Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-06-25
THE FREE PRESS.
IDAHO COUNTY.
A Synopsis Of its Past and Pre-.
sent History, Resources,
and Future Prospects.

the summit of the Bitter r lot mount
aims on the east, distance of nearly |
two hundred miles. 1t extends nearly |
an equal distance from north to south,
and in geographical sense it is by far
the most important county in Idaho
territory. Salmon river courses through
its center, draining with its multitude
nous tributaries the largest and least
known scope of mineral country on the
Pacific slope. Through the northern
limits of Idaho county flows the Clear
water-the largest tributary of the
great Snake overwhelming the finest
of the Bitter Root range. Throughout
the Clearwater country are vast areas
of unexplore6 country whose surround
ing characteristics indicate an extensive
zone containing large deposits of the
royal metals.
The settlement of the county dates
from 1861, when the excitement at
tending the discovery OF the rich placer
fields of Florence, Warrens, Elk City
and Salmon river made this region a
rendezvous for enterprising fortune hun
ters from all parts of the world.
Mining was for many years the exclu-
sive industry carried on, but as the
mines became exhausted more and
more attention was paid to the raising
of stock, and this in its turn became
gradually associated with agriculture.
These three interests, agriculture, stock
raising and mining, are the staple
occupations of the county.
The mining industry, although in its
decline in all the old camps, still EN-.
ploys large population and adds a
large amount OF gold dust every year
to the wealth of the world. 1t il more
over, an industry that new discoveries
to be made in our unpr ,spected noun
tains, will revivify into new life. The
Bitter Root range. forming the eastern
boundary OF Idaho county is in reality
the true back bone OF the continent, and
it has been less prospected than any
other range, although enough is known
of its character and. formation tojustify
the belief that portions of it will on
exploration, prove to be scanned with
ribs of gold and silver bearing quartz
The Salmon river mountains also afford
an inviting field for exploration for the
range has scarcely been touched by the
pick of the quartz prospector, and what
placer mining has been done has been
confined to the river bars and the small
basins tributary to the main river
The larger forks of the main Sllmo n
are all an unknown country that canno
but be rich in mineral wealth from the
fact that it is the source from whence
the millions already produced have
been extracted. As the country becomes
better known and accessible, develop
ments will be made in these ranges
which will easily give to the mining
industry its old time prom nence.
The slow development of this regior
is due in part to its isolation and mac
feasibility. and in part to an Indian out
break nine years ago, both Of which
causes have conspired pretty effeciualll
to fence out immigration AS natnra
result, Idaho county, as field for IN
dustrial occupations, has, until wi hiI
very few months, been unknown anC
untried by the outside world. Now thu
daylight of civilization is just beginning
to be let in upon it, and revelation i
fast being made of its boundless posi-
bilities.
In respect to agriculture, enough i
already known to satisfy the mos
incredulous that Idaho county contain
within her borders an immense amour
of fertile land, capable of producing an
crop that can be raised in he temperat
zone without irrigation, as our rain
fall is always abundant enough t
insure heavy crops. The varyin
attitudes of our agricultural lands ar
also as diverse as the character of on
products. In the valley lands on tn
banks of the Salmon and Clearwater
fruit of the choicest kinds can he raised
we have seen vines there in Angns
bearing grapes that for size quality an
quantity cannot be eclipsed in the rich
est of tine wine producing districts
southern France. On the highe
attitudes of the bench and prairie lane
the cereal crops and the harder vari'
ties of fruits grow TO perfection. I'll
average yield of wheat on Camas pra
RE, taking one year with another,
twenty five bushels per acre oats, fort
bushels barley, fifty bushels (; timoth
hay one and one half tons per acr
There are, of course, exceptional ii
stances where these yields can
doubled. There are fields of timoth
here which have yielded four tons
hav per acre for two seasons in sri