The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-11-26

leads by way of Mormon Ranch
on the Middle Fork of the Sal
mon river, up Marble creek to
Thunder mountain, a distance of
80 miles from Yellow Jacket.
The Mackay route is almost as
easy, although the stage does not
run quite as near the district.
From Mackay daily stage runs
TO Challis, a distance of 81 miles,
and thence good wagon road
leads to Yellow Jacket or Sing
User, distance of60 miles. From
there the routes are the same.
The total distance from Mackay
to Thunder mountain is 155 miles.
From Boise by way of Bear
valley is 1865 miles. From Ketch-
um by way of Bear valley the
distance is the same. Numbers
of people in central and western
Idaho are taking these routes.
Some are going by way of Weis-
er, Council, Salmon Meadows
Resort and the South Fork of
the Salmon river.
The route which is declared to
be the most feasible is the extern
sion of the Salmon River branch
of the Short Line, which now
terminates at Mackay. Judge
John HI. Padgham of Salmon,
who is now in the city, yesterday
explained this route.
From Mackay to Challis there
are no great obstacles" he said.
From Challis the road could go
down the Salmon to Morgan
creek, crossing the range at Nor
gan pass. This would bring it
to the headwaters of Panther or
Big creek, which would be fol-
lowed a short distance, then cut
ting over to Silver creek, which
is only short distance away.
Silver creek could be followed
down to Camas creek, and the
course of this stream taken to
Mule or Marble creek up, Thun-
der mountain is reached. In some
places the road would be difficult,
but nothing like the new Cripple
Creek road, for example, or sew
eral other mountain roads now
running.
Another route would be up
the Salmon, past Clayton, Stan
ley creek and Bear valley down
the Middle Fork of the Salmon,
and thence up Marble creek"
Judge Padgham and Edward
Williams of Boulder, Colo, who
has been spending the last two
years in mining operations in
this part of Idaho, declare that a
big tonnage is ready now at var
ious places along this route, and
also along the proposed extern
sion to Salmon City.
when the road reaches Chal-
lis" declared Mr.. Williams, sit
can depend ON 500 to 1000 tons of
ore day from mines now de-
veloped, or partially developed.
am making conservative esti-
mate. Besides this, there is a
world of undeveloped mineral
wealth. Besides the precious
metals, and lead and copper, there
is zinc, bismuth, nickel cobalt.
Stream tin has been found in
Prairie basin on Panther creek.
although the ledge has not yet
been discovered. Bayhorse, Clay
ton, Custer and other districts in
this part have mines that have
immense tonnage exposed, but
they are doing little because of
the dis lance from a railroad.
Farther north Leesburg, Black.
bird, Yellow Jacket, Singiser,
Salmon, and other camps are re-
led on to furnish heavy traffic fol-
the proposed railroad.
Frank H. Plaisted, travelling
freight and passenger agent OF
the Short Line, has returned
from a trip through the Salmon
river country, where he has been
investigating the possible traffic
in case a railroad should be ex-
tended there. His report is fav.
orable.
General Passenger Agent Bur.
ley is sending for some men fam,
liar with the north central par