Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-08-21

plies. it quickly became busting town
OF twenty thousand people, but, like
most mining towns, its glory was short
lived, for the gold hunter, ever seeking
after something richer. soon betook
himself in quest of other fields and
Lewiston was left deserted, decrepit
old town full of empty shacks and Chi
namen.
But the gold hunter could not take
with him the rich agricultural section
which stretches for miles in every di-
rection and the rancher, following in
the footsteps of the miner, conferred
upon the little town on the banks of the
snake more lasting. although slower
and less exciting prosperity, until now
the large stores filed with large stocks
OF varied merchandise, the pleasant
homes surrounded with orchards and
gardens. the commodious schools and
public buildings and the neat and we'll
Kept churches. attest the prosperity and
contentment of its people.
But Lewiston has u quaint and an
cient aspect as well as a contented and
prosperous one, for the old-fashioned.
slowly revolving water-w wheel with
which nearly every garden is supplied
reminds one of some old Englist town,
and some of the oldtime buildings, now
empty and more than half tumbled
down, look as if they came into exist
ence some time before the flood and
defy any known style of architecture.
From Lewiston to Grangeville, a dis
tance of sixty-five miles, We had the
novel experience of riding behind four
horses in an old.time tally ho coach,
which carried whole cargo of freight
from human live stock to such perisha.
ble goods as butter and fruit, but with
three changes of horses good time was
made and Grangeville was reached in
time for a good supper, which always
makes traveller happy.
Grangeville is also the center of rich
agricultural section. and is pretty little
town with very promising future, but
we were pushing on to the coming min
ing center of Idaho, Elk City, SO six
O'Clock the next morning found us ON
the trail for the Bitter Root mountains.
each on sturdy horse and ready for
any adventure that might present itself.
As we began to ascend, the trail became
more winding, affording glimpses of an
ever expanding landscape. and noun.
tain brooks became more frequent, until
2st,almost every turn xa could slake our
thirst at the purest crystal water that
ever flowed from an ice.cold mountain
spring. From the summit of "Old Bal
dy" mountain magnificent panorama
is spread out. which amply repays one
for the whole trip. Away seventy or
eighty miles to the south can be count.
ed the peaks of the Seven Devils" to
the west is spread out the fertile plains
of the Nez Perce Indian reservation; to
the east the Old gold diggings Of New
some creek throw up their banks of
yellow sand; while everywhere, in ev-
cry direction, stand an innumerable
company of lesser peaks, all clothed
with evergreen verdure of dense forests.
Elk City itself is town the like of
which is not often met with, for in the
palmy days of '62 and '63 it had a popu-
lation of ten thousand people. which
has since shrunk to about fifty China
men and two or three dozen white men. .
but rows of tumbled down deserted
shacks attest its former populousness.
The old placer mines from which mil.
lions of dollars in gold have been taken
present very curious sight; whole
mountain sides have been washed away
in the panning out of the precious met
al and the country torn up. for miles,
with the result that it looks as If Kan
sas cyclone of the worst kind had struck
it and turned it upside down. But aside
from the old placers. which are still be-
ing worked with profit, within the last
two or three years the lodges from
which the placer gold came have been
discovered and their richness has at
tracted mining men from California,
Colorado and Montana who are now
busily at work opening up the veins
which they believe will make Elk City
the future mining camp of Idaho.
Rich finds have been and are being
made. which improve as depth is at
tanned the attention of capital is more
and more being directed that way and
with the advent Of roads that are now
being constructed, there is every reason
to believe that the Elk City district will
more than attain her old prestige and
enter upon new era that shall make
her the equal of Butte and Helena in
turning out of precious metals. The
district itself is we'll calculated to sup
port large population, rich meadows
and valleys obtain that yield enormous
crops of grain and vegetables, apples
and other fruits flourish, fine pasturage
with plenty of good water is abundant
for horses and cattle. and as roads are
easily constructed and railroads are ev-
cry year penetrating farther into the
the day is not far distant when
it will be as easy of access as any in the
west.
As we reluctantly turned our faces
homeward bound, we left with the con-
viction that Elk City. with it's undevel-
oped wealth of gold and silver which
l.