Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-02-23
Il TRIP no SALMON RIVER.
Observations ON Men and Things
Noted by the Editor.

AS our trip is now practically
ended it may be well to summar-
ize our impressions of Salmon riv-
er, its resources and future devel-
opments. The climate is the first
element to be considered in pro-
Jecting enterprises of any magni-
tude in any department of indus
try; and, as aforesaid, the climate
of Salmon river is only equaled by
that of the belt of country around
Lewiston. But when to the posses
sion of the finest climate in the
world is added vast and varied
gifts of natural wealth in the way
of fine soil, with plenty Of wood,
water and grass, vast deposits of
auriferous gravel, and mineral in
quartz, it does not need a greatly
developed imaginative faculty to
predict a wonderful future of in
dustrial wealth and activity for the
settlements ON and contiguous to
the Salmon river.
In the time to come there will
be many fine ranches, orchards and
gardens bordering on the stream.
In this young state of Idaho, SO
full of opportunities, so crowded
with riches and undeveloped re-
sources, one may be bewildered by
its possibilities and the bright
prospects of the future. There are
so many different sections, so diff
ferent from each other and of so
great diversity in it's possession of
natural wealth that men of all dis
positions may be accommodated
within it's boundaries to the top of
their bent. On Salmon river fruit
raising will bo the paramount in
dustry, with mining and stock-rais-
ing as valuable adjuncts to it's per-
manent wealth. The soil is light
and sandy and, where water is not
brought onto it, the vegetation is
confined to sage brush, bunch grass,
cactus, sumach and mountain ma
hogony. But when watered the
soil is a synonym for unprecedent-
GU IlCuuCOo III oil tllC ClClhCAto lOf
vegetable and fruit growth. These
bars and bottom lands are compris-
ed mainly of glacial drift which
has disintegrated through exposure
to the agencies of time and atmos-
pheric influences, thus releasing the
mineral constituents which are so
essential to plant growth. Every
year but adds to the record of what
can be done by the most primitive
methods of cultivation, in fruit and
truck raising. The influence of a
market for the product is alone
needed to raise the finest fruits in
the world. When this good time
comes the vast power of the river
will be harnessed to drive the cur
rent wheels and pumps, and per-
haps, in the near future a further
inexhaustible resource-electricity
may be generated by the same
motive power to drive immense
pumps for raising water for irriga-
ting and mining purposes, where
there is no natural water supply
for gravity bitches.
Until the last year there was a
steady decadence of placer mining
on Salmon river; but the hard
times set many men working or
the old abandoned bars and claims
which were not thought rich
enough to pay good wages in good
times. There are many miles o1
auriferous gravel along the stream
which yield from one dollar per day
and upwards to the man by tn,
rocker process; and the hard time
have given this class of ground !;
new value, because it produces the
precious metal which is money it
self Many men have thus put il
several months mining along Sal
mon river and taking out a littl
money who would otherwise hav
been idle, and who are now tn
fortunate pOssessor of a handsOm
little grub stake, sufficient i
amount to get prospecting Outfi
in the spring or to buy a team
wagon, plow or some other neces
sary part of a farm equipment
The Short claim, previously spoke
of in these notes, or the propert
of the Slate Creek Mining Co., b,
low Freedom, are examples of wha
the ground will do when equippe
with water and operated on larg
scale. The one thing needed I
revive the golden days of yol
along this stream is some chea
and easy way of raising waite
. The gold lies high above the stream
7 deposited there when the yolum
! of water in the river was muc
greater than it is now. Some pc,
pie have theory that if the riv,
could be turned enormously ric
: deposits of placer gold would |
found in its bed; but l fear tn;
its trough-like bottom was swel
clean of gold by the rush of wat,
in earlier ages. So also, wing-da
and other methods of river minir
are extremely speculative expel
! ments because of the volume ar
force of the water and the unce
tain tenure of the low water stag