Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-09-08
INSPECTING
THE ROADS
County Commissioner Butler
Makes Visit to This Part
Of the County.

missioner from the first district, arrived
in Elk City, Tuesday evening, and is
spending few days looking over the
roads in this part of the county. We'd
nesday, Mr.. Butler and the editor of
the Mining News spent. the entire day
inspecting the Dixie road and bridges
out as far as the Finley home, twelve
miles east of here, on Red river mead
ows. 1t appears to be pretty generally
understood that the public highway out
that direction is one of the best, if not
the best, in Idaho county. SO much
cannot be said of the bridges, however,
but their condition is due principally
to the fact that 70 work has been done
on them the past summer, the former
overseer, Howard Powelson, having re-
signed last spring.
Mr.. Butler appointed new overseer,
Mr.. Duncan, of Dixie, and also left in
structions to repair the two bridges on
Red river meadows.
The trip out to Red river meadows
was pleasant revelation to both the
excursionists Wednesday. neither Mr.
Butler nor the editor having travelled
that far before in the "Gem of the
Mountains. Undoubtedly it is one of
the most beautiful spots in all the west.
After the great hills had been thrown
up and channels made in the deep noun
tain gorges for the purling mountain
streams, it seems the Great Architect
with brush and nature fashioned such
beauty for the admiration of man. The
road, which the greater part of the dis
tance winds in and out of the draws
along the mountain side, is near enough
to the summit to give the traveller a
view over a great expanse of territory.
AS you near Red river the small black
pine trees disappear and you see the
big yellow pine, the monarch of the
western forest. At a sudden turn in
the road you catch glimpse through
the trees of the Red river meadows
Another whirl into draw on the noun
tain side and out again and Red river
meadow is spread out before. Descend
ing sharp incline brings you into the
valley. There are signs of plenty on
every hand. The valley is dotted with
fields of grain and stacks, and sleek, fat
horses and cows with udders full roam
and feed in the stubbles and the mead
ow along the mountain stream.
After dinner at the Finley home Mr..
Finley took the visitors. out to his
garden to prove to two honest men that
those fellows down in Elk City who said
vegetables couldn't be raised at this al
titude didn't know who they were talk
ing to when they spoke. The variety
and quality of the vegetables in the
garden and the appearances of the
spring chickens in the yard tailed SC
closely with the fine dishes served by
Mrs. Finley at dinner that it was unani-
mously agreed by the visitors that they
are no longer from Missouri. Summer
rains on the meadow are not sufficient
for vegetables, so Mr.. Finley irrigates
with water piped from spring neal
the house. Mr.. Finley has eighty acres
under the plow, and this year he has
his big barn full of hay and large
quantity in stacks.
Mr.. Bargman took dinner at the
Finley home, also the driver on the
Dixie stage. Howard Powelson's S sor
returned that afternoon on the stag,
to his home in Dixie after spending the
summer growing fat on milk and tn,
good things to eat at the Finley home
Mr. Bargman and his partner, Mr.
HARRISON, are trapping and ranchins
fifteen miles east of the Finley home
and their line extends sixty miles eas
into the Bitter Root mountains. Mr.
Bargman reported two big forest fire.
raging on the forest reserve on boil
sides of Little Salmon river.
VIM. Ryan, also rancher on tn
meadows, put up sixty tons of hay thi
summer and did it all alone. He joine,
DR.. Cullen, Wednesday afternoon ant
, went to the hot springs.
A short stop was made at the Brund
ige home going out and coming back
They were busy putting sheaf oats int
the barn for feed this winter. TIL
brother who has been visiting Mr.