Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-01-02
.SQuAW PASS IS
AN EASY ROUTE
Distance Shorter And
Grades are not
Difficult


waukee intends to come through
Squaw Pass instead Of Lolo. that gen.
| teman, who has made many hunting
| trip to this section of the Bitter Root
mountains stated to a Teller represen-
tatve that there is more in favo of
this route for railway than many sup
pose.
IF one looks at the region from 90
to 80 miles south Of the Lolo pass and
situated on this side of the region in
question from some high eminence, it
is readily realized" says Dr. Custer.
"The country is considerable lower
in it's general trend than farther north
The real Locksaw heads up there and
the large meadows, one running into
the other. up there upon the summit
give to this region a different physical
condition than the other region. II
from Stevensville a practical route can
be found to the Summit, and this is
| very probable, then an easy water
grade to where it unites with the Sell
way and the distance is not more
than 80 miles at the longest from the
summit. and almost as straight as ma
! ture can make it.
"Then all along the north side of
the Iocksaw with but few exceptions.
an easy grade can he secured all the
way from near White Sand lake at
| the extreme head waters of that
| stream until one comes to about four
miles below the mouth Of Wild creek.
which is - miles below the Jerry
Johnson cabin region. and from that
portion on down to the junction of the
| two streams the Locksaw and the
Selway. a natural bench lies upon one
side of the stream some 200 feet above
the waters. and this bench saves all the
otherwise hard grading which would
exist but for this.
"The supposed difficulties of grading
this entire region have been in the
imagination of the people rather than
in fact The stories told relative to
the Carln party of some dozen years
ago have had much to do with creating
public sentiment opposed to this re-
gion. The entire route will be easier to
construct and with less danger after
it's construction than what has already
been accomplished by the Northern
Pacific between Orofino and kamiah.
Then the matter of heavy snow has
been overrated. The fact is that in
the valley of the Locksaw the snow is
not deep at it's highest point. and the
entire valley has such gradual eleva-
ton reaching from the mouth of the
river to the very summit as is truly
remarkable
"There is a region about 10 miles
south of Squaw pass which may be
found to be more favorable still, on
account of more even country reaching
for longer space before coming dowr
into the final grade. and perhaps In
reaching this portion of the SUNNI
the grade from Stevensville can be
found practical but whatever route Il
selected this portion of the Bitter Roo
a mountains certainly offer far less OBJ
4 structions than the famous Lolo pass
e region which is higher and roughel
: from every standpoint in the noun
Il tains
"Of course the only practical route
t will be in following the rivers. 1t Il
II impossible to run along the ridges o
a to cross any of the creek or river sys
u TENS But the rivers give an cas-,
n grade. 1t looks very much as if an,
n transcontinental system would Ger
y tanly take in Butte. them come direct
: " to Anaconda and run straigh west
ward up Warm Springs creek fron
Anaconda to Warm Springs lake. thel
e over an easy grade passing through
q or near Philipsburg and perhaps b,
y Stevensville or at least following tn
r Bitter Root valley for tine theme
: climbing the range westward and dow
= the rivers to Kooskia and to Lewiston
e giving the very best route possible t
e the Pacific. the theatre Of great event
Il in the worlds history in the futur
r years. and where commerce is now bat
= Ting for supremacy.
l. "It was a dream of the late March,
II nalv to project a road along this route
believing that it would be the shortes
and thn ensiest way from Minneapoli
% To Cortland or the coast.
re The fact is that the route chose
= dnally by the Northern Pacific north
10 ward along the Lewis and Clarke forl
er compelled them to grade through a
lie roueh and as hard region almost a
D viii he found by this new route. Fror
ne Butte westward to the Columbia rive
no long bridges will have to be but
he and no dangerous swamps or lakes wi
p have to be crossed 1t will all be easie
oi work than was necessary on the lin
Us connecting Butte and Helena. where S
III much hard grading was found neces
sary and SO many tunnels dug.
ne Starr ]. Maxwell is In the city toda
rs from Lapwai