Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-05-05
BOUND TO THE HUMP.

Hundreds Of Anxious Pilgrims Are
HuStling to the Hump.
Spokane Chronicle.
"'The travel to the Buffalo Hump
country is already enormous and
the indications are that by the first
of June thousands OF emigrants will
be ON their way to the mining dis
tricts of Idaho county," said L. F.
Williams, who has just returned
from a visit to Lewiston, Grange
vile and other points in southeast
ern Idaho. Continuing, Mr.. Will
liams said:
"The rush to the Hump has al
ready assumed the proportions OF
a small Klondike craze, and the
road from Lewiston to Grangeville
is lined with emigrants-men,
women and children-their house
hold goods piled upon wagons,
struggling YEARLY but hopefully
through the oceans of mud and
slush that make up the road over
which they must travel. Strewn
along by the roadside are the car
cases of dead horses which have
become stranded in the mire and
after exhausting themselves in a
vain endeavor to get out, have laid
down and been quickly smothered
to death in the terrible mud.
"The season is backward all
through the country and it is ride
ulous to attempt going into the
Hump country before June LIST.
Parties who came out of Grange.
vile last Saturday report the snow
Is feet deep, fully a foot having
fallen during the preceding "a
hours. Deep snow covers the foot.
hills south Of Grangeville to Their
base and it will be weeks before il
is melted.
"Work has been prosecuted on a
number of claims in the HumE
country and in nearly every in.
stance with the most gratifying
success. So far as l could learn
the Big Buffalo ore is showing
higher values than ever and
samples that were brought in from
there last week certainly indicate
that the property is exceedingly
rich in gold. There is, of course
no prospecting going on in tina,
immediate vicinity just at present
as the snow is too deep, but in the
Salmon river country, where the
snow has gone out, there are be-
tween 200 and 300 prospectors in
the hills and some wonderfully rich
discoveries have been made.
''The Mallick strike is attracting
a great deal of attention and it il
claimed by those who have seen the
property that is under bond tc
Captain DeLamar, that it is much
more valuable than the Big Buffalo.
Some rich copper strikes have beer
made along the Rapid river and
the prospectors are beginning tc
push down into the Seven Devils
country.
'sGrangeville, in spite of it's agri.
cultural name, gives every evi.
dence of becoming the most i'm.
portant mining center in Idaho.
1t is the natural supply point fol
all OF the great mining districts in
central Idaho and in add.
ton commands the trade of Camas
Prairie, the most magnificent
stretch of agricultural country in
the northwest.
''No man at the present time can
predict the future of Grangeville
Should the predictions regarding
the mines of Buffalo Hump and
the surrounding country be full.
filled Grangeville will become the
largest city in Idaho and one OF
the largest cities in the northwest.
1t is one of the most prosperous
and enterprising cities l have
ever visited and the townspeople
are endowed with that progressive.
Observation-Disclosures which is bound
to land their town in the front rank
OF northwestern cities.
ut will not be necessary to take
the long stage ride over the noun
tains from Lewiston after Nav /.
as the Northern Pacific will then
commence running its new river
boat, the J. N. Hannaford. from
North Lapwai up the Clearwater
river to Stuart, from which point a
2O-mile stage ride across the Camas
prairie will take the traveller into
Grangeville. 1t is also rumored
that the Northern Pacific will start
at once and construct a line from
Stuart to Grangeville in order 70
cut OFT the o. Z. & n. This would
DO away entirely with the stage
ride and would be a great relief to
those who are obliged to travel in
and out of Grangeville. 1t will be
rather hard on Lewiston, as it will
Of course, divert the travel 10
6rangevilie and the mines from