Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-04-28
STAGE AND SLEIGH.
How Passengers are Trans
ported to Crangeville.

SIAOE AND SLEIGH.
How Passengers are Trans
ported to Crangeville.
Inquiries are daily received here
from people in all parts of the west
regarding the facilities of travel in
to this town and to ncighboring
mining camps. The rush of peo-
pie into this section during the
next four months will probably be
greater than was at first anticipat-
ed. At present every stage into
the town is filed with passengers.
Grangeville being the point from
which roads to the various mining
districts divide a large number Of
the inquiries referred to are con-
corning the lines of travel from the
end Of railroad transportation at
Lewiston to this place.
Much has been published con-
corning the bad condition of the
roads between Lewiston and
Grangeville but many of these re-
ports have been exaggerated. Some
portions of the road are particular
ly enjoyable to travellers who are
fond of mountain scenery while
others grumble at every jolt of the
coach. During the past three
weeks the trip is harder than dur
ing any other time of the year, but
the stages are running on their
scheduled time and no accidents
have been reported, passengers and
baggage coming in in good shape.
There are two stage roads from
Lewiston to this place, one known
as the mail route running through
the mountains by way of Waha
lake and the other coming around
to the north and east via the
Fountain road. The latter road is
little shorter than the mail line
and passengers are given their
choice of the two routes. 1t re-
quires about the same amount of
time on each road as the Fountain
line joins the mail route at West
lake.
Stages leave Lewiston every
morning at five o'clock, carrying
seven passengers in each coach and
80 pounds of baggage to each. Six
horses furnish the motive power.
Good time is made up to the first
stop to change horses at Nelson's,
eight miles from Lewiston. From
this point the long climb up Craig's
mountain begins. The highway
winds, snakelike, along the sides
of the lower hills and through rich
farming lands scattered among the
partly level portions of the plateau.
With each mile the aspect of the
country grows more rugged and
the nearness to the snow is felt az
the air becomes cooler. Waha
lake, a beautiful spot in the mount
aims 81 miles from Lewiston, is
reached shortly before noon and
the second stop is made for a
change of horses and for dinner.
This dinner is one of the kind sell
dom found on such trip. To the
hungry traveller the home cooking
is most acceptable and the variety
of food set forth is remarkable.
Leaving Waha lake, the steepest
part of the road is encountered t6
the summit of the mountain where
the coach is abandoned for sleigh,
The sleighing is generally good.
The road is comparatively level
across the summit of the mount.
ain to Meadows. After a change
of horses, the sleigh ride contiues
through to Westlake where supper
is eaten and the change is made
back to coaches again. At thi'
point the Fountain road also comes
in and passengers are consolidated
in the large wagons for the balance
of the ride.
The roads from Cottonwood t.
Grangeville are in good condition
now and the end of the trip i
made in five hours with a change @
horses at Denver. On all side
the traveller sees the rich farming
lands of the Camas Prairie coun
try, the soil of which is blacke
and as rich as the famous Palous
country though lying at a highe
elevation.
The passenger fare from Lewis
ton to Grangeville is $3.50. Their
are two stage companies operatin
: between the towns and both line
are improving their service as fas
: as possible. It is announced tina
the trip will be made in one day
+ time soon, as the winds and su
r are drying up the mud on til
, prairie while in the mountains IL
+ snow is going of rapidly an
sleighing will soon be discontinue.