Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-01-08
;" wv '' IDAHO DISTRICT
Development Along the Clearwater
The Camas Prairie Country.

IDAHO COUNTY is the largest
county in the state of Idaho.
1t comprises an area as large
as that of the states Of New
| Hampshire, Massachusetts and Delaware
combined. Its population is about 5000. 1t
is a country of much land and few people.
Its main agricultural division is the ele-
waited plateau which forms the divide be-
| tween the Salmon and Clearwater rivers,
| known as the great Camas prairie. All
| this great country is capable of being
made into one vast, rich and fruitful gar
| den, made fruitful and generous by a
| happy combination of the elements of
| good soil, abundant water unlimited
| pasturage, plentiful timber and a climate
unexceled wherein the chilly breezes
| from the priest-robed mountains are tenn
pered by the warm currents from the
| southwark. Through the heart of this
great country flows the Clearwater river,
| the largest of all rivers which flow into
| the Snake, and navigable for 80 miles
above its mouth at Lewiston. This
gracious stream, with its numberless
| tributaries, flows through vast meadows,
pastures and prairies almost untrod by
| the foot Of man, and only awaiting the
advent of population and civilization 10
bless the world with a wealth of happy
and fruitful homes.
This great Clearwater basin is the most
beautiful region on the Pacific coast and
possesses all of the resources which
bountiful nature usually scatters over
continent. 1t possesses a soil surpassed
by none in fertility, and timber for build
ipp nd OIL u, 10
quantity and of the finest quality, it's
crystal streams, flowing in every direc-
| ton, supply an abundance of pure water
| and toothsome fish; its climate is health
| full, though the higher attitudes are some
times vigorous.
The mineral resources of Idaho county
| are but partially developed, yet the mill
ions of treasure that have been I'M
earthed from it's old-time placer camps
are but an earnest of the vast golden
wealth that yet lie hidden in the bosom
| of its evergreen mountains No land be-
meath the sun is more richly endowed
with all the elements of material wealth
| than this great Clearwater basin. These
| afford objects for every industrial pur-
| suit by which man extracts riches from
| the bosom of mother EARTH enough to
| minister to the necessities, increase the
| pleasures and excite the cupidity of the
human race. Perhaps one-half of this
| great Clearwater basin Is arabic land
| the other good for grazing, or mountain
| GUS and heavily timbered with vast for
ests of cedar, tamarack and white and
| yellow pine. on which the eyes of the
| great lumber syndicates of Michigan are
| even now eagerly placed with a view to
their speedy utilization.
| Virgin from the hand of nature, In 1860
this beautiful region was the realization
| of a poets dream. For time after her
| discovery she was torn and tortured by
| the pick of the prospector to an extent
that has perhaps forever pitted her fair
face with the scars of the gold-bugs. She
has. however, long since recovered from
| the feverish excitement of that time, and
in 1880 entered upon new and more per-
| manent career of prosperity and happl-
ness. This great prairie, with it's adjacent
| valleys and rolling hills are now decorat-
ed with the homes of American citizens;
| her hills are echoing to the useful axe;
her roads are lined with school houses,
churches and villages, and in all her
| various and bountiful resources she is
| generously responding to the demands of
| civilization. The lack of transportation
facilities in the one obstacle to it's rapid
| progress; but even under existing disad-
vantages it's population is increasing prob
ably in more marked ratio than that
of any other county in the state. 1t is
county in which the population is emf
nently self-sustaining. After the decad-
ence of the placer mining industry the
raising Of live stock was it's principal
means of support, and it still ships many
thousands of dollars worth of beef and
pork annually. The agricultural part of
the community finds good and growing
home market for Its products in the
tributary mining camps and in the
freighting of merchandise and mining ma
chinery and supplies for 5000 people.
The settlement of the Clearwater basin
dates from 1860, when the excitement at
tending the discovery of the rich placer
fields of Orc Elmo, Elk City Florence anc
| Warrens, and the rich bars of the Salmon
and Clearwater rivers, made what Is now
Idaho county a rendezvous for gold-seek
ers from all parts of the world. Placer
| mining in these camps was for many
years the only industry carried on and i
l
dust Year by year the product steadil,
decreased with the exhaustion of thu
mines and for more than a decade GU
mining camps were regarded as PLAYED
out and practically abandoned. 1t 81
, happens now that these so-called played
, out placer camps" are once again attract
ing the attention of the mining world b.
the revelation of hitherto undreamed-o
q | wealth in the-to this section-new in
dustry of quartz mining. The develop
ments of prospectors in these old camp
n | of florence, Elk City and Pierce City hav
in the last two years revealed the ex
istence of quartz veins of undoubted pei
manence and of great value, which hav
Il already attracted the attention of specu
lators and investors who are now er
II gagged In the work of exploitation. At tn
n general election of 1894 Florence precino
Il polled eight votes. Last month the nun
"a Der was 12S. Elk City shows a proper
N Tomato increase, all caused by the d,
| Velopment of promising Discoveries ,