Cement Plant Rumors Swirl as the Metaline Rail Extension Stalls

The Spokesman-Review of Monday reported the signing up of contracts for the extension of the Idaho & Washington Northern from Cedar Creek to Metaline, an additional eight miles over that already contracted for by the firm of Grant Smith Co. That the road would cross to the east side of the river at the lower end of Box Canyon, and that a new townsite of Metaline would be established near the mouth of Sullivan Creek. Also that the Lehigh Valley Cement of Pennsylvania would build at that place a plant with a capacity of turning out 2,000 barrels of cement per day, to furnish power for which the company was said to have purchased the water rights on Sullivan Creek from Lewis P. Larson, paying him $125,000.

Leading officials of the company, who have been Newport visitors this week, state that this publication is premature and that no such details as spoken of have been arranged. That there will be a cement plant located somewhere in the vicinity of Cement or Metaline is reasonably certain, and Mr. Larson has been negotiated with for his water rights, but as yet no contracts have been signed up for the construction of the railroad further than Cedar Creek, which is located between Ione and Cement.