Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-06-13
srpEEF RESEMBLES THE VIEWS
OFTEN SEEN IN WESTERN
PHoToPLAYS,
HOUSES ARE BUILT OF LOGS
pnsiness in Camp Is Good and Mining
Is On Increase-People Real
Pioneers.
By the Editor


Elk City, June IF one were to
select a typical western town In which
N stage a motion picture play he could
find no more suitable place than Elk
Gtv. here in the heart of mountainous
Central Idaho. Built almost entirely of
loU cabins, which face the one street of
this mining camp, Elk City presents an
appearance quite similar to that Of
plaees often especially constructed by
movie concerns for the filming of their
plays. There is a simple but unique
hotel made wholly from logs, and num-
erOus houses and stores, also formed
from timbers hewn from the forest
which virtually surrounds the town OF
Elk. The rocky street, which the build
ings line, ascends from the lowlands of
American river on to a hilltop from
whence it becomes a country road and
winds through the mountains and val
legs to Dixie.
People Are Real Pioneers.
But because Elk City, so far as its
architecture is concerned, reminds one
of a movie town, one should not con-
Clude that the residents of Elk resem-
bic movie folk, for they don't. Hard
working and sincere they are ever striv-
ing to conquer what seem like insur-
mOuntable difficulties, which, by rea-
son of the topography, are encountered
almost everywhere in the Elk City coun-
Try.
A direct road, by water grade, to
Grangeville seems to be uppermost in
the minds of the people of Elk. Locat-
ed fifty-two miles from Sites, the rail
road terminal from which practically
all the supplies used by the people of
the Elk City country are freighted by
wagon over two mountains, freight
charges reach virtually cents a pound
on commodities procured from the out
side, And these supplies include al
most everything required by the in
habitants of Elk, from toothpicks to
heavy mining machinery.
Want Road Down River.
A wagon road down the South Fork
OF the Clearwater, from Elk City to a
point near Granegville, and thence on
70 the county seat, it is pointed out,
would greatly lessen the cost of trans
portation, and at the same time would
serve to notably increase the amount Of
freight that would come to Elk Thus,
'ne people here claim, their country
would develop much more rapidly than
~ posslblt under present conditions. If
a road were constructed down the river, |
'ney say, it would be possible to use
motor trucks almost the year around for
'ne transportation of freight, thus
sgaln reducing freight rates.
People of Elk City are extremely
pS'rlotlc. They are firmly behind the
united States in the war, and con-
''iOute literally to all war funds. They
nave been heavy subscribers to the
' !, loans and have given freely to
' : ned Cross. Eager for news from
vac lighting front, they nightly receive
''er the telephone bulletins telling of
1e uay s developments in the war zones.
!, = ually newspaper is two and half
lays old before it reaches Elk, and the
lows contained therein is somewhat
.,"'e IN these stirring times, and for
.Aa' reason the telephone service was
arranged. From Elk the news is re-
''a'ed over the telephone to the most
'Oiated ranches of eastern Idaho.
Mining On the Increase.
Mining is picking up in this district,
IOse Of authority declare. Two gold
, Black Pine and the Mineral
in operation, and indications
''in' to increased development in the
!. future. A great deal of construc-
y" work is being done at the Black
NContlnued on page 81 T.