The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-08-05
THE CAMAs PRAIRIE.
Harvey Harris Visits the Bunch Grass
Prairie.


Mt. IDAHO, IDAHO, July 30.
EDITOR PREss:-After being on the
road from CGur d'Alene TO Elk City
almost three weeks, we have got as far
as Mt. Idaho, where We have been
camped for almost 10 days. l am a
little surprised to find the towns $50
much advertised In the Spokane papers,
80 different from what they are repre-
sented. The first town on Camas prairie
one goes through after leaving Fort
Lapwai is Cottonwood. This is the
town with the great future $50 Cotton
wood people say, and there is simply
nothing in it. ! thought SO little of the
place that l stopped Only long enough
to water my horse. The town is built
in little hollow, with a very small
stream running through it. They have
wells for their water supply, so the
stream does not count for much. There
is a great deal of prairie land around
Cottonwood, all of which is dry, and
the crops look sickly. If they have half
crop in that particular locality they
will do well.
Should the reservation be thrown
open it would not help Cottonwood, as
am certain that another town will be
started, which will injure instead of aid
Cottonwood. Then if the railroad comes
in-which will be at least three years
yeti will not go through Cottonwood,
because there is nothing there to justify
such move. would not advise any
one TO go TO Cottonwood with any
thought of business.
New Denver is the next town, and it
would put one in mind of Post Falls.
only Denver hasn't any water falls and
scarcely any water at all, and only what
fuel they can get from the mountains,
which are about IL miles either way
one can travel. All Denver has is prairie
to hold her up, and that is dry. But
the Denverites say: Just wait until
the railroad comes in: then we will
boom" But they need have no fear, as
the railroad would not 90 SO far out of
its way to accommodate Denver alone.
and when the railroad does come it will
build its own towns where they will do
the railroad the most good.
Grangeville is the next town and the
best on the prairie, and still it is not
much for size, but does large amount
of business. Grangeville is in a good
farming, timber and stock country, but
] do not think any of the present towns
will be benefited by railroad. All the
ranchers here seem to be doing very
well, with fewer plasters on their
ranches than their Palouse cousins, and
have as good or better soil. A great
many hogs are raised here with little
expense. Cattle are very low, dry cows
bringing SIG; three, four and five year
old steers are selling for S25 per head.
Montana buyers are in here picking up
large quantities of stock at the above
prices.
None of this country is as good as it
is represented in a business way. !
have only seen two towns as good as
Cnur d'Alene since | started on this
trip-Moscow and Grangeville. People
here are just as hard up as they are
anywhere. but they seem TO think they
will have all the money they want after
the 9TH Of August. If Elk City don't
suit us we will go TO Salmon river. !
will write you few lines soon again or
when we get to our destination. We
start for Elk City next Tuesday morn
ing. J. IL. III.