Feb. 12, 1916: To the south half and back — how?

Once more the need of a better mode of transportation for this part of the country is made evident.

At this writing there are tons of freight at Addy and other points destined for Ferry county and there it has to remain indefinitely. The ferries are out and the Columbia river is frozen across where the ice jams are, and unsafe, as the Covada people have had ample cause to know. Last week, their mail carrier Mr. Howe narrowly escaped losing his horses while attempting to cross Gifford on the ice.

There is an ever increasing amount of freight to be transferred across the river form the Ferry county side.

A number of mining properties have quantities of ore now ready to be shipped. Some of the ranchers have livestock and grain to deliver to outside points. Merchants have only limited quantities of staple articles and people are making grimaces while they put brown sugar in their coffee (that agitated species of brown sugar).

We do not expect serious concern however on the part of the public benefactors regarding this matter of brown sugar. Neither do we expect that the Interstate Commerce Commission will regret the fact that it was impossible for us to show our pure-bred poultry at the Colville poultry show.

There are other considerations of importance, although this has been an exceptionally severe winter. This is not the only winter that the river traffic has been unsafe. A few years ago the people of this part of the county were cut off from the rest of the world and the supplies of flour, meat and lard were completely exhausted.

A railroad would mean as much to this Columbia valley as a railroad meant to the Colville valley a few years ago. Can you estimate that value? While we wait patiently or otherwise for Jim Hill or the Interstate Commerce Commission to consider our needs we should have a bridge. At Turtle Rapids between Inchelium and the Covada landing on the Ferry county side and between Gifford and Hunters on the Stevens County side nature has provided a natural abutment for a bridge. The riven at this point is narrow and easily reached from both sides. A crossing at this point would be a convenient outlet for Covada, Meteor and Inchelium and would make easy and direct communication with Addy and other points. A bridge at Turtle Rapids would facilitate business for much of this part of the state. It would be of especial advantage at this time when the south half of the Colville Reservation is to be opened for settlement.

We hope this matter may engage the attention of the wise business men of eastern Washington or some practical legislative committee or Congressman Dill, who seems to have a way with him of getting things done.

Mrs. L.G. Curry