Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-04-21
n EW ROAD.

We claim credit for the discovery that .
new overland road by way Of Assotin and |
Wallowa countries will do moro for North |
Idaho than all other agencies combined. |
We propose hereafter to "whoop up" this
idea for Ill it 10 worthy. =. News.
To aid our brother in his further
discoveries that he may claim the
credit we republish from the TELLER
of May 26, 1877 an article as follows
Lewiston aud UniontoWn.
The confluence Of the Snake and
Clearwater rivers where Lewiston l. I.
is situated is near the middle Of town.
ship II north, and range 46 east &C.
cording to the public surveys Of Ore
gon and Washington. Uniontown at
tho head OF Grand Ronds valley
in Oregon, is situated about the center
of township south, and on the west
border of range 40 east according to
the same public surveys, this giving .
distance from Lewiston to Uniontown
of "a statute miles south and 80
statute miles west, making an air line
distance between the two towns only
about 81 statute miles. BY the same
surveys the Wallowa post office is 63
statute miles south and l8 statue
miles west of Lewiston with an sir
line distance between the two points
of about 65 statute miles. The main
Indian crossing Of Grand Ronde riv.
er between Lewiston and Wallowa is
at the center Of township 7 north, and
east side Of range 40 east, according
to the same surveys which is "a miles
south and 3 miles west of Lewiston,
making an air line distance of %
miles between the two points. The
questions for our people and those oi
Grand Ronde and Wallowa valleys to
correctly answer. are, can good
wagon road between Lewiston and
Umiontown via Wallowa, be opened
at small expense9 What will bt
the length of the entire road, its alti
tude at the highest point, its charac
ter for travel at all seasons Of thu
| year, and the character of the countr,
for settlement along its line.
10 the first we answer that alread,
there is q good wagon road from
Uniontown to Wallowa. That recent
ly the troops came over the route from
/ Wallowa to the top Of the bluff on tn
V south bank of the Grand Ronde river
near the contemplated crossing Of tn
. river and Lieut. Rains who was witt
3 the command informed US that til
n whole distance was over a good Nat
!, ural wagon road. Mr. Finley of Wa
d Iowa informed Mr.. Piercy of this city
J. that wagons could now ascend and de
r scend to and from the river at tn
d said crossing with comparative east
, but that there are one or two place
|. where little grading on the slop
would improve road to good wago
4 road. So much for the route south {
G the crossing. The report Of the cor
i. mittee of the citizens Of Lewiston
d which we publish this week, furnishe
e the data of an estimate Of the cost {
% the road north from the said crossin
e to Lewiston. So that from these dat
IS ~e can safely say that the whole rou'
10 can be opened for good wagon ros
i. for less than 81, 900. The distanc'
70 are a. follows on the line Of the roat
From Lewiston to Grand Ronde eros
q ing q miles, from the crossing
r. Wallowa 40 miles, from Wailowa
Uniontown 50 miles, total lO2 mile
70 or an increase upon straight line b
Or tween the two points of ii mile
a The highest elevation over which Il
" route passes is between Wallowa AZ
ID Union Town over the divide betwet
ii. the two valleys. The remainder
n. the distance IS either over high tall
". land or in valleys of the streams
gulches leading from the valleys to Il
table lands. The highest of these tai
g.. lands is about the same heigt as t
=" table land Immediately north Of Lew
IT. ton between this place and Paradi
" valley. Nearly the whole route fro
nc Lewiston to Wallowa is ar open cou
.. try with only here and there SIN
~ belt of timber, and with the except
~ of the canyon of the Grand Ron
"e river is most excellent grass and whe
'ss land, and we may safely say that the
=. W are 20 townships OF the land tributa
H. to the line of this road between Il
place and the Wallowa, that are
good condition for the plow and &
be now unoccupied lands and capable
producing 35 and 40 bushels OF VIII
to to the acre on an average and no p
ons ton OF these lands will he to exceed
miles from the line of this road. WI
no. the lands are between the Wallowa a
Union Town we know not, havl