Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-05-22


worth, assistant receiver and wife,
freight agent Campbell, wife and
child, supt. Rathbone, master me-
chanic Carsten, capt. Chas. Kamm,
Jacob Kamm, John Ainsworth,
F.W.Kettenbach and wife, George
Kester, E.L.Alford, j. Vincent and
l.. l.. Haynes took passage on the
steamer Lewiston for an excursion
to the head of navigation on the
Clearwater. The spirit of the ex-
plOrer possessed the little company,
and restlessness made sleep inn
possible soon after two o'clock
when the great engines began to
battle against the strong current
of the stream. Daylight revealed
the hills that enclose the Lewiston
valley on the west side, standing
high before LIS like barriers to block
the way and the little city receded
behind. The sun had risen above
the hills and come out through the
clouds for the first time and illum-
ined the beautiful valley of the
Lapwai rs we passed the Agency.
All the company were early on
deck and enjoyed the landscape.
The green hills crowd close upon
the river, and the ripples and mad
swirls are encountered frequently
as we proceed toward the mount
aims. The energy of steam and
steel and the spirit of the hero,
aroused by the suspicion of danger,
made everybody active and bril-
liant. AS we approached the rap
ids just above the Potlatch where
the Lorelei failed to stem the cur
rent, the engineer was asked for
every pound of steam that he could
carry. The boat trembled with
the beat of the revolving cranks.
The officers blanched with sus-
pense as the mastery of stream and
steam was in the scale; the boat
stood still, swayed for a minute,
and then shot forward like pris-
Oner released.
The old Fir Bluff landing, which
was at one time the port of entry
for the POtlatch wheat belt, wears
the dismal look of abandonment.
There is new but well-beaten
thorOughfare winding along the
rocky beach of the river above the
old landing to ferry just below
Big Eddy which leads from the
north to the reservation. At the
crossing is the hopeful little town
of Agatha, which will doubtless be
the most important shipping point
on the new upper river for farm
produce, as the great reservation
plateau extends from the rimrock
above to Craig's mountain. Agatha
Is thirty miles from Lewiston.
The Big Eddy, though the waves
rolled and the seething swells
rocked the steamer, offered no OBJ
struction to navigation. The grand
green hills and rugged canyon walls
wore the charm of nature unsub-
dued, for they had never been "by
the Saxon trod" in a practical
serse above the Big Eddy. Trees
d TIED the gentler slopes, and
stretches of rolling prairie were
seen through the breaks in the
hills. There are Indian settle
ments on the bars where bark
rooted shells and smoke-stained
tents sheltered the lazy aborigines.
The native children scampered
away at the sound of the whistle
and the sight of the boat. At one
point a party of white people APP
peared on the bluffs a thousand
feet above us, mounted on horses
which reared and plunged when
the greeting whistle aroused the
echoes, and the response came in
the loud report of answering guns.
The arrival at Grecr's ferry was
like awaking from a dream. There
were the habitations of men and
the evidences of civilization. An
extensive country depends upon
the navigation of Clearwater for
the convenience and profits of
trade. The future agricultural
and mining interests of the coun-
try are very promising, with facil-
tiles for transportation. The Clear
water is the hope of immediate
relief, and there was great joy at
the realisation of that hope.
From Greer's ferry to Kamiah
there is a stretch of hazardous riv-
er. There is a chute of eight miles
without resting place for the
rushing waters. The little steamer
climbed cautiously along the dan
gerous passage. The passengers
were silent in suspense and awe.
There were clumps of trees and
clinging shrubs where the rock
wall broke away. A whisper went
around and all looked to a slender
stretch of beach. There stood two
deer, two monarchs of rock
fenced domain, and they gazed,
stamped their feet in defiance and
then bounded away. The sight of
the pretty, timid creatures added
to the solitude of the shadow
shrouded canyon.
The noble steamer was whisked