A Morning Boat to Metaline — and a Waterfront to Rebuild

The Steamer Ione on Monday entered the regular freight and passenger service on the river and leaves here every morning except Sunday, after the arrival of the 9:20 I. W. N. train. She goes as far as Yocum, where she meets the Steamer Newport which comes up from Ione. Returning, the Ione arrives at Newport in time to connect with the 6:15 p. m. train for Spokane. Passengers are transferred around Box Canyon by team to a connection with the launch Nancy, thus making a one-day trip both to and from Metaline. The new schedule will prove popular and gives the lower river country the best service that can be devised.

On Sundays the Ione will take excursion parties down the river, running in connection with a special train from Spokane, leaving Newport about 10:30 a. m. The first excursion of the season occurred last Sunday and was well patronized considering the unfavorable weather, the special bringing about sixty from Spokane. The excursionists were well pleased with the trip, and when it becomes better known the Pend Oreille trip will doubtless prove one of the most popular trips in the Northwest, and this section will receive much desirable advertising.

On July Fourth the Ione will take an excursion to Ione and the Newport will run an excursion from the lower river to Newport, returning on Sunday. There will be a celebration at Cusick and many will stop off there.

The river is falling at the rate of about eight inches every 24 hours. As soon as it reaches a normal stage the Jurgens mill will be able to reopen. A good deal of piling must be driven along the water front in the north end of town. All of the piers and piling belonging to the Northern Mercantile Co. were taken out by logs during the highest stage of the river. Most of the outer boom of the Jurgens Bros. was also carried away, and about 200 feet of the Transportation Co.'s dock will have to be rebuilt. Considerable of the piling for this dock also went out.

W. H. Rockwell went to Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday to take an examination as a river pilot. He has leased the Defender and will use that boat this season in towing logs for the Kennedy mill at Dalkena and the Fidelity Lumber Co. at this place.

Byron Vanderwater, formerly with the Fidelity Lumber Co., is the new purser on the Ione.

The pilot house on the Ruth has been completed. The carpenters will have completed their work in two weeks more. The machinery has not yet arrived, so that the boat will not be placed in commission as early as expected.

Painters from this city went to Yocum on the Ione on Thursday. They will be engaged for some time in repainting the Newport.

The Spokane will be used in towing logs from the Fidelity booms to the Jurgens mill next week in case W. H. Rockwell does not secure his pilot's papers in time to use the Defender.

The Ione is doing even better than the time made on her trial trips. On Wednesday she made the 44 miles upstream from Yocum in three hours and 22 minutes and made nine stops.