The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-10-22
SALMON RIVER REGION.

ldaho, arrived In this city yes
terday, says the Salt Lake Trib.
une OF the 10th inst.
He came out over the new
Short Line branch, via. Mackay
and Blackfoot. Speaking OF
conditions in that part of the
state, he said: The facility with
which the Short Line people
have pushed their Salmon river
branch from Blackfoot to Mack
ay is a refreshing contrast to the
creepy progress made by some
of the other Independent branch
es that have been started at var
ious points in Idaho.
Ground was first broken on
this new enterprise in May, and
in spite of their backset with the
bridge across Snake river, owing
to high water, the line was com
pleted to Mackay, eighty-five
and a half miles out from Black
foot, by October 1st, exactly on
schedule time.
This line fills a long,felt want
and is an assured success from
the start. 1t has all the business
it can handle at present, and this
condition is likely to continue
indefinitely, especially when the
line is extended over into the
Salmon river drainage, where it
will open up one of the richest
mineral regions in the Northwest
"a region which, in Custer and
Lemhi counties alone, already
has a bullion record of $50, 0OO,-
600, a large portion of which
was derived from heavy smelt-
ing ores, handled under the most
adverse conditions. A number
of these mines carry high values
in lead and silver, and the rapid
slump in the value of those met
ais ten years ago, together with
their extreme isolation, forced
most of them to close down; but
with the advent of the new rail
way their development is now
being taken up again, and they
can, in a short time, be put in
shape to produce a heavy ton
mage of mineral traffic.
The new town of Mackay prom
ises to be one of the busiest
camps in the State in a few
months. Its progress is at pres
ent hampered for want of build
ing material, which, however,
will soon be relieved.
The town is beautifully situat-
ed in the broad valley of Lost
river, fanked on either hand by
abrupt and rugged mountain
ranges, with numerous lofty
peaks in plain view of the town,
which rise to elevations of 10, 900
and IL, 1000 feet above sea level.
A short distance above Mackay
Lost river finds itself again after
is second subterranean plunge,
and rapidly develops a larger
volume Of the purest, sparkling
spring water in the world, that
flows right through the town.
The smelter site is on the south
west side of the river, one mile
distant, and the great White
Knob copper mines, which are
to supply it with 600 tons of ore
each "a hours, are situated upon
the slope of White Knob noun
tain, 5 miles back from the smell
ter. The ore will be hauled to
the smelter over an electric tram
way, which will also connect
with the depot, and the same
power will be employed to furn-
ish electric light for the town,
the smelter and the mines. The
smelter is to be of the most mod
ern type, with all the very latest
labor-saving appliances. 1t will
be of two stacks, each of 300
tons daily capacity. A mammoth
retaining wall of solid masonry,
200x30x12 feet, is now nearing
completion at the smelter grade.
The plant is being supplied by
the Allis-C Chalmers company, and