Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1913-05-01

from Three Forks via Camas creek.
Such a road would not only permit and
encourage the shipping of all manner of
supplies from Salmon but also would
furnish the route over which those in
terested in the country would visit out
side points and would permit the wives
of settlers to bring their children to
Salmon for portion of each winter
for school advantages.
All central Idaho east of the South
Fork of the Salmon is now cut off from
the outside world for that portion of
each year from September 18th to July
4th, because of the impossible snow on
the SUBMITS of the two or more divides
intervening between that district and
the Payette waters on the south or the
Weiser waters On the west. On the
Salmon trial however, whenever it is
completed, the only snow to be encoun-
tered of any depth, even in the middle
of winter, is on the Leesburg divide,
and the stage running daily keeps that
summit open for any kind of travel.
A mother and children, using this trail,
could remain on the ranch until Novem-
Der or later, come out to Salmon and
winter, and return the first of May or
sooner if necessary, and fully in time
to assist in the laborions spring work.
Mrs. Bacon, on the Caswell ranch, Mrs.
John Routson on the Routson property,
and other pioneer women in the district
are fully aware of the advantages Of
this route, and are very desirous for the
sake of their children of seeing it made
practicable. 1t must be fully complet-
ed before it can be used at all, for one
impossible summit, or place on the trail
makes the entire trail useless. Mr..
Pearson, in charge iof the forest SER
vice departments at Salmon, is max
ing strenuous efforts to complete the
trail down Camas creek this year, and
will further push that trail on down the
Middle Fork, as fast as funds are avail
able. The merchants in Salmon are
vitally interested in the prosecution of
this improvement, and should endeavor
to interest the county through the
Board of Commissioners, herein, to the
end that additional funds may be pro-
vided to carry on the trail building, or
begin wagon road construction as may
seem most desirable. As highway for
State developments no contemplated
road has quite the Importance this pro-
posed road down Camas Creek and the
Middle Fork has A fair estimate of
the length of the proposed road and its
cost Of construction, is twenty-four
miles Of wagon road, the first twelve
miles costing about $4,000, the last
twelve about $4,000; a necessary pack
bridge across the Middle Fork should
not exceed $500 more, and the result
to the settlers, miners and prospectors
in that part of the state would be saw
ing in transportation and convenience
| of the total amount in one or two
years use; to the merchants of Salmon
at least that amount gained the first
year in establishing trade relations
with this contiguous territory, and the
spending in Lemhi county an additional
amount, difficult to estimate, by the
automobile parties and pleasure and
health seekers who would flock to the
Middle Fork country as soon as they
had the first intimation> of it's matchless
advantages and attractions in those
particulars and had any ready method
of getting in there.