The River Wakes Up—and Newport's Steamboats Go Adrift

Navigation was resumed partially on Wednesday after a close down of about three weeks. The river has been open as far as Indian Island for several days, but this did not serve to assist the local companies' operations, as there are no towns between Newport and the island.

On Monday the ice went out in the channel as far down the river as Cusick. The Spokane made a trip to Dalkena in search of the Metaline on that day, so Manager McInnis, of the Pend Oreille River Navigation Co., decided to institute service as far as Cusick and Usk.

The steamers Newport and Spokane, of the Navigation Co.'s line, have been in this port since the freeze-up, and were started out on schedule on Wednesday. The Newport will make the round trip between Newport and Cusick daily until further notice. She will make the usual stops at the towns of Lenora, Dalkena, Cusick and Usk in addition to the customary landings. The Spokane will be kept busy towing barges of freight, large quantities of which have accumulated here during the period that navigation has been closed. The lack of supplies has greatly hindered the work of construction on the Idaho Washington Northern.

As soon as the ice has gone out as far as Ruby the steamer Ione will be brought here and a new schedule will be issued. The steamer Ruth, of the Metaline Navigation Co., will not begin operations until the ice has entirely disappeared from the river. The management of the latter company is up against the real thing at the present time on account of not having any dock at which to land in Newport. During the time that the river has been frozen over Manager McInnis, of the Pend Oreille River Navigation Co., leased the Stevens dock, at which the Ruth formerly docked. This left the Ruth without a landing place. Manager Crichton states that he has a couple of sites in view and will soon have a dock of his own.

The steamer Newport was partly dry-docked on Sunday, to undergo slight repairs on her hull. The work was completed on Monday and the craft floated in the river in nice shape. The crews of the Newport and Spokane attended to the repairs, and the Spokane furnished the power to dock the Newport.

A portion of the boom belonging to Appel Bros. broke away on Monday night. The steamers Ruth and Metaline and the gasoline launch Fram were anchored to the piling. The Ruth has been anchored there since the river has been frozen over, and the Metaline and Fram have been using the piling to lie to for several months.

The Ruth was fastened both fore and aft, and when the fore line was released she swung around in the current and crashed into the steamer Newport, which was anchored at the docks of the Navigation Co. The Newport was injured slightly, but the Ruth escaped any damage, her stern line holding.

The Metaline and the Fram, together with the houseboat belonging to those boats, were carried away and floated downstream. Manager McInnis, of the Navigation Co., sent the steamer Spokane down after the boats as soon as he was informed of the accident and the Spokane could be got ready. It is supposed that a large ice floe caused the piling at the boom to give way.

The Spokane went as far as Dalkena in search of the boats but failed to discover any trace of them on account of the fog. Later it was found that the Metaline was lodged on the bar in the inner channel of the river near Boundary Island. She is badly listed and partly filled with water, but it is not believed that she is seriously damaged.