Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-11-06

the general altitude Of the prairie about
5000 feet.
The frosts of winter generally com
merce early in December. Snow sci.
dom stays on the ground more than
week. and in the canyons adjacent TO
the rivers it generally dissolves as it
falls.
The climate is tempered by the warm
chinook winds and the current of warm
air which is constantly rising from the
Clearwater, Salmon and Snake rivers.
From its location it will be the great
supply point for the lumber and mining
regions for $50 miles north. south and
east.
The topography is that of gently
rolling prairie, with bedrock of bssalt.
covered by deep black soil. very fer
tile and which produces large crops of
all kinds, and excellent quality, as well
as fine orchards and all small fruits.
On the eastern portion of the prairie.
near the foot hills, timothy grass grows
in luxuriance and comes into the fields
naturally with very little seeding, pro-
ducing from one to two tons to the acre
of the finest quality of hay.
Although considerable wheat is raised
yet owing to there being no outlet for
the crop, the principal pursuit up to the
present time has been stock raising.
Nearly every one has cattle. horses and
hogs to sell. The fine bunch grass range
and abundance CT water, with the mild
climate, have made the business here
tofore very pleasant and profitable
one. The advantages of the country as
an agricultural and grain raising loca-
ton are attracting many newcomers.
and the range must necessarily become
curtailed and the large bands of horses
and cattle give way to the more mixed
methods OF husbandry with smaller
herds and varied products. During the
thirty years in which farming has been
carried on there has never been a
failure of crops here.
This country was first opened up by
the discovery of the rich placer fields of
Orc Elmo, Elk City, Florence and War
rens in 1860. Placer mining was for
many years the only industry carried on
and produced many million dollars.
The mines became gradually exhausted
and the placer mining industry is car
~ at hn -
limited extent, although thousands of
dollars are contributed TO the wealth of
the country from this source every year,
and gold dust is a regular article of bar
ter and trade at the hotels and stores of
the towns. The great wealth of the
mining country, however. lies in it's
quartz mines which have made very
showing under great disad-
vantages.
The utter absence of wagon roads
necessitstes the bringing out of all ore
on mule back over the mountain trails
at cost of five cents a pound. All
reight, machinery and supplies had to
be carried into the mines in the same
manner at great expense. Two mule
loads of bullion were shipped out as the
proceeds Of one mill last summer.
A wagon road is now being surveyed
from Mount Idaho to Elk City and will
give new impetus to mining in that
locality. Three quartz mills are run
ming in Warrens camp. Beyond War
rens, in the heart of the Salmon river
mountains is the Alton district, where
ore was first discovered in 1884. Here
is located the Cleveland mine, with a
capital of $2.000,0OO. A twenty stamp
mill is being shipped, and when erected
the thousands of tons of rich ore will be
worked into bullion.
This vast mineral district has i'm
mense tracts of country that have never
yet been trod by man. With wagon
road developments and with the advent
of more scientific methods of mining, it
is estimated that there VIII be millions
OF gold produced here. The veins gen.
orally carry both gold and silver, but
are worked at present for the gold they
contain. The silver is allowed to go to
waste.
Many miles of magnificent pine, tam
arack, cedar and fir forests lie tributary
to the country and are only awaiting
the woodlands axe and transportation
facilities to be brought into the worlds
markets and contribute their portion 10
the worlds supply.
Cottonwood is located on the western
part of Camas Prairie, has a large hotel,
a general merchandise store, blacksmith
shop. furniture store, meat market and
saloon. 1t is the trading point for
large portion of Camas Prairie.
Grangeville is the largest town on the
Prairie, is busy and prosperous, and
well represented in the general lines of
trade. 1t has a good hotel, a high
school, brass band and orchestra. a
militia company and several secret SO.
ciety organizations. The town is loca-
ted in rich part of Camas prairie, sur
rounded by fine fields of grain, rich
timothy meadows and productive Or