Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-19
In THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
An Omaha Pilgrims Observations
in Oregon and Washington
A GROUP OF "oET-THERE" CITIES.
GIimpses of Portland, Tacoma, seattle
and Spokane Fails-Examplcs OF
Enterprise Which Omaha
Could Probably Copy.
EXAMPLES OF Enterprise.

| The BEE Portland is the chief city of the
! northwest. 1t is the commercial and finan-
cial pivot Of q group of thriving young cities
which stretch out like an open fan in WASH
ington territory. These are Spokane Falls,
| Tacoma and Seattle They are pushing,
progressive towns, peopled by energetic
men, who do not tic a string to the dollars
they invest in enterprises cal culated TO con-
| serve the general good.
Spokane Falls derives its chief prominence
| from the water power in the vicinity. This
is sand to surpass the Falls OF St. Anthony,
and is second only 10 Niagara. Four mills
are now operated by this power, and two are
| in process of erection There is great ac-
| ivityt in the building line, stone and wood
| ueing the chief materials used, and the sup
| ply of both is apparently un limited, cheap
| and convenient. Electric motor street rail-
| ways are being built and will be In operation
| tins. fall. Omaha people aud papers who
persisteutly fought the network of
| wires which Mercer's motor spread over
| the city would be astonished TO see the
methods in use here as well as in other
coast cities. The poles are placed IN the
center of the street, between the tracks, and
the wires suspended from iron arms. The
result IS destructive to the appearance of the
streets, seriously lmpedes traffic, and endan-
| gers life and limb. But the people care not
for appearances. The chief ambition Is to
build a town without regard to consequences.
| The Pelouse valley and the Occur d Alene
| mines to the southeast and the Colville val
ley to the north. furnish the commercial
strength and sustenance of Spokane. was
/ deeply impressed with the energy and liber-
! ality displayed recently by the mOneyed men
i of the town. 1t is in sharp and cheerful con-
| trast with the parsimonious
SNAIL PACE OF OMAHA
| In matters of supreme Importance to the
| commercial growth Of the metropolis. For
Ave years or more Omaha has stretched and
strained her lungs and shed millpond of
INK discussing and arguing the building OF
| northern railroad That long felt want still
remains untitled, the trade of South Dako Ia
Is gravitating to other channels, and millions
of idle money is gathering rust in
the vaults of the ciuy. Spokane felt the nee
essty of railroad to the north. The rich
Colyille valley, with its abundance OF TIMBER
and rapidly increasing agricultural products,
demanded railroad facllties. The business
men of the city did not waste time and
breath discussing ways and means. They
planSed down the cash for preliminary work,
organized a company, placed their paper on
the market, and in three days $500,000 was
put up. The road is now being built, and
operation this fall. Such enterprise and
promptltude cannot fail of success and Spo-
kane is bound TO prosper while her people
possess the means and vigilance to grasp the
main chance and turn it to account.
Tacoma and Seattle are active rivals for
| the supremacy of Puget sound. The former
is the foster child of the Northern Pacific.
1t is located on the southern extremity OF the
sound, with acres of swamp exposed at low
tide. This gives the air that rich, luxuriant
| aroma peculiar to group of
RENDERING FACTORIES ON A Room.
The town is perched on plateau fifty to
| one hundred feet above the bay, is compactly
| built and busting with business. Lots are
staked in the timber six miles out, and a
patch 25x125, regulation size, can be had for
5000. Choice business property IN town
commands as high as $500 "a loot front
The fire which swept Seattle last May was
means of wiping out blocks Of rookeries
"reminiscences of pioneer days, which re :
tarded the growth of the city and were a
menace to enterprise. Hundreds of these
sh ellis went down in the bosom Of fame, car
| rying with them many fine business blocks.
Scourged by fire, the city is now rising from
its ashes in substantial and magnificent pro-
portions, and in few weeks will be one OF
west. 1t has one of the
FINEST HARBoRs ON THE CONTINENT,
and enthusiastic residents cherish the hope
that it will soon rival San Francisco in the
trade of the orient. The Union Pacific COM
| pany controlsa large and valuable area of
| the water front, and it is almost certain that
the Oregon Short Line will be extended here
If the coming congress passes the sixty year
| Q Xtension bill a-t
Portland is one of the richest cities in the
union for its population Its location is invit-
ing and charming. The compactness of the
business section, cosy and costly residences,
/ delightful shades and shrubbery, fore
ground of rising country which stretches in
perspective until lost in the glistening
heights of Mt. Hood, background OF pine
clad hills dotted with comfortable homes a
broad and beautiful river alive with traffic,
It's Chinese quarter min Cling the odors OF
| countless laundries with the sea and noun
tain breezes, combine to form a picture of COS.
mopolitan activity and oriental idleness un.
IAl totl NF NAnh
| Lees and the Hong Hangs and the Won
Lungs are as thick here as fees in Califor-
MIA Sind Bac is the
JAY GOULD OF THE cRowD.
: | He is said to be worth million, and has II
safely invested in productive real estate in
, East Portland. The Celestials occupy foul
| or five squares of Second street.. The build
ings are two and three stories high, with
balconies on every hoor, extending
,, graced with potted plants, Chinese Ian.
terms, and gilded heireglyphics '''an-
nouncing, the business of the occupants,
| Straw hats are the only change visible in
| oriental costumes. Here and dthere a Tarter
or Japanese store clean and tidy, bright.
ems the surrounding filth ana confgsfpn OF
wares saw Chinese lady, the frst.I dis
tinctly recognized by dress and facial char
| acteristics. She was evidently the belle OF the
Mongol quarter, as her lounglng country
men showed her unusual attention on the
: | prominade. Her face and form would bring
3 | blush OF envy 10 the lace OF a CaucaSSlan
: sister. A large, oval face, of creole color,
cheeks like ripened peaches and two huckle-
berry eyes rendered unusually bright by
opium. Two interlocking band rings, one q
| pale blue and the other plain gold band
dangled from her ears Her head was uu
, covered. A bouse-like mantle OF dark Chi
/ | nese silk reached to her knees. A pair OF
leggings OF uncommon breadth, but stitched
. | together, encased the remainder of her
I limbs, and she hobbled painfully along or
three-inch wooden shoes with shuffiing mo-
tion as ifaffiicted with innumerable corns.
! gazed upon the receding beauty with com
4 pound interest until an intelligent police
man volunteered the Information that
, she was an animated sign fol
MongOlian millinery store, and that the
color Of her pace was put on Tor the occa-
| sion. -
Two swing bridges span the Willamette
= river at this point. One Is wagon end foot
4 bridge, the other a combined railroad and
: wagon bridge. 1t may interest and amuse
, Omaha people to learn that it costs less tc
: build bridges here than over che Missouri
IL, as frequently asserted that the Union Pa
l ciic bridge cost S2, 100000 and the wagon
bridge $250.000, it is pertinent to ask how
many persons were enriched by the con-
tracts and proportion of the money stuck To
fba nalme of he huildarag Hara is a dnuhla