The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1921-08-18
COUNTY'S RESOURCES OPENED
: UP BY SOUTH FORK HIGHWAY


way, the first link Of which was com
plcted this summer, which extends to
Castle creek. The article was written
by A F., Parker Of this city, and deals
also with the mining and timber re-
sources that will be opened up with
the completion Of the route to Elk
City:
Initial construction Of the first lap
of the South Fork Of the Clearwater
highway from Grangevillc to Elk City
Is an event Of far reaching import
ance, opening as 1t win, virgin area
OF 100000 acres. This includes the
great central Idaho gold bearing zones
together with commercial timber on
the Nez Pcrce national forest, offi-
cially estimated ut 3,5OO.O0O, 900 feet,
of which 50O,OOO,OOO feet win be ac-
cessible ior removal through the con-
struction Of this highway.
In the early days the. old Nez Perez
Indian trail to the Buffalo country
was the sole route Of travel, and
over it freight from Wallula to vir-
ginia City, Mont, and the placer
mines Of the Black Hills was packed.
Like all Indian trails, it traversed the
high mountain peaks and SUBMITS to
dodge the deep canyons on its route
through Elk City and crossing the Bit
ter Root divide onto the Nez Perez
fork Of the Bitter Root valley. THENCE
eastward via the Deer Lodge valley 20
the happy hunting grounds of the buff
falo land.
On this trail Lloyd Magruder, a
merchant Of Elk City, and the indie
pendent democratic candidate for con-
gress in 1855, who had packed into
Virginia City and was returning to
his home with four others, was bru-
tally murdered and robbed on October
IL, 1873 The discovery of the muir
der at his camp near Magruder noun
tain and the final hanging by Lewis
ton vigilantes forms chapter of Ida
no history.
Unimproved District.
This historic trail was the medium
Of travel from Grangeville to Elk City
until the last territorial legislature
appropriated $4,000 to construct a
wagon road from the present town OF
Clearwater to Elk City. This road
was built from Clearwater to New.
some by Spokane contractor named
Cameron under a state contract. The
portion from Newsome was construct.
ed by Grangevillc citizens from New
some to the "30-mile tree" and the re
manning 10 miles was built by Ell,
City people and is still used for the
transportation Of mails, passengers and
freight from both Grangeville anC
Sites 1t follows closely the old trai
crossing two mountain ranges on ex
cessive gradients as follows:
Commencing at sites, altitude LOO
feet, in the deep canyon of the soutt
fork, 1t runs southeasterly for min.
miles to Clearwater, altitude 220O It
Clearwater to Switchback, six miles
altitude 1880 feet; Switchback TO Cor
raj hill, four miles altitude 800 feet
Corral hill to Mountain House. 81,
miles, altitude 6310 feet; Mountain
House to Ncwsome, eight miles, alti
tude $500 feet; Newsome to Mut
Springs, nine miles, altitude 5000 feet
Mud springs to Elk City, IL miles, al
titude 1900 feet. This road traversel
a heavily timbered country which /,
wet and difficult to travel except fol
c brief period in the summer, tils
timber conserving the moisture ant
promoting growth of dense under
growth, rendering drainage impossible
Double Equipment Needed.
Under these conditions Of great DIFF
ferences of elevation, character of sol
and timber, excessive grades and higi
cost Of maintenance, the stage lin,
and freight operators must necessariI,
provide themselves with double equip
ment, requiring transfers from wagon,
to sleds, according to, the. different ele
yations. to be overcome. From eithe
Grangeville or Sites the trip to Ell
City over this road requires two days
and all-night stop over at Newsome be
ing part of the schedule. The dis
lance from Grangeville to Elk Cit,
over this route is go miles.
Construction of the South For
highway will reduce this distance t
40 miles, with radical differences 1,
the soil and climatic conditions fror
road building standpoint, as |
traverses region of gravel and roc
on water grades, and In addition (
teing more permanent in characte
and more accessible will be NATURAL
more readily maintained. The advar
tage to mail, passenger and freigh
service over the completed new higf
way is self-evident. Under present co,
citions three days are required {
make the round trin IN Elk Cyifv ON