, 1888-10-25

to see by this time next year city OF
twice our present size and population
crowding close on to 5000.
THE ONWARD MARCH.
This long aud laudatory screed Is drawn
to close with the following flourish:
"The march Of Improvement has carried
everything else forward until an atmos.
phere savorng of metropolitanism pre-
walls everywhere. Our board of trustees
have the contagion with all others, and
next month will allow certain parties priv.
ileges for the introduction of water works.
There Is an air of impor-
tance prevailing everything in and about
the place, however, from the long unbro-
ken fever of progress, and the name of
city is not out of place in speaking of
the Falls. We are pleased-more than
pleased--with the indications of past,
present and future progress. A man
catches the infection and Is borne along on
the grand tidal wave of vim ano get-up-
atiyeness that permeates the very atmos.
phere, and makes him glad that his lot is
cast among such people, and that his
fortune, for veal or woe, is linked with
such place. We have no fears of the
steady and continuous growth of Spokane
Falls We consider that the brightness
of the past year is an augury of what
may be expected in the future.
We may be the victim of
fancy. our eyes may be dazzled by the gilt
of the present surroundings; prejudice
may blind us to latent difficulties which
we know not Of, yet we now feel that at
some future day there will exist on this
spot city Of grand and magnificent pro-
portions, teeming with life, great in its
power and wealth, noted for its manufac-
tured productions all over the broad land,
the center of art, education and commerce.
We may not live to see it, but the vision
Ia before us as realistic as though it al
ready existed in its entirety"
THE PROPHECY WAS TRUE.
One may smile at the prodigal extrava.
gauce of this champion of the young city,
but the outlook justified the glowing effu-
sion. The lustre of the hands own record
of 1888 is not dimmed by a compariso son
with that of 1888. We must consider the
vast difference between the place as it was
then and is now. In the spring OF 1888
Spokane Falls was condensed into very
narrow limits. improvements of
public nature we're absolutely un-
known. At that time there was not
foot of graded streets in the city. Since
that time hundreds of thousands of dollars
have been spent for this class of work
alone. and fine level streets radiate in
every direction for miles upon miles. At
that time there were only two small brick
houses in the town. One is still occupied
by A. II. Porter. while the other was
leveled to the ground to permit the con-
struction of the Wolverton block. At
that date there was not residence west
from Post street and north of the railroad
on the south side of the river excepting that
Of J. J. Browne. Then the only house on
the south side of the track west of Lincoln
street was that of A. M. Cannon. South of
the railroad and east of Lincoln street
there were only very few OF the poorest
house now stands on Howard street was
dense thicket. the surrounding property
covered with fragments of rocks, trees and
underbrush. Cow paths were the only
followed by pedestrians who oc-
casionally strolled out that way for exer-
else. The only house on the north side Of
Tire rive. was that occupied by Col. Jen.
kins. On the Fourth of July of that
year the crowd assembled on the fiat in
front of the Baptist church and several
horse races were made up, the course be.
ing straight away for half mile, from
Mr.. Browns residence to Post street.
y uC ouoihcss pdIb VI tlc pltCt was dS CTuue
and unprepossessing that winter as was
the resident section. Both sides of How
ard street for couple Of blocks were
lined with one and two-story frame build
inRs, their only recommendation being
their extreme cheapness. These buildings
were largely without paint and anything
but creditable to the town. Crowded to-
gether they invited conhagrations and the
next winter and following summer Spo-
kane suffered several extensive and dis
astrous visitations. There was plenty of
room for improvement, and upon the break
ing up Of winter, in the spring of 1888, the
people recognized the necessity of going
in and starting the ball rolling, and the
activity displayed among all classes in
augurated that boom which continued
from year to year and has 80 materially
increased the size and wealth of the Falls
this season.
Those who put their shoulders to the
wheel five years ago builded better than
they knew. 1t is true that all were san.
gulne OF bright future, but we doubt if
the most enthusiastic dreamed that his
hopes of seeing large city spring up on
this site would be so early fulfilled.
Bound to BE General.