1908-06-13-colville-examiner-p2-springdale-long-lake-railroad-construction-begins

June 13, 1908 Colville Examiner Page 2:

The Spokesman-Review says that actual work on the construction of a standard-gage steam railway between Little Falls on the Spokane river and Springdale on the Spokane Falls & Northern division of the Great Northern will be started within a short time by the Washington Water Power Company and the Phoenix Lumber Company jointly. Negotiations between the lumber company and the Washington Water Power Company looking to the construction of the line have been on for several months, and while no definite announcements have been made, it is known that the line will be built. The Washington Water Power Company is interested in building the road on account of the necessity for transportation facilities to deliver at Little Falls the material for the big water power plant, the construction of which has been started at that point on the Spokane river. To build the road from Little Falls to Springdale, a distance of about 23 miles, it is estimated will require the expenditure of about $250,000. The water power company has been considering the project of building a line to Little Falls from Reardan on the Washington Central branch, which is the nearest railway point. The Phoenix Lumber Company owns a stand of timber along Chamokane creek, which can be conveniently transported to its mills at Springdale and Spokane only by means of a railroad. The interests of the two companies being similar in the matter of needed transportation facilities in the territory they decided to make it a mutual undertaking. The railroad will follow the east bank of Chamokane creek to the big bend on the Spokane and Stevens county line. It will then pass west of Loon Lake to Springdale. By following Chamokane creek the road will have practically a water grade.