, 1884-04-26

When the Northern Pacific tran
/ whirls up to the depot at SPOKANE
Falls and the traveller catches the
view, presented from the[elevation
Of rolling prairie fringed With ever
greens, and framed by distant noun
tuins, he is enchanted with the Wis
ion. Anon his eyes take in the hun
dreds of new unpainted houses
bright brick blocks, the massive
Echo Roller Mills, the extensive
school house, several churches, great
white tents, marked "LOdglngs, u
struggling lumber yards, and his ear,
catch the noises made by the con-
tact Of saw and hammer with lum'
Der, and the hum of the voices Of the
crowd around the depot, he is con.
WINGED that he has entered an active,
bustling, thriving community. As
he strOlls through the streets and
more carefully notes the improve
ments under way and examines the
character Of those already made, he
begins to wonder what are the
causes of the rapid growth. Several
extensive twO-stOry brick buildings
denote faith in the future, while the
multitude Of small dwellings, the
number Of diminutive stores, the
quantity Of restaurants, lodging
houses and tents indicate that many
people are mere sojOurners. Num-
bers Of idle men are seen in the
streets and public places, the hotels
are filled, the lodging houses crowd
ed, and Il large number of saloons
literally patronized. The chief
topics of conversation heard on the
streets are the Ceur dAlenes, Col
vile and other mines, the Big Bend,
Deep Creek, and other farming re-
giOns, all of which are many miles
from Spokane Falls. One gentle
man, largely interested in real estate
said he had been trying for years to
reason out the almost phenomenal
growth of Spokane Falls, but was
unable to reach satisfactory con-
clusiOn. He could only say, 1T is
growing and prOspering with great
rapidity in spite of reason. Another
said "the mining Excitement has
caused over $4,000 to be spent in
the city by strangers during the past
winter" Another declared that the
location Of the L. S. Land Office at
that point had caused thousands of
dollars to be expended there since
last summer. This is readily be-
lieved when we ascertained that the
office has three clerks constantly
busy, that the officers have made a
requisition for two more to relieve
the pressure, and that the fees amount
to over $1,000 a month.
We have studied the Spokane
Falls problem since 1881, and each
time we have visited the place have
found other reasons for faith in its
future. The local reasons are its
beautiful site, admirably adapted for
the residence of man, slOping tow
ards rapid river, making a perfect
system Of drainage possible, an at
mOsphere rarified by an elevation,
at the depot, Of 1921 feet above the
sea, purified by frequent chinOOks,
medicated by their passage through
pine forests, combine to make il II
health resort ; n river tumblinp over
falls, and a succession of rapids,
through banks of basalt, furnishes
water power for turning thousands
Of wheels, while extensive forests of
cedar and other timber, easy of ac-
cess, furnish material to be worked
up. Spokane Falls is the chief start
ing point for the Coiville and Big
Bend countries, the place where the
immigrant designing to settle in
those regions obtains his supplies.
1t is also prominent starting and
Outfitting point for the new mines.
1t is claimed to be the trading point
for the rich and extensive agricul-
tural region south Of Hangman's
Creek, and il is the supply depot for
the lumbermen in the Pend d'Oreille
country. II has no adjacent agricul-
tural country, the Spokane Prairie,
on which it is situated, being prac-
tically untitled by its gravelly for
nation and elevation above the
river, for farming, though vegetables
Of excellent quality are raised where
it is possible to irrigate. Whether
the produce Of the agricultural coun-
try south Of Hangman's Creek can
be prOfitably hauled to Spokane
Falls will only be decided when the
producers raise more than enough
for home consumption. When that
time comes we expect that other
places on the line Of the Northern
Pacific will become the farmers
market. BY building local railroads
tapping the Pennington, Big Bend
and other farming sections, and en-
gaging in manufacturing articles for
the use Of the tillers of the soil Spo-
kane Falls will continue to attract
their trade. The present permanent
population Of Spokane Falls work
tremendously for the interests Of all,
put theirmoney in public enterprises,
and are doing all in their power to
make the place maintain its present
leading position. If, they are in
their turn followed by men Of SINH
lar mould, the progress Of Spokane
Falls must be ever upward and on
rsnrH TUrfITrf ITggfITgf TT,snt,