Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-11-17
A PRIMEyAL LAND.

10 white settlement, general in
terest in the topography OF the
Indian country, the quality of
the soil, ETC., has been awakened
The fact hatabout $4,000 acres
will fall into the hands of white
home-seekers, when the reserve
is opened, points to a stampede
second only to the famous Okla
hona rush. The writer had
occasion several years ago, to
pretty thoroughly explore the
reservation. and having crossed
its great central plateau at all
seasons Of the year, l am prepar-
ed to give a tolerably accurate
description of that truly delecta-
BILE region.
The old stage road from Lew-
iston to Pierce City crosses the
reservation pretty nearly through
the center, and it also traverses
the great body of high-lying,
grass-grown country which will
fall into the hands OF the white
|
settlers. This plateau, composed
wholly of rich black loam, heav
lily grass grown, may be roughly
described as twenty miles in ex-
tent each way, comprising some
thing over 100000 acres, and
all of it ideal agricultural land.
1t is a country similar to the ele-
waited region about Moscow, and
: on account of the GOODNESS of
such an altitude (3,5OO feet),
the warmth-loving Nez Perces
have Tor the most part chosen
inferior lands along the Clear
water and its tributaries, where
they can grow melons and corn
and lazily enjoy the balmy,
snowless winters. Snow falls
plentifully up on the big CEN
trail plateau, but for general
farming it cannot be excelled by
the best portions of the Palouse
country.
Much good land is also to be
had upon the benches" or ter
races along the tremendous can
yon of the Clearwater. Fine
springs of water abound everv-
where along the rim of the pla-
teau bordering upon the river,
and scattering timber also
abounds there. The main pla-
teau is treeless, but timber is ev-
erywhere within reach, and wa
ter is abundant.
Nowhere in America, at the
present time, can such a journey
be made as that eastward from
Lewiston over the old Pierce
City road. The writer last
traversed this matchless virgin
wilderness in the summer of
1891. For forty miles the old
stage road twists and circles over
and around those beautiful, soli-
tary hills without passing the
slightest evidence Of human oc-
cupation. On all sides stretched
away that grassy waste, every
where thickly covered with the
tufted bunch grass, solemnly
noddidg in the wind, d,-mi1es On
miles of grassy swells, empty of
all signs of human life and soli-
tary as a desert. The fresh,
primitive charm of stch land
scape is something indescribable.
1t somehow suggests the days of
old, before the aggressive white
man had landed on the conti-
nent, or laid his iron hand on
the meadows of the Aborigines.
1t was easy to imagine Columbus
not yet landed, and the whole
continent as silent and untitled
as the wide fields of bunch grass
through which our route lay.
1t was grotesque fancy, yet we
dwelt upon it with a queer
thrill Of pleasure. We thought
of the Pacific coast, no gold dis
covered yet in California; no.
San Francisco, no Seattle, no
Spokane. The Mississippi val
ley all grass-grown and silent,
no railroads, no big cities, no
steamers on the river, and per-
haps the ancestors of Tecumseh !
then little children, playing
H.1 49,. ...t.1 .,......... -. IL