INCHELIUM, WASH., Jan. 13 — One of the last of the old toll ferries on the Upper Columbia river has ended nearly 60 years of service to the northern part of the Inland Empire. Its location at its old run between Gifford and Inchelium has been condemned by the park service being in a slide area. It was ordered to ease operation December 31, 1950.
The local storm of consternation and protest against this action is understandable in view of the major difficulties in everyday living that its discontinuance entails. For more than half a century it has been the only outlet toward Spokane for the southeast quarter of Ferry county. There can be no new ferry to take its place because one or both approaches to other direct routes of travel have already been condemned.
MEANS LONG DETOUR
The traffic is now routed over Kettle Falls bridge, nearly 30 miles north of Inchelium. Cattle hogs and cream that have been hauled 97 miles to Spokane via Davenport or over the hill via Chewelah now have a haul of 25 miles from Inchelium up the lake and through the Colville valley.
Wheat which was heretofore taken from the Inchelium and Kewa sections to is natural market at Davenport must go nearly 30 miles up the west side of the lake and backtrack an equal distance to Gifford to get to its original route.
Mail which was brought from Addy to Gifford and across by ferry to Inchelium by shortly after noon, now goes up around by the bridge and arrives too late in the afternoon to meet the southbound mail car, so the mail for Covada, Kewa, Impach, Meteor and Twin Lakes is one to three days late.
HAD EARLY BEGINNING
The passing of this old ferry should be more of a passing interest to the people of the Spokane country, not only because it has been to them a gateway to a great vacation land, but also because it had its beginnings in 1892 at the hand of a grandson of Antoine La Plante, Spokane's oldest citizen and ferryman.
By 1916, increased settlement had created new transportation needs and farm produce was beginning to move from the area, putting the ferry business on a substantial basis. After some brief intervals of short time operators, Kirkland Cowing took it over and for many years operated it with great precision an safety, as did his successors, the Engstrom brothers and the present owners, Lange and McAveny.
The old cable ferry operated as long as it had a current and room to float under the cable. With the rise of Lake Roosevelt a new gasoline powered boat was installed with a capacity for a greater number of cars and the heavier traffic created by the logging industry and the stream of fishermen to Twin lakes. The landing on the Inchelium side was shifted to the present condemned landing place at the foot of the old Big Alec grade.
The old cable ferry was taken down the lake below the mouth of the Spokane river for the private use of the Rooke and Renshaw stock farms.
SOME EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS
The Gifford-Inchelium ferry has had its extraordinary events common to all ferries. Cars with defective brakes, unable to stop, have short under the guard chain and off the deep end. Once a high wind forced the old cable ferry under the cable and turned it upside down, letting a Standard Oil truck slide to the bottom of the river, and the first thing the grappling hooks picked up in trying to salvage it was and old jalopy that had no brakes.
But this can be said with truth that no life was ever lost by drowning on the Gifford-Inchelium ferry and no accident ever occurred that could be traced to faulty equipment or operation.
TRIBUTE TO FERRYMEN
To its ferrymen, Inchelium owes a debt. They have battled their way through cold and darkness and danger to bring mail, supplies and contact with the outside world. No life was ever lost because a ferryman was indifferent to put a patient or a doctor across in the night. No soldier on furlough was ever delayed until morning to get home or back to his post.
Over the years the ferry has been temporarily out of service for inspection or repair, or because ice or drift made passage too dangerous but not for nearly 60 years has Inchelium and its vicinity been without its ferry service.
By Van B. Putnam for the Spokesman-Review
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