Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1913-05-01
COMING TO FRONT
REMOTE SECTION OF IDAHO
COUNTY IS DEVELOPING.
is BIG EMPIRE IN ITSELF
Country Watered by the Salmon River
and the Middle Fork One of Many
Rich Resources.

The country tributary to the Middle
Fork of the Salmon rivers in Idaho
county, while quite inaccessible from
this section,' is one vast empire within
whose borders are enough undeveloped
resources to support population twice
the present of Idaho county. This see
tion of the county is gradually coming
to the front and becoming known to the
outside world. That Salmon City is
tion and the desirabiity of opening
up roads to it, is evidenced by the fol-
lowing article taken from the Idaho
Recorder, a paper published in that
town. The Recorder says:
Central Idaho is settling up; year by
year the high meadows and lower bars
along the principal rivers are being
squatted on, fenced, and otherwise i'm
proved to become the homes of the pio-
neer settlers in the empire of Central
Idaho. At the present time there is not
bar along Middle Fork or the main
Salmon, forty acres or over in extent,
which has not claimant, in most cases
some settler or prospector, who makes
his home there for the greater part of
the year. BY raising potatoes or other
standard vegetables, cutting few acres
of native hay, putting up the yield or
few acres of oats or barley, ranging
few beef-cattle or horses, catering to
the needs of the passing prospector or
the casual investor on his way through
the country, earning a few dollars by
doing the assessment work on some pro-
perty, or grading or sluicing the richer
gravel of some neighboring bar, in such
and other ways he makes comfortable
living. Want or destitution is entirely
unknown; should affliction or accident
temporarily deprive one of his store
of supplies, he has but to visit his
nearest neighbor and get fresh supply,
sufficient at least for his present needs.
There is no question Of paying for such
will pay, either by few days labor
whenever it will convenience his neigh
Dor, in giving him of the surplus pro-
duce in days of affluence, or even by
returning a similar favor to the next
victim of untOward fate whenever
necessity arises Truly it is a primitive
society in Central Idaho, but how ad-
mrable in many or its customs, in the
frequent evidence of real brotherhood.
We hear now that the high meadows
along Chamberlain, Papoose, Cotton
wood and other creeks are being set
tied and carved up into ranches.
| These meadows were but yesterday the
homes of the Elk, the summer range of
deer, bear, mountain lion, and other
game. The three Stonebreaker boys
and two other settlers, Otto Achord and
Geo. Otterson have filed on a ranch
each on Chamberlain, and other parties
are preparing to file on the other creek
meadows this fall. Charlie McLaugh
lin put up story and half log build
ing for one of the Stonebreaker broth
ers on his ranch; this is said to be the
most elaborate building ever put up by
MacLaughlin. If that is so it is q
dandy for we have seen many of his
buildings and can testify for his re
putation as being the best man will
an AK, and builder of log cabins in this
part of the state. The meadows here
mentioned are at an elevation from
4 5000 feet up, and while visited by 6
heavy fall of snow to s feet on the
level-will make splendid cattle
ranches because of the immense ton
mage of native hay which can be cut
and summer range available.
For all that country Salmon City il
the gateway, the natural supply point
Year by year the settlers, trappers
prospectors and others interested arr
doing little more work on the trai
down Big Creek on the water level
yearly cutting out one or more fordings
building the trails around some precipi
tous bluff instead of over it as for
merly, until within very short time
perfect water grade trail will exis
! from as high up as Ramey Ridge
if not Edwardsburg, all on one side o
!; the creek to it's mouth on the Middl
Fork. To that point, or at least to tn
mouth of Wilson Creek, wagon roa
will surely be built before many year
which will come down the Middle For