The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-09-05

was the first town site laid out on
Wood River. Many rich prospects
were located here as early as 1879,
and number of sales were made.
The leading mines are on the high
mountains to the east of the town.
The ores are lead carbonates and
galena, and universally rich in sill
yer. Several mining companies are
developing their properties, and the
few remaining citizens of this once
populous and pretentious mining
metropolis of Wood River hold an
abiding faith that the many prom
ising prospects in that vicinity will
yet make it point of more than
ordinary interest. Altitude, 1900
feet.
Two or three miles up the creek
(for Wood River is now only a small
stream from Galena, and we begin
to ascend the divide that separates
the Salmon River waters from the
waters of Wood River. An easy
ascent over a broad, well-graded
road Of two miles more, and we are
on the summit. But the divide has
little resemblance to a mountain.
The way leads through beautiful
groves of black pine and fir, and the
altitude would not be thought great
if one were to judge by the appar-
emily low country around it; but
railroad engineers mark on tree
by the roadside gives the elevation
above sea level 1888 feet. A survey
was made for pass over the Galena
divide some years ago by the Union
Pacific Railway Company.
We are now on the down grade,
and another mile brings us in sight
of the peaks at the south end of
the Sawtooth range of mountains,
where it intersects the South Boise
and Smoky spurs, with their ever
lasting white steeple-like pinnacles
reaching far out toward the sky.
A little farther and the road makes
a turn around the hill, which brings
US out of the woods and in full
view of the valley beneath us and
the majestic and snow-tipped peaks
of the Sawtooth miles away in the
background.
At the foot of the hill is stage
station, and from here to the town
of Sawtooth, on the opposite side of
the valley, the distance is about six
miles. Two or three creeks meeting
in the valley near Sawtooth, togeth-
er form a stream a couple rods in
width, and here is the beginning of
THE GREAT SALMON RIVER,
and here it takes on its name, at
an altitude Of 7 ,240 feet. In many
respects this is a most remarkable
river. 1t is made famous in history +;
in it's many mining excitements
during the past thirty years; in the
Indian wars that have been waged
along its banks throughout all it's
strange meanderings; and in later
years for the rapid and permanent
growth of the farming and mining
communities that have builded on
it's valleys and opened up its
mountains.
From the head Of the Salmon
Valley it is open prairie and bench
lands, three to ten miles in width,
down to Valley Creek, distance
of over thirty miles. Thence the
river turns east and cuts through
high hills and mountain ranges a
distance of fifty miles; thence it
sweeps around by Round Valley
and down through valley country
to Salmon City, eighty miles to the
northward. From there it begins
to twist about to the westward, and
finally, after cutting it's way through
a sea of mountains and covering
nearly a thousand miles in its
course, it joins the Snake above
Lewiston. But long before this it
has become mighty river, and in
it's wonderful windings drains the
greater part of the snowy regions
of Central, Eastern, Northern and
Western Idaho.
TO BE CONTINUED.