Gold Fever: Spokane Falls Pushes a Wagon Road to the Coeur d'Alene Mines
With nuggets in hand and a sawmill planned, J. H. Curtis rallies Spokane Falls to build a road to the gold fields before a rival town steals the trade.
Saturday last J. H. Curtis, a gentleman well and favorably known in this city, arrived directly from the Coeur d'Alene gold fields. Mr. Curtis was up at the camp in the interests of David Small, of Walla Walla, arranging to put in a saw mill at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Curtis had in his possession two fine nuggets, one weighing over $25, and a quantity of the finer gold. While here he started on foot the project of constructing a wagon road into the mines, a highway that connects directly with roads leading to the Falls. It is hardly necessary to point out to our people, and more especially our business men, the great advantages to be derived from such a road. It would be the means of throwing a trade into the city the extent of which is beyond calculation. We regret to say that a lukewarmness in contributing to this scheme has been apparent. Those who aid in the building of the road will have the amount returned ten thousand fold, and if we are not very careful some more enterprising community will take hold and turn the current of trade out of its natural channel. It may be that the subscription paper has not been generally circulated. Anyhow all the contributions are as follows: Geo. Henderson, $100; David Small, $100; Chas. Sweeney & Co., $100; Geo. T. Crane & Co., $100; F. M. Moore, $50; Scheeline Bros, $50; J. N. Squier, $50; C. R. King & Co., $100; Bank of Spokane Falls, $50; R. W. Forrest, $20; C. H. Duncan & Co., $25; J. Morris, $25. This represents but a trifle from the Falls, when that amount was raised in a few minutes at Rathdrum. The construction of the road is to be under the charge of Mr. Curtis, which is a sufficient guarantee that the work will be well done. The road will start in at a point on the Mullen road fourteen miles from the Mission, the distance to be traversed being twenty-one miles. The road will be known as the Irwin trail, named after an old timer, Thos. Irwin, who has been a conspicuous operator in the mines, and who is now working a good claim on Prichard Creek. According to this route the distance from Spokane Falls, over good roads, will be to Post Coeur d'Alene 28 miles, to the Mission 30 miles, to the mines 33 miles. To make traveling and freighting much easier Clem D. King, at the Post, is now engaged building a good commodious steamer that will ply between the Post and the Mission, carrying outfits, men and stock at low rates, and saving a wagon trip of doodles. The building of this road is of vital importance to this city, and it is to be hoped our people will not allow the enterprise to slip their grasp. Our merchants are so favorably situated that they will be able to supply the mines no matter how large they are, and if the trade can be held the mines will contribute to the growth of Spokane as the same source has so materially added to the development of Denver. Don't lose sight of this project, gentlemen.
“Those who aid in the building of the road will have the amount returned ten thousand fold, and if we are not very careful some more enterprising community will take hold and turn the current of trade out of its natural channel.”
The race to capture the Coeur d'Alene mining trade was a defining moment for Spokane Falls, which ultimately became the commercial hub of the Inland Northwest. Today, the region's economy is still tied to its ability to move goods and people, though the mines and wagon roads have given way to highways and railroads.
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