New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-06
RAILROADS IN TIE NORTH UEST
D. c. CORBiN TELLS ABOUT YANKEE ENTERPRISE
NEAR THE CANADIAN LINE.

~.
NEAR THE CANADIAN LINE.
D. c. Corbn, brother Of Austin Corbin, and a
weknown railroad builder. recently visited this city,
having in from the far West. He is identified
with the earliest railroads in the Pacific Northwest and
has built several lines in Montana and Idaho. which
have become important parts of the great transcon-
tinental railroads there lie now lives at spokane,
Wash. He Is the president Of the Spokane Falls and
Northern Railroad, Independent ana useful road
ming from Spokane, Wash. almost due north along the
eastern bank of the beautiful though for the most
part unnavigahle, Columbia River, 10 within few
miles of the Canadian boundary. Its northern ter
minus now is NOIthpOrt. from where steamers ply
northward on the upper Columbia, In British ter
riory. to Revestoke. station on the Canadian Pacific
Railroad where that line the river about $50
miles above the international boundary. The Spoan"
Falls and Northern Railroad Is being extended 10
the Canadian line and will end there. near Fort
Shepard.
Mr. Corbn's recent visit mainly for the pur-
pose of procuring building material for railroad
in British Columbia 10 be called the Nelson and Fort
Shepard Railroad. 1t Will leave the Columbia River
and the spokane Falls and Northern Eaiir al at the
Canadian boundary near Fort shepard, and will branch
off in northeaseriy direction. Its northern terminus
will be Nelson, on the Kou,cnal or Kootcnay River
The Koutcnai River few miles east Of Nelson flows
into the kOutenai Lake at present The kOutenal
Lake. and the many acres OF land bordering upon 1t.
are reached only by the most arduous travel over
mountain trails through almost impossible under
growth. The vast directly and indirectly trib
utary TO the lake will now be "tappcd" by the
railway The SPOKANE Fails and Northern RalrOa aud
The new railroad, although separately Incorporated
one in the state of Washington and the other under
British laws. viii b. under ore control. and viz
tually be one continuous iine from spokane to Tie
centre OF Eastern British Columbia. That foreign
corporation should build railrced in British terri
Cltnllld
ceivc a Government subsidy. the Nelson and Fort
Shepard Railroad has received from tie Canadian Par
lament, is etill more noteworthy.
THE Provincial Government" said H. c. COrbn.
when in town, has given TO the railroad company
O land gran; consisting of alternate blocks on each
side OF the proposed route Each block OF land has
frontage OF six miles the track and extends six
teen miles back. had trouble at first in sccur
ties recognized the helpless position O! the nlcrlO" ~
British Columbia, and admitted that the development
OF that part of the province depended almost wholly
Yankee enterprise and capital. 20 they finally
acceded to my proposals The road wili BE- an outlet
for the recently discovered mines in the snip Creek
Casio SLOGAN and other mining districts. and IT will
encourage the otter interests OF Eastern British Co
lumbia. which have hitherto been neglected for lack
Of transportation. The mineral discoveries OF that
part Of Canada have attracted much attention during
the last twelve months. The country contains sill
copper. gold and coal. 50 far known and
TO doubt, other discoveries equally Interesting and
valuable will be made as 1t Is more thoroughly cX
plored.
road I'm Canada is the Pend d'Orcille River which
flows into the Columbia River from the northeast
$40 feet long IS building that stream. and
must be finished before the enormous freshet comes
soS poI IN s F c cam e them sGS OF %
and think by next September IL will be completed
The traveller can then penetrate the heart Of East
crn British Columbia with all the comforts OF modern
railroad construction"