A Million-Dollar Cement Mill Is Coming to the Pend Oreille

During the past few months there have been numerous reports regarding the acquiring of property in the neighborhood of Metaline for the establishment of a large cement industry. All publications regarding the matter have been premature, though not without foundation. The following has been given out for publication by President A. Blackwell, of the Idaho Washington Northern Railroad, who is identified with the cement proposition, and is an exclusive story for The Miner.

The Inland Empire Portland Cement Co., capitalized at $1,000,000, with stock all subscribed at par, has been organized for the purpose of establishing a cement mill in the vicinity of Metaline, located in the Pend Oreille valley, 65 miles north of Newport. Interested in the company are a number of men connected with the Lehigh Valley Portland Cement Company of Allentown, Pennsylvania, which operates various plants in the East, with a combined output of 33,000 barrels per day.

The Inland Empire Portland Cement Co. has purchased from Lewis P. Larson his mineral holdings near the mouth of Sullivan Creek, a mile and a half north of Metaline, on the east side of the Pend Oreille River. It has also acquired his water rights on Sullivan Creek. Unlimited quantities of raw material for the manufacture of high grade Portland cement, and lime are found on the property acquired from Mr. Larson, and the company will at once proceed to develop the industry by the development of power and the building of a mill with a capacity of 2,000 barrels of cement per day.

Within the next month, provided that a few remaining details can be closed in that time, the work of developing water power on Sullivan Creek will be started. Water rights have also been filed on Sullivan Lake, which will give the company the right to raise the lake, increase its storage capacity and develop more power. Under a head of 468 feet there can be developed on Sullivan Creek from 8,000 to 12,000 horse power. The cement mill is to be run by direct water power, requiring about 2,000 horse power, and the balance of the power available will be used to generate electricity for the use of the company and for commercial purposes.

The construction of the cement mill will be started as soon as conditions permit, but the installation of machinery and the operation of the plant must, of necessity, await the completion of the extension of the Idaho Washington Northern Railroad from Ione to Metaline. The road is now contracted for a distance of 52 miles north from Newport to Ione. The contracts call for the completion of the first ten miles of the road by June 1 and it is hoped to have trains running into Ione by Nov. 1. The extension of the road from Ione to Metaline will be pushed as fast as practicable. Preliminary surveys have been run for the Metaline extension, and the road will cross to the east side of the river somewhere in the neighborhood of Box Canyon.

The estimated cost of the cement mill and the development of the water power is one million dollars. The property has been thoroughly investigated by experts, who report the raw material to be of practically unlimited quantities and of the very best quality. The people interested in the Inland Empire Portland Cement Co. are men of experience in the manufacture of this product, and the company is fully financed to swing the big project to success.

That a company of this character has taken up the work of developing the cement industry in the Pend Oreille is an assurance of success, and means a great deal in the development of this section. The mill will provide a large tonnage for the new railroad, and will bring to the Pend Oreille valley all the benefits incident to the establishment of a large pay roll industry. The development of power will aid materially in the development of the Metaline mining district, and the commercial interests of territory tributary.