Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-11-07

mans necessaries Of life, you
lessen his necessary expendi-
lures, which is equivalent to
increasing his wages by that
amount.
Elk City is languishing for
lack Of the same stimulant-a
wagon road. Here is a camp
with the best showing Of sur
face quartz in America, lying
idle, undeveloped, and practi-
cally worthless, because it is so
difficult of access. The editor
of this paper has had practi-
cal experience in the past year
of the difficulty of inducing
the investment Of outside cap
ital in such an isolated camp, |
no matter what inducements
you may offer in the way of
bargains or the certainty Of
rich returns. Mines in such a
camp cannot be said to possess
an actual cash value, because
they cannot be sold, and, in
deed, would scarcely be ac-
cepted as gift under present
circumstances by the class of
men whom it is desired to at
tract to the camp. And this
condition ofaf1airs exists, mind
you, not because the mines are
not valuable in themselves,
but because of the isolated
condition of the camp in which
they are located. No one with
any experience in quartz can
visit Elk City and neighbor-
hood and examine the crop
pings of the great lodges which
are visible in the several min
eral belts without becoming
firmly impressed with the con-
viction that it has the making
of a great and productive camp.
Gold has been taken from its
soil for 80 years, and although
placer mining as an industry is
in its decline, the great quartz
lodges are comparatively I'M
touched and unknown, and it
is only a question Of time and
work until quartz mining will
place the bullion products of
the camp upon a far more per-
mancnt and productive basis
than was ever dreamed of in
its palmiest period of placer
mining.
Meanwhile, the country is
languishing for lack Of wagon
road. The majority Of the men
owning claims are prospectors,
a class of men who. as rule,
are rich in the possession of
superintendent energy, faith,
hope and charity, but rarely
own their share of this world S
goods. They can only con
tribute labor towards building
a wagon road. Here on Camas
Prairie we are in the same pre-
dicament. There is general
recognition that a wagon road
to Elk City is a necessity;
there is a general disposition
on the part of everybody here
to aid the enterprise. But,
somehow, there seems to be a
hitch somewhere-as though
the right man in the right
place had not appeared to con-
solidate the different elements
of the community into a united
and concrete force. As it now
stands. the enterprise has nei-
Their head nor tail, nor has any
plan been proposed by which
the road can be built next sea
son. Study it over this winter
and ifyou think of feasible
plan submit it to the people
through the county paper. We
cannot 90 on in this way year
after year neglecting the OPP
portunities which offer of de-
veloping the country and pro-
viding ourselves with a ready
and profitable market for the
products of Camas Prairie. We
all profess to have unlimited
faith in the future of Elk City.
Let us, then, follow the scrip
tural injunction, and proceed
to show our faith by our works.
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