Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1916-02-04
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE STATE
LEGISLATURE is RECOMMENDED

places. about rs feet above the river.
The river bank is mostly gravel. At a
point two and one-half miles below
John Day creek, the wagon road climbs
on very stiff grade through Long
Gulch over saddle and thence drops
down to Slate creek. From both ends
of this grade the canyon appears very
forbidding, but it is not nearly SO bad
as 1T looks, there being a bar about
three-fOurths of a mile along the mean
der of the river, which is occupied as
a farm, where grain, clover and alfalfa
are 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 mile of what is probably
the heaviest rock work along the river,
probably requiring tunnel.
az Slate creek to Whitebird, ~
miles. On this stretch are long bars
where construction is comparatively
easy with occasional basaltic outcrops.
We estimate that fully one-half of this
stretch can be built with teams and
scrapers. The grade around the toe of
Horseshoe Bend will 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, orchards 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
Nez Perez prairie lands, in actual Gull
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 it covers the larg-
est area of productive agricultural coun-
try on both sides of the main Salmon
river from Salmon City to its mouth.
Herein lies rs per cent of the taxable
property, and IS per cent of the popula-
ton along the entire length of that
stream. The water grade averages 10
feet per mile, and will form part of a
great transcontinental railroad when
extended east from higgins and north
from Whitebird. This portion of the
proposed road between higgins and
Whitebird may be classed as "main line
construction. The construction south
from higgins to New Meadows, and
from Whitebird north to Grangeville
may be classed as Fbranch line con-
struction." This does not imply that
they will not be thoroughly safe and
well built and fit for the work they
have to do, but their gradients will
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
the Salmon and Snake river. Until
that time comes these lines south of
higgins and north of Whitebird will
amply serve to develop a country that
urgently needs it, and tie together the
sections which otherwise may be sund-
cred. When the main line is built they
will still do yeoman service as feeders
to the river road, and it is certain that
their construction will hasten the ad-
vent of the main line by at least gen
Grafton.
The cost is necessarily contingent
upon the grade it is desired to main
tain. New construction is always con-
fronted by the alternative of initial
cost against cost of operation. In the
building of line such as this, an in
termediate or compromise policy usu-
ally proves the most desirable, as with
slight changes of grade advantage can
to taken of the existence of the bars
lyin" above the water grade, thus ma
terially reducing the cost of construc-
ton.
The entire route between New Mead
Ows and Whitebird is practically an
air line, being nowhere over six miles
from the north and souln meridian line.
The route between New Meadows and
Higgins, and also that between White |
bird and Grangeville carry grades ap- |
proximating all railroad connections
north and south of the proposed road. |
Along the lower attitudes of Salmon |
river the climatic conditions enable |
work to be continuous through the |
winter. In the summer season the |
labor can be utilized to better advant- |
age on the table lands around New
Meadows on the south and Grangeville
on the north, thus keeping the labor
constantly employed throughout the
year.
whitebird to Camas Prairie.
A railroad survey was made in 1909
by Engineer L. G. Roberts for the Gil
more & Pittsburg R. R. Co., Salmon
Clty TO Lew1ston), together with a sur
vey from Whitebird to Camas prairie.
Mr.. Roberts spent the winter in
Grangeville, making his maps, and as
sured many citizens of that city that
Whitebird was the only practicable out
let from the Salmon River canyon, and
that he has established a good railroad
grade between Whitebird and Grange
vile, and that this stretch of the road
could be built for less money than the
cost of construction down the Salmon
river to Rocky canyon, IL miles below
Whitebird. The first eight miles out of
is practically level prairie.
Your commission approximates the
average cost Of rock work and grading
! railroad bed between Grangeville and /
higgins at $4,000 per mile. This does
lot include bridges, culverts, ties or
Iteel. Engineer VanArsdale, Of Lew
ston, who has been over the route be-
ween Grangeville and New Meadows,
estimates the cost Of construction, in i
'luding bridges, culverts, ties, rails,
tations and the line ready for the
olling stock, at $4,000 per mile. ]