Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1880-09-03

mines at Wrentkam and New Castle.
We were furnished free ticket over
, this road and in company with Mr..
Emery, lawyer of the place, we rode
over this route and took hasty view
of the mines. New Castle has a pop
ulation of four or five hundred, nearly
all of whom are insome way connected
with the company operating the coal
mines. From these mines at New
Castle and Wrentham, they send down
over this railroad about 600 tons of
ccal daily, which is dumped into vessels
along side of the comPanys wharf, and
shipped to San Francisco and other
ports. The price of coal used at Seat
tie is 81 per ton. We are informed
that it sells for 81 and 80 per ton in
San Francisco. San Francisco capital
lists own, operate and control these
mines, while Seattle capital nominally
own and control the railroad over
which the coal is taken from the mines
to tide water. It is reasonable to in
fer that the town of Seattle derives
much revenue from these mines and
this road. The farming country all
along the bottoms Of the Duwamish,
Black and White rivers, seems to be a
rich alluvial soil, and in many places
is wei! improved and the crops Of grain
and hay we saw, en- route, appeared to
be the best of any we have observed
on the Sound. Lake Washington,
which is drained by the Black river, is
fine sheet of water about 20 miles
long by about 7 miles wide. Along
its northern margin are several in
proved farms A narrow channel con-
meets this with Squahk lake, and this
can easily he connected with Union
lake, and this again with the waters Of
the Sound, by little artificial labor,
which would make continuous naviga-
ton for light draft boats from the
Sound to the mines, The Seattle peo-
pie are now watching with considera
BILE interest, the movements of the
Northern Pacific company, in deter.
mining their line Of railroad across the
Cascades, and if they settle upon the
Matches pass then Seattle will build a
branch up the Duwamish and White
rivers and connect with the Northern
Pacific by distance of less than sc
miles, and then they claim that they
will have decidedly the advantage over
Tacoma as shipping point, and thai
when this demonstration is made they
believe that the Northern Pacific com
pany themselves, will either build this
branch or take the road off their hands
when it is constructed. Seattle claims
that she has such advantages as por
on the Sound that she can bring tn
, Northern Pacific toher terms, and taxi
} the starch all out of Tacoma as port
} and great terminous Of the continental
railway. But should not be sur
pnsed if some far seeing capitalist
should disappoint them all and buil'
t road down on the west side Q
: Woods canal and make a great tow
: at Port Discovery or some other hal
a Dor directly ON the straits De Fucs
e which will be some so or 80 mile
t nearer the open sea, and. thus saw
t time, pilotage and towage: 1t is sci
d that much better town site for
y great city lies about Port Discover
h than is found any where on the ca
\ side of the Sound, and perfectly Ian
II locked harbor there with sufiiciel
s. depth of water for the largest ship
e and good anchorage, and if it be
J. miles nearer the open sea, it is not u
d reasonable to suppose that during Il
'r mania for building railroads to Pug
y Sound, some company will concei
a that railroad terminous there will
p better than all others. The facts a
70 that this Puget Sound with it's hume
y GUS harbors, bays and inlets, offers
" puzzle to the most sagacious to dett
is mine where, upon its placid waters t
re great city Of the northwest will
es built, that is to control the CONNER
y. of the whole northwest coast, whie
he from it's climatic advantages, the {,
" tiiity of its soil and ether great nat,