From the Old Mission, which is now the terminus of the narrow-gauge road, the ores are taken by steamboat and barges down the Coeur d'Alene River, and up the lake to Fort Coeur d'Alene, where connection is made with the Spokane Falls and Idaho Railroad, running from Fort Coeur d'Alene to Hauser Junction, on the main line of the Northern Pacific Railway. This arrangement enables the mines to send out and bring in their freight, but it is not satisfactory. There seems to be an opening for a line from Spokane Falls directly into that country. It would cost $20,000 a mile, by Mr. Mohr's calculation, and would be seventy-five miles long. If, however, it be true, as reported, that the Northern Pacific Railroad will make a cut-off from Missoula across the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, this field will be occupied; which, however, is not probable. The Chewelah, Colville, Summit, Metalline and Kootenai mining districts could all be reached by a line from Spokane Falls by way of Colville and Little Dalles. And by running a spur from Colville to a point below Kettle Falls on the Columbia River, control could be gained, first, of the navigation between Mahkin Rapids and Kettle Falls, and also the long stretch of navigable river from the Little Dalles to Death Rapids in Canada, crossing the Canadian Pacific Railroad at Farwell. It is calculated that 750 miles of navigation would thus be opened by the addition of a piece of track twenty-five miles long, connecting the Kootenai River with Arrowhead Lake. A new discovery of silver-lead ores, made on the Kootenai Outlet River, is making a great stir just now. The body of ore is said to be the largest yet discovered. We shall expect the Manitoba people to be looking into this development. There is also some talk of the mining region on both sides of Kettle River, near the Canada line. The Pend d'Oreille district is also promising. All this is suggested as food for thought and investigation. CITIES AND TOWNS. [Sidenote: The only competition is between Tacoma and Seattle.]