While Newport Stalled, Colville Planned a Stage Line to Capture the Metaline Trade

While Colville seems to have given up the auto scheme for connection with the Metaline district, and has little hope for a rail connection, its business men are active in devising means for getting in touch with that section and controlling its trade. A telephone franchise is being asked from the county to enable its projectors to build a "hello" line from Colville to Metaline, and now a stage line across the mountains is contemplated.

Meanwhile Newport is doing nothing to get a telephone line down the valley, and a proposed telephone line, which means a local exchange and a line clear down the valley, has been before the council for five months and seems as far from passing as ever. It is time for us to get busy. The last Statesman-Index contained the following:

G. B. Ide and George Camp will leave next Sunday for the Metaline country in order to investigate the feasibility of a stage line between Colville and Metaline. This is the only practical plan for transportation between the two points. The automobile was not practical, a railroad is impossible at this time and may never be built, but a stage line can be operated successfully from all viewpoints.

It is the plan of Messrs. Camp and Ide to establish a tri-weekly service. They would be able to contract with the government for carrying the mail for Cronin, Cement, Ione and Metaline, and it is almost certain that a post office will be established near the Meadows. Such an enterprise as this should receive every encouragement, as it means more to Colville than any project which has been begun for some time. It will mean that all travel to the Metaline district will come and go by way of Colville. It will also mean that a great deal of trade which now goes to Northport will also come this way, as the regular trips of the stage will be an incentive for settlers to go quite a distance to meet it, in order, for a small sum, to get to ride to Colville and return.