Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-03-01
Correspondence.

Having been travelling over that por-
ton of east Washington lying between
the Idaho line and the Big Bend of the
Columbia, during almost the entire win
ter, l feel like giving your readers few
notes concerning that famous region.
That section of Washington is local
lied by common consent by the applica-
ton of two names. that lying next to
Idaho being called the "Palouse coun-
try" and that portion to the westward
the "Big Bend country"
One can surely witness there the
wonders of modern push and energy in
developing natures resources, lying in
all their native simplicity and grandeur,
as the white man has ever found the
haunts of the noble. but lazy, aborigines.
Indeed, the people who are going into
that region seem wild with enthusiasm,
with visions of future wealth and luxu-
ry. One hears nothing but talk Of the
development and utilization of the soil,
water powers, manufactures, mines,
printing offices, saw mills, creameres
and the like-one endless rehearsal of
the advantages for the establishment of
any conceivable branch of trade and
commerce known to the business or Gu
pidity of man, And it is not idle talk ;
they are doing, or endeavoring to do all
that modern thought and ingenuity has
devised; and that they have the coun-
try. the resources, the position and the
energy and capital to make that portion
of w. L. a model of the greatness and
glory of the 10th century civilization. is
self-evident. Railroads are building in
all directions, and their operators are
flooding the eastern states with accounts
of Washington's vast undeyeloped and
unpopulated domains, and the anxious
homeseekers and capitalists of those
overcrowded and overdrawn sections in
the east are crowding there and appro-
priating out territory with the rapidity
of magic.
That all this mighty development
energy and capital should be concentra-
ted upon Washington, is undoubtedly
due to the railroads.&c. their dssemna-
ton of information in the east and their
facilities for the transportation of the
| men and material necessary.
And, the fact is, the Big Bend and
| the Palouse countries are not more ia
vored by nature, their soil is no richer.
| their water power no greater or more
| available, their timbers not so good, and
upon the whole, our own Clearwater
country is not one whit behind in any
natural advantages which the great west
produces, but we yet lie in quiet desue-
tude, while alongside they are booming.
But it will not be for long. The rail-
roads are nearly done building in Wash
ington, at least for term, and when
they shall have finished up their lines
there and called sufficient attention to
their land and other interests, they
| will look about for other fields of spec
ulation, and Camas prairie, or all north
ern Idaho, will claim their attention.
1t seems dull and spiItless here now
compared to the adjoining section, Of
which | have spoken, but it is only the
dark hour before the day-break, and
our turn at the great wheel of fortune
of the nineteenth century must come
next. And when it does come it will be
found that the choicest and best of all
was neglected ill'the last.
G. c.