Newport to Great Northern: Where Is Our Depot?

The Commercial Club of Newport has written to the State Board of Railway Commissioners, advising them that as yet no steps have been taken by the Great Northern toward the improvement of depot facilities at this point, as ordered by the commission last summer. Officials of the road have been claiming for a year past that plans for a new depot and track changes at this point have been in the hands of the engineering department, but that department seems to be almighty slow about turning them out. Judge Brown, of Seattle, counsel for the Great Northern, says:

'A misunderstanding has arisen regarding the attitude of the Great Northern concerning the recent order of the state railroad commission, directing us to provide new station houses at certain points, and to improve existing depots, build new side and team tracks and make other improvements. In a large measure we are preparing to comply with those orders and our engineering department is busy preparing the necessary plans.'

Newport's mail service from the east is greatly improved by the putting on of the new fast mail train, but service west is hampered rather than improved, as the train goes through this station so fast that the depot boys are unable to throw the sacks aboard. Postmaster Towle has written to the chief clerk of the mail service on this division, requesting that the train be operated slow enough through town to permit the loading on of the mail.