Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-11-29
PULLMAN.
A Trip Over q Branch Of the Union Pa
Ciie.. FLOWING Wells.
TWaIla W2Ila Union |

outia branch up the South fork of the
Palouge to Moscow, Idaho, distance Of
" miles, through a very rich agricul-
tural region. Co!fax is situated at the
junction of the North and South forks of
the Palouse, ''the heft'' of the town being
in a narrow crack of tie earth, having
ragged and almost perpendicular sides,
which rise several hundred feet above
the bed Of the small stream, on one side
Of which there is room for one long con-
t-actej business street and narrower
oas on which are erected the residences
of many Of the inhabitants, while on the
other side room for railroad track has
been dug ont Of the hillside. In the
heart OF the present town the Palouse, by
other natural Or artificial means, forms
what, in the early histoty of Colfax, was
beautiful little lako of much more
length than breadth, and several feet in
depth, of clear, cool water, fringed with
trees. On one side of this lake, stores,
hotels and residences have been erected,
their gable ends projecting over the
waters edge, and the
ONCE BEAUTIFUL LAKE
has boon converted into stagnant pool,
into which appears 10 be thrown and
drained the offal and garbage Of the
town. As seen from the car window
OF train on the Moscow branch, which
runs along the margin of ''the lake"
tho water looks green and unhealthy,
dirty and nasty, with tho accumuIations
OF the summer, the offensive garbage
1t the backs Of the houses On the other
side making the stranger Loid his nose,
and cease wondering why it IS reported
that the schools are closed on account of
the prevalence of filth diseases. IS one
rides along and gazes at this restoring
ulcer on the bowels OF Colfax, he cannot
help concluding that were "the lake"
and town larger the stencil would be so
great that passengers would catch the
ague as they used to while crossing the
Naumoe at Toledo, Ohio. Colfax is the
Oldest and most important town in
Whitman county;..is the
COUNTY SEAT
and place where great deal OF business
is transacted. The most notable thing
in Colfax next to ''the lake." is large
and handsome court house, in the last
stages Of construction. We're ''the lake"
drained and changed from an open to a
covered sewer, Colfax would become a
healthy and attracting place despite its
elongated townsite. From Coifax the
road to Pullman, IS miles, follows the
bed OF the Paiouse, crossing it repeatedly
and digging through innumerable rock
cuts. The grade is heavy and the track
so crooked that one is reminded by it of
rail fence or the course of
1EILblNG DRUNhAIDs
Occasionally small valley opens into
the creek, up which the traveller gazes
at fields covered with dense yellow stub
bic, and catches glimpse OF occasional
farm buildings or the waving brown
tops OF some timber culture claim. For
much OF the way tue ground ls titled
almost to the edge OF the track on
either side, while the richness and dense
ness Of the stubble, the vastness Of the
strawstacks and size of the piles of sack
ed grain, rudelY covered with rough
lumber, by side tracks, bear convincing
evidence OF the richness and fertility
OF the soil. Twelve miles up FROM Col
fax the train stops at the little town Of
GUY,
pleasantly situated in a broadening Of
the creek bottom, giving evidence Of
prosperity in the shape of new roofs.
contented-looking people, an elevator
and sheds bursting with grain. Here [
noted men emptying sacks of grain into
box cars for shipment IN bulk.
PULLMAN
was reached as the shades OF night were
falling fest, and the seeluslon given by
hotel built Of wood, with thin board
partitions, through which the snorings
and other noises of the inmates re-
sounded as though made in the interior
of base drum, was sought and the dust
OF travel removed. Pullman is situated
in a valley formed by the junction with
the Palouse Of two smaller streams, or
rather with two small valleys through
which torrents run in the wet season.
The hills are rolling in character. and
form the residence portion of the town all
parts OF it being accessible with teams.
Tao main part Of the town, is on the
south side of the Paiousc, and was laid
out, evidently, by different townsite
proprietors, each aiming to obtain the
most accessible lots with the least ex-
pedontpre FOL streets, and not with the
view of obtaining parallel streets and
rectangular blocks. The result adds to
the lictureequeness Of the place, but de-