached vi
= middle fork Of Clearwater from tn
west, and by low grade ridge fror
the Bitter Root valley, nearly du
E vest from the mouth Of the Wsspin