Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1908-12-12
The nootenai Valley

logs to the thousand feet. l mere is enough
of this timber in the Kootenai valley tribu-
tary to Boomers Ferry, to run several large
sawmills for so years. For distance of
$50 miles above Boomers Ferry this splendid
river and its many large tributaries flow
through a timbered country. Logs can be
hoated down without difficulty to Boomers
Ferry, which is at the foot of the swift wa
the entire product of this vast forest. For
30 miles below Boomers Ferry it is also
vast forest and the logs can be towed up the
river or brought up on the Kootenai Valley
railroad The numbering industry is yet in
its infancy here. There is one large sawmill
with planning mill, all modern construction,
with capacity of 10000 feet per day Civ
ing employment to several hundred men in
the mills and timber; but there is plenty of
room for several such institutions and it will
not be long until they are here. There is
also an abundance of material for the manu-
facture of paper pulp and woodenware The
three railroads before mentioned cut through
this timber in such manner that none of it
is hard to reach, and supplies can be taken by
rail to within a short distance of logging
camps everywhere One or more wagon
roads traverse nearly every township of this
timber.
The lumber manufacturing industry is
growing each year. In addition to the plant
of the Bonners Ferry Lumber Co., reference to
which is made above. an extensive cooperage
and box manufacturing plant has been estab-
lished during the year. 1t is now operated
under the name of the Crescent Woodenware
& Box Manufacturing Co. Their business is
growing rapidly and they plan to double their
capacity during the coming year. They en-
pillow 100 men, besides the men in logging
camps. They will work up 100000 feet of
logs next year, and probably increase their
output each year. Their product is
featured largely from cottonwood.
THE. TOWN OF BONNERS FERRY
AND WHY 1T is HERE.
This hourishng new town is situated at
the gateway to the Kootenai valley, at the
head of navigation and at the foot of the
swift water on the Kootenai river. The
place has an interesting, romantic history,
dating back to the early SOS, when it was
but a prominent spot and resting place on
the trail over which the adventurous from
tiersnan and miner packed millions of dol
lars worth of gold dust from the famous
placer mines in British Columbia to Port
land, Ore, when these noble hills, rolling
plains, leaping cataracts and majestic rivers
were in the undisputed possession of the
painted warrior, who is now semi-civized
and mingles peacefully with his Caucasian
neghbors In 1892, with the advent of the
Great Northern railroad, town sprang into
existence. Large palatial steamboats, were
built and operated on the river, carrying pas
sengers and freight from Boomers Ferry
81, %
was the chief excitement in those days, and
many splendid discoveries were made in the
hills bordering on the Kootena valley some
of which have since been developed and have
become producing mines. The country be-
ing unsurveyed and farming distasteful to
this advance guard, but few settled on the
land, while all marveled at the timber After
considerable effort on the part of the people,
Uncle Sam commenced, in his slow way, to
survey and open the land to entry, when real
settlement began, and now nearly all of the
surveyed public domain has passed into the
hands of the people; but there are still many
more townships to be opened, and these con-
tain more or less good agricultural lands,
and all are in the timber. These settlements
demonstrated the marvellous productveness
of the soil, and the extensive numbering in
dustry and the various other apparent adj
vantages have doubled the population of
Boomers Ferry in the last two years
Boomers Ferry has population of 1900,
and is steadily growing. 1t has all modern
utilities, such electric lights, waterworks
and telephones 1t has three railroads, the
Great Northern, the Spokane International
connecting with the Canadian Pacifc) and
the Kootenai Valley Ry., branch line ex-
tending down the Valley into British Column
bia. Transportation by boat is ALEC available
between Bonn' rs Ferry and Canada The
public schools are the equal of any in the
state, and five church denominations are
represented.