, 1889-08-29
GEM OF THE WEST.
A Newspaper Mans Impressions
of the Metropolis of Eastern
Washington.
Spokane Falls Wonderful and
Beautiful City With an Immense
Water Power.

| from the Milwaukee Saturday Star,
| August II.
From the time we left Helena, Mont,
until we reached Pend d'Oreille, in
Idaho, We were travelling through
number of valleys of varying widths.
Sometimes the bluffs and foothills mar
rowed so close upon us that we thought
ut times it would be impossible to make
our way out of them. for they appeared
| to hem us in on both sides, as well as
barring our progress in front; but some
friendly curve of the road would Just ap-
pear at the right time and relieve us of
our apprehension At other points
these valleys would spread out.for miles
on both sides, but ever enclosed with
bluffs and foothills, while away beyond
were mountains of various attitudes,
whose tops and jutting peaks ever car
ried their eternal covering of snow or
else hid them in the passing clouds.
| But what struck us as most peculiar
about these plains, whether they We're
narrow or wide, was the dense growth
of sage brush taat grew so luxuriantly
that IL completely covered them. II
was ovcrywhere-on the plains and on
| the bluff, away up on the foothills
and IL rave a peculiar color to the
mountain side from the whitish green.
| ish shade OF its branches and leaves. IL
| filed the whole atmosphere with its not
| Altogether unpleasant aroma at first,
which, however, soon grew monotonous,
| then disagrecaplc, and at last disgust
| ing.
THOUSANDS OF CATTLE
! find pasturagc on these plains all the
year round upon kind of bunch grass
| that grows upon these levels, and needs
| but little moisture for ats growth. But,
| those horses aid cattle appear to bc in
| but poor condition, Judging from the
| specimens Wc saw NJ some of the sta
| tions where tho tram stopped for water.
| It is claimed tor these lands that they
are invaluable for agricultural purposes
| IL irrigation were only applied TO them,
| IL Is also asserted that TINS artiiicial sys.
| TEN of moisture could be easily and
| choapiy applied, as there are hundreds
| of mountain lakes and streams that need
only to nc tapped into prepared bitches
| to supply an abundance OF water for all
purposes. BE this as it may, it is GER
| lain that at the present time they are
anything but inviting to the farmer ex-
cept for grazing purposes, and Judging
| from the condition OF the cattle they do
| not seem to be an unqualified success
even for that purpose.
The monotony of this scenery is but
little relieved until we reach Spokane, in
| Washington territory. Never was rest
ing place more
WELCOME TO 4 TRAVELLER
than this city was to us. We had now
been four days and nights on the road
and were all more or less tired. The
sleeping car gave us no real rest, and our
meals didn't get where they could do the
| most good. Our tempcrs were beginning
to give way. We were growing suspi-
cious of each other. We We're sure that
the old fellow who tried to pass for col.
lege professor was fraud. The irrever-
ant Youth who had made us laugh at his
savings and pleased us with his songs at
the commencement of our journey was
now by common consent rated fool.
| A Dakota legislator who came aboard
Our train ut Fargo, and who for two
days enjoyed our respect and friendship,
had now sunk to the Level OF II ward pol
itician, and we We're perfectly convinced
| that he had obtained his election by
bribery and fraud, aud was travelling on
a pass. The ladies in the car had taken
sides and resented any fam iliarity with
! each other with freezing dignity. We
now hardly spoke to each other, and the
loud, sharp, decisive negatives in which
we answered the train boys inquiries
when asking us to purchase his wares
hmuSt have convinced that youth that
our car contained number OF lunatics.
| Two or the chi dran on board were now
| crying necessarily and one Glow wbrowed
| foreigner suggested that some one en-
| ticc tncm to the platform and drop them
off. But at last
SPOKANE
was reached and before we were ten
minutes on the streets our suspicious
| had gone, our spirits revived and we
were willing to swear eternal friendship
with each other the college professor
and the irrevant youth and the legis-
lator included.
Spokane's population, according to
the estimate of its citizens, is 10000,
but this is undoubtedly too large. This
estimate is based on the voting popula-
tion and on the city directory, both of
which are faulty in figuring the per
Ccutuges. Probably 22,0O0 Is much
nearer the truth than the former figure.
1t Is situated on the Spokane river
which flows northwest, and being trib-
utary to the Columbia, Joins that river
near Fort Spokane IL is beautiful
and thriving city, and most assuredly
has great future before 1t. 1t has u
iine rich agricultural and mining
country surrounding it, with six rail
roads running into it and three or four
others begun ar ready to begin building
which viii give an outlet in every direc-
ton, 1t has wide and well-paved
streets, and as handsome stores as there
are in any eastern city of its size. 1t is
literally
A FLOOD OF LIGHr
in the evening, from the fact no doubt.
that the electric current can be so chcaply
used by having such an immense water
power right in the heart of the city. IL
has lines upon lines of street railway,
both cable and electric. 1t has beautiful
drives and bouleVards running along
both sides of the river. 1t must be con-
fcssed that Spokane citizens are to be
admired and envied. Everyone must
admire them for their pluck and energy
in building such beautiful city i'm such
a brief period, and are 60 be congratu-
lated ON their taste in selecting such u
favored spot, combining, as 1t does, so
much of all that is beautiful and useful.
From any point of view the scene pre-
sented is grand and sublime. Snow
crested mountains, with the mighty
glaciers moving slowly down their
rugged sides and giving birth to u hun
dred rivers, may he seen on every side.
There is everything to delight the eye
and charm the senses in this spot while
up on these mountains every variety of
climate can be enjoyed, from almost the
tropical at their base to the frigid at
their summit. Truly Spokane Is
THE GEN CITY
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