Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-01-06


from the Missouri river to the
mouth of the Columbia, follow
ing the route of the old Ore
gon Trail, is the ambitious pro-
ject that has received the indorse
ment Of automobile clubs, good roads
associations and men prominent in
state and national affairs. AS yet the
project is little more than a dream
but II is OF the kind of dreams that
come true.
Although the old Oregon Trail start
ed at Independence, Mo, and proper
ly terminated at The Dalles, Ore, 1t Is
planned to start it's successor Ito be
known as the Pioneer Way at st.
Louis, and to continue 1t on to the
south of the Columbia, a total dis
lance OF approximately $500 miles.
When completed, it will be unsur-
passed among the worlds highways
In its historic associations, and in the
variety, beauty and sublimity OF the
natural scenery along the way 1t
will traverse or enter seven states,
cross the roof of the continent at an
elevation of 1850 feet, and finally de-
scend to sea level II will pass through
the wheat and corn fields Of Kansas
and Nebraska, cross the high plains
of Wyoming, traverse the newly irri-
gated lands OF Idaho, and give a
glimpse of the famous Inland EN-
pire" of eastern Oregon.
From St Louis, the Pioneer Way
will follow the Missouri to Independ-
! Ia
Blue river. reaching the Platte at
Grand Island For $50 miles it Will
follow the Platte and Sweetwater, to
South Pass-that hardly perceptible
crossing of the Rocky mountains, T.
$50 feet above the sea. For 100 miles
the route lies over an almost level
plateau, 1000 feet and more in height.
On this long stretch, with snowy
mountains in sight for much Of the
way on both the north and the south,
far from centers Of population, in a
region absolutely uninhabited and I'M
inhabitable. the old Oregon Trail is
lust the same today as 1t was so years
ago, with the exception that the thou
sands who then traversed 1t have dis
appeared, and that it has relapsed
into its primeval solitude. Mile after
mile of the roadbed is as distinctly
outlined as ever, worn by the wheels
OF tens of thousands of prairie schoon-
ers and the hoofs of millions of draft
animals and pack animals to depth
Of from two to fifteen feet. and to a
width of anywhere from twelve to one
hundred feet
Then Green river is crossed, with
It's rocks and palisades. Farther on is
the ford of Bear river. after which
that stream is followed for forty miles
70 Soda Springs. Ito miles from In
dependence. Here the later Califor
MIA Trail turned off to the southwest
The road to Oregon continued on t
the Raft river, where the old Califor
MIA Trail-the one followed by thu
orty-niners-diverged to the south
Then down the Snake river ran tn,
road to Oregon. This will be thu
most picturesque and beautiful lonl
stretch OF the Pioneer Way-just a.
It was the most difficult part OF thu
Oregon Trail Past American falls
Twin falls. Shoshone falls (called tn
4Nld6dId VI the NcotJs OBpSA anu LIZ "
er Salmon falls, down Boise river, vi
the seemingly impossible face OF tn
Blue mountains. through the pleasan
glades Of great pine forests, across
dust-cursed desert, and and at last t
the broad Columbia. Where the trai
first strikes 1t, the Columbia is a mil
wide; but It soon reaches the remark
able chasm known as the Dallei
where It is pent between rock wall
from 100 to 200 feet wide, and wher
no plummet has ever sounded It
depth. Here is literally a rive
turned on edge"
Pleads for the Old Trail.
Present day interest in the Orego
Trail is attributed solely to the e
forts of Ezra Meeker Of Puyallul
Wash, who for FIVE years has devote
himself to a unique campaign to S,
cure the speedy marking and ultimat
boulevarding Of the old highway. II
went to Oregon In 1852, when he b,
came prominent figure among tn
pioneers, and made and lost sewers
fortunes. On January %, 1906, b
started on what he calls his Orego
= Trail Monument Expedition. As a
object lesson to the vast majorit
who know prairie schooners and blu
teams" only through the medium
books and pictures, he drives a tea