That year, Bourjouis and Morris sold their Center Star and War Eagle mines, which with the Le Roi, produced 96 per cent of the mountain's 1,500,000 tons of ore to 1903. In 1893, an wide wagon road was graded along Trail Creek, to win back traffic for Trail. The mountain output of 18,500 tons in 1894 increased ten-fold the next year. Early railways & consolidation In June 1896, the first loaded ore train ran along the initial section of Heinze's Columbia and Western Railway (C&W) from Red Mountain to the Trail smelter. After a delay over a US right-of-way, Corbin's Red Mountain–Northport railway, comprising the Red Mountain Railway (RMR) (BC section) and Columbia & Red Mountain Railway (C&RM) (WA section), opened in December 1896. The next year, Le Roi's contract to exclusively supply the Trail smelter expired. When Le Roi owners opened the Northport smelter in January 1898, competition further intensified. That March, Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the C&W and Trail smelter. That July, the Northern Pacific Railway (NP) acquired the RMR, C&RM, and Northport smelter. That August, British America Corporation completed its purchase of Le Roi holdings. Early community Since miners did not own the land upon which their tents or shacks stood, many acquired freehold lots in town for permanent residences. In February 1895, the first edition of the Rossland Record listed a blacksmith, a tinsmith, a cobbler, a customs agent, a baker, a land surveyor, a lawyer, two sawyers, two barbers, three doctors, four bartenders, four hoteliers, and a justice of the peace. Months later, strict John (Jack) Kirkup became the constable. A ten-passenger coach ran to Trail Creek Landing. Presbyterian, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches, and a school, were soon established. In January 1896, a small electricity generator came on line, and was later upgraded. In 1898, West Kootenay Power became the supplier from Bonnington Falls dam. In March 1897, Rossland became a city. The eight doctors, 17 legal firms, and 42 saloons served an estimated 7,000 residents. This peak aligned with the 1901 census count of 6,000. A string of newspapers followed, the Rossland Miner being the most enduring. The fire of August 1902 consumed both sides of upper Spokane Street, leaving only the old International Hotel standing. A December 1905 explosion wrecked roofs and shattered windows. The fires of January 1927, and March 1929, levelled the wooden buildings of Columbia Street. Depleting mines,