The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1916-02-10
SPECIAL SESSION Of THE STATE
LEGISLATURE IS RECOMMENDED


John Day creek, the wagon road climbs
on a very stiff grade through Long
Guleh over q saddle and thence drops
down 70 Slate crack. From both ends
of this grade the canyon appears very
forbidding, but IL ia not nearly so bad
as it looks, there being q bar about
lthree-fourths of a mile along the mean
der Of the river, which is occupied as
a farm, where grain, clover and alfalfa
ara raised. There are also other
benches elevated so feet above high
water mark, where easy construction
can be obtained. At the end Of the
LYDIA ranch, however, there is about
one-third OF a mile of what is probably
the heaviest rock work along the river.
probably requiring q tunnel.
az Slate creek to Whitebird, u
miles. On this stretch are long bars
where construction is comparatively
easy, with occasional basaltie cutcrops.
We estimate that fully one-half OF this
stretch can be built with teams and
scrapers. The grade around the toe Of
Horseshoe Bend win involve the most
expensive work on this gap.
From higgins to Whitebird, on both
sides Of the river, covering the 81 miles
outlined above, there are numerous
ranches, orchamaa and hydraulic mines,
while on the table lands are many stock
farms with thousands Of acres Of fer
tile land, equal to the best Camas and
Neg Perez prairie lands, in actual eul-
tivation, with many other thousands Of
virgin acres awaiting further develop
ment Of the county to be made equally
productive.
Productive Agricultural Country.
Particular attention is invited to the
81 miles stretch between higgins and
Whitebird, because il covers the larg-
est area of productive agricultural coun-
try on both sides Of the main Salmon
river from Salmon City to it's mouth
Herein lies IS per cent Of the taxable
property, and IS per cent Of the pOpuIa-
tion along the entire length Of that
stream The water grade averages 10
feet per mile, and win form part of .
great transcontinental railroad when
extended east from higgins and north
from Whitebird- This portion Of the
proposed road between higgins and |
Whitebird may be elassed as I" main line /
construction. The construction south ]
from higgins to New Meadows, and /
from Whitebird north to Grangsville i
may be elassed as branch line con-
This does not imply that
they win not be thoroughly safe and
well built and fit for the work they
have to do, but their gradients win
naturally be heavier, their curves
sharper and their general character
cheaper than the main line eventually
to be built from Salmon City to Lewis
ton on the water grades afforded by Il
the Salmon and Snake river. Until
hut =
Higgins and north Of Whifebird win I
amply serve to develop q country that
needs II, and tie together the
sections which otherwise may be sund- /
sred. When the main line is built they
Will still do yeoman service as feeders !
20 the river road, and Il is certain that !
heir construction win hasten the ad-
rent Of the main line by at least gen 7
ration.
The cost Is necessarily contingent e
Ipon the grade it is desired to main 6
ain New construction is always con- o
ronted by the alternative Of initial
ost against cost Of operation. In the q
uilding Of line such as this, an in q
srmediafe or compromise policy usu- p
lly proves the most desirable, as with o.
light changes Of grade advantage can a
} taken Of the existence Of the bars "a
'1n~ above the water grade, thus ma e.
'rially reducing the cost Of e0nstruc-
On. ri
The entire route between New Mead v
" and Whitebird is practically an Il
+ line, being nowhere over six miles b
ON the north and soutn meridian line. ca
be route between New Meadows and IS
gRins, and also that between White 80
I'd and Grangevi1Ie carry grades ap- IL
oximating all railroad connections no
nth and south Of the proposed road. ah
long the lower attitudes Of Salmon ab
yer the climatic conditions enable Sc
ork TO be continuous through the
inter. In the summer season the int
Dor can be utilized TO better advant- tn
Q on the table lands around New ros
sadows on the south and GrangeviIle SCI
the north, thus keeping the labor ms
Instantly employed throughout the II
ar. Pc
whfsebdrd 70 Camas Prairie. tot
A railroad survey was made in 1909 13'
Engineer L. c. Roberts for the Gil me
re 8 Pittsburg r. r. Co., (saImon eul
y TO Lewiston), together with q sur abb
y from Whitebird to Camas prairie. abb
= Roberts spent the winter in dis
angeviile, making his maps, and as the
ed many citizens Of that city that EN-
aitebird was the only practicable out tbs
from the Salmon River canyon, and for
e he has established q good railroad Ger
sde between Whitebfrd and Grange the
le, and that this stretch of the road act
I'D b built for less money than the ma
4 Of construction down the Salmon ans
er 70 Rocky canyon, IL miles below eou
litebird. The first eight miles out Of nee
angevilIe is practically level prairie. sch
-FOUR commission approxfmates the on
rage cost Of rock work and grading won
abroad bed between Grangeville and fun
'gina at 10000 per mile. This does Ind
include bridges, cRiverts, ties or Iare
u. Engineer VanArsdaIe, Of Lew I1y Z
"a, who has been over the route be- diai
zen 0raneevilIe and New Meadows, and
mates the cost Of construction, In. imp
ling bridges, eulverts, ties, rails,
ions and the line ready for the Il
ing stock, at 5000 per mile. Raj