Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-22
RAILROAD DEVELOPMENT.
An Interview of Hon. Jas. W. Reid
by Spokane Chronicle Reporter,
Recently, While There.

| al AACc1 WlcW VI 0OU. Jas. W hclU
| by a Spokane Chronicle Reporter,
Recently, While There.
The Hon. Jas. w. Reid, of Lewiston,
Is In the city to-day and will leave to-
night for Boise City. Mr.. Reid is the
gentleman who delivered the grafton
on Idaho cay at the exposition last Oc-
tober; his Grafton was one of the notable
ones of the exposition month, his tri-
butte to Idaho being most eloquent. In
conversation with a representative of
! the Chronicle this morning, he said
i that the Northern Pacific line was be-
ing rapidly pushed toward Lewiston
and would be completed some time in
the spring. There has been some delay
owing to difficulty in getting through
the Indian reservation.
"Is it true" asked the reporter, "that
the Northern Pacific expects to extend
its lines still further than Lewiston?"
eyes" replied Mr.. Reid, "they have
already made preliminary survey to-
wards the Seven Devils mining coun-
try and will no doubt extend their
lines that far eventually. 1t is about
seventy-five miles from Lewiston to the
Seven Devils district. They will also
extend line to what is known IA the
Camas Prairie, a very rich agricultural
district, near us. We expect great ac-
tivity at Lewiston in the spring on
completion of the line between there
and Spokane Falls. 1t will bring us
into closer relations with you than have
existed before and we hope it will be
mutually beneficial"
"What do you think of the PROPOSE
ton of the chamber of commerce here
to take in members from surrounding
cities and towns?"
II have read of this proposed plan in
the newspapers and think it an ex.
cellent one. We shall be very glad to
furnish you five or six members from
Lewiston. We have no doubt but that
great benefits will be derived; we want
the cooperation and assistance of Spo.
kane in many questions that will arise
In the future. I think it would be q
great benefit to this interior country to
have representative commercial bodies
united In this way. I have no doubt
but that other towns will be equally as
glad as Lewiston to have representation
in your chamber of commerce"
Mr.. Reid was asked about the open.
ing of the Nez Perce Indian reservation
"The allotment of lands, J" said he, "te
the Indians on this reservation has now
been almost completed and it certainly
cannot be much longer until the reser
walton is thrown open to settlement
There are about twelve or fourteen hun
dred Indians on the reservation. After
they receive all the land to which they
are entitled there will yet be over 100,
600 acres for settlement. This is a.
good land as there Is in the world. Un
til a year ago it was not regarded as o.
much value but it has been discovered
that it possesses great fertility and pro
duces abundant crops. These 7OO,OO(
acres of land will support at leas
} twenty thousand people. It will max,
5000 farms of 100 acres each. This res
, ervation is very near Lewiston and viii
, be of great advantage to that city wher
: it is thrown open.
"Indeed," said Mr.. Reid, "Lewistol
is the center of what regard to be tn
richest fruit and farming country IL
the Pacific northwest. Perhaps yo,
: have never realized that some of tn
richest part of the Palouse country
east of the Idaho and Washington line
In the counties of Latah, Nez Perce ant
: Idaho. These three counties are tn
banner agricultural and fruit countie
In the state Of Idaho, and their richnes
\ has hardly yet been realized. All thre
/. are very large counties. According
+. the report of Governor Shoup, made t
e the secretary Of the interior in Octobe
9 of last year. the patented lands upo
- which improvmentsh have been made i
t the county Of Idaho amount to 81 ,2a
= acres; in Latah county patented land
amount to 2S4, ,25S acres, and in Ne
Perce county the lands patented amour
to 100 $3.50, making altogether abou
100000 acres Of patented land upo