Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-08-24
Il TRIP TO W1RRENS.
Rec. u. ID. McConkey GtUes his
Impressions on Mountains,
Men and Things.

ioW me space Will Try 10 give you my
impression Of things movable, immova-
BILE and being moved, whether they
would or not. as seen and heard, on and
during my trip over the mountains. 1t
has been my intention ever since COM
ing to this field of labor to visit the ex-
treme mining camps. which, by reason
of their remoteness are deprived Of the
advantages of our towns and cities This
purpose, owing to pressure of work at
my centre of operations has been frus-
trated from year to year, until finally l
decided to combine work with recrea-
ton during the hot days of the summer
months. Accordingly l started from
Lewiston with Mr.. A. Benson, who
kindly offered me seat in his hack for
60 miles, as far as Mt. Idaho situated at
the foot of the mountains and the ter
minus of all wheeled conveyances east
ward; thence onward on horseback.
The drive from Lewiston to Mt. Idaho
Is a delightful one with varied and pic
turesque landscape of mountains, bills
and valleys. The road for twenty miles
lies through rolling domains of waving
grain unequaled by any under the shin
ing sun, and already turning heavy gol-
den heads, reckoning on the reapers.
After four hours ocular feast on either
view from green relief and ripening hue
OF headed grain we stopped for the
night at the foot of Craig's mountain at
stage station. known as Whites or
Spring ranch. Here the Accommodations
are not of the best and we, the carriers
of q night" are shown as our portion for
rest an omnibus" room, close and mus
ty, uncomfortably low-ceiled, with moth
ing whereon to hang our clothes save
the dusty floor, and a narrow bed with
bed-felow of the human species to
while away the wearisome night. For
all of which the charge goes down extra
low-in our purse. After breakfast we
renewed our journey up and over wooded
mountain whose dark and light green
stately pines cast sombre shadows across
the road and famed with intermittent
breeze-stirred branches the passers un-
der. Over this mountain and through
Underlined avenue we rode the greater
part of the day, making only one stop
bv stream to lunch; thence onward un-
Ill Cottonwood, another stage station, on
Camas prairie, is reached. Here being
again refreshed we continued our way
TO Grangevile, where we spent the
night. Grangevile is thrifty little
town, with bright future, as it has
within its scope large and fertile
prairie; which demands, and will have
at no distant day railroad facilities TO
carry off its immense products. The
FREE Press is the exponent and wide
awake enterprising medium here, which
is truly advertising and bringing to pub
lie notice and attracting capitalists and
railroad companies to that section ofthe
country. The following morning after
"A three mile ride we arrive at Mt. Idaho.
nestled, and glistening white, at the
mountains foot. From here we pro-
ceed on horseback over a tedious noun
tain trail densely wooded on either
hand. displaying now and then, through
breaks and clearngs, ravines and
streams glens and canyons with green
clad peak behind peak till lost in the
distance. Through ever changing pam
Drama of mountain scenery we logged
for l6 miles until we came to White
Bird, canyon of no little extent, with
an abundance of water from stream and
spring, good pasturage of luxuriant
meadow grasses and famous in the
annals OF Indian warfare. Here we
picketed our horses and camped for the
night, intending to sleep under an open
sky, but thunder storm arising sudden
1y, caused temporary canvass covering
to be stretched to serve as a protection
from rain, swarming gnats and musoui-
toes. In the morning we We're M with
the lark and having breakfast at the
camp fire of Mr.. Bensons packers, we
mounted and resumed the trail which
was one continuous avenue of an almost
uniform width of about Ia feet through
AS fine and as thickly timbered country
AS any We have seen and which will be-
come valuable in the near future as de-
Velopment goes on and railroads cut
t trough and span the western void.
thus we proceeded up and down, curv-
Ing here and there to gain easy and
gradual ascents, around inaccessible
peaks until seventeen miles were ira
versed and we halted for the night at
what is called Adams. This, like White
Bird, is canyon. although not as large.
with running stream, good cool springs
pasturage.
In the morning we were disappointed.
and our advance delayed by losing our
horses, which during the night, scared
by wild beasts. or made frantic bv gnats
and flies. had wandered off, Cohse-
quently, here beneath the cone-shaped
signing pine for rest and comfort we re-
cline until four packers went out to
search for and returned with the stray
ers, which they found Is miles back on
the trail at White Bird, where they had
been staked the night previous.
From Adams the trail becomes
rougher, 10 places more PERCEPTIONS, es-
pecially at Slate Creek where rocks and
huge bonlders impede the stepping of
our steeds, and the timber either van
ishes on either side altogether, or re-
cedes to distance, while brush and
sand and stone and rivulet crowd on our
path, while adjacent granite bald head
knobs and mountain slopes were con-
rpiculously attractive with the standing |
remains of primeval forest, part al |
most, and part entirely, denuded of |
branch and bark. standing like vast
array of telegraph poles, made thus by
Iuciter or Jove, The heat along here
was intense and we were glad when l6 |
miles were passed and Eloranca an