Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-02-12
CAMAS PRAIRIE.
Rich and Fertile Inland Section
Directly Tributary to Lewiston.

country Is more deserving OF il creult-
able mention than Camas prairie, a fer
tile, we'll watered and extensive section
lying back in Idaho county, some
fifty miles to the south and east of
Lewiston. 1t is broad, elevated
table land and one of the few favored
spots in Idaho where the annual rain
fall is sufficient to secure always IA full
and ample crop. This section is rap
idly being settled by class of thrifty,
intelligent people, and, when the
country is developed by opening
roads and other lines Of communica-
ton, it will develop into one of the
richest and most prosperous sections Of
the State. The completion of the
State wagon road, now already begun,
and the building of the new road
under the provisions of the recent bill,
will afford partial relief to the citizens.
1t Is highly probable, too, that the N.
p. will extend its lines from Lewiston
to some point on the Prairie this COM
ing year. Lewiston is directly inter-
ested in any movement that would
tend toward increasing the facilities of
trade between here and that section.
This is the natural distributing and
shipping point for all supplies and
merchandise bound to or from the
Prairie. The resources and advan-
tages of this favored section are no
where better set forth than in the fol-
lowing from the governors report to
the Secretary of the Interior:
"The great Camas prairie is the only
portion of Idaho county which isavail-
able for agricultural purposes. 1t is
the largest and best body of agricul-
tural land in the Territory and is rap
idly settling up with a desirable and
thrifty class of immigrants. This
prairie has an altitude of 5000 feet and
is situated on lew divide between the
Salmon and Clearwater rivers. The
climate is wonderfully bracing and
good, the temperature being modified
by the warm air rising from the canons
of the great rivers which enclose it.,
while the warm breadth of the never
failing Chinook" wind causes the
open winters, which make it such an
uneXcclled cattle raising country.
During the last winter, which was Of
exceptional severity, the loss of live
stock running on the range without
feed did not exceed % per cent. Owing
to its isolation and absence of a market
1T is 63 miles from Lewiston, the
nearest shipping point-the residents
of Camas prairie are almost exclusively
: dependent upon cattle-raising to con
sumo their products. The society is OF
very high standard, and the people
are unusually intelligent, hospitable
: orderly and thrifty. The county jai
has not had an inmate for long time
In respect to agriculture, Idaht
County contains within her border
: an immense amount of fertile land cap
3 able of producing any crop that can b.
raised in the temperate zone withou
;. irrigation. The rainfall is alway
D abundant enough to insure heav,
:, crops without irrigation. The varyinI
+ attitudes of the agricultural lands.len'
: diversity to the products of the county
d In the valley lands bordering on tn
o banks of the Salmon and Clearwate
r rivers, fruits Of the choicest kinds ar
e raised and the soil there seems to 20.
:, sess just the right mineral propertie
: for the successful raising of grape.
II which are produced so successful
e that the richest vineyards of souther
t France can not surpass them in qualit
IL or quantity. On the higher altitude
(. of the bench and prairie lands, the ce
% cal crops and the harder varieties
'e fruits, such as apples, pears, plums an
r prunes, grow to perfection.
~ On Camas Prairie the average yiel
~ of wheat, taking one year with anothe
ie is 80 bushels per acre; oats, so bushel
e' barley, go bushels; timothy, 2 tons p
&c acre. In exceptionally favorable yea
as these yields are more than double
w The soil is rich, black loan, of une
" celled fertility and productivenes
~ Gen. o. o. Howard, who conduct,
N the Nez Perce war Of 1877, thus d
cribes Camas prairie:
THE broad and beautiful Cam
prairie opens out before you as you 9
y, your back to Craig's Mountain al
0y look towards the southeast. IT
'rs straight road in your front leads fro
We you to Grangcville and Mount Idah
On What q beautiful stretch of rollil
n, prairie land! Where Is there rich
". soil or finer prospects? Towards t
ny right is the "Snake country" T
re- Salmon, which flows Northwestern
ch empties into the Snake not more tn
N y