Five Minutes Through Box Canyon

The Nancy again broke her record for a run through Box Canyon on Wednesday. The trip consumed only five minutes. The boat also made a fast trip upstream. She left Metaline at 5:35 a.m. and arrived at her docks in Newport at 1:10 p.m., making fourteen landings on the trip. The Metaline made her maiden trip of the year on Wednesday, when she went to the Le Clerc landing after a barge to be used in carrying coal to the lower river. The steamer has been repainted and given a general overhauling. A new boiler, with increased steam capacity, and a condenser have been added. As soon as the new machinery has been thoroughly tested Capt. LeClerc will place the boat on her regular schedule. At the present time it is the plan to leave Bettencourt's landing, about two and one-half miles below Ione, in the morning and arrive here in time to meet Great Northern train No. 2 from Spokane, and leave for the lower river soon after the arrival of that train. Capt. LeClerc has not decided what will be done with the launch Frani as yet, but it is probable that she will be used on the Box Canyon run, and will connect with the Metaline at Bettencourt's. The crew of the Metaline will consist of Capt. LeClerc, Engineer Wm. Pops and Purser Charles Trussell. The Rockwell motor boat, recently completed by the Newport Boat Works, was given a trial on Monday. The new boat is very fast and her owner thinks he has the fastest craft on the river. The New Detroit will be ready for business about May 15. Mr. Buttons now owns the entire boat and is having a new hull constructed at the Lenora yards. The hull is now ready for the planking and she will be in the water inside of two weeks. Capt. Lanneau, of the Metaline Navigation Co., was in the city on Wednesday. He stated that the framework for the new boat, to be placed on the river by his company, had been sawed at Portland, and that the first shipments would be received at Newport next week. Part of the machinery has been completed by the eastern manufacturers and has been shipped. He was sanguine that the boat will be completed by June 1. The launch Nancy has demonstrated her ability to successfully run Box Canyon, and made the trip from Newport to Metaline in less than four hours. She made the up-trip through the canyon last Saturday in six minutes. The new schedule of the boat took effect on March 30. She will leave Metaline on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 5:30 a.m., and arrive in Newport before 2 p.m. of the same day. Returning she will leave Newport at 2:10 p.m. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays she will leave Metaline at 3 p.m. to connect with the steamer Newport at Ione and will return, after the arrival of that boat, to Metaline. The Nancy will arrive and depart from the docks of the Pend d'Oreille Navigation Co. in old town.