Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1898-04-08
New Town of Stuart.
From the Alta Idaho Ares.

ed IN Idaho county, Idaho,
near the eastern extremity of
the old Nez Perez reservation,
to settlement on Nov
ember IS, 1895, at the juno
ton of the south and middle
forks of the Clearwater river.
Its history dates from the 9Th
day of December, 1906, at
which time. there assembled
upon the ground partially oc.
cupied today by the business
portion Of Stuart, a crowd of
over hundred eager men,
not mob of adventurous land
boomers, but a quiet gathering
of farmers and business men
of Idaho county, who had
formed an organization for the
purpose of locating a town.
site at this point. The town.
site was surveyed, staked and
plated, and on the 9TH the lots
were listed and drawn. This
was the beginning of Stuart,
which stands today, pre-emi.
nently, the largest, best and
most progressive town within
the boundaries of the once
great Nez Perez reservation.
The natural advantages of
location enjoyed by Stuart
are many-indeed, too many
to be even incidentally touched
upon in this short write-up-
only a few of which may be
noticed at this time. Among
the advantages to be mention.
toned are the following:
Stuart is the head of all prob.
able navigation of the Clear
water river, and it is only a
question of the expenditure of
a few more thousand dollars
by the government in addition
to the present appropriation
now being efficiently expended
upon the Clearwater, until she
will hear the steamboat whis-
tie almost every month in the
year. Stuart will have a rail-
road, there can be no question
on that point, from the fact
that she stands at the gateway
of a natural highway to the
richest mineral belt in the Bit.
ter Root mountain range, if
not among the richest upon
the North American continent,
a great mineral zone, whose
wonderful wealth to be pro
duced in the future will amaze
) the seekers of precious meta
: ere long as now does the klon
dixie.
The agricultural lands sur
rounding Stuart for many
miles upon all sides are a:
rich and productive as any te
be found in the great north
west. No equal extent of ter
ritory to be found anywhere
can produce more or a better
quality of small grains, hay
: vegetables and many of thu
fruits that can be grown upor
the table lands lying contigu
Gus to the Clearwater; whilst
along the river bars and bench
lands are grown fruits ane
vines of almost all kinds to b.
J found in this latitude will
quality and deliciousness which
would vie with the "nectar o
the Gods"
Stuart possesses all the ia
cilities for becoming a grea
I manufacturing center by
I nominal expenditure in the de
I velopment of her several waite
I powers now inviting improve
! ment. Here at no distant da,
, will be found the mill, the fac
tory, the furnace and the smel
! ter, all contributing to the pre-
duction of wealth and happi
ness.
To the eastward, lying be
tween Stuart and the SUNNI
of the Bitter Root mountains
can be found one of the lare
est areas of valuable timber t
be met with in our country
This alone would insure a larg
revenue to Stuart when tn
demand comes for the use {
:, this timber from the outsid
" world.
:, These immense forests con