Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-06-10

have it made. Speaking of a railroad to
Camas Prairie, there lisa fine route for a
road to 60 up the Clearwater to the
mouth of the Cottonwood we have
| named. Thence up the Cottonwood,
reaching the prairie between Cold Springs
and the Holes on the Pierce City road
and thence crossing what is called Law
ycr's canon, and en- southeast to the
Camas Prairie Cottonwood, just cast Of
Eckerts place and so on to the center Of
the prairie This would be shorter than
tc 90 up to the mouth of the Camas
Prairie Cottonwood and then up that to
the center Of the prairie. But this would
not provide for the outlet ef the Pot
latch prairie, nor the country north Of
the Orc Elmo creek, the Weippc country
nor the delta of country between the
south and middle fork of the Clearwater.
But by building along the margin Of the
Clearwater to the junction Of the middle
and south fork, both the country north
and south Of the Clearwater would be
within reasonable wagon distance of rail
road transportation, and all roads would
be on descending grade TO the margin
of the river along which the railroad
would extend. Some years ago Engineer
Eastwick made an examination of the
Clearwater as far as the mouth of the
middle fork with view to steamboat
navigation, and reported that less than
$50, 900, judiciously expended in clear
ing out some of the bouders in the chan
mel, three and one-half feet depth of
water could be had at medium stage in
all places between here and Kama, aud
steamboat navigation could be bad at
least six months in the year, for taking
the grain out of the country bordering.
But were the expenditure of 100000
requisite it would soon repay such expcn.
diture to the producers. If we cannot
induce the railroad men to build for us
a road along the river perhaps we can
induce the government to appropriate
and have expended a sufficient sum to
render steamboat navigation continuous
from Lewiston to the middle fork for six
or eight months in the year. There is
plenty of water, only straighten the
channel in some places and clear out tn,
boulders in others, and VIC can have ;
free navigable river for full seventy mile,
further inland and through the most pro
ductive country of the inland empire
There is no necessity for the people Dor
dering the Clearwater river for distance
!, of eighty miles east Of Lewiston, to b,
perpetually bottled up with their glaiI
and other produce, if they will take hole
with will and importune congress to come
to our aid. The people don't know thei
strength with the government till they
test themselves, and especially when the,
have so strong an incentive as the pcopl
: of Nez Perez, Idaho and south Shoshon,
counties have to secure navigation of tn,
Clearwater, ought to arouse on earncs
effort for an appropriation to improve thi
navigation at an early day. If simia
river existed in the states with sevent,
miles distance that could be made nayiga
) bic by an outlay of from $4,000 t.
:, 100000, there would not be permitted
scssion..of congress to pass by without sucl
= an appropriation being passed, and VIII
should they not be willing to do as mucl
for one Of our rivers, where the improve
p" ment would add SO much to the commerc
of the country and the convenience of tn
people. To build railroad this d,tauc
> and equip it, would cost 81, 500, 00l
while $l50,OOO would so improve tn
river that boats could do much of tn
2 business tor years to come.
The officers of the Baker in going u,
to Fir Bluff, were Capt. Baug hman
Capt. John Stump, pilot, Capt. Samps IN
purser, who were very attentive to tn
wants Of the few persons who went up t.
see the river. Capt. Baughman at tn
:. helm with the promptness of his me,
at the engine seemed to handle the Bak
er as easily in the r,ugh water, an,
crooked channel to all appearances a
they would if it had been a simple, whal
boat. What Baughman don't know
: about handling a boat IN bad water, h,
will be hard to learn and much less to
! teach to others.
On the 22nd OF last month the Inter.
Idaho published an item under the head
) ing, "a Mystery" wherein it was SET