, 1884-02-23

creek and Belknap, and both are about
ready to open. TrJut creek was hard
trail.n
Here is another specimen of aCcu-
rate topography mixed up with total
ignorance, and the reference to Belk-
nap, that the writer was 50 long get
ting at, shows the true object of the
whole article. We will not refer to
the balance of the report, which is
devoted solely to the booming of
Belknap, which we have no ohjec-
tion to, only adding that the "simple
facts" are lost in the midst of stu
pendous falsehoods, and suggesting
that the Belknap town owners be a
little more careful in their selection
of writers in the future, or the de-
scriptIon Of their new town will act
as a powerful weight to drag it out
of existence. The existence Of
valley of Clark's Fork, in the first
place, is confined almost entirely to
the map, and to travellers this repre-
sentatiOn is a travesty upon the rude
aspect Of the surroundings. 1t will
be a refreshing piece Of news to
those acquainted with this section,
that the tributaries Of Clark's Fork
are to furnish water for the mines.
All of the streams actually watering
the mineral section flow the other
way, mingling with Coeur dAlene
lake, the outlet Of which is Spokane
river. But to set aside all such little
errors Of location, let us take up the
main question. Is Belknap destined
to be the only route to the mines, as
is afterwards set forth in tins arti-
Gle? And are other trails to be
abandoned Belknap would proba-
bly, be the only route If the prUprie-
tors of the town could so will it, but
nature has set up almost insurmount-
able barriers, which will counteract
the efforts of interested individuals
to a great extent Prior to the dis
cOvery Of the mines the long stretch
Of railroad between Spokane Falls
and Missoula contained but few un-
inviting, unattractive way and water
stations, with no hopes of growth
and with no inducements to attract
settlement. After the gold find was
made known it became apparent to
many shrewd and money making
men that all that was necessary was
to get hold of some land adjoining
the railroad anywhere between the
Falls and Missoula, and by judicious
advertising Of new route to the
mines make big speculation out Of
the venture. So one after another
hitherto unknown stations were
sprung upon the public and such
names as Heron, Trout Creek,
Hope, Gold Run, Tompkins' Falls
and host Of others became common
place. The last candidate for public
notice is Belknap. As the article
states, capitalists purchased the land
at Belknap, and by standing in with
the railroad-(which by the way is
one Of the most INSCRIPTIONS acts
the corporation has ever been guilty
of)-and paying the company a GER
tain per cent. Of the sales Of lots, the
railroad discriminates in its favor by
ignoring other stations just as favor
ably located as Belknap. This may
make lots more marketable, Bdt it
does not make the trail one whit the
better. After succeeding in bring
ing to their aid this powerful factor,
those engaged in lauding the claims
Of Belknap go on to say that wagon
road is being constructed to Eagle
City, and that vehicles will be rum
ming over it in short time, carry
ing passengers, freight, express,
mail, ETC., and representing 1t as the
only open route to the mines. Let
us consider this trail or road scheme.
If You see a report published that
road has been laid out from any
point since winter set in, put it down
as a snare and delusion. Winters in
the high attitudes Of that part Of the
world in which the several points of
departure are located are no tame
affairs. 1t must be understood that
the cod is intense and snow falls to
great depth. A road cannot be
constructed without some knowledge
Of the country which it traverses,
and in the name Of common sense
what kind Of a road is it that can be
built with snow on the ground from
six to twenty feet deep? A new
road is claimed to be under way
from Belknnpl Is this possible un-
der existing circumstances? We
are told by men who have been on
the spot that Belknap consists Of a
number of rough cabins and tents
almost buried in snow. 1t is in a
dense forest. Trees have been cut
down, leaving stumps, when the
thaw takes place, several feet in
hight. Over the tops Of these the
present road runs. In the spring
every vestIge of this road disappears,
and then travel for weeks will be
impossible, as there an elevation ex-
lists over which a road for wagon use
cannot be built under an expense of
thousands of dollars. The Belknap
trail is one of a day, and is doubtful
for that length Of time in the face Of
continuous storms. 1t may be only
80 or 40 miles from the mines by
road, but from the natural impedi-
ments it might as well be 200 miles.
We have nothing against Belknap.
1t can never be a rival to the Falls