The west shore., August 30, 1890, Page 42, Image 10

42
WEST SHORE.
jt-.f
TOE PA gE STT
CENTRAL IDAHO RAILROADS.
North and South Idaho, by the usual routes of travel, are far apart.
There ia no way of getting from one to the other by rail without first going
through Washington and Oregon, or by going half way through Montana
and thence through Washington. Its having the Snake river running from
one section to the other dnea not help the matter, Inasmuch as it la not nav
igable much of the distance in consequence of the numerous rapids in it.
The Importance of connecting the two sections of the new state by rail has
been seen and much discussed, and railroad companies have done consider
able surveying of routes. The Union Pacific several years ago surveyed
down Snake river to Lewlaton and bas had parties at work in the interior.
Both the Northern and Union Pacific have begun on roads that may perform
that mission. In what may be termed Central Idaho are some of the finest
lands in the state and an untold wealth of quarti ledges and placers. A
portion of this territory will be reached by the Northern Pacific by it new
road from Pullman, Washington, via Moscow, Idaho. At this point the
road leaves the plateau known as Paradise valley, which ia at an eleva
tion of 2,700 feet above sea level, and follows a stream known as Bear creek
to the Potlatch river, and thence down It and the Clearwater river to Lewis
ton. In doing this the several sections known aa American, Fix, Texas,
Bear, and Big and Little Potlatch ridges are opened to outlets for their
immenae trades by means of finely graded wagon roads down the grades of
gulches that separate these several ridges, to the railroad. This section is
known aa the Potlatch country, and is surely one of the finest for grains
and frulta on the Pacific coast, the land olten producing from fifty to sixty
bushels of wheat to the acre, which has heretofore been hauled from twenty
to thirty miles to the nearest railroad point, or Lewiston. The lands were
nearly all taken up in advance of the railroad, and the thrifty farmers of
that section are more than surprised at their good fortune. At first the
lower, or bottom lands were sought, and especially selected for gardens and
orchards. It has since been learned, however, that the hills and table
lands really sulfcr less from drouth and Iroste, and are really much more
valuable. The annual product! of this section are surprising, and with the
stimulus that will be given by this railroad It will become the garden siot
of the " Gem of the Mountains."
Similar, though a little more In the future, will be the effect upon a like
plateau south of the Clearwater river which is known as Camas prairie.
This name was given it by the Nea Perce Indians, whose reservation forms
the northwest corner of It, near Lewiston, from the well known edible roots
which are there found In great profusion. The altitude of Camas prairie
varies from 1,000 leet to 3,000 feet, with hills and mountains here and there
which rise alwe the table land and which are fertile to their peaks. The
air Is moistened by the winds from the ocean and the evaporation of the
Columbia, Snake and Clearwater rivers, and hence grains and fruits grow
In the greatest natural perfection, though in places Irrigation would, doubt
leu, add to the production. This section is alw comparatively well settled,
though there is still much choice vacant land which at present is only
occupied by cattle gratere and the native jack rabbit. In this section are
several rich gold and silver quarta mines, while rich placer diggings are
found In almost every hillside. So far no railroad has reached out in that
direction, but when Lewiston Is reached the key to the new field is virtually
found, and It will not be long when North and South Idaho will be united
with great profit to the line so doing. '
The river and harbor bill contains the following items for Oregon : Im
proving entrance to Cooa bay, $125,000; Improving harbor at Ya'quina
bay, liaVOOO; Improving harbor at Tillamook bay, $5,000; improving en
trance to harbor at Nehalem bay, 110,000; for the commencement of jetty
construction and re examination of Port Orford harbor, with a view to
ascertain If the amount estimated for a harbor of refuge can not be materi
ally leasened, 15,000; Improving canal at the Cascades, Columbia river,
$150,000; Improving Upper Columbia, Including Snake river, $20,000 im
proving the mouth of the Columbia river, $5 iO.OOO; improving Willamette
and Columbia river In front of and below Portland, $100,000; improv
ing the Willamette river above Portland, $11,000, of which sum $5,000 may
be used in the discretion of the secretary of war for the improvement of the
river at Clackamas rapids and Uosa Island; improving (he Coquille river
(continuing Improvement), $:IO,000; Improving the U iipqua river, $0 000'
improving the mouth of the Simla river, to commence construction of
jetty, $50.0110; improving Young's and Clatskanine rivers, $1,600.
The following surveys are provided for in the bill to be made of Oregon
rivers and harbors: Tillamook bayand harbor; Alseabayand river; Coos
bay, for improving upper harbor by removal of shoals; dredging the lower
Willamette and Columbia rivers, with a view of securing twenty-five feet at
low water, from Portland to the mouth of the Columbia; Willamette river,
deepening channel on west side of Swim island ; improvement of navigation
at Clackamas rapids and Boss island and near the city of Corvalhs; Lower
Columbia river, on south side, between Astoria and Wood'! landing,
Young's bay channel from the ship channel of the Columbia river to the
head of Young's bay, a distance of one and one-half miles, with a view to
improving the same by dredging so as to secure a depth of eighteen feet at
low tide ; Lewis and Clarke's rivers, for snagging; Coquille river, for deep
ening channel from Coquille City to Myrtle point to four feet at mean low
depth ; Yamhill river from mouth to McMinnville ; for removing obstructions
in the Snake river from the Oregon line to the Seven Devils mining district,
Idaho.
In Washington no surveys had been made and, it being contrary to the
policy of the government to make appropriations without them, that state
did not fare so well. The following are the appropriations for Washington
as carried in the bill : Improving Columbia river from the head of Rock
island rapids to the foot of Priest rapids, $00,000 ; Improving Chehalis river,
$3,000; improving Cowliti river, $8,000; improving Skagit, Stillaguamish,
Nooksack, Snohomish and Snoqualmie rivers, $1?,000; the secretary of war
is authorized to appoint a board of three officers of the corps of engineers
of the United States army, who shall select and survey the most feasible
location and estimate the expense of construction of a ship canal to connect
the waters of Lakes Union, Washington and Samish with Puget sound,
and the sum of $10,000 is appropriated for its expenses.
The following surveys are provided for Washington : Nooksack, Skagit,
Snohomish, Dimmish, Black, Puyallup, Nasel, North, Gray's, Deep, Ska
mokawa and Crooked rivers ; Gray's harbor and bar extending up the Che
halis river to Montesano; for ship canal between Port Townsend bay,
Puget sound and Oak bay ; Columbia river from the international boundary
to Hock Island rapids; Gray's river, for snagging; Swinomish slough, with
the view of constructing a ship channel through the same, connecting Sara
toga passage and Skagit bay with Podilla bay, and to report the most suita
ble and feasible plan for such improvements, with the cost of the same ;
Shoalwater bay from and Including the entrance to South Bend, about two
miles up the Willapa river and from South Bend about ten miles up said
river to Woodward's landing, with a view to Improving the same for navi
gation ; Olympia harbor from deep water In Budd's inlet to Fourth street
In the city of Olympia and separately from said bridge to the mouth of the
Deschutes river at Tumwater, and to report as to the most practical and
convenient channel and the most feasible, economical and suitable plan for
Improving the same for navigation by the class of vessels employed on
Puget sound, and also to caiwe to be made an estimate of the cost of each
of such improvements; Columbia river Irom the mouth of Willamette river
to the upper limits of the city of Vancouver, with a view of establishing a
ship channel,
While the appropriation bill Is still subject to chunges before final pas
sage, there Is but little doubt that Oregon and Washington items will remain
unchanged ; and while the appropriations are neither aa large nor numerous
aa they might be, those made will be of great service towards better open
ing up these waters to the trade and commerce of the world.
Since the present congress commenced there has been a great deal of
discussion relative to Alaska and the great natural resources of the interior
of that territory. A bill for a military post on the Yukon river, near the
head of navigation, was introduced, but much opposition to it was made by
members of the military committee on the ground of it, Impracticability.
A a recent meeting of the committee It was decided to report s substitute
bill PProPriat,ng $100,000 for a scientific exploration by the war depart
ment of the ukon river and the adjacent country. The secretary of war
ha. already outhned the programme to be followed by the exploring pty.
Ttt 7 ' Md.hi' l0 m consi9t 01 "m "ho will vol
untee for the purpose, botanist., geologist,, mlnerologista, aoologl.ts, ento
mologist , astronomer., etc., and a detainment of enlisted men The de
pm.nt hopes to have the expedition ready to start for Yukon early next
Prin A .mall steamer, In which it will be possible to push a con Jder
able distance up the Yukon, and row boats to explore the tributaries win
Zt J7nimli0Mh " 'Pon,,xpected?r
The total valuation of property in Victoria, B. C, U $10,212,004.