Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-01-30

tween GrangeVllle ana Lewiston
For the proper understanding of the
nature of the regions to be traversed,
we give herewith the distances between
various points:
New Meadows to higgins.
(D From New Meadows to Round
valley. 10 miles. This stretch runs on
practically level grade through a
prairie country. where the greater por-
ton of the work can be done by teams
and scrapers.
(2) From Round valley to Fall creek,
on the Little Salmon river. IL miles
This distance covers the heaviest and
most costly stretch on the entire length
of the proposed grade. The descent
through the Little Salmon canyon to a
point a short distance below Fall creek
runs through a narrow canyon on a
grade which exceeds the maximum for
railroad purposes, thus requiring a
route through the hills west OF the riv-
err to obtain the distance necessary to
get a suitable grade.
| go From Fall creek to Higgins, 10
miles. This stretch follows the west
bank of the Little Salmon river, with
probably three fourths of the entire
distance covered by gravel bars and
flat river bottoms, with occasional
rocky bluffs entailing heavy work.
For this distance from New Meadows
TO Higgins (the mileage of which by
wagon road is 40 miles,, we have been
furnished by Colonel f. NJ. Heigho of
the Pacific & Idaho Northern railroad
with profile and alignment maps, COW
ering a line located on a maximum
gradient of 2 per cent, and recommend
ed by his former chief engineer, Mr.
Lee NJ. Highley. This line was never
cross sectioned, and cost estimates can
only be approximate, but its construc-
ton would be enormously expensive
Since our interview with Colonel
Helgho in August, he has sent another
engineer over a portion of the route
and this engineer suggests the wisdom
Of abandoning the original location fol-
! a distance of three or four miles on ar
approximate three per cent grade, thus
keeping the line closer to the river ant
eliminating much Of the cost. If thi!
suggestion is adopted, it is estimated
that the 35 railroad miles between New
Meadows and Ri ygins by the proposed
railroad can be built at an approx
mate cost of 81 ,420, 900, although a re
survey would be necessary to arrive a
: exact figures. This estimate include
the use of 75-pound steel rails. and o
l steel and concrete bridges where need
! ed and of ballasting the entire 80 mile
ready for service.
higgins to Whitebird.
higgins is located at the junction o
the Little Salmon and main Salmon
, rivers. The latter stream, after ira
versing the heart of the state from cas-
! to west, hcre takes a direct northerl
, course. For the purposes of this re
port we confine our observations I
that portion Of the river between Rig
n gins and Whitebird creek a distance @
:, 81 miles on a grade of approximate
eight feet per mile. which for conven
fence we have divided into sections a
h follows:
e "a Higgins TO Lucille, IL miles. Fo
a the first two miles, the wagon roa
(Grangevllle to New Meadows) lies o
. the west side of the main Salmon riy
T. err to where the stream is crossed by
S steel bridge, and thence continues o
n the east side of the river to Whitebir,
: The first six miles north of higgins
+ heavy rock work, with occasional bar
q to Fiddle creek. From Fiddle cree
e north TO Lucille. the formation is most
9 ~ heavy gravel, with long stretches {
{ easy construction.
(2) Lucille to John Day, 8 miles. Tn
gap runs almost exclusively throug
q glacial debris. at one point for abol
g three -fourths of a mile forming an a
Z most perpendicular gravel bank 70 fe'
. above the river.
o. ca John Day to Slate creek. mile
The wagon road over this gap lies
places about rs feet above the rive
The river bank is mostly gravel. At
= point two and one-half miles belo
John Day creek. the wagon ros
climbs on very stiff grade throus
Long Gulch over a saddle and them
drops down to Slate creek. From bot
ends Of this grade the canyon appea