The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1919-07-25
Priest Lake Fine Place

A'S SoPihiiS Poi ~ HiduC up VI
the Wade, E. E. Bechtol and Knep-
per families. returned Saturday
from a ten-day outing at Priest
Lake. 1t was very successful trip
and some of the details will be
given below because this is one of
those long-looked-for opportunities
when the editor has chance to get
his name in the paper.
Mr.. Bechtol and Mr.. Waide drove
their cars, starting with the entire
party at the stated time Friday
July II. 1t was 1913 miles
to Coolin, at the lower end of Priest
Lake, by way of Spokane, Newport
and Priest River. This trip was
made before sundown the first day.
1t is needless to say the speed limit
was shattered all the way.
from Coolin by boat to the head
of Little Priest Lake is distance
of 26 miles and required the greater
part of the day to travel. At the
head of the lake good camp grounds
are easily accessible and good
spring water is in abundance. The
lake fishing was not very exciting
but tributary streams furnished
mountain trout in unlimited guam
titles. The lake at times was a
trlf1e rough for boating but with
ordinary care there was apparently
no danger.
Both on the trip in and on the re-
turn trip it was necessary to drive
through forest fires, but as the road
was clear no discomfort was ex-
perienced from the fires. Large
areas of good timber were burned
over and the ruins Of two homes
could be seen in the blackened
woods on the return trip.
From Spokane all the way to the
lake the country looked very poor
indeed, from an agricultural stand
point. The soil appeared very light
and was generously mixed with
gravel and sand. 1t was evidently
never intended to produce much Of
anything except increased enthus-
iasm for the Golden Potlatch. Oc-
casionally comparatively prosperi-
Gus looking farm home was in evid-
ence but to all but the initiated it
was plainly bait to home-seekers
and was an example of what could
be done IN the way of improvements
if the investor had sufficient capital
to sink into the prospect However,
even the promoters could not make
the land produce where all con-
ditions were against the growing of
crops. Very encouraging signboards
Worded in manner and painted in
the colors best suited to the catch
ing of suckers, were thickly scatter
ed along the roadside and if one
were to believe the Inscriptions
painted thereon, it was indeed a
paradise on earth and all that re-
mained for the buyer to purchase a
lifetime lease on period of luxury
and ease, was to pay down the first
lnstalment of the price of a small
tract of this wonderful land. Be-
ing from the Potlatch, however. We
didn't have to be shown.
On the flying trip through New
port on the way home, sign read
ing "Huckleberries 2Oc a quart"
was posted in store window. This
was startling indeed, during these
days of soaring prices and several
of the party were very anxious to
stop and purchase quantity of
these elusive berries. Mr.. Bechtol
fatty refused. He decided that
berries at such a ridiculously low
, figure could not have been picked by
any thing except imported Chinese
labor and as his whole aim in life
is the destruction of mail order
houses and anything of like
, nature, he would have none of the
, fruits of their toll.
Saturday evening as the party
drove into the old home town, it
/ was the unanimous consent that
at no other town passed through on
the trip, did the shade trees on
> main street almost form an arch in
a the center nor did the same general
air Uf genuine prosperity exist as
r that in the hub of the Potlatch-
Kendrick.