A Panic Year Boom: Newport Built Through Hard Times

More buildings were constructed during the past year than in any previous year. The population has doubled in the past two years.

Although the year just closing will be known as a “panic” year, and many of the industries in this section were crippled as a result of the stringency in the money market, Newport did very well in the way of public and private improvements. During the season 87 dwelling houses were constructed and several that had been started late in the previous year were completed. In addition to the dwellings built there have been six concrete business blocks erected in the business center of the town. But one frame business house has gone up in the business portion and that was a small one. Four frame buildings for business purposes have been erected in various portions of the town, principally on the Idaho side. The Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad constructed a fine brick and cement passenger station and a large freight depot during the year. These two buildings cost in the neighborhood of $10,000, and would be a credit to any town thrice as large in the Inland Empire.

The Hope Congregational church, a concrete block structure costing $12,000, was completed during the summer. The building is the most handsome church structure in Stevens county. The Catholic church building is now being erected and will be completed before spring, if the weather conditions permit. This structure will cost in the neighborhood of $5,000.

The new factory building of the Newport Iron Works will be finished and ready for occupancy early in January. This building is of concrete block construction, and when completed will be the finest machine shop in this section of the country. The Hadley Manufacturing Co. also erected a frame factory building. They have installed a number of woodworking machines and have been doing an excellent business during the dull times. The foundations have been completed for a three-story concrete block hotel building, and work on the superstructure of the building will be started as soon as spring opens.

A total of 22 business, public and manufacturing buildings were finished during the year, and the total value of the improvements in the building line for the 109 buildings will aggregate $152,000. Surely this is a good showing for a city of 2000 population during a year of hard times. It shows the people of Newport have faith in their town, and that the progress made this year will certainly be doubled during the coming season and the advent of better times.

In compiling the values of the new property a large number of small buildings were not taken into consideration. There were many of these buildings erected during the past year by parties who intend to build larger homes during the coming season, but who were compelled to erect these makeshifts in order to obtain a place to live in this year.

The entire business district has been changed by the construction of the new buildings. Formerly most all of the business was conducted in the buildings near the Great Northern depot. The advent of the Idaho & Washington Northern last year and the location of their depot grounds between Fourth street and the Great Northern caused the removal of several buildings in the locality to points further north on Washington avenue. All of the new buildings constructed this season have been built in the second and third blocks from the depots.

Some of the principal improvements are the Congregational church, the Reid Hardware building, the Kirchan, Gilbert and Sutherland blocks on the east side of Washington, the Heldmeier Ihle concrete block and the addition to the First National Bank building on the west side of Washington avenue. The Antler hotel's capacity was increased by a three-story addition, and ground has been broken on Washington avenue for still another addition to that building, and also for a block for Dr. Phillips on the adjoining lot.

The Newport Iron Works building will cost in the neighborhood of $7,500 and is located alongside of the Great Northern tracks. The foundations for the Craig Martin hotel and another concrete block belonging to Charles F. Craig and located on the corner of Washington avenue and First street have been completed. The balance of the work will be finished as soon as the weather will permit.

A large number of residences and business buildings have been removed to other locations in order to make room for the improvements made by the railroad companies and private persons.

Many fine homes have been erected, some of them having cost in the neighborhood of $5,000. Amongst the most expensive are those of W. C. Lawrence, E. E. Reid, A. E. Reid, George Torreson, F. C. Krause, Mr. Jacobson, H. J. Anderson and B. F. Seeley. A large number of attractive bungalows costing from $1,000 to $2,000 have also been erected.

Fourth street and Union avenue have been improved by the construction of sidewalks, grading, and guttering the streets. The water company has improved its service by extensions of new mains and replacing old ones. The city fathers have increased the amount of fire apparatus by the purchase of a chemical fire extinguishing apparatus, as well as establishing new fire and police alarm systems. The telephone company has entirely rebuilt their line and is now furnishing good service to all portions of the city, having one of the most up-to-date plants in the state. The management of the electric light plant was taken over by Flynn Bros., and the plant has been enlarged and greatly improved within the past month. Two new passenger steamers were added to the fleet of boats on the river at a cost of $60,000. One of these, the Ruth, belongs to the Metaline Navigation Co., while the other, the Ione, is the property of the Pend Oreille River Navigation Co.

A steam dredge has been constructed and is in operation at Lower Washington Avenue, deepening and straightening the channel of the river.

The Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad Co. has improved the looks of their property on both sides of the line by grading along their right-of-way in an attractive manner. The Pend Oreille River Navigation Co. has a new station at their docks, and has also added a steam hoist, freight houses and an ice house to their facilities for handling goods.

The Fidelity Lumber Co. is building a large saw mill and planer on the opposite side of the river from town. The mill will have a capacity for sawing 75,000 feet of logs every 10 hours. They have constructed booms with a holding capacity of 16,000,000 feet of logs near the mill site.

The Great Northern has spent several hundred thousand dollars in changing their tracks in and just east of the city, and in constructing a new steel bridge over the river at the falls. A fill of over 700,000 cubic yards was made in order to obviate a bad curve and a grade and much rock work was also done by that road.

The greatest amount of money spent on any one single improvement was, of course, expended on the depots and freight terminals of the Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad. Nearly $150,000 was spent by the company in this city during the period beginning with their entrance and up to the close of the year, and a large amount of work still remains to be finished. The terminals furnish facilities for the economical handling of all classes of freight and in a more convenient manner than heretofore. Switches are operated to the various pole yards and a loop track runs to the steamboat docks. This loop also supplies the loading docks for the various mill companies that have their lumber towed up the river and hoisted at the Transportation Co.'s hoist.