The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-09-07
TERRITORIAL TOPICS.
What a Colyille Railroad would
Accomplish.
\ kieh Tract of Land Open To Set
Element In Stevens County,
General News Notes.

cSlsfIss Niner.
The probes; Of estai5li stsfssz A srans-
portation line up the Pend j e,reigle
riyer 10 Sand Point. to connect with
the Northern Pacific railroad. ever
which to transport the mineral mo-
duct 0f Meialine. and at the sarne
time secure the commerce OF that rieh
camp 70 spokaze Pals, has for a long
time been the source OF vexation To
those directly interested. In the first
place, the river above Metaiine i too
rough 70 admit Of success in heating.
Even II there were no hindrance 10
navigation i would not be a feasible
route considering the interests OF
tire Falls city
II Spokane Fails shall control the
traffic OF many adjacent sections il Is
Possible 20 do - only by lines OF traffic
radlating directly from the city. All
trade VIII run wild the moment il l.
directed 20 other stations than one
grand railroad center Ii Is the
avowed intention Of capitalists Of our
neighboring metropolis to construct d
railroad to reach out as far as the
tolunlhia rlver AZ some point near
Colyille.
We understand that the intention i
% make the Little Dalles the northern
terminal point. and possibly connect
by steamer with the Canadian Pacific
To extend the line further through the
country IL viii pass would not he
venture naturally calculated to profit
the line. for the reason that nothing
viii he drawn 10 profit the ROAD unless
l. -. -
tions in conditions OF traffic on the
other side. However. it Is advisable
TO touch somewhere on the upper
river as matter OF contingency. This
could be done at small expense by
changing the route selected by the sur
Yeyors last year. We would suggest
that the rosie he directed in north
easterly direction from Coiville. pass
ing through the Deep Creek country,
through the gap in the mountains NJ
Metaiine. The distance from Coigiile
TO Metaline Il less than forty miles.
The distance TO the Little Dalles is
thirty miles over = country that
would not pay much to the support OF
railroad, while through the Deep
Greek country the road would pass
continually through magnificent for
tNA~ VI Hitts III anu = fiuIG talubtI
that would employ hundreds OF men
and thousands of dollars in dedelop-
ing numbering enterprises that will
last for many years. Much wealth
could be generated from the valleys
and Tanges by a process OF agriculture
assisted by stock raising.
The road ON reaching its terminus
at Metsline will tap the immense lead
regions Of the Northwest that are now
absorbing heavy capital with view
10 future development. These lead
deposits are so immense that we can
scarcely expand our Imagination
to realize the great value OF the
mines, and the benefit Spokane
Falls viii derive therefrom only by
means OF railroad built directly to
them.
The route through the mountains
from this point to Metaline is com
paratiyely easy, and in fact fewer
difficulties will be encountered in
building TO Metaline than 10 the Little
Dalles, the difference in distance COM
pared with the advantage of the Meta
line route will be more than made up
By the development OF divers interests
along the line. Then II Il became neces-
sary 10 tap the Columbia river this
can he done by y miles OF track eN-
tending from the main line down Deep
creek TO the Little Dalles. The at
tentiOn OF the stockholde9s of he pro-
iected Colville line OF road il especially
called to the great lead district OF
Metaline.