Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-08-04
FINISH SATURDAY

Grant smith q Co., contractors Tor
the road between the mouth of White
bird creek and New Meadows, will
finish the job Saturday. The company
has completed all work on the Big
Salmon, and has only few days work
on the Little Salmon river.
Booth & johnson have finished sur
facing with crushed rock the Grange
vile end of the highway, but have
about six weeks finishing work on
the Grangeville side of the grade.
Approximate cost of the Grangeville-
Whitebird link of the highway is
100000, including construction, en-
cheering and surfacing. The IT.
miles of road along the Salmon river
cost $4,000.
WHITEHEAD HILL ROAD
The Grangeville- Whitebird road
cuts across Camas Prairie from
Grangeville and then ascends the
mountain which forms the divide be-
tween the Salmon river country and
Camas Prairie From the summit, the
road descends in a series of
switchbacks to the canyon of Salmon
river. This road, wide and on an easy
grade, is regarded SIS perhaps the most
piece of highway engineer
ing in the west. Contract for the road
was awarded in November, 1918, and
actual construction began in January,
1919.
Contract for the road along Salmon
river was let in the autumn of 1919
and has been completed without un-
due delay.
This road is built in sections to
eliminate the worst parts Of the cid
road.
The first section along the Big
Salmon comprises slightly more than
two miles in the vicinity of Doumecq
bar, eliminating parts of the old road
that formerly were under water when
the river was high.
$4,000 A MILE
The second section of two miles is
between the Taylor ranch and Slipper
cy creek. and was built at cost of
$4,000 mile. The section includes
much heavy rock work and concrete
arches. A 70-foot arch crosses Rob-
ber's gulch.
The old Freedom hill, one of the
hardest pulls in central Idaho, is
eliminated by six miles of new high
wav between Slate creek and a point
road passes through the Box canyon
and, according to Engineer McCreedy,
is the "prettiest piece of road in the
United States'' Richly -colored rock
forms a natural surface for the road.
Concrete retaining wall has been built
along a part of this road, which par
allels Salmon river
Another section of two miles runs
from Chair creek to the Golf bridge.
ON SIDE OF BLUFF
One-tenth of mile of new highway
eliminates dangerous piece of road
built on the side of bluff having a
45-degree angle. The old road was
built by driving iron pins in the rock,
placing timbers against the pins, and
filing in roadbed between the tim
bers and the side of the bluff. The
new road in this section was built by
blasting away the rock and bench
ing in . road on solid rock. This
road is half mile above the Goh
bridge.
Along the Little Salmon, from
point fifteen miles up the river from
higgins, 3-mile stretch of new
highway follows the river.
A distance of mile and half IS
not touched, and then a 2-mile section
of new road lies in the vicinity OF
Boulder creek.
The next section of two miles is be-
tween the falls of the Little Salmon
and the crossing Of the river above
the Freeman place.
QUICK TRIP
Mr.. McCreedy who has been in
charge of the Grangeville- Whitebird
road during the entire period of CON
struction, and has been resident en-
gineer of the project along the Sal
mon since January ], returned to
.Grangeville Sunday evening from
motor trim to Mccall. Mr.. McCreedy
and party left Mccall Sunday morn
ing at $50, stopped three hours along
the road, and reached Grangeville Sun
day evening at 9.