Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-06-07
SPRAGUE. w. r.

This young and rapidly growing town
is thus spoken Of by the editor Of the
Walla Walla Union, from recent per-
sonal observations:
From Ritzville eastward, the country
wears more inviting appearance, until
Lake Colville or big Lake is reached,
when the eye of the tourist is refreshed
BY the sight Of a body of water lying be-
tween low, treeless and irro ular shores,
dotted with small islands and alive with
waterfowls, along whose northern shore
the train speeds for half dozen miles.
Passing through asmall thicket of small
cottOnwOods at the upper end of the lake
and emerging into a shallow, wide val
lev, Rlides along for mile and stops at
the depot in Sprague. one hundred and
fifty miles from Walla Walla. This
place found blooming" The hotels.
three in number, are full. There have
been great changes and immense i'm
provements in Sprague since l was here
last summer Then less then dozen
houses comprised the town. Today |
have counted over one hundred houses,
exclusive of the eompany's shops, etc.
The first thing that strikes the eye Of
the traveller are tho mammoth build
ings erected by the Northern Pacific
These include a. handsome l2-stall
round house; machine shop 75xl5O
full Of lathes, planners, wheel press. etc.
driven by 7J-horse power engine: a
blacksmith shop. 47xl25 feet. contain
ing Is fires: boiler shop, 75x125 feet; a
car shop. 75x2O0 fe (. full of all sorts OF
wood working machinery; a copper and
tin shop, 25x75 feet; a store room. for
30x60 feet, AZ iron house, 4Ox
100 feet, SO arranged that it can he
looked in compartments, and all these
connected by multitude of tracks, so
they are handy one to the other. Be.
sides there ia the big Headquarters
building. which is 44x79 feet in size. de-
signed for the use Of the Superinten-
dent and other officials. This house
has basement 10 feet high in which is
4 big furnace, store rooms, ETC.; the
first floor, with IS feet ceiling. arranged
In offices; the second floor with IL feet
ceiling. containing parlors. dining
rooms. bedrooms. etc, and a third story
10 feet high, containing sleeping and
other rooms. This building will be
throughout. heated by q
furnace. and supplied With water in each
story. It IL estimated to cost $4,000,
and would be an elegant and imposing
structure in any part of the world. 1t
will be finished in month.
a handsome two-storv building 37x5O
feet. is being finished for Office and
other purposes for Master Mechanic J.
+. Curtis, who keeps his force Of l25
men in and about the shops busy. The
Chief Carpenter, Robert Davis, has a
force Of Is carpenters under his direc.
ton here and could use more. The bus
inees OF Spraguc is carried on by seven
large general merchandise establish
mcnts, one clothing store. bank. a
hardware store. two furniture stores.
several variety and cigar stands, and
last. but not least. thirteen saloons.
There is also a brewery. a drug store.
two restaurants and several boarding
houses. express Office, postoffice. three
land and insurance agents. Chinese
wash houses. livery and feed stables.
blacksmith and shoemaker shops. etc.
Single men or men without families pre-
dominate 10 an enormous degree, al
though women and children are to be
seen and more will be as soon az houses
can be erected TO put them in. At least
twenty residences, in various stages of
completeness, are 10 he seen in different
parts Of the town and lumber TO build
more Is hauled by the car load everv
day. and vet 80 slowly does il come that
1t IS hauled to the site Of intended
structures as fast MS it is unloaded. A
number OF canvas houses and tents are
occupied by families One lumber deal
er has An ords- for 20, 900 feet Of build
ING material for private parties here,
and We hear Of orders sent to Wslls
Walla and elsewhere for finishing lum-,
her. Nearly all the money to paw for
Masonic Hall building. two stories high
and 2sx5o feet. has been subscribed.
Steps have been taken to secure the
erection Of an Episcopal Chapel. and
on Friday night the initiatory steps
toward erecting a public schooihause
were taken. The town of Sprasus is
lively, growing and apparently solidly
prosperous. Among the productions OF
the surrounding country. / saw TODAY
ham. home cured, that weighed 81
pounda A country that can produce
such hams 10 not lean one. There is
plenty Of room for thousands OF immi-
grants in the country surrounding
SprA0ue.