Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-08-27

Inland Idaho.

lie ncdTt vi luduo II pIdttiSdIy
an unknown land 10 the rest of the
state, and yet it is a land filled
with the most precious natural gifts
that have been bestowed upon any
people under any sun. Ordinarily
we are content to know that vast
mountain submits stretch out be-
yond and above us and that we oc-
casionally hear some pretty stories
of rich mineral deposits being dis
covered in their recesses; further
than this we know little and care
less. ia couple Of harmless but
misguided youths were to rig out
their packs for holiday in the in
terror mountains you would merely
ask on their return to be shown
the specimens they brought back,
and then resign yourself to the Or
deal of listening to all sorts ofwild
and impossible bear stories; per-
haps you might even inquire how
the fish bite in there, but the in
terest is entirely perfunctory and
the attention given is either in the
nature ola penance or OF a de-
post to be drawn against with
heavy accretions when your time
comes. Mountains are an every
day story in Idaho and whatever
could be said about them would be
met with the contemptuous indif-
ference of the Paris garcon who re-
fused to be interested: "Connu.
Yet when can the glory of our
mountains fade? They are the
first to greet the vision in the
morning when rosy clouds are tip
toeing across the submits, and the
last to salute the eye at eve when
they stand, sunset flushed, in the
glory of the dying day. The prac-
teal mind finds even greater in
terest in their spIendors in the
knowledge of the priceless good
they hold to mankind, their
springs and streams, their snow
banks that liberate the waters for
the relief of the thirsty lowlands,
their heavy timbers that constitute
one of the greatest Of natural re-
sources, their preserves that nonr-
ish the greatest stocks of valuable
game now remaining in this coun-
try and their illimiable deposits
of precious minerals that have al
ready contributed so large a share
of the worlds money and that is
growing in proportion with every
years developments. Truly thu
pen Of a worthy writer could tel
some wonderful things of ldaho's
mountains.
The Salmon river country is per.
haps more broken and precipitous
than any other section of Idaho
The river has carved its schanne
three and four thousand feet deel
through the heart of the Bitter
Roots and its furrow has crossed
innnmerable gold lodges, SO that i
its bed could be seen with the ey'
it would probably resemble sec
tional view of the human ches
whose ribs were bright with gold
These are the veins that have fe.
for ages the placer deposits of Sal
mon river from which man ha
been reaping perennial harves
for thirty-five years. The descen
into the river is always long
wearisome ride but the end Away
has its ample compensation. TIL
grades are made down some creeI
canyon, and as this widens out to
wards the base it provides mar
row vale of uncxampled beaut
and fertility. These creek bot
toms have been settled since tn
country was first known and hav
been brought to the highest pitc
of cultivation and production
Along White Bird this valley is s
prolific that the dusty road is line,
with berry hedges ana grape vine
that cling to the rocky walls an,
climb heavenward. As we passe,
the warm July sun was kissing tn
fruit into bloom and purple an,
there it hung rich and ripe With
easy reach Of the passer by. Eacl
of these little valleys has from tel
to twenty homes whose occupant
have builded and beautified thei
holdings with all that nature an,
artifice could supply. Their or
chafds produce the most lusciou
and delicate fruits, their garden
the most bOunteons crops of earl
and late vegetables, their ground
the sweetest flowers and tendril
and shrubs. On the adjacen
mountain sides the rich grasse
fatten their large herds Of cattl
and horses, and across the rive
farther up. where the snow bank
never melt their bands of shee
fad summer range and pasturage
these deep-eut valleys become yer,
warm in summer but in white
they are SO sheltered and hedge.