, 1884-02-02
The Great City of the Northwest.
Observations on the Wing.

passed by unnoticed the petty and
persistent slurs launched at Spokane
Falls and its citizens by the papers
at Cheney. Like cur dog embold-
ened by the contemptuOus disdain
and nOn-aggressive attitude Of a
passer-by, these delectable sheets,
pandering to a cankerous jealousy
that a certain class Of stagnated and
narrOw-minded, denizens of that al
most deserted village feed upon,
grind out this nauseating rot. The
fact that Spokane Falls is growing
and the people thereof pay no more
attention to Cheney than If it were
pestilential lazar-hOuse, gals the To-
cal asthmatic barrel organs, and as
they gnash their tusks in impotant
rage, and sizzle, as it were, on the
red-hot grid-irOn Of envy, they take
advantage OF the only resource
and try to cool their heated malice
in the sewer Of vitupcration and
falsehOOd. There is one drawback
to the effectiveness of these misrep-
reservations among the readers Of
the papers Of the county seat living
within reach Of the Falls, for visit
here clears up in a moment all the
wrong impressions formed through
articles in those Journals, but they
may have few subscribers at a dis
tance who will be led into the error,
not knowing the writers, of believing
that there might be at least shade
OF truth in the assertiOnt. On the
other hand we can, with a clear con-
science, write Of Cheney and court
an investigation of the place, and il
the average human being is not COM
pletely disgusted with the outlook
then he is a specie Of the h. b. that
ought to squat down among the
growlers by the scum-cOvered lake
lets and vegetate.
The last effort Of the Tribune Is an
article in answer to letter Of in
quiry from Iowa, and while it awak-
ems a disposition 10 risibility among
those cognizent Of the present con-
,litiOn Of the two place, comparison
between which is odious, yet the
gentleman who wrote the letter for
information will no dOuut be led into
error by the answer. There is no.
necessity for us to give a description
Of Spokane Falls and Cheney, and
request Judgment on the pictures.
We invite travellers to visit Spokane
at any season Of the year and form
their own opinion, and, feeling as
sured that they will have no desire
to push further investigations, we
will here state just what Cheney is,
and il there exists any question as to
the correctness Of the sketch let the
unbeliever clear up all doubts by
personal inspection.
Cheney is located on the Northern
Pacific road, much to the detriment
Of the natural scenery along that
route, as 1t is a phantasmagorial blot
on the otherwise attractive land
scape, with possibilities reduced to
jaw bone. 1t is surrounded with an
air Of profound laziness and disease
producing ponds in summer, and in
spring and damp weather with
clammy, adhering, bottomless ocean
Of mud. BY one Of those peculiar
dispensations Of counting.in boards,
from which the the election mani
pulatOrs Of the sunny south might
learn a trick or two, in an evil hour
Cheney became the county seat OF
Spokane county, fact that from the
appearance Of the place has brought
Odium upon the otherwise fair coun-
ty, and innumerable bushes to the
cheeks Of those who are compelled to
guide strangers into the place. 1t
has a population Of probably near on
to 800, and the only reason that the
number remains at those figures is
that the people cannot get away.
There is ore brick building In the
city, lonely and companionless. We
say city for through a leniency in the
last Legislature, that would have
granted Marshall the same honor had
the people asked the favor, a bill was
passed incorporating the town as a
city, a word that ought to imply
something, but in this case signifies
absolutely nothing. As we said the
city boasts loudly Of one brick owned
by a deuced good fellow, who, no
doubt, most devoutly wishes that 1t
was anywhere else than where 1t Is.
The county buildings are perched on
the hill and overlook a struggling
conglomeration Of tumble down one
story frame buildings, bristling with
stove pipes, saddened with age, and
a multifarious collection Of old
clothes, bulging out from broken
windows like ugly warts. The pub
lie edihces could be bowed down to
and worshipped, as they are like
nothing in the heavens above, the
earth beneath, or the waters under
the earth. They are rambling, crazy
structures, poorly built and apparent
ly trying to hide themselves from
view in the face Of such unpropitious
surroundings On the interior they
are as uninviting and uninteresting
as the exterior promises, the porch
and flooring elegantly tessellated
with nicotine, the various tintings
indicating the yariegated tastes OF
the artists, running from the coal
black negro heel to the light shade
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