State Inspector Calls the Idaho Washington Northern the Best Railroad in Washington

As the result of voluminous correspondence with the state railroad commission from a party residing a few miles north of Newport, in which serious charges were made against the Idaho Washington Northern Railroad to the effect that operation of their trains north of Newport was fraught with danger to the life of trainmen and passengers, A. W. Perley, inspector of tracks and safety appliances for the commission, made a trip to Newport Tuesday and over the line of the road on Wednesday. Mr. Perley ascertained conditions from local people as far as possible, and then viewed the line from the cab of one of the locomotives. On his return to Newport he made the statement that the I. W. N. is undoubtedly the best railroad in the state of Washington, that his report on the condition of the road could be embraced in ten words, and that the equipment, road-bed and operation of the road were of the highest standard.

Speaking of the work of the railroad commission, Mr. Perley said the commission is one of the best investments ever made by the people of the state. In the past three years railroad taxes in the state have been increased in the sum of $471,481, due largely to the increased valuation placed on the roads by the commission. The railroads show an increase in valuation of main line track of 221.41 per cent in the years 1905-09, inclusive. By a reduction of 12 per cent in the hauling of wheat, brought about by the commission after an exhaustive study of the cost of railroad operation, valuation and maintenance, the sum of $1,250,000 per year is saved to the Inland Empire. The commission costs annually in the neighborhood of $40,000, and is worth more than two million a year to the people in the saving accomplished for them, and vastly more when the safety conditions imposed by them are considered. During the past year the commission ordered 48 new depots erected on the Great Northern road.

The steam shovel taking out material for the new passing track for the Great Northern completed its work Wednesday evening, and the outfit was moved to LaClede. New tracks will be put in between Priest River and LaClede and between LaClede and Sandpoint. Indications are that the Great Northern is preparing for heavier traffic and longer trains.

Chief Engineer W. C. Smith, Resident Engineer Mayhew and Harry Wiley, of the Panhandle Lumber Co., started this morning to take a final view of the territory to be reached by the logging road to be run west from Newport. Work on building the road will soon be started.

Work on the Metaline extension of the I. W. N. is progressing slowly, and officials will not predict the institution of passenger service until very late in the fall. Freight service will probably be started late in the summer.

The working of rounding the I. W. N. track into shape was started this morning. The first trainload of gravel destined for Ione pulled through Newport this morning, one engine and 81 cars of gravel from the Spirit Lake pit. The cars were loaded to capacity about 40 tons to the car making a total load of 3,240 tons.

Freight on the I. W. N. destined for Metaline is now transported as far as Bettancourt's by rail.

A new time card for the operation of local freights went into effect on the I. & W. N. Sunday. The southbound local now gets into Newport for dinner, and the northbound leaves here about 10:30.

The Automatic Cattle Guard Co. last week received an order for 100 cattle guards for the Idaho Washington Northern Railway, to be placed as soon as the guards can be turned out by the local factory. The railroad company has in the neighborhood of 125 miles of track, and it is estimated that it will require at least 100 guards to cover the entire system. — Sandpoint News.

Dr. J. L. Rogers has been appointed local physician for the I. W. N.