The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-25
ROUTE OF THE GREAT NORTHERN.
Belief That 1t will Go Straight Across
CoixfIIe Reservation.

CoLyILLE, Jan. 24-ESpecial. The most
absorbing question of the hour IS Nv here
will Jim Hills road, the Great Northern
enter the state of Washington, and over
what route will il traverse the rich inter-
yenIng country westward to the Puget
sound?n Hill is in Europe. He went
there only short time ago on business re-
Iating to his road. Ii is said he is now IN
Germany in consultation with some OF the
stockholders of the company over which
lac presides and whose gigantic work he so
deity manipulates. While he is away
the good work on his big sytsem goes mys-
teriously but merrily on Two or three
months ago the widest speculation was
INDUCED in by newspaper correspondents,
and In fact everybody, as TO where the
road would cross the western Idaho line.
The solution of this problem has not yet
been handed down to us, but still remains
open for solution. The road has been
built over the greater distance eastward,
and il seems TO have been the object of the
company to keep the main line as near TO
the international boundary line as posi-
bic. All attempts to reach interior points
have been accomplished by means of
branch lines, and by reference to the map
of the Great Northern one viii readily see
that the original straight line policy has
never been varied from, except to more
closely hug the British American line.
Nor is it probable that they will vary from
their westward course now, much less to
change it at this stage of progress.
The main line has been established as
far west as the kootenay river, in Mon
tana, and the very latest developments are
reported from point fifty miles west, near
Bonner's Ferry, in Idaho, where camp
has been established and contracts for
clearing right-of-way are being let for all
that portion along the Kootenay river.
Now, then, the question comes upper
most, where will they 20 from Bonner's
Ferry. At this point they are nearer TO
the Northern Pacific line than they have
been on the whole route. They viii not
drop down to the Pend d'Oreille lake, for
the reason that they would have to parallel
the Northern Pacific for distance of sew
enty-five miles through a country that
would afford neither of them enough rev.
enGe TO pay the running expenses of the
line along that distance. The course Will
certainly be as directly west as line could
be drawn with pencil across the map.
There are practically no distractions on
the route in the way of railroad building.
The road can find no easier or shorter
route than by cutting straight across the
Priest river country, down the Pend
d'0reille river TO Metaline, and through
the Colville Indian reserve. All the coun-
try just mentioned is new and exceedingly
rich in resources that will bear develop
ment. 1t is vast undeveloped country.
and Hill will not ignore it for more south
ern sections that already enjoy from one
TO half-dozen competing lines of railway.
At any rate, all things considered, it is
most reasonable TO believe that the Great
Northern will never cross the forty-eighth
parallel before it reaches the Cascade range
of maintains