Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-01-28

A FEW FACTS IN REGARD TO
PASSES THROUGH THE BIT |
TER ROOT MOUNTAINS.
One of the FIRST pamphlets published !,
by the Northern Pacific company during
the financial agency Of J. Cook, had a
small map Of the route Of its contem-
plated road and its branch. This map
showed that the road was to go to Puget
Sound with its main line, and that it had
a branch diverging from point east Of
the mountains, and coming through the
Bitter Root mountains to the Clearwater
river and down that stream aud the
Snake and the Columbia to Portland
When Corbstt was in the senate from
Oregon, the branch was made the main
line and tho main line was made the
branch across the Cascades to the Sound.
This change Of programme was made at
tho instance Of the Oregon delegation
then in congress, and evidently to benefit
Portland and to the detriment of the
Sound. The surveys made when Cook
was agent were carried through the Pen
d'Oreille pass and explorations south
along the Bitter Root divide to point
s,uth of the Lo Lo trail. One Of the
last surveys was made by Engineer Mo.
berly, who was suddenly interrupted by
orders to join the party going up the
north fork Of the Clearwater making for
the Fish creek pass. This survey was
not completed when the snow stopped
the work and surveys were never again
resumed until after the reorganization of
the company, and then they did no fur
Their examination of the Bitts,fT Root
mountains until at the iustaaesM of parties
that knew that the company had failed to
Ind the low pass south Of the 10 Lo,
they were induced to send out Harry Nc.
Caftney to explore further south, and he
made hasty examination but missed the
pass and went south to the Salmon river
range and reported adversely, and the
company in September determined to pro-
coed from Ainsworth to the Pend Oreille.
Some have claimed thst Mccartney did
not want to find the pass, and hence did
not exert himself much to find it but Of
this We know not In 1883 a company
was organized for the purpose Of build
ing through this pass, and sent out an
engineer and guides who knew this range
and men and animals, aud they found
several passes, the lowest Of which was
less than 1900 above sea level, with good
approaches from both east and west, with
no grade leading to it exceeding sixty
feet per mile at any point and located it
and established monument and construct
ed wooden track for short distance
through the pass at the summit, and did
other work indicative of their intention to
hold it for further use. They expended
about $4,000 in making this survey, and
they still claim aud hold possession Of it
for themselves, or some other company
who will give tho assurance that they
will construct railroad through it down
the Clearwater within reasonably short
time. Several attempts have been made
to get this company to disclose this pass
and surrender all claims to it; but 80
far. they have failed because they would
not enter ito obligations to build through
Il, If it proved to be all that was claimed
for il. Recently efforts have bees re-
uewed to get tho field notes Of this ex.
ploration and survey, it being claimed by
those who made them that they were in
the interest Of the Northern Pacific and
some other company not named. We
presume that when any responsible com.
pany win come forward and pay the
company who have inclrrred the expense
to make this survey and explora-
ton and give = reasonable assurance that
that they vii! build railroad through it
At an early date, they will DO able to ne
gotiate for the notes of this survey and
exploration, and be furnished guide
who will conduct them directly to the
pass and not till then. This work of ex-
ploration and survey was made for the
purpose Of securing railroad to come
down the Clearwater, and not that the
possession Of this pass should be secured
and held 90 as to block road from COM
ing into the country over this low pass.
1t is really the key to this country via
the Bitter Root mountains south Of the
Pen d'Orille from the east There has
already been "too much Of the dog in
tho manager policy" in the efforts Of the
railroad companies, and while the COM
panies do not expect themselves to be
able to build at present, yet they say If it