The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-09-06

WOrkS IN the construction OF Aht uoilu
and south highway. w j. Hall, COM
missioner. has issued the following
statement which contains much infor-
nation regarding this great highway
as well as indicating the work of the
commissioner in carrying out this big
enterprise The statement by Mr. Hall
follows:
Commissioners Statement.
THE North and South highway, as
designated, extends from Welser north
erly to the Canadian boundary, passing
through Washington. Adams Idaho,
Lewis. Nez Perez Iatah. Benewah,
Kootenai. Bonner and Boundary coun-
ties.
"Wheu completed il vii connect the
county seats of al of these counties.
10 has been completed or is now under
construction. from Standpoint north
through Boomers Ferry to a point near
Copeland; from Occur d'Alene south to
Harrison; from Mission Point south
through ST Maries to "a point about
six miles south thereof; from the ST
Joe forest line north of Harvard in
I.atah county to a point one and a half
miles south of Cottonwood in Idaho
county; from Grangeville to Lucille in
the Salmon canyon. South of Lucille
there is considerable completed mileage
between there and Round valley. From
Round valley to Weiser the road has
been graded for the entire distance
and is for the most part surfaced. This
section of the highway is one of the
smoothest and best roads in the state
"All of the constructed sections are
connectde with good travelable county
roads, with the exception of the un-
completed twenty three miles between
Lucille and Round valley. which is
rough and hocky 1t is intended to
begin work on smoothing mp these I'M
completed sections and providing AIDE
quate turnouts as son as the contracts
now under way north of Lucille are a
little further advanced II was be
lieved that it was wei to have the bulk
of this construction finished before
opening up any further work, thereby
making travel more difficult While it
is impossible at this time owing to
lack of funds OF begin any further
work on permanent construction stand
ards. the road will be placed i'm such
a condition this fall as to provide safe
and comfortable travel throughout the
entire length of the Salmon canyon
Cost Of Building New Road Heavy.
1.-THE building of this road involved
a great deal of expensive and difficult
construction. Some short sections hav
been very costly, but the heavy work
and large expense on these sections
was decided upon because it lessened
the mileage. made the road safer and
more permanent, avoided long grades,
and figures a lesser total cost than ifI
the longer route with the heavy grades
had been adopted.
"As stated above. the section from
Weiser to Round valley, slightly more
than 100 miles is in excellent condi
ton. Between Cambridge and Council
the highway passes through the Mesa
orchards one of the largest fruit pro-
ducers in the state North of Council
the highway enters the Weiser River
canyon. which it follows to Tamarack.
n IL ANnAOu rs wen AAlAlitiNAt ANAAl
Tamarack to New eMadows is rolling
timbered country North from New
Meadows the highway follows the
Little salmon river through meadow
and arabic lands TO Round valley,
where it enters the Little salmon can
yon, which is followed to the conflu-
ence of the Little Salmon and the
al. af The
Little Salmon canyon is heavily tim
bered at its southerly end. The tim
Der becomes thinner and the canyon I
deeper and more rugged towards Rig
gins. From Rigins to the mouth of |
Whitebird creek the highway follows /
the main Salmon river. which il crosses /
about a mile north of Higgins
Imposing Scenery in Salmon Canyon.
"The salmon canyon shows some OF |
the most rugged and imposing scenery /
i'm Idaho Old hydraulic placer work
ings are i'm evidence throughout its
length From the mouth OF Whitebird
creek this water course is followed
through Whitebird for about four
miles, at which point series of loops
on q maximum per cent grade carry
the road to the summit approximately
sOOe feet above the salmon river at
the mouth of Whitebird creek The
hill which is assembled is heavily
grassed. with considerable acreage of
grain on the lower levels. The seen
cry from the summit and indeed from
an points of the hill. Is magnificent
A view can be had of more than 100
miles into central Idaho. and from
certain points the peaks Of the Seven
Devils can be clearly seen. The color
ings at sunrise and sunest are indeed
remarkable.
From the summit a gradual de
scent over a winding road is made
through heavy timber onto Camas
Prairie. and on into Grangeville. From
Grangeville the highway traverses Ca
mas Prairie through Cottonwood Fer