Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-04-13
%|VESGRAP
NORDP|CTURE.
COUNTY
lancroft Describes Great In
land Mining Region, Which
He Says Is Most inaccessible
7onderful Mineral Resources,
and Great Waterpower Pos
sibilities in Mountain Area
Bv GEORGE

BY OEOfNOE y. DThANtNOf
Engineering and Mining Journal
Central Idaho is probably less de-
IOped and open to exploration and
avel than any other part of the Uni
States except Alaska. Two other
acts of ground in the west have no
ilroads, but these regions have wag-
roads. Central Idaho has little
trails, and poor trails at that. The
strict is interesting in several re-
bects. 1t is a rough country; it has
bnderful undeveloped water power;
has considerable undeveloped min
Fal resources, and the geology is
birth investigation and study because
the fact that it contains the great
aho batholith of granite.
4 By far the most impressive topo
Faphieal feature of central Idaho is
Se great canyon of the Salmon. For
b. miles, between walls which rise
boo to 5000 feet above the water, this
fajestic river rolls toward the sea.
4 places there are PERCEPTIONS cliffs,
BIT for the most part the slopes are
lad with coniferOus trees that lend
bftness to the landscape which is
Gten lacking in most of our west
IN scenery. The more one sees of
bis great chasm, the more impressive
becomes. Viewed for the first time
y clear day, it may be disappoint
BE-, but as one sees it clad III the
how of winter, and in the verdure of
Pmmer, in light and in shade, in
toOnlight and in daylight, in fog and
! smoke it becomes more and more
I've inspiring. think it is most inn
Fessive when small fog clouds lend
perspective to the scene and force
(pme the immensely of the great abyss,
hese clouds, drifting up to the side
bnyons, bring out ramiications of the
snorama which otherwise are OBJ |
kured by the haze of the distance.
SALMON SWIFT STREAM
The Salmon has a swift, but fairly |
|eep current. 1t is now used for boat
bg down stream. No one has yet sue
fssfully assembled the river in power
|oat, but it is possible that it may be
|racticable with modern boats.
Salmon City, near the eastern Dor
Ter Of the state, is pleasing little |
pwn on railway which branches off |
de Oregon Short line at Armstead.
'eaSuring down the river to Lewiston,
lear the western border of the state,
pc distance in 305. miles Between
'almon City and Lewiston there is a
Fllderness-and nothing else.
A man named Guleke build barges
\ Salmon and floats down the river
Lewiston, where he sells his barge |
or old lumber and goes back by train
Salmon City. He takes supplies to
ne trappers and prospectors and
rngs pelts and "dust'' out. 1t is a
'Qnderful boat ride.
Inc country abounds in fish and
ame. In the bigger streams the fish
row to great size. They are locally
nown as salmon trout, bull trout, and
Oily vardens. There is also the Sal
ION river pike, which is even gamer
IN than trout. In the smaller
Ireams one finds the ordinary trout
great numbers.
AS tor game, deer and grouse are the
Ost plentiful. There are also bear,
ouhtaln lions, lynx, wildcats, coOns,
'ef, martin, fishers, elk, mountain
leep and mountain goats, coyotes and
-, MANY DEEP GORGES
Inc present topography of the couu-
containing the Idaho batholith is
az Oh deeply dissected plateau. The
snef SUBMITS range from 1000 feet
uDvqnt Marshall) to 5000 feet (Buffa-
hump above sea level Buffalo
Jump is, however, like q shark s fin
'a. out of a plateau which is
'Ou. ooOO feet high. AS one stands
any Of the high SUBMITS and gazes
tOau' the country appears At. One
No no Idea of the deep gorges which
auer the region so inaccessible. The
r Vi The ridges are evidently not
! peiow the old peneplane formed by
oatholith, so their SUBMITS still
soerve a semblance of a plane when
."eu from distance. If one then
.ns from gazing abroad and looks at
=, "ear-oy surroundings, one is al
.: sure to look down into an awe
Ip'rlng gorge, for the SUBMITS as
t.h are narrow ridges. There are few
, tan OF plateaus left that are over
~ acres in extent. The Buffalo
, up plateau is an exception. 1t is
I i taoie land, ten miles long and
7, ne wide in places.
i streams are yearly cut deeper.
- - % condition not general in the
n.y., IN most districts there are ac-
"u'atlons of silt, forming meadows
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