The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1894-10-20
OTyhee County.
Its Wealth and Resources.


and from parties in search of homes
that the following brief description of
the territory mbraced within its boun-
daries has been prepared in answer to
the frequent letters received by our
business men.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Owyhee County occupies the extreme
southwestern corner of the state, being
bounded on the south by the state of Ne
vada and on the west by the state of |
Oregon. The great Snake river forms
the principal portion of its northern
boundary. The area of the county is |
little more than 5000 square miles. The |
length east and west is about 100 miles,
and north and south an average of
about seventy-6ve miles. The greater |
portion of the southern and eastern
portion, is an extensive, broken lava
plateau occupied only as ranges for live
stock. The northern portion of
the county is traversed by the Owyhee
mountains, from which numerous
IL
narrow but very fertile valleys, occu-
pied by prosperous ranchers. T he larg-
est of these is the Bruneau river, the
source Of which is in the Elk mountains
in Nevada in three forks which unite
shortly after crossing the line into Ida
bio, where is a prosperous stock raising
known as Three Forks or
Big Flat. This is a fine hay and graz
ing section, but at too high an elevation
'or general agriculture. After leaving
The Big Flat country the river enters
he
BRUNEAU CANYON
which it traverses for a distance of sew ;
enty-fve miles. This grand canyon,
hough but little known to fame, is one 4
# the snblimest stretches of scenery on )
he continent, second only in length
nd depth to the famous Colorado Can
on. 1t is a grand fssure whose walls ;.
t basaltic rock rise above the stream .
n many places TO a height of fully 1000
eet while the distance from wall 10
all is scarcely half that distance. It's O
,ngth of seventy Eve miles has never m
cen traversed by man. Leaving the "
anyon this beautiful river debouches Y,
ito Al
BRUNEAU VALLEY. it
This happy valley, fifteen miles in az
myth and about three miles wide is
ne of the finest and most productive
eces of agricultural land in the world. OF
produces the most prolific crops of de
nils. vegetables ceraaIs and ln.oro alb
own anywhere, and being surrounded io'
nearly all sides by high walls of su
ok, its winters are very mild. At the Tn
per end of this valley are several ca
ormous bot springs whose curative TN
operties will, sooner or later, give I'M
em world wide fame. I'm
Leaving the valley, the river cuts sta
-ough another short canyon and en- +,
Snake river. A mile above where
enters Snake river, an immense dam 10
been constructed and work is being
secuted on a great canal which will io'
u the water onto the Snake river
ms below and reclaim about 25.OOO La
es of rich land now arid, and in "a
rt time will provide homes for hum '''
ds of families, on rich and product ~
lands. The water from the canal mas
also be employed to work thousands 'na !,
ores of iicl
IL RICH PLACER GROUNDS n
= suake river. Inc completion of only
canal, thesettling up these rich stag
lands and the WORKING of dist,
placers, known to be iich, will add hans
tly to the material prosperity ofthe has
ty, fbe
Irther west, running into snake riv- yer
e several creeks, with narrow but fonn
uctive valleys occupied by prosper carr,
'@ncnerS' gold.
LIVE STOCK acter
most the entire area of the county ment
e grazing ground, on which range has
OF horses, cattle and sheep, and redu,
oai eA'ensiYe shipments OF hor- ed Of
'A'sie' "'u'eon anu wool are CLOSED
: no I'VE STOCK interests repre- of tn,
"'' Suns oi money and support count
y and industrious people. teod
ihH Mining INDUSTRY and n
"eo oou"'y Is now everywhere high
nlzed as one of the richest miner
sect'oEs IN the United A N
+ There are several districts each conut,
60 anu separate from the others, witho
mining and prospecting are now mines
1A'o"s''eiy pursued. 10 mention are by
IN the order of their sive {
1t prominence, We will begin with Tbous,