Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-08-31
II MURRAY LETTER.
"Reminiscences of the Early Days
in CPur d'Atene, TOgther Hith
u Description of the Country
as it is at Present.

MURRAY, l. T., Aug. 18th, 1888.
EDITOR PREss:-Since the warm and
balmy nights of July we have been
quite off, owing to the departure of the
boys from below. After their brief stay
in the C@ur d'Alene, which am bound
to say was quite pleasant, we have been
afraid to meet certain lady from Eagle,
and it has been puzzle and query TO
us how to pass when we two do meet
for We editor of the PRESS will not have
to make any of his bland apologies,
while we are left to fight it out on this
line near the snow reach. Many of our
citizens have not forgotten the first p.
NJ. CT booming Eagle, by the tobaggan
route or via pack mule or the river tran
sit down the north fork.
When the editor left us it was far
more pleasant than when we met
in that wild November morning of 1883
and in the face of a furious snow storm
when the evergreens were loaded down
with a heavy fall OF Cnur d'Alenes now,
when the cooped-up prospect of win
ter in the C9ur d'Alene was dawning
on our vision and which afterwards told
on our stomachs and backs as we trudged
ea'O iOhS anu WCb1 tihliy iouSInS anu
waiting for something to turn up. But
not like Othello, our occu patton was not
gone. There were many weary tramps
over the mountains and many weary
days when we editor was digging in the
mother earth on that ancient bar in
quest Of the bright shining gold which
was found in limited quantities and
and which fact many doubted the We
racity of we uns. Still the truth was
there in shining gold. although very
hard to get. All these things have
passed and gone, the tobaggan and pack
mule routes are to be seen no more, but
fine wagon roads, good and comfortable
stages and fine steamer and railroad
makes it easy of access to and fro, and
you boys from the tribe of Nez Perces
were and are thrice welcome and many
old timers will greet you "all for old
Lang Syne."
" e have railroad war between two
of the most powerful companies of the
northwest, each striving to get the van
tage to control the carrying trade of the
Cour d'Alene, for in the future and at
present it is financially no mean thing
to fight for, and we look on and wander
back to the days when we took up the
hill from the south fork by the lone pine
tree, storm-tossed and bent from age
and exposure to the elements on the
mountain top and the brush logs and
timber our cavuses had to wallow and
jump over till tired and weary we
reached the Ceur d'Alenes. Now two
railroad companies are fighting by law,
and often otherwise, to get through on
the same route. Let them fight as we
want both of them SO that we will have
competition, strong and healthy, and ye
miner will enjoy cheaper rate for freight
and have supplies at much more reduced
rate and more and better articles of
goods and supplies of all kinds for
miners use. We have but few ranchers
to benefit, but in time they will increase
and our vegetables will be fresh from
our own soil. At Eagle and the North
Fork qnite Il crop of strawberries was
raised this year and few fruit trees
have been planted as a nucleus for hor-
ticuture
Judge Logan adjourned court until the
18th of September, and in the mean
time he and Mrs. Logan are camping
out, and with rod and gun, the judge is
enjoying rest from judicial cases. He
will probably entice many of the
speckled beauties with his patent fly
from their native waters, and succeed in
killing many of the mule deer which
inhabit the cool shade and dark can
yons. We hope he will find return to
health in the wilds of the valleys of
Cmur d'Alene and live long among us,
for his upright, manly, kind and posi-
tive way and free and gentlemanly
manner have made him welcome
guest to ali in the Ceur d'Alene. His
judicial way of disposing of long and
costly suits and clearing the docket OF
many Of those old cases has won for
him the good will of the people, regard
less of politics.
Give our thanks to all of the quar-
tette, and call again boys is the wish of
one who enjoyed your visit and who is