The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-04-11
Complete Beaver
and Pine Creek
Lines First
NORTH SIDE TONNAGE
No Official Information but
Report Is Believed
True

vt WAS learned this week from
what is believed to be reliable
source that the construction pro-
gram Of the O..W. r. & N COM
pany in the Occur dAlene district has
been definitely determined and that it
includes the opening of the Beaver
creek branch as quickly as possible,
the construction of the Pine creek
branch to the forks, and finally the
rebuilding of the Prichard creek line.
Judged by the rate of progress the
company has been making since the
flood the last of the year. this pro-
gram of construction Is not as en-
couraging as 1t appears on the surface,
for unless the company speeds up the
work it will hardly be completed by
the time the Americans can the kaiser,
which is not expected by the most
optimistic before the end of next year.
Since the new contractors took over
the job there has been evidence of
more rapid work, and the promise is
made that the Beaver creek line will
be open for traffic by the first of May.
The work is still along the North
Fork, considerably below the mouth of
Beaver creek. Although the company
maintains a reticence on the subject,
it seems to be reasonably certain that
when the Beaver creek job is COM
pleted the entire construction outfit
will be transferred to Pine creek.
Rebuild on Prichard Creek.
The impression has prevailed for
some time that the railroad company
had decided to abandon the line above
the mouth Of Beaver creek for an in
definite period 1t has been a matter
of common information that the North
Fork branch had long been unprofit-
able, and for that reason the company
had decided that it's reconstruction
above Beaver would not be justified at
this time. 1t appears, however, that
the amount Of available tonnage on
the North Side is greater than it has
been for some time. and that the out
look for new business is decidedly
better. For this reason the informant
of the Miner states that the O.-W. r.
& N. company has decided to restore
the line as soon as the work Is COM
pleted on Beaver and Pine creeks.
Business in Sight.
1t Is probable that the Yukon Gold
company which is operating dredge
on Prichard creek, has brought press
ure to bear upon the O.-W. R. & N.
company to rebuild the road on the
North Side. 1t is known that the Yu-
kon company contemplates installing
another dredge on the creek this sum-
mer, but to deliver the massive parts
OF the monster machine on the ground
in the absence of a railroad would be
O big and expensive undertaking.
without railroad 1t is probable that
the new dredge would not be installed
this year. and If the railroad company
has decided to rebuild, it is probable
that bringing in this dredge and other
material and supplies for the Yukon
company has been an important fac
tor IN TedCHlHS tildt ueCiSioH'
Jack Waite Tonnage.
Before the roads were washed out
the Jack Waite Mining company was
shipping regularly an average of 800
tons of ore per month, this being the
largest producer on the North Side.
This company is 10 miles from Waite
station on the railroad, and unless the
railroad is rebuilt 1t is confronted
with the necessity Of hauling five
miles further, to the mouth of Bea-
yer creek, making total distance OF
Is miles. The Jack Waite company
Is In position to make substantial
increase in its shipments this spring
and summer. and the company also has
under consideration the erection OF
mill. The bins at the mine are full
Of ore and much is broken down. Un-
der these conditions work was sus-
pended in the mine after the roads
were washed out, and the company
has since been engaged in rebuilding
the wagon road which included the
construction of 10 or IL bridges. This
work Is now practically completed,
and the company is anxious for the
railroad to come within reach in order
to resume shipments
Bear Top Shipments.
Just before the flood the Henrietta
Exploration company, which has a
lease on the Bear Top, had shipped
two carloads of ore, had another on
the dump ready for shipment and the
fNnnfinuad on Para Il