Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-02-26


mate the average grade at thirty.five
feet per mile for distance of ten
miles. From this point to Slate
creek a road can follow down streams
the entire distance. Beginning with
Secesh creek, thence down tho South
Fork OF the Salmon (the largest of all
its tributaries) and along the main
river to such point as might be Sc
lected for its climb to Camas Prairie.
The grade of the Salmon river, ac-
cording to the Northern Pacific sur
vey, is thirteen feet per mile, and no
place on the South Fork or Secesh
will a grade exceeding twenty feet
per mile DO encountered. The dis
lance from Round valley to Mount
Idaho over this route may be set down
| in round numbers ut $50 miles.
Assuming the above estimates OF
grade distance TO be approximately
correct, let Us glance at this section,
which might be aptly designated the
mountain division Of North and
South railroad, making such superb
cial examination ct its resources, and
calling attention to the most obvious
| inducements which il offers the CAPT.
talist in return for its development as
space permits. Round and Long
valleys embrace within their limits
larger acreage Of arabic land than any
valley in South Idaho. Experiments
have proved-especiaIly those OF last
year that for cereals, tame grasses
and all the hardy vegetables, these
lands are not surpassed by those OF
the most favored sections OF the State,
and that productiveness will be in
creased, and the ravages Of frost de-
creased, as more land is subdued there
is no reasonable doubt. II the forests
surrounding these valleys do not en-
brace the finest body of timber in the
State, its nearness to market that
is constantly and rapidly increasing,
and the question OF transportation,
POLLEN that the future is bound 10
live, places it above all others in
prospective value.
| If there is any section Of Idaho
that can furnish railroad with re-
munerative local traffic this is it.
From the head Of Long valley to
Camas Prairie, properly speaking,
there is no agricultural lands, and a
70, ID would have to depend on n ia
ing, stock raising and timber for its
traffic.
On both Secesh creek and South
Fork it would pass within ten miles
Of Warrens, and would he intersected
on the former by an excellent wagon
road constructed by George Riebold,
an enterprising miner, at his individ-
ual expense. At the mouth of Elk
creek, on South Fork, it would cross
the Alton trail sixteen miles west oi
the mines, and about forty-6ve miles
west Of the great copper and gold
lodges now being prospected or
: Monumental creek. AT the mouth oil
French creek, where the iron bridge
on the State road is to span Salmon
river, it would be within ten miles OIL
the Florence mines, through which
the State road passes. The timber
OF the Warrens Basin, including Sc
cesh and Lake creeks, is the onl,
> body through which a road would
pass after leaving the North Fork o
Payette. The timber in this Basir
consists almost exclusively of hlacl
= or Norway pine, and has no valu,
I from lumber standpoint. But 70
: ties, mining timbers, fencing ant
$ fuel, its uniform growth aud excel
n lent fibre, makes it the most desira
q Bile variety, OF any found on the coast
Q With the foregoing facts in favor o
s route little known, | submit that i
y would be we'll for the next prelimina
n ry railroad survey between North ant
u South Idaho to examine it.
CuAs. CLIFFORD.
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