Two Hundred Spokane Boosters Ride the New Line Into Newport — and Get a Sleigh Ride

Last Saturday President Blackwell, of the Idaho Washington Northern Railroad, entertained a party of nearly 200 Spokane business and railroad men with a trip over his new line of railroad from Spokane to Newport and return. The party was joined en route by a large number of representative business men from Coeur d'Alene, Rathdrum and Spirit Lake.

The train which conveyed the party consisted of three coaches and a baggage car of the company's swell new equipment, pulled by one of the fast new Baldwin passenger engines. It arrived here promptly at 11 a.m., and was met at the depot by a large crowd of business men of Newport, and the Newport band sounded out a musical welcome. The visitors were given a hearty glad hand and invited to participate in a sleigh ride about the city as guests of the Commercial Club. Five sleigh loads of the visitors were thus conveyed about the city and given a good idea of Newport's location and business industries. Many expressions of surprise and pleasure were heard from the visitors as they viewed the many changes that have been made in this city in the past year, and Newport was given a valuable bit of advertising. Many of the Spokane men were given their first view of the city, and left Newport well impressed with its activity and go-ahead spirit, and with the determination to return and better acquaint themselves with the natural resources of this section.

The train left Newport on the return trip at 11:45, the party having been augmented by the addition of about 20 of Newport's business men. At 12:30 Spirit Lake was reached, where a substantial luncheon was served at the company's boarding camp, and the way the crowd enjoyed the meal set before them was a deserved tribute to the hospitality of the company. After luncheon the party dispersed to view the work that is being done by the company in building a model town where there was nothing but a deserted wilderness three months before.

The party re-assembled at the depot at 2:30 and made known their appreciation of the entertainment accorded them by giving three hearty cheers for Mr. Blackwell, the source of this great enterprise. Dr. Goodall, president of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce, mounted an improvised platform and expressed the sentiment of the crowd and their admiration of the great work they had been viewing. He was followed by Editor Durham, of the Spokesman-Review, and Rev. W. J. Hindley, the chaperone of the Chamber of Commerce, who also spoke of the pleasure it gave them to give tribute to the men who were doing the work of developing the territory along the new road. President Blackwell was loudly called for and modestly acknowledged the compliments paid him, and gave due credit to those who have assisted him in the work of transforming a wilderness into a productive territory in less than a year's time. With final cheers for Mr. Blackwell and his son, R. F., the excursionists boarded the train for Spokane, after a day of sightseeing which was a revelation to all of them.

Among the prominent men on the trip were Jay P. Graves, president of the Spokane and Inland Empire; Clyde Graves, president of the Coeur d'Alene Spokane; R. H. Ingersoll, president of the Spokane Inland; H. N. Kennedy and Martin Williams, of the Northern Pacific; Superintendent Roberts and General Passenger Agent Martin, of the Spokane International; J. A. White, general manager of the Red Collar Steamboat Line; Geo. J. Mohler, general agent, and J. T. McDevitt, auditor, of the I. & W. N.; Mayor Moore, of Spokane; Mayor Scallan and Senator McCarron, of Coeur d'Alene; Postmaster Hartson, of Spokane; Editor Durham, of the Spokesman-Review; Editor Moon, of the Coeur d'Alene Journal, and many other prominent business and professional men.