The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1924-01-25
~Has National Importanee.o

can quit work and then we'll all &c
fishing" ~,
"Has National Importance"
|. Attorney E. N. Griffith of Grange
vile pointed out that development OF
the gold-producing section tributary
to the South Fork road would be not
only Of local Importance, but would
also benefit the state and nation.
Hundreds Of thousands of dollars
are invested in mines and electric
projects in the Elk City district, but
further development of these mines
and other properties is hampered by
the lack of adequate transportation
facilities"
A Spokane man named Jones spoke
in favor Of the O'Hara creek road,
claiming that the necessary Ia miles
of that route to Elk City could be
quickly completed.
J. B. Burney, United States COM
missioner at Sites. discounted the
claim of a possible advantage to be
gained by first building a road to
connect Kooskia and Elk City by the
O'Hara creek route, stating that the
heavy grades to be encountered on
such road would prohibit its use If
a water grade road is built Mr.
Burney did not speak at the meetings,
but he was an active worker for the
South Fork road and an important
member of the delegation representing
it, particularly In the matter of OBJ
tanning newspaper publicity. He had
numerous facts and figures to sup
port his contentious
"O'Hara Creek Route Poor"
"The O'Hara creek road, from the
confluence of the Selway river and
O'Hara creek, would have to climb
from an elevation of 1549 feet to 5075
feet elevation on the Aron mountain
divide. This high divide which the
road would have to cross would not
only be covered with deep SHOWS for
six months out Of the year, but would
also make heavy grades to pull, both
from the O'Hara creek side and from
the side towards Elk City, which is
situated at an elevation of 5000 feet.
The South Fork route provides an
all-year-around road on an easy water
grade with no real hills
I'VE already have what Is known as
q standard forest highway, with 49,
foot road-bed and 1O-foot surface
with crushed rock II inches deep, |
from Sites to Harpster. This road |
gives some imm ediate relief for the |
nearest mining properties and sew
eral million feet of yellow pine and
red fir timber which is on decided |
and adjacent to government forest.
Enormous UndeweIoped Wealth."
"A conservative estimate Of the
timber in the first four townships
south of Harpster shows that they
ontain approximately 900,0OO,OO0 feet
II merchantable timber. These same
our townships also show enormous
eposits Of copper and iron ores car
wing considerable gold and silver.
asbestos and phosphorus deposits are
lso known to be there Is large guam
tiles. The only thing needed are the
Dads to transport these minerals and
period of great development would
egin.
This is just an example In q small
istrict. of what the whole country
ON Sites and Grangeville to Elk
ity and beyond, Is like, and of what
reat Importance the South Fork
Dad will be in its development"
Elk City Road Gets $4,000.
At a late hour on Saturday, Janu-
~ 10, the federal roads bureau Of
Gals announced that $4,000 had
zen appropriated for the Elk City 4
ad; 100000 for improvement of the
olo pass road from Lewiston to Mis-
ula on the National Parks highway;
5000 for the Bonners Ferry-Leonia
ghway and $4,000 for improving the
trail which will be graded
ID surfaced through the Fourth of
lily canyon.
The $4,000 will be supplemented by
600 In local funds and about $780, 900
III remaining from the last previous
ate appropriation Ill
Four southern Idaho projects were
'arded appropriations as follows:
North Fork-Payette, No. 2, $65,OOO;
'tchum- Clayton, Blaine county, $780,
0; Victor-Irwin, Teton pass, $45,0O0;