, 1889-08-29
VIEWS OF SPOKANE.
Enterprise and Foresight Reward
ed by Wonderful Growth
and Prosperity.
4 History That Is Almost Inored-
ible From an Eastern Mans
Standpoint.

9 bune, came west few weeks ago as
stall correspondent of that paper, but
was so infatuated by the scenery, the
climate and the resources Of the country
that he decided to accept an offer OF the
managing editorship of the Helena
Journal and identify himself perma.
nently with this unparalleled section,
The following
LETTER FROM SPOKANE FALLS,
which appeared in the Tribune of Au'
gust rs. is from his pencil:
1t is conceded by geologists that all
Of our country west of the Rockies Is
comparatively new. The Pacific ocean,
some few years ago, washed the western
side of this mighty uplift. The Sierras
Of California and the Cascades of Wash
ington and Oregon attained their pres.
ent elevation after series of subterra.
mean struggles, and with them
the vast areas now constituting our
Pacific states were brought forth from
watery confines. 1t has not been many
years since the great volcanoes of the
Cascade Range ceased to show signs of
internal agitation. There are people
now living in Portland who claim to
have seen smoke issuing from the crater
within the last ten years. But these
lofty peaks are practically extinct. They
are responsible, actively or passively,
for almost all the physical conditions of
the new state Of Washington. In shape
Washington is parallelogram, its long
er axis running east and west from the
coast to the Idaho boundary. The Cas-
cades cut it in twain. Maine does not
more widely differ from California than
do the sections thus created. They are
different In soil, in climate, in vegeta-
tion and the resources offered to human
endeavor. The mountains con-
dense the atmospheric moisture
on their windward or west.
ern side, producing for more than half
the year constant succession of rain
falls and a mighty forest that covers the
country from the mountains to the sea
while the leeward land, deprived of
moisture, is for many miles, or until re-
lieved of its mountain blanket, forlorn
and dreary desert. West Of the noun
tains the soil is deep vegetable mould
produced by the decay of fallen timbers,
with a atop-dressing of alluvial deposit on
the tide lands of the coast. East of the
mountains the soil is basaluc, while the
desert area Is one vast lava bed. West
OF the mountains the climate is mild
and the seasons are described with rela.
tion to the rainfall. East of the noun.
tains the climate is colder, almost ex.
actly like that of New York, for, though
higher in latitude, its natural severity is
tempered by the warm Pacific winds.
These differences between East Wash.
ington and West Washington need TO be
in all their affairs. The interests of one
section are rarely the interests of the
other. All through this immense coun.
try have been deeply impressed with
the wonderful elasticity of our political
system. From the 95th meridian to
each of tile boundary oceans is about the
same distance. a line drawn from that
meridian, near the Dakotas, to the Pa.
cific would pass through four states
Drawn to the Atlantic it would pass
through nine. In the matters of climate
and topography there are as many rea-
SONS for dividing the western states into
small commonwealths as for dividing
the eastern ones. 1t is remarkable how
harmoniously communities thus re-
uotcly pldCtu IIOm tdCn Otner i've
under the same local government and
especially remarkable because every indi.
vidual town is steadily and fiercely
struggling in furtherance of the common
ambition TO be
THE BUSINESS CENTER
of the state. Two great western cities,
Denver and 81. Paul, stand out as bril-.
liant examples of what industry and
sagacity can do, and every little hamlet
burns with the spirit of emulation. They
all have somebody in them who knew
Denver and st. Paul when their only
tenants were jackrabbits and rattlers.
Somebody is always talking about the
time when he was Offered the third of
Denver or half of st. Paul for the
price of a buffalo robe. Somebody. as
he lounges in the hotel of an evening. is
sure to be reminiscent of the days when
he ranged his cattle i'm what is now
Kansas City, or sold the whole of Omaha
for couple of cayuses. These tales of
wondrous chances to grow rich had the
tellers OF them but possessed the divine
faculty of foreknowledge, are told by the
million, and II must be owned they are
more or less disturbing. When you look
around and see from every pinpoint of
the compass hundred large and thirty.
ing cities that have grown up from a
sagebrush prairie or pine thicket within
the last ten years 1t makes you wonder
not little whether the spot you happen
to be standing on may not be an embryo
metropolis, where the land you can buy
to-day for $40 an acre might be sold to.
morrow for $1,000 front foot.
FORTUNES
Have been made in Spokane Falls. are
yet being made, upon just that scale of
values. Spokane's history-oh, by the
way, call II Spo-kan, If you please. as
though it rhymed with ban or tan, not
with gain or lane, aud put the accent
on the last syllable--Spokane' history.
as | was saying, is almost incredible.
When Mr. Hayes was inaugurated IL
was blank wilderness. Not a single
miles of 1t. One day in 1868 white
man came along in "'bull team" saw
the wild rapids and the mighty falls OF
the Spokane river, reflected ON the his.
tory Of st, Paul and Minneapolis with
their little Falls of st. Anthony, looked
at the tide of immigration just turning
toward the further Northwest, and
concluded he would sit right down where
he was and wait for q city to grow
around him. This far-sighted pioneer
is still living within carshot OF those
rumbling falls and they make a cheer
ful music to him. The city Is there with
him, 1900 people, and lie can draw q
check today good for 81, 100000 Foi
several years his eyes fell ON nothing
but gravel beds and foamy waters. Now
as he looks around he sees mills and fuc-
tories, railroad lines to the north, south
east and west, churches, theaters school,
houses, costly dwellings and stores,
paved streets, and all that makes living
easy and comfortable. The greater part
of this has come within his vision since
1888, when the Northern Pacific blew It's