Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-10-04
REPORT ABOUT THE SKA KA.HO
PASS.

| ->piticiu dciHc company were survey
Ing from the Bitter Root side toward
the Ska pass Of the Bitter Roo
range, with view to building through
and down the Clearwater and intersectip.
with the Palouse road The Watchma,
Of last week has the following:
"The statement is being telegraphel
about the country that the Northern Pa
citic is grading westward from Missoul;
through the "Skalkaho Pass" There i.
no such pass. The Northern Pacif,
should have, and will unqlestionably
run eastward through Walla WalIa and
up Clearwater, saving distance Of l5C
miles. But it will have to follow sub
stantially the route looked out by Maj.
Iruax one year ago, or following up the
north fork Of Clearwater crossing where
the old Lo Lo trail crosses. Skalkaho i,
stream coming into Bitter Root river on
the east side, and the pass from it leads
into Central Montana.
The Wdtchmdn is a little off. True
Ska ka-ho creek comes into st. Mary
river from the east. But 1t is equally
true that there is pass, or low gap, in
the Bitter Root mountains known and
designated as the Ska-ka-ho pass, and has
been SO known and designated by the In.
dams and early white settlers for more
than 30 years. 1t is not the pass surveyed
by Truax, but much lower pass. It was
viewed out and located by the surveyors Of
the Idaho Clearwater and Montana Trans
portation Co., at an expense of scvera
thousand dollars, and ties and wooder
rails laid there by them two years ago
and claim to the pass, for the company ant
all these facts published soon after. anc
they have never abandoned that claim
n survey was also made from Lewiston
east to the reservation line, and wou,c
have been made through the reservation
up the Clearwater, but for want of tn,
consent OF the Indians in council callet
by the order Of the department for tha
purpose. Two councils have met and il
both the majority vote was against grant
ing the right of way, although the de
partment expressed readiness to permi
the survey with the consent of majorit,
OF the Indians in council, and to give tn,
right Of way under such conditions a.
they should prescribe after the survc,
was made and plats returned But up t,
the present the Indians have been un
willing to permit the survey although
large number of their principal men hav,
expressed willingness and even an earn
est desire that the company should max,
the survey and build the road, or cause
their assigns to do the work. Thus tn,
matter stands in allegiance. We ar,
aware that parties in the interests of tn,
Northern Pacific have strenuously denied
the existance of this low pass, and hay,
ignored all illusions to the pass, publicly
But if they now are surveying toward.
this pass from the east side, they have de-
termined to do this without any resart
to the rights OF those who have been te
the expense Of disclosing it and determin
Ing its altitude and practicability for q
railroad. Through agents and survey.
or Of the Northern Pacific, the Idaho
Clearwater and Montana Company, the
rights which they have acquired, were
rendered to the Northern Pacific. pro,
vided the expenses already incurred by
the former were paid, and guaranty
that the road should be built within q
reasonable time. But no intimation was
ever given that such proposition would
ever be accepted by them. 1t would now
seem that the Northern Pacific have found
that they have expended several millions
Of dollars extra, in building their road via
Pen d'Oreillc, and that they yet have not
the best route, they now propose to gobblc
the labors of others and prevent them
from ever building. We shall watch these
movements with much interest. But the
published programme seems to be to
avoid Lewiston, through whose efforts
and expense, the advantages of the Ska
ka-ho pass were disclosed. We would not
like to believe that large corporation
like the Northern Pacific would begin to
usurp the rights of another company.
who were in no wise antagonizing them,
but simply seeking to discover and open
route, which they had before ignored
ard seeking to have road built upon it,
for their benefit and the benefit of the
whole country, and we must conclude
that the report of their approaching that
pass with survey, is, mistake and
wholly an unauthorized report, But if
it be true that they propose to jump the
route Of the Idaho, Clearwater and Mon