, 1882-10-21
Reaching on: Towards the Kooten.t
Country.

After visiting the southerly portion OF the
hooteDai country, and collecting an array Of
facts and figures, relating to the upper and
larger area of that region, from disinteres.ed
parties who have made long or short STAYS
there, We are not surprised. that that Sec
ton has been attracting the attention of
merchants ami capitalists in Portland, As
another field of operation OF trade and com
meree; field replete with vast possibilities
and probabilities. Indeei, We are surprised
that this field has been so long overlooked
Mr. John Galbraith, who with his wife, is in
the city today, has been resident Of Koo.-
enai for number Of years, and very PROM
inently identified with all its interests. Per.
haps no gentleman Is more eonversant with
the past and present of the h ootenai eoun-
Try, no one more thoroug hiy acquainted wnh
1t geographically. geographically, Its re-
sources as an agricultural or mineral region,
and therefore, more qualified to speak for it
than Mr. Galbraith- Daring his recent vi-it
to Portland, Mr.. Galbraith Was invited TO
meet With the BoirI Of Trade Il that city.
and tell the members what he knew Of the
hootenai region, his opinion of the outlook
for the investment of capital there, and the
prospect for trade and commerce. The best
evidence that Mr.. Galbraith WIS able to pre-
sent convincing pro,f Of the value Of that re-
gion as 1t relates to trade with Portland
exists IN the fact, that the Board appointed
committee 10 investigate, not only the
matter of contribution Of some two or
three thousand dollars, to open up a practi-
cable trail either from Sand Point or Pack
river on the Northern Pacific 20 kootenai,
bat to visit the latter place and collect data
for the future use of the commercial interest
Of Por,land. Through the h oteuai couu-
try, which We are 1ssurred beyond doubt
is very rich in an agricultural and mineral
sense, and already thickly populated, an
immense scope Of British Columbia country
is reached, and which, once direc: and
speedy communication between the points
named is established, will become tributary
to Oregon and Washington territory The
distance between Sand Point and Kootenai
is about forty rive miles, and with an expen-
diture OF something like two thousand dol.
lars, permanent trail, for all seasons Of the
year, can be made Daring the writer's
recent visit to Missoula with the merchant
party, Angus Mcdonald made the statement
that there was no region north OF the Spo-
kane river and the chain of lakes in that
latitude, richer in its resources for either
the farmer, the miner or the capitalist, than
this same kOOtenai. He had visited every
part of it aud examined in thoroughly.
Within few months, a syndicate Of
wealthy men has been formed, for the de-
yeiopement of the valley Of the kootenai,
and the mines in that region. The Perry
Creek mines are being worked now, and are
yielding satisfactory results. Recently, ga
lena in paying quantities has been found on
Spit.la-machima Creek, tributary OF the
Upper Columbia, aad prOspectors are juhi-
liant over the finds Of silver in other local
tiles. Altogether, there is much more in
this region than has b,en thought OF, and
we are pleased 10 hear that an enterprising
and active development OF its resources has
been determined upon. Certainly the mer-
chants Of Portland and this city, would he
shortsiglted not to take advantage OF this
opportunity Cor an increase in the area OF
their trade.