The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-25
Expected to Reach Seattle Early
Next Week.
LOOKING INTO EXTENSIONS.
Rrnnch Line 10 the Okanognn Coun-
try VIII Bring the Trade OF q
Rich Mining Region TO Puget
seund-Wsamtehee Selected as
er VIII BE Huift-New Shelters

President James j. Hill, OF the Great
Northern. IL coming II q special train 10 Sc
alta bringing with hin the chef officers
Of tire company under him. He IS expected
ID arrive next Monday morning. and great
interest cenrers in his coming, from the
fact thai re Ercposs 5 70 devote c9Ds deTehie
time In Seattle and IN The Northwest looking
after contemplated extensions OF his road
into the ohanogan district TO the boundary
line. and with a branch into Stevens c5un-
-. along the Johnson river 10 ths Eureka
mining camp where the nov famous Re-
pubiie ulEe Is located.
AS a business proposition. in which
Seattle VIII derive TIE largest oene-
IT. this 0kanogan branch. which IS 70 start
from the main lire a; Wenatchee. prom ses
70 be OF greaser Importance 10 both Seattle
and Everett than any other OF the many
railroad projects so much talked Of now il
railroad circles, ard viii be OF decidedly
greater interest in its gigantic results than
the alleged controversy between Mr.. Hill
and Mr.. Morgan over the Northern Pa
cific's endeayor 10 invade the O. r. & y.
territory Ii Is now pretty definitely de-
eided that Mr.. Hill viii have no opposition
from the Northern Pacific in this project,
the consideration being that he VIII allow
Mr. Morgan 10 build his Clearwater short
Inc from the main line Of the Northern Pa
cifs at Miss9ula, Mont. to Lewiston, idaao.
This does 10. mean that the fight is Off be
tween Mcssrs. Hl and Morgan. Mr.. HIS
practical knowledge Of the railroad s!tua-
tion in the Northwest gives him an adyan-
taga which Mr.. Morgan can never over
come and il IS safe to say that Mr.. His
viii have no insurmouniahla difuculties IN
carrying out his plans Tor aggfandlzing the
Great Northern. and through IL developing
the many new and rich mining ana agri-
cultural districts in the state OF Washing
ton
Why the Route Was Chosen.
Mr.. Hill is known to De a thorough mas
ter Of the geographical and typographical
situation OF the various undereloped Sec
tons OF the state. His choosing Wenatchee
for the starting point Of tbs new branch
into the Okanogan district was the result
of this knowledge, friends Of mis- and even
railroad engineers supposed II be we'd vers-
ed with his projected lire had suggested
TO him The Poll river az the most feasible
route into that district, but Mr.. Hin said no.
THAT Okanogan district" he continued,
belongs 10 Seattle, because 1t is tributary
to it, Therefore the branch into that ds-
trict must start from Wenatckee, follow
the Columbia north 10 Lake Cheian, ard
then north along the Okanogan river to tbs
boundary line. with a side branch round
Mount Bonaparte into the new mining
camps that are now coming 10 the front.
This road VIII cover about 200 miles, ard
open up and develop an immense area, over
loo niles in extent, Of very rich mineral
well agricultural territory. The Re-
public mine country is an especially rich
grazing country and with It's mild climate
will prove a profiiahle section for saeep
and cattle. Besides these and the IN neral
interests IL also possesses extensive water
powers unlimited in quantity, which can be
utilized when brought within reach OF i
railroad.
First to Enter the Field.
The wonderfully rich mining discoveries
f,,s IS -s1 x.-ftF in he Noxr
aroused Mr.. Hilrs interest and he now sees
railroad possibilities in them that ne pro-
poses TO work out before any rival can enter
the field. In connection with these mining
interests he foresees the necessity Of hav-
ing transportation line on which 10 bring
the ores TO tide water for treatment. This
Will mean the erection OF a number Of
smelters In and about Seattle all Of which
can be kept busy handling the ores that
the Great Northern will bring here when
the read and the mines are open.
British Columbia at present has a mo-
nopoly OF sme,ters The smeiter at Trail
owned and operated by the Canadian Pa
ciflc, has treated the Rosslard ores exclu-
sIyeiy: a lead stack is being added 10 the
plant ard the company IS endeayoTing 10
contract for silver lead ores In the Spokane
country The Pilot Fay y. G. s1nelter
was built by pr. Hendricks some years ago
fer thu purpose OF treating the output OF
the Blue Bell mines. 4 very iow grade sill
y-T lead proposition, but Il has no. been in
operation. with the eXCef ton Of brief
lVriod. fer some years r Is now under
stood 20 have passed out OF the hands af
It's original owners and IS now the proper
y. IN part ~ ~ whole. OF tIe Omaha &
Graft Smelling Company. Of Omaha Neh
Next comes the Hall Mines Company
snelter a Nelson. y. =, erected bv thai
company 20 treat 'he Silver King mine ore
and IS in continuous operation The Trail
sneiter also has a refining plant for re;in-
ing The matte. This makes three smelters
III British Columbia Tie lie Re-. Mining
and smelling Company plant al %orthport
Wash IS exclusively FOR the L. Ro! ore
This company few DAYS ago passed into
the hands OF the Br:tlSb-American Coroora-
tieB. The ex-licutepant governor OF the
Northwest territory being managing Olrec-
Tor - The company. which wsS organized
fy Whitaker Nr.sht and I.1r3 Dafr9riu Of
london \ smelter was erected IN Sr4aksna
sorne wears ago bT a company In whica
Coz Bo5sest Il. l"Serso3i. clifford and other
Eastern capitalists were Interested It's car
itas was s. AsN.1sp lvgf after ics coYnf.,eti.9n
some dsssatlsfRc;isn arose ever the cost -
construction and possible revenue ana the
siitelter wae never blown in 's