Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-03-27
RAILWAYS BUILDING
over 5000 MILES IN North
WEST STATES.
Wonderful Record Being Made in This
Northwest District-Steam and Elec-
trio Lines Going Most Everywhere
Men of Money Surely See a Great
Future.

More miles of railway lines are under
construction in the Inland Empire, tax
ing in 100000 square miles of territory
in eastern Washington, northern Idaho,
western Montana, northeastern Oregon
and southeastern British Columbia, than
in any other similar area on this CONT
nent The mileage in Washington alone
is 1900 and the works in the other
three state and province mentioned will
bring the total to 5000. approximately
$50 miles of line was built in Montana
last year, when that state headed the
list in the Union Tor new work. There
are at present 1896 miles of main lines,
branches, yard tracks and sidlags in
Washington, which WIS second, with
between 500 and 600 miles built in
1908. The completion of the main line
of the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget
Sound railway will add as much more.
In addition to this approximately LOO
miles of steam and electric lines are
projected to be completed before 1911.
Steam roads now in operation in the
Inland Empire are the Great Northern,
Northern Pacific, Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy, Spokane Falls e. Northern
(Hill property, Spokane international
canadian Pacific system), Oregon Rail
road & Navigation company (Harri-
man system), Central Washington,
Idaho & Washington Northern. Robert
f. Strahorn, president of the North
Coast Railway company, building from
Spokane to the Sound, announces it will
be part of a transcontinental system,
the name of which he will not give out
at present. The Canadian Pacific also
will be extended from Spokane to the
Pacific coast.
In addition to these activities it is
unofficially announced that the Canadian
Pacific and the Milwaukee systems. will
be connected by new line to be built
from the Canadian boundary south down
the Flathead valley to Kalispell, Mont,
and from a point ON the Milwaukee
north to that city. With this stretch
of road, 60 miles north of Kalispell and
20 miles south, the Milwaukee will be
able to reach the coal fields in British
Columbia, and the Canadian Pacific
road will find an outlet traversed by
the Milwaukee IS coast line for lumber
and coal products on its lines north of
the international boundary.
There are reasons to believe that the
Canadian Pacific will be a factor in
the Inland Empire. The company al
ready has entrance to Spokane over the
Spokane International line, built by ID.
G. Corbin of Spokane, and it is now
stated that a further extension will be
obtained to Portland over the Oregon
Railroad & Navigation company's lines.
While this will cut into the Hill, Harri-
man and Earring territory, there is
enough business in sight for all.
Economy of operation and facility
in handling freight from the east to
southwestern Washington and western
Oregon by way of Spokane have been
greatly promoted by the opening of the
Spokane, Portland & Seattle line along
the Columbia river, giving an outlet
over practically water grades for traffic
which formerly went over the Northern
Pacific and the Great Northern lines.
c. b. Pride, hydraulic engineer of the
Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound
railway, says that contracts will be
awarded shortly for two electric power
plants in the Bitter Root mountains to
furnish power for the operation of more
than 100 miles of line on the Idaho
division, between st. Joe, Idaho, and
st. Regis, Mont. The plants, which will,
as at first constructed, furnish 10000
horse power, are to be on the st. Joe
river at st. Joe, Idaho, and on the Mis-
soula river, 40 miles below Missoula,
Mont. The grades and curves are heavy,
the former ranging from 215 to per
cent. Several other possible power sites
have been located, and if it is deemed
advisable later to install electrical oper-
alton over a greater portion of the road
additional plants can be established.
More than 10000 horse power cleo
trieal energy is developed in and near
Spokane, and there is at least 100000
horse power available and undeveloped.
The expenditure upon electrical plants
and service amounted to $3,000OO0 in
1908. The Washington Water Power
company announces that $l6,0O0,000
win be expended at the rate of So 00O,-
600 a year in extending its city and in
terurban electric railways and light and
power plants, and the Spokane & In
land Empire Electric railway system,
headed by Jay p Graves, also has plans
for extensive works in addition to the
projects now under way. This company
is surveying line into the Big Bend
wheat belt.
There are numerous other electric
railway projects, one of these being
passenger and freight line from Night
hawk to Brewster, Wash, by the Okan-
ogan Electric Railway compayn, headed
by Colonel Albert NJ. Dewey of Spo-
kane. This line involves an expenditure
of $2,50o,000. The Big Bend Transit
company will also build a line to peue-
trate the Big Bend wheat belt, west of
Spokane, at a cost of $1,000 900.
The Great Northern company will
build a line from Wenatchee, Wash,
to the British Columbia line, and this
company and the Milwaukee are pro-
iecting lines in central Washington,
tapping rich mineral and agricultural
belts. The Idaho & Washington North
ern Railway company will extend its
line from Newport to Metaline F. A.
Blackwell, president, has disposed of
the bonds and work is to be pushed
on the 60 miles of road