Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-12-05
TO THUNDER MOUNTAIN.
Wagon Road From WarrenS by way Of
South Fork and Elk Greek.
RAILROADS WILL HELP BUILD IT
Shortest and Most Direct Route and
Lowest Attitudes.

II growing Grangeville desires to
add to it's reputation as the pro-
gressive commercial center Of Idaho
county it is high time that its citi-
zens were moving in the matter Of
securing wagon road connection
with the great and growing camp
of Thunder Mountain, in the re-
mote southern end of this county.
OF course, the FREE PRESS is not
80 unreasonable as to expect the
business men of this town to stand
the sole expense of this great un-
dertaking, but we believe that
very material and effective aid can
be secured by representing the
matter to the president Of the
Northern Pacific railroad, and
having him detail one or more Of
his own engineers to examine into
the feasibility of a northern route
and the immense traffic which it
would add to the business of that
corporation, and more than incl
dentally to Grangeville. The
state wagon road already extends
from Grangeville to Warrens, or
within approximately As miles Of
the Thunder Mountain mines. As
matters stand now, the distance
between Thunder Mountain and
Sites on the north, aud Thunder
Mountain and Council on the
south, is about equal, with the
great advantage in favor of the
northern route that it can be
travelled three months earlier in
the spring aud three months later
in the fall than the route over the
Secesh summit, by which alone
Council can be reached.
From Warrens into the Thunder
Mountain camp there are no great
engineering difficulties involved.
There is steady ascent up to the
head of Warrens creek, and thence
it descends down to the south fork
of Salmon river, and then ascends
that stream to the old three-ingered
Smith ranch at the mouth of Elk
creek. There is a splendid grade
up Elk creek to the summit, where
the only heavy work will be en-
countered. This summit is a
bald granite ridge denuded by
glacial action, and the task Of sur
mounting it involves heavy rock
work and heavy grades. Once sur.
mounted, the rest of the way,
down Logan creek to it's junction
with Big creek, and thence over .
low divide into the new camp il
comparatively light. There is al
ready good and well-travelet
trail, over which thousands o
pounds of freight is packed annu
ally from Warrens into the quart,
mines of Alton, Profile, Monu
mental, Sheep, Quartz and Big
creeks, where some of the great
est copper, gold and silver propo
sitions on the con tinent are located
That entire region is one witt
which the writer is quite familiar
and it's ultimate development int
a greater center of population an
mining activity is one of his pr
mary articles of religion.
i With the completion of tn
Northern Pacific railroad int
Grangevile, this city will be muc
the nearest railroad point to tn
whole of that great region; and "
believe that if this matter is inte
ligently presented by the Grang'
vile board of trade to the official
of the Northern Pacific, it may NJ
only ensure us the desired WACO
road connection into Thundt
Mountain, but equally, if not NOR
important, the construction Of tt
, missing railroad link betwee
Grangeville and Sites.
Much may be gained and notl
: ing lost by taking up the conside
alton of this important matte
Nothing is to be had without try
+ ing for it, and in agitating tn
matter we may be building betts
) than we now dream of, for it ma
lead to the construction of II
(, railroad, which will ensure tt
wagon road and the county seat ,
we'll.
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