, 1888-03-01
SPOKANE FALLS.
How Sensible Man Writes
About a Western Metropolis.
He Tells What lie Sees ana
Gives the City Its just Dues.

ers who come west with the crude idea
that soft jobs exist here in profussion
awaiting for the stranger to walk in
and accept them. 1t seems hard for
them to realize that while no country
presents finer opport unities than East
ern Washington, it requires some
energy and modicum Of common
sense for n man to succeed. How
ever, occasionally gentleman with
brains; who is competent to realize and
appreciate the wonderful prospects of
Spokane Falls, drawing his views
from experience, writes sensibly of
this city. The following letter that
appeared in the Decatur (Ill,) Herald
was written by an individual of the
latter class:
The Northern Pacific has two branch
roads running out Of this place. One
runs distance OF 2S miles out to
Occur d'Alene lake and thence trans
portation by steamer and railroad fol-
lows tor 76 miles to the Occur dAlene
mines. The second runs southeast ITO
miles into the Palouse valley, IL great
wheat growing country. 1t IL expect
ed that the Manitoba road will be COM
pleted from Helena through here to
Seattle within eighteen months, and
this will give another through line to
st. Paul and to the Pacific coast.
Another railway has been surveyed
from here northward to the Columbia
river above the Little Dalles, and from
there steamboat navigation is uninter-
rupted on the Columbia up to the
Canada Pacific railway. H. is upon
these increased facilities for transpor-
tation that part OF the future pros
pects of the city is based. The min
ing and agricultural region dependent
upon Spokane Falls for supplies is OF
an extent but little inferior to the
whole state Of Illinois. 1t is over 300
miles west and the same distance east
to any city OF equal size and CONNER
cial importance with Spokane. Under
these conditions the growth of Spokane
Falls to IA city Of magnitude is almost
certain. On the business streets it
looks like Decatur on Saturday. Hun
dreds are coming and going. The
wholesale houses are receiving ana
shipping lots of goods. Their transfer
drays are consta ntly busy. New build
ings are going up all over town. 1t
looks like business-it means busiL css.
Real estate values are remarkable.
First rate, improved business property
is worth $500 per front foot, and
prospective business property is worth
800 per front foot. Residence lots
one mile and halifrom the business
part of town are worth 500 each.
Lots in the fashionable quarter
(Browne's addition) are worth $4,000
to $4,000 each. That's like West
Prarie street in Decatur. Additions
have been laid of at II distance Of
three miles and IL half from the bust
ness center, and this will demons nstrate
that the place is laid out already for
100000 population. A steam or elec-
trio motor railway, involving II cost of
S42 600 is to he built on II line running
north and south from the river to the
top of the hill south of town. Lots on
top of that hill, mt distance of three
miles from business, are held at 5000
each. A street railway running east
and west will extend throughout the
city and beyond its limits Values
are very much higher than in Decatur
and rents about double. The Hyde
block, which is one store room larger
than the Haworth block ut Decatur, is
held at 800, 900 IAN offer of $50 000,was
refused for it. There are many other
blocks as tipe or finer than in De
catur. There are handsome modern
residences by the score. None of them
are very large. 1t is evidently IL city
built to stay.
The banks here have total capital
of about 100000, and they have
cleared about 33b per cent. year
Stock is held ut xl,40. on the dollar
The interest rate is 10 per cent. al
though many loans are made at Ii
and per cent. per month. Payments
ON real estate are all subject to inter
est at IL per cent. annually.
There is almost limitless water pow
er. There are Touring mills, II foun.
dry and machine shop, two potteries
lumber and planning mill interest, etc.
The miners for gold and silver in the
region tributary to Spokane number
about 10000.
The citizeps here have taken hold
from the start rs If they intended to
make city. In the year 1884, when
there were no more than 1900 or 1900
people here over $4,000 was sub
scribed for public enterprise. Wagon
roads were built in every direction
through the rocks and along the
mountain sides leading to Spokane
Falls, the court house WAS built and
county seat removed to this place.
bridges were built ever the river, etc
etc.
The bonded debt is $4,000 which
represents the cost of building the