Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1880-05-28
Letter from Lewiston.
POOR LEWISTON.

"ASAO>s A' - No 81, ACCO
Ed. TELLER:-The ruling power of
this city is either demented-or m d, or
they are inAicting punishment upon
posterity, if they ever have any, by
refusing to allow this city. it's natural
means to future growth and prosperity.
II Lewiston proceeds trammeled as
she now is, what sorrowful spectacle
may she not exhibit when ten yesrs
have passed over her. Every apology
OF structure denominated town or
city in Eastern Washington, less i'm
portant and without 1.-THE Of the
natural advantages that this CT " pos
sesses, is making rapid strides to the
position of mercantile center; but
Lewiston, with its wealth of advant
ages is forestalled in every move made
by the people within, or 10y thos,, who
are friendly without, towards increas-
ing her trade, extending her industries
or enabling her to vie with the Iess ia
vored cities around Ter. In ten years
from now the same authority that is
now manipulating the wheels Of gov
eminent, that authority which insults
enterprise while knocking at our door,
will see the new Lewiston on the oppo-
site side of the river terminus for
the railroad and a market for that
broad Assotin country. The store
houses now being cree ted between this
city and Almota on the north bank of
the Lewis river will accommodate that
great country to the north of us, and
cities will grow up at the wharves
where trade and traffic is invited. The
prospective and landing at the mouth
OF Ten-mile canyon, south Of us, is
soon to be another embryo city, and
lewiston, like too many other cities of
the Pacific coast that are left to the
control of men unacquainted with the
true American idea of progress will
find herself discarded as q mercantile
center, and dead to every means of
prosperity. Our merchants, with but
few exceptions, are dead to every
thought OF enterprise, except content
ed to exchange the cash of the accus
toned trader and indifterently dream
on until he may again return. Every
boat brings merchandise to the indi.
vidual who opposes this monopoly of
the citizens rights and privileges. The
TELLER, the only paper printed in this
city, and the only paper out of five
that has been started here that has
maintained an existence, it being now
in its fourth year, and supported by
the people without the city, has ever
worked for the interest of Northern
Idaho and brought money and muscle
to the country and trade to merchants
of this city, who receive its benefits
without manly acknowledgement.
Merchants have come to this city
poor and departed comparatively rich
after few years of trading There
are living here to-day that same class
who have no general interest in COM
mon with the people, but are mere
campers collecting q fortune and may
take their departure tomorrow. The
first failure in the mercantile business
here il yet to be recorded. We want
merchants here in every branch of husi-
ness; men who can see that a dollar
spent in advertising to the general
public and dollar spent in forwarding
enterprises will enhance their store a
hundred fold. To day seller refused
six hundred and fifty dollars for lot
in this city that was offered for ten
dollars before the TELLER began to
publish to the world the facts of the
greatness Of this Northern Idaho, and
yet that man would hesitate to con-
tribute to thenewspaper enterprise that
redeemed him. The railroad company
have promised to build during the
present year railroad from Walla
Walla through Dayton to this city to
carry off the grain from the immense
heids around US, That Lewiston prop
erty might enhance in value this com.
pany offered to builda large warehouse
and dock, costing probably from eight
to ten thousand dollars, but the city
fathers, excepting the mayor and one
councilman, offered objections, urged
and abetted by the city merchants, and
went so far as to make it appear that
those owning land along the river were
prohibited from allowing storehouses
to be SO constructed. This railroad
c~n, Ou -, - i