The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-05-20
WANTED-A COMMERCIAL CEN
TER IN NORTH IDAHO.

Is it the fate of north Idaho to for
ever waste its substance in building
and supporting large commercial anC
industrial centers in ADJOINING
states? That is what we have beer
doing all these years until our neigh
bors on both sides have come to re-
gard north Idaho as a sort of no
mans land, a field in which they
fight for commercial advantage, and
to help in building up business es-
adjustments and industrial enter
prises that support large payrolls
and pay taxes in other states. This
system has been going on so long
that the benefciares have come to
regard it as the natural order and
our own people look upon it with i'm
difference if not approval We are
not blaming our neighbors for tax
ing advantage Of this situation, but
the people of north Idaho are blam-
able for not utilizing their resources
to their own advantage A few days
ago, referring to the efforts being
made by the Idaho utilities commits
sion to force the completion of the
north and south railroad, a Spokane
paper said:
THE laying of these 60 or 20
miles of rails will be an import
ant advance in the progress of
central Idaho: will help to open
the great Salmon river region;
will provide citizens of rich nor
thern counties with a direct line
20 their state capital. will give
Spokane a new and straighter
route to Boise; will change stub
lines to a through track and aid
in unifying and developing the
northwest
"To help in securing such
benefits would appear to be one
of the best bits of work Spokane's
chamber of commerce or Spo-
kanes citizens can do this
spring"
We have no fault to find with this
expression of kindly interest on the
part of Spokane in the development
of central Idaho, but it should not
mislead any citizen of Idaho as to the
real purpose to be attained. 1t is
this spirit that has built ZIP Spokane
at the expense of north Idaho, and
which will continue to enable that
city to levy tribute until a similar
spirit is developed on this side of the
line which will manifest itself in sup
port of commercial center within |
the boundaries of the state.
Suppose the people of Idaho, after /
they have succeeded in closing the
gap between the north and south,
should with equal unanimity get
behind the long considered PROPOSE
ton to extend the Northern Pacific
through Lolo pass and down the
Clearwater to Lewiston. thence down
the Snake river to connection with
The main line at Pasco. The result \
would be to place Lewiston ON the
shortest line between the east and
he coast The north and south line ;
would give it the advantage of direct
with south Idaho and
he southwest The city would have ,
he advantage of two competing rail
Dads to the coast and the further
advantage of water competition. be- D
ng at the head of navigation OF the p
make river With these mexcelled
dvantages in the way of transcon- O.
mental transportation Lewiston h
,ould be in position to reach 10y o.
ranch lines the rich tributary ter fl
tory which now contributes heav- fl
Y to the support of another state. ~
his territory includes a vast and H.
rich agricultural section. ii
ne largest amount Of timber in the ~,
est. enormous mineral resources ri
.ocl raising and perhaps the larg f.,
st amount of undeveloped water in
over in any similar area in the F.
orld ~,
The people of Idaho should get be- e.,
ind the north and south railroad 20
nd the Ioio cutoff With these an ~,
fact the way would be g.,
ben for the building of a commercial D.,
I'D industrial metropolis in Idaho an
hich would not only be the means en-