The Railroad Was Ready—Until a Court Order Stopped the Trains at Fourth and Union
The Idaho Washington Northern planned passenger and freight service out of Newport, but a temporary injunction barred trains from a stretch of track across Fourth Street and Union Avenue until a Colville hearing.
Mr. F. A. Blackwell was a Newport visitor Wednesday, and said that the Idaho Washington Northern Railroad expected to begin passenger and freight service out of this city on Nov. 16. The building next to the old Miner office and now occupied by Attorney Branigin would be used for a temporary office and passenger depot until the new depot could be finished. Work will be started on the new depot as soon as the one at Spirit Lake is finished.
In conversation with Mr. Blackwell he said the new road will begin an active campaign for business at this point; that it would accept cashiers' checks, personal checks, drafts, clearing house certificates, certificates of deposit, or any equivalent of cash in payment for passenger, freight or express service on the new road.
Newport merchants can now have shipments from the east routed over the new road and some are already doing so. Joint rates have been made effective over the Spokane International and Canadian Pacific from St. Paul and prompt service is assured. Every effort will be made to accommodate the public and secure business.
Large forces of men are kept at work along the new road ballasting and otherwise getting the road ready for the opening of regular traffic. A large force and a steam shovel are at work west of town, filling the big trestle at the crossing of the Great Northern tracks.
A temporary injunction was granted Mr. Lund and others last week by the Superior Court at Colville, restraining the road from using that part of its track across Fourth Street and Union Avenue on block 12 of this city, and no trains are being run across it until the matter is settled. A hearing of the case will be held at Colville today.
“A temporary injunction was granted Mr. Lund and others last week by the Superior Court at Colville, restraining the road from using that part of its track across Fourth Street and Union Avenue on block 12 of this city, and no trains are being run across it until the matter is settled.”
Newport's rail boom arrived with the usual mixture of booster optimism and legal friction: a new line promised freight, passenger service and jobs, while neighbors went to court over a street crossing. The same pattern—infrastructure touted as progress, local objections litigated—still shapes transportation fights today.
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