Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-09-29
It's Elevation above Sea Level
Only 1850 Feet.
Maximum Grade Of Approach
from West only so feet, and
from East only IS feet
per Mile.
From Lewiston to pass 1919
Miles.
From Pass TO Bitter Root
valley ~ Miles.
Location Of Beall Pass for the Idaho
Clearwater, and Montana
Company.

On Thursday eve. Alph Beall and
party arrived at Mt Idaho from their
exploring expedition in the Bitter
Root mountains, in search of q rail.
road pass in behalf Of the "Idaho,
Clearwater. h Montana Transportation
Company" They had been out over
seven weeks, and no intelligence from
them received here during the time,
save telegram sent on the 9th Of
September from Stevensville. On
Friday, Beall, chief of party, reached
Lewiston, and reported himself al
headquarters Of the company. With
his permission we examined his notes
and observations taken on the whole
route. They show that the party pos
sessed both industry and energy, and
a purpose to overcome the obstacles
that presented themselves in the way
OF athorough examination of the passes
through the Bitter Root range south
Of the Lo Lo. The party left the
Weipe on the 9th of August, and on
the 10th of August crossed the Loksa,
a fork Of Clearwater Altitude CT the
crossing 3lO6 feet above sea level,
where fork como in from the south.
This point was the one spoken Of by
Truax, where be saw evidences Of a
recent camp. They explored south,
and on the Gath Of August they found
a pass which could be approached
from the west, whose maximum alti-
tude was only 5ll9 feet, but which
was not the one they were looking for.
On the 25th Beall left camp and made
discovery of a break in the main ridge.
Hs came back to camp and took with
him Maulie, Bemerick, and O'Donnell
and pushed into the pass and found
the maximum altitude by the barome-
ter only 1899 feet above sea level.
They found by tunnslling distance of
$50 feet it would reduce the maximum
elevation of the pass to 4549
feet. They explored to the west
. distance Of "a miles down a creek
called Loyal creek, with wide bottoms
and well timbered, with tall grass
along its margin. AT this point the
elevation is 3400 feet, the average
grade being less than 40 feet per
mile. Here unites creek from the
east which they called Fast creek.
The stream then descends to the Sci
wal fork Of the Clearwater, an esti-
mated distance Of 40 miles. at a point
known in Mccartney's report IS Elk
prairie. At this point of junction
Mccartney found the altitude above
sea level 1880 feet or 1929 feet less
altitude than at tho junction Of Fast
creek, making the grade Of this As
miles less than 20 feet per mile. The
guide represents that there is but one
place in this distance whore tho stream
runs through ascAnyon, and this for
only the distance Of half mile, and
here the sides Of the canyon are slop.
ing. From Elk prairie to Lewisl ON
McCertney estimates the distance 100,
miles. Beall says 100, and We think
Bsall is nearer the true distance,
which allowing the difference in the
elevation made by Mccartney to be
100 feet would give the average grade
Is feet per mile. Here then going
east from Lewttoe to tie summit Of
the pass, We have. ~ grade IS fest
per mile for the first 1870 miles, %
feet for the next IS miles, and 10 feet
for the last - miles, the last grade
carrying the road to the summit Of the
pass, or to the base Of the $50 feet
tunnel, which is $50 #. only from
the surf.ce of the ground at
tho apex of the pass. No railroad
could ever expect to scend a
$500 feet high with easier
grades for road, and then again the
track Of the road follows river and
its branches al the distance to within
q half mile Of the very summit of the
pass. The descent from the summit
to the Bitter Root valley is mostly
made along the margin of q stream
which can te reached from the sum,
NIT on q grade Of less than 80 feet per
mile, and thence to where the stream
enters the valley at still less grade.
The distance from the summit to where
this stream enters the st. Mary1 river