Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-07-18
THE BOISE AND BUTTE II. Il.

the party making the preliminary
survey for the proposed Boise and
Butte railway, returned to Boise on
the 9th and gave the Statesman the
following information:
The first ten miles out Of Boise
we found easy work, calling for only
the most cursory examination. Our
route continued right up the river,
crossing More's creek and Middle
Boise up to the South Boise river.
The first forty miles of our journey
was comparatively easy to accom-.
plish, the grade not being over from
thirty TO forty feet to the mile.
This portion Of the route is the
same that has been frequently talked
of, specifically examined and pro-
nounced inexpedient, but from our
survey | feel justified in saying that
the route up the Boise river is prac.
ticable. easy Of accomplishment and
comparatively inexpensive. From
here we investigated possible route
up the Middle Boise river, but found
it did not compare with that up the
South Boise.
The fifth ten miles of our journey
was through a rugged canyon, whose
walls rose above US to a height OF
400 feet. Here we found the rough
est part Of the route, some 43 miles
from Boise. This only covers dis
lance Of two miles, however, but the
grade will be greater, being 80 feet
or a little more TO the mile, and the
work of construction will be quite
heavy. The next eight miles. to the
point where | left the party, was
easier work and triiie lighter grade.
The scenery along the route is
grand, and in some places almost
majestic, where the mountains rise
almost perpendicular to a height of
400 feet. We have not yet reached
the region of heavy timber, as in the
sixty miles we have travelled we
have only assembled about 100 feet.
From our present location we cx-
pect to work up South Boise to the
forks of the Boise and Big Smoky,
and then proceed to the summit TO
discover the best pass. From there
we will work northeast towards
Solmon City.
The country is being quite act
lively prospected, and agriculture is
by no means neglected. Smiths
Praire is being rapidly settled and
the ranchers find a splendid market
for their products in the adjacent
mining camps. The route of the
proposed road, so far as surveyed, is
an easy one and moderate in cost.
II passes through good country,
which is rich in scenic beauties.
In the Boise Democrat Of a later
date we find n lengthy communica-
ton from 0. l.. Miller, superintend-
ent of the surveying party, and give
few extracts. Mr.. Miller says:
Travelling up the Boise river from
Boise City we enter a lava canyon
and find it in many places very mar
row, rising 400 feet almost perpen.
dicular. The valley has at one time
apparently been much wider than
at present, with granite hills grad
ually sloping back to the mountain
ranges, but the lava has filled the
valley and all the gulchcs on each
side back for a mile or more, and
the granite hills that once formed
the banks Of the river can only be
discovered as they project from un-
der the lava. This lava canyon con-.
tinues with scarcely break for %
miles and from one-fourth to two
miles back from the stream on each
side. There are two benches, that
il the walls of the canyon with a
few exceptions, first rises about ACC
feet, then what the settlers call
bench land, forming little coves, are
covered with grass and supplied with
water by cool springs or mountain
brook that flows through canon in
the second lava bench that rises sew
eral hundred feet higher than tho
first. These coves furnish garden
spot for the stockgrowers, and many
are yet without the squatter's cabin
Just north Of the South Fork and
about ten miles east of the main
Boise river, surrounded by a range
Of rough hills is a large beautiful
park, known "a Smiths Prairie ir
Gilmore county. 1t is six miles wide
and twelve long. Smith creek rises
in the mountains to the northeast
is q sparkling brook about three fee
deep and ten feet wide, which flows
through the center of the park
thence along canon in the upper
lava bench, and falls 100 feet into {
short canon in the lower bench, rush
ing and roaring into the South Boisi
river below. For limited number
Smiths Prairie is a paradise fol
horses and cattle. The large anC
valuable belt of timber TO the north
east can be seen for the first time
Leaving Smiths prairie we descens
TO the river bottom, 1000 feet be
low, where the lava canon pracic
ally ends. 80 miles above Boise city
From TINT noint To our nresen