Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-15
APOKAN EAIA
one OF the Promising Places or the
North Pacific.

I
things are more remarkable than the
revolution which public sentiment has
undergone respecting the great project
of the Northern Pacific Railroad. and
the character and resources Of the vast
region trayersed by it. Narrowing
from general survey of the localities
opened up by the Northern Pacific west
OF the Rocky mountains, to the conteua-
/ piafion OF particular one-that of Spo-
kane Falls and the immediate and trib-
utarv country attracts almost universal
attention The exigeucies of the rail
way service and enterprise, as well as
those OF the commercial interests of the
vast region lying west Of the Pend
d'Oreille, aud east of the Cascade noun
tains, not only demand, but make DOS
sible the existence Of q large, populous
and thrifty city Ia the midst of this do
main. Spokane Falls, geographically;
In the matter of topography, situation
With references to the great stretches of
FARMING lands, which on the east are
frinGed by the C9ur d'Alene range, and
on the west washed by the Columbia;
and especially in regard to hsalthful-
ness in that place.
In this domain several considerable
towns have promptly seated themselves
and opened their laps to catch the rich
ca of this great empire, this impending
land of promise, and while they possess
the characteristics of raw growth big
with the muttering greatness of coming
Municipalities, it is only saucy as
sumption when compared with the
phenomenal, yet steady, substantial
growth of Spokane Falls, where We find
real activity and those evidences of a
nd mi
able. III its continental reach for the
Pacific this great railway must find
midway between the Rockies and the
Western ocean not only towns and way
stations, but large city. aifording con-
veniences not found elsewhere. As
such a city Spokane Falls is full of
promise. and elicits a continental, if
not worldwide interest. Going back
fifteen months, we remember Spokane
Falls gave much of promise, and little
OF performance; yet there gathered
about 1t something of the hushed
interest and high hopes of an expected
aocroachment. where princelv inner
itance awaits the coming heir. The be-
ginning OF the town, composed alter
nately OF pine boards and rough log
houses, lay on wide and graceful
plateau, with grand and picturesque
surroundings and distant views of
peaks, signaling the approach of the
westerly spars of the Rocky mountains.
Today, quite all these evidences Of new
growth have disappeared, and in their
stead We find the people housed in
houses that have metropolitan ap-
pearance, and doing business in build
ings that would do credit to any city.
In the life of a community, as in the
life Of the individual. one era passes
into another by such insensible grada-
tions that it is often impossible to
sharply draw the line between them.
Fifteen months ago the presence Of
certain administration hampered the
spirit Of enterprise, which, in a place
like Spokane Falls, should have been
quick in its recognition OF the multiply
ing resources, and the prospect for a
conservative and poky town was good.
But, fortunately, that administration
passed away, and today the city has
fairly entered upon an era of growth
and prosperity waich nothing can i'm
pede, much less stop. We do not think
those oyer-sanguine who anticipate a
population of 5000 within the next two
years. That there will be 10000 people
with homes in Spokane Falls in five
years from this date is very probable.
Only seeing this country from the win
aews of railway car, the traveller ia
quite apt to ask the question, What will
support a large town or city at this
pointl If this traveller will leave the
train at Spokane Falls, and 60 out into
the surrounding country, he will find,
to the northeast, large area of
land of almost exhaustlsss fertility,
kok IL -
farming districts of some of the Older
States; to the southeast another, while
to the west lies the Big Bend region, an
endless lined sweep, embracing perhaps
the largest body of continuous rich land
west of the Rocky mountains. In these
localities he will find great fields of
grain. and just now hear the rattle and
see the smoke of steam threshers, the
vhirl of golden straw in the air, and
find at tho stations wagon loads of pie
thorio white sacks. Aside from this,
the domain in review cannot be
matched for the purposes of stock-rais-
ing, and it ia not improbable that the
great railway which has 40 vastly en-
larged tho bread-raising areas of the
world, may contribute equally to ita
supplies of meats. Taking this domain
as whole few, if any, localities afford
better proportion of timber. water,
meadow and upland for the uses of
mixed husbandry. Coming back to the
falls the traveller will find the most mag
niticent water-power in the world.
This has attracted the attention of New
York capitalists, who have il bonded,
and if il is not sold to them others from
Salt Lake stand ready to take it.
In all the Northwest, Spokane Falls
appears to be the only place where ex-
psctation has not outrun reality, where
speculation, growing by what it fed on,
discounted the future at rates based
on rose oolored imaaininRs, rather
than on sober calculations. The estab-
lishment of new industries, the devel-
opment of new resources. the growth OF
population and the increase OF wealth,
In short, all the things in which material
progress consists. have stimulated the
people, and they appear determined
full place Al the chief commercial me-
tropolis of Eastern Washington. The
streets, wisely laid ont 100 feet in width,
have been graded and otherwise put
into admirable condition. and the citi-
gems are vieine with each other in the
adornment of their places of residence.
At this date there are eight or ten bust
ness blocks in course of erection, all
large, constructed of brick and con-
forming to the requirements of modern
architecture, improvements and conve-
niences. The hotels, especially the
Sprague and California, are roomy and
drst cla@ in all respects, Offering every
comfort TO tourist and business man.
One Of the very marked oharactsris-
tics Of the residents Of Spokane Falls il
the generous aid extended to education
al interests. On the north bank OF the
river, and directly abreast Of the city,
the Methodist people have commenced
the erection Of . large building TO DO
used az Q college, and nils east on
the same side Of the river, the Catholic
college il In course of erection. The
citizens are Just nov putting mp high
school buildinQ at a cost of $sOOO.
There are indications that the location
of one of the principal educational in
stitutions Of the territory will DO chang
ed from Walla WalIa TO Spokane Falls
in the immediate future. The Congre-
gational people are also aaitating the
location Of an educational INSTITUTIONAL
the Falls. Il seems very probable that