The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-01-21
BIG WATER POWER SCHEME
WILL RUIN THIS CITY
Dana ~ Post Fails CAuses Floods DEedg.
iRs River win Not Help alAttsrs-Job
IL IaIsFssa of Washington water Pow
eF Company.

4ANAAAA4s - AAcAAH AAAN 10 NnF puets
ness and manufacturing interests
than any other measure that win
come before the legislature at this
session. Il IL q bill providing for
the appropriation Of $50, 900 TO lower
the lake and h ~ follows:
s'ssclion /. That the state engi.
n@eF shall. as soon as may be, aud
within ana year from ths passage and
approval Of this act. cause 20 be
cleaned out, dFedged and ioweFed,
tbs Spokane river from ita junction
with coeur d'Alene lake for a din-
lance os one. half mile down said
lake, 80 that during the periods OF
high water in said lake. the said river
will more quickly discharge said high
waters aud more readily drain said
lake ~ high water perlods- The work
20 b. done under and Ia pursuance Of
this act may he LET BY contract uron
and after such noticH and under such
restrictions and conditions ~ the
state engineer shalt determine, but
said engineer must have, and retain,
the control and supervision thereof.
The said river shall 10 90 cleaned out,
loweFed and dfsdged the entire width
~ tho river and Tor Al least two feet
deep, unless solid rock shalt b. en-
oountsFed In doing aid cleaning,
lowering or dredging Il IL intended
hereby 10 clean cat, ioweF aud drrdge
said river BY the removal d loose
materials, that il. sand, debFis,
rocks. boaideEs and gravel.
Section Z That the sum Of
ESQ. 600, or 90 much thereof e. may
b. Necessary. b.. and the same 10
hoFshy, appropriated oct Of and from
any moneys In the general fund u.
oF In the state treasury. not other.
wise appropriated. for the purpose u
paying tho expense Of doing the mat
teFu and things provided for herein,
whloh money 80 appropriated shall b.
paid out BY the state treasurer upon
warrants drawn and signed by the
state engineer, -
This measure IL innocent enough
on lis face and II frst thought might
meet tho approval Of the business
mgn and manufacturing Interests %
the city, bat behind II il one u the
most atupsndous jobs that was ever
attempted 20 10 psFpeiEated on this
community. Notwithstanding the fact
that " has been endorsed aud c1.
plotted By our contemporary as a big
thing for the city. The measure IL
hacked by. aud drawn ia the interest
of The Washington Water Power com.
pauy. Of Spokane, and IL nothing
more than an effort 20 create thnus.
auda of horsepower extra for that
company nj the expense Of the state
and 90 the dssriment 81 this city, II
mot thu absolute paraly1ing Of our
lumbaFinR industries.
Ia che firsi place IL proposes 20
dredes the river bed two feet deeper
for distance Of ono half milea below
where u leaves the lake. which means
that during the summer months when
The saWmills are tho busiest thoy will
ho ~ least one. half mile from the I
lake for want % water The mill Of /.
the isswls Lumber company would be .
at least this distance owing to the /
shallow water, and u would seriously 1
interfere with the successful handling
Of ioRs at the plant Of the Occur d..
Alene Lumber company. Other mills
ON the lake would be seriously affect.
ID BY the lowering Of the lake In thia
way and the damage TO this city
would bo enormouA
ft would affect shipping and
seriously interfere with the boat bust.
ness. Every one knows that In tho
summer time thore is not more than
Two feet OF water along the city front
and tho shore 70 the mouth of the
river for a distance Of from one. half
10 three. fourths Of a mile into the
lake. The passage Of this bill means
that all Of this will be bare ground
turing the season Of low water and
he consequent damage 20 shipping
Interests would be serious. The
electric line dock would Of necessity I
have to be- extended into the lake
much farther than AZ present; the
loading dock for logs recently erected
BY this company would become of no
nee; the Northern Pacific would be
compelled 20 dredgo out channel to
To dock, and the city would he left
high and dry ono-half milo from the
AXE instead of being on lie shores.
Il means that The place ls to become
IN inland town with a desert Of sand