Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1888-04-19
A VISITORS OBSERVATIONS.

Lewiston, Idaho, April Is, 1888.
The editor Of the TELLER has kindly
asked me to give in print my impressions
Of Lewiston and its surroundings. With
the genuine characteristic spirit of an
American newspaper man, the first
question to the visitor is: What do
you think Of us and our institutions ?"
Let me say at once l am charmed with
both. You have the climate and the
open.hearted hospitality of Virginia,
coupled with the energy and enterprise
that has built up the country west Of
the Mississippi and made an empire unto
itself, an empire great in It's resources.
great in its rapid development and
greater still in the future that awaits it,
If the stranger approaches Lewiston as
We did, from the side Of Moscow, he is
prepared to like the place by reason of
the beautiful country, and magnificent
scenery that surrounds it. For there is
more perhaps than you imagine in first
impression. And this reminds me to
say a word about the driver and con,
veyauce that brought us over from
Moscow. The driver, who had very
happily been named Felix, for happier
more jovial travelling companion is not
to be met with every day, full Of stories
and anecdotes, spiced with descriptions
Of the country and places we were pass.
ing through pleasantly besuiled the way,
and with rare good judgement he kept
his best stories until the last aud reach
ing a startling climax in the story telliu.
line as be drove his fourth hand with
surprising skill up to the door of the
Raymond House. l wish / dare tell this
last fable, but as l have heard it five or
six times more since l arrived, fear /
would be but sprinfiug "chestnut" on
the readers Of the TELLER if / did.
I wish / could speak as well of the con-
veyance as | have Of the driver, but alas
nothing is perfect here below, and ''mud
wagons" charming as they are, as a
means Of locomotion, are hardly the
most perfect vehicle from which to view
the country, especially when they have
top that never raises to greater
altitude than two inches above your hat.
If you sit still you can only catch tam
tilizing glimpses Of the landscape, if you
stick your head out and endeavor to see
over the top or. around the corner, it
causes very much the same kind of pain
as eating green apples, and then Paradise
would lose much Of its attractivcness il
you bad to view it over the top Of u
mud wagon. l am glad therefore to
learn that the top will be discarded in
future aud l am sure Felix's passengers
will be felicissmus in consequence.
When the mountains we're descended,
the Clearwater crossed and the stage
Tattles Up the Main street to the hotel,
tho stranger cannot but BE- delighted
with all he sees. The long avenue of
tall trees, the pretty cottages with their
green lawns aud flower beds, the little
stream with its quaint water wheels, the
fine largo public school, the perfume
from the blossomins trees that fill the
air and lastly the hotel, whose proprietor
u an encouraging advertisement Of tho
care, attention and food the traveller may
expect at his hosiery cannot fail to
favorably impress the new arrival.
When We had taken a look around the
town, We were better pleased yet. Lew.
iston is admirably located at the junction
Of two uavigable rivers, with wonder
fully rich agricultural country behind
her. and when she has two or three rail.
roads, which the next few years are
bound to see an accomplished fact. there
is no reason why you should not be Que
OF the most important points on the
Pacific coast. The Nez Perez reserva.
ton contains a magnificent farming
country that is an empire in itself. The
agent, Mr.. Norris, places its agricultural
area at 100000 acres, which is more
than onehalf the area of Rhode Island
and more than one.third the area of
Delaware. When to this is added the
other farm land that surrounds you on
oil sides, the rich valleys, like Tammany
Hollow, the fertile hills and the practic.
ally unlimited cattle and sheep ranges,
It 10 no exaggeration to say thar you have
. territory ut your doors and directly
tributary to your town that in Europe
would make q powerful state, and that
even in this country cannot fail to make
you great business center. What you
most want to do is to let the outside
world know what ycu have to offer to
settlers. This is an age of advertising.
r. ~c., LII A. N..J.- e M |