Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-09-08

Hest outward bound pack train bore
at the initial export of the camp nine
teen bodies of those whose former i'm
portance justified the transport of their
remains back to civilization at the
cost of so cents pound, dead
weight. Lesser lights, in the instances
where their mortal remnants could
be salvaged, were conveyed six miles
down the Montmental, where a gravel
bar afforded the nearest place TO
cover up the fallen in this battle with
nature 8 sternest phase.
A weird and uncanny region, this,
with its Gaping of black lava flow,
beneath which continually rumbled
and sighed the pent-up gasses of sub
terranean activity. Daily the revela-
lions of mining upset former theories
Of geology and drove their opponents
almost distracted,
One mining company, seeking safe
anchorage for tramway, burrowed
ninety feet down through broken lava
rock, only to have the drill reveal that
below this lay an unsupported glacier,
into which the bore gnawed nearly 200
feet, finding nothing save crystal ice.
On the clearest days peals of thun-
der smOte the ear; ragged explosions,
as of decorating dyndmite, .saluted the
workers in the drifts, apparently com
ing from far beneath their feet;
pockets of fetid gases were released
by the blasts. A malign influence
seemed to hold sway over the destinies
of the invaders; unexplainable mys-
teries were the common occurrences of
daily life here.
MYSTERY STILL UNSOLvED
In the latter days of the boom, pros
pectors passing through a lonely val
ley, remote form known trails, found
a camp where three tents had once
been pitched. Investigation showed
that for three years, at the least cal
culation, the occupants had been miss
ing. Clothing and equipment indicated
that three men and two women had
once tenanted the camp, and the
character of the furnishings bespoke
experience and ample means. Four
rifles, a shotgun and two revolvers
al loaded, rusted in their holsters on |
the fallen tent poles. Skeletons of |
eight horses, the skulls still attached |
70 trees by weather rotted halters
old of diaster that had left them to
'tarve, but of those who had picketed
he animals there, search of the sur
brought no trace. Utensils
m the ashes of long-extinct fires sug
rested breakfast under way when the
xodus took place, but what could
ave drawn all members of the party
o precipitately away from camp for
yer has always remained an unsolved
iddle.
Then at the Sunnyside mine, on the
lmmit of Thunder mountain, one
inter night, Billy Campbell, joviaI,
opular, a thorough mountaineer, left
ne crowd at the commissary and slip
ed into his skis to cover the scant
alf-mile straight up the gulch to his
lbin. He never reached there, al
ough he had covered the trail in
weathers for two years. Out into
e night and the snow he vanished
ON human knowledge. Search bv
ndreds of men for DAYS brought no
ghtest hint of his fate; minute
mbiRg of the country when the
ow was gone disclosed no trace-he
u never nedru of again.
The third year of the boom the
tie Legislature appropriated $4,000
ward building a wagon road into the
" district. Mining companies and
Iers interested in the development
the region contributed a like
cunt and work was started. The
tie covered more than 100 miles of
toughest mountain country of the
tie, and to expand the sum at hand
cover the needs, the engineers fol
ed the line of least resistance in
Dping the course of the road.
iding difficult construction with
regard to the convenience of the
fic that was to use it.
he result was a series of heart
aking climbs to the summit of
res, succeeded by nerve-racking
'ents into the canyons beyond, but
e the less they succeeded in build
what by western courtesy passed
a road for the amount stipulated,
d by further contribution of
600 byt the mining companies.
two summers the road was com
ed to the foot of Thunder noun
, but long before this the com
ed portion had been put to use.
nsands of tons of material were
ed along the route as fast as a
on was vacated by the builders.
portable articles being picked up
Jack trains at the terminus and
ed on into the wilderness.
TRANSFER OF FREIGHT
The Transfer as the point where
wagons discharged their freight
the four-footed carriers took it
Tas known, was for two years
} of feverish activity. Machinery
supplies of all kinds were UNI
ID from the cavernous wagons
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