A River Pact Collapses, but the Metaline Returns to Service

The arrangement stated in last week's Miner by which the steamer Ruth was to be operated on the lower river and run to connect with the boats of the Pend Oreille River Navigation Company fell through Saturday. The owners of the Ruth decided to run on the same schedule used by the Ruth before the river froze up, although a contract had been drawn up, accepted and signed by both parties to run as reported by The Miner. The information given by The Miner was secured from representatives of both lines and was based on the following signed agreement:

Newport, Wash., Feb. 4, 1909.

We will accept your proposition as per our conversation of even date, to run steamer Ruth in connection with your boat, leaving Newport after the arrival of the 9:20 I. W. N. train; you to run your boat twenty-five miles or as near half way as possible, and to turn over the freight and passengers aboard her to us; we to collect the balance of freight on a mileage basis, or half the tariff charged to Bettancourt's landing; you to pay us $15 per month for carrying the mail to and from postoffice points below where your mail boat runs; you to deliver us all local freight, not including railroad freight consigned to points below Locke or Blueslide and Bettancourt's landing; and to give us all the passenger business below our meeting point or Blueslide, excepting excursions.

(Signed.) M. Woldson. Accepted. Pend Oreille River Navigation Co. (Signed) John McInnis, Jr.

The steamer Ruth started its regular schedule Sunday morning, leaving Newport on Sundays at 10 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m. Returning, she leaves Bettancourt's Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She is leaving temporarily from the Northern Mercantile dock at the foot of Washington Avenue.

The Newport having been found unable to make connections with the evening train, the runs of the Ione and Newport were switched Sunday. The Newport now arrives to connect with the noon train and the Ione goes down in the morning, returning to connect with the 5:35 train for Spokane. Capt. Jas. Flewett is in charge of the Newport and Capt. Alf. McInnis has the Ione.

The steamer Metaline was placed in commission again on Wednesday, after having been tied up since the low water of last fall. The boat will be operated steadily in the future, and will make a special effort to supply the lower river trade. She will leave the Stevens dock every day excepting Saturday at 1:30 p.m. She will also call at the docks of the Pend Oreille River Navigation Co., if requested. Returning she will leave Ione at 5 a.m. every day but Sunday, arriving in Newport in time to connect with all trains to Spokane and eastbound trains on the Great Northern. Capt. LeClerc will be in command and Bob Baker will be purser and Bob Ferrill will be at the throttle.

The addition of the Metaline to the river fleet will give the Ione and Metaline residents a chance to make the round trip from their section to Newport in a day.