June 19, 1917: Mining news — Steamboat being built for purpose to ply river between Hunters and Pateros

-To cut freight rates

-Spokane men identified with navigation company — open large area

An area half of the size of an eastern state and lying on both sides of the Columbia river between Hunters and Pateros, a distance of about 174 miles as the river flows, is to be provided with transportation by the Miller Navigation Company, a corporation composed of Spokane and eastern Washington men. More than 5,000 persons will be served and an outlet provided for many proven mines, orchards, farms and industrial plants.

THREE CARLOADS MACHINERY

Three carloads of machinery to be used in the equipment of the steamboat passed through this city on Wednesday last, in transit from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, for a point near Kelso, where the vessel will be launched.

The Miller Navigation Company has been incorporated for $50,000, all of which has been subscribed, it is stated. The officers of the company are Captain C.S. Miller, president, and F.W. Anderson of the Anderson Mortgage company, secretary-treasurer. Captain Miller and Mr. Davidson are swiftwater navigators of many years' experience. 

RUN IN 30 DAYS

The boat will have a capacity of five to six carloads of freight and will cost $20,000. It will be 130 feet in length, 46 feet beam, 4 1/2 feet draft loaded, 22 inches light. It will be driven by a stern wheel and run 16 miles an hour in still water. It has been in process of construction for several weeks and will be placed in commission in 30 days by present calculations. It must be completed by August 1 to escape the low water in the run from Kelso. It will make two round trips a week and run 11 months of the year.

"Besides providing transportation in a territory not reached by a railroad the company will make rates on which large savings will result over wagon hauls," said Mr. Anderson yesterday. "It will reach points convenient to the mines, the farms, the orchards and industrial operations. It will carry local products to a rail point at Pateros and bring back merchandise and other essentials.

OUTLET FROM ORCHARDS

"The boat will serve the Deer Trail mining district, in which several properties have been developed to the point of response, the Hunters district, near which C.F.O. Merriam of Wallace, Idaho, and others have completed a concentrating mill on the Cleveland mine; the Keller district, where there are several responsive mines; the Stray Dog Canyon, where Weber and associates of this city are opening a mine, and other mining fields.Some of these mining districts are a few miles from the river, but many miles from a railroad.

"The boat will open the reservation to transportation, serve the flour and sawmill at Lincoln and the Peach Fruit Company. It will handle 50 carloads of fruit this year and 70 carloads of apples from Peach during the winter.

CUT RATES IN HALF

"The Hunters Land Company, which has an orchard of 400 acres, will have 12 to 16 carloads of apples for movement in the fall. The company will have all of the freight it can handle. The operation of the boat is expected to contribute much to the development of this country. 

"We will charge 10 cents a box for apples as compared with an expense of 25 cents for the wagon haul to a rail point and a flat rate of $4 a ton for ore, as compared with greater rates for wagon hauls. All freight will be loaded into cars at our expense.

"Ten staterooms have been provided for passengers. Runs will be made by night and day, the run by night being facilitated by the use of a searchlight. The run down the river will occupy 10 hours, the upriver run 28 hours."

TOUCH MANY LANDINGS

The places to be touched are Pateros, Brewster, Bridgeport, San Poil, Hellsgate, Spokane Rapids, Hunters, Covada, Inchelium, Daisy, Rickeys.