Spokane Merchants Meet to Carve a Wagon Road to the Big Bend

An enthusiastic and interesting meeting was held in Cannon's Hall last Friday evening for the purpose of discussing the proposed scheme of building a wagon road from this city to Okanogan. Some of our most liberal-spirited citizens were present and showed that they were deeply interested in a proposition which, if carried out, would prove of great assistance in building up the trade of Spokane Falls. Mayor Glover was called to the Chair and J. W. Binkley elected Secretary. J. W. Adams, a gentleman who is interested in the future of Douglas county and who secured the division making the county, addressed the audience and in a plain, mild and succinct manner set forth the importance of the highway from this point on the railroad to the Big Bend country. He pointed out the route to be traversed and explained the country, distance and approximate cost of the proposed enterprise.

District Attorney S. C. Hyde, L. Ziegler, Col. C. G. Bradshaw, A. M. Cannon, J. N. Glover, Dr. Gandy, Dan Drumheller and others spoke briefly upon the subject, all fully alive to the great necessity of carrying out the project, and that at once. In order to start the business in motion a committee of five was appointed to take the matter in hand, consisting of A. M. Cannon, D. M. Drumheller, Dr. J. E. Gandy, J. W. Adams and Wendell Hall. Another committee was appointed for the purpose of securing a mail service, consisting of Col. C. G. Bradshaw, S. C. Hyde and L. Ziegler. The meeting adjourned to meet again next Friday evening.

In this connection we may add that J. W. Adams and Wendell Hall, who is a civil engineer, started out on the road Monday for the purpose of looking up the most practicable route. As a heavy snow storm came on the same morning and the weather has been cold ever since it is hardly possible that they have accomplished their object.