Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-07-10
Lewiston, Idaho-From Kay L."

EDITOR TIMEs:-One of the truest
and most beautiful sentiments ever ut
tered by Robert G.. Ingersoll, the scin-
tillations Of whose genius have given
him world wide reputation, is-"A
nation of happy homes is the brightest
dream Of craftsmanship" Home is of
the foundation stone, the bulwark of
society, the basis Of government and
where love and contentment abides,
dwells that power which makes st ties
and nations great. Idaho, especially
Northern Idaho, is commonwealth of
happy homes. The people are doing
well and consequently are contented
and happy. The soil is fertile, the eli
mate is mild aud healthful, the winters
short, the summers pleasant, and, with
a good market, all kinds of business is
profitable; hence the people of the Ter
ritor-soon to be a State--are satisfied,
and propose to live and die on Idaho
soil. They are proud Of Idaho and
cherish its grand past and worship it's
bright future with greatful devotions;
they love its laws, revere its institutions
and are loyal to its government. No
state in the Uni II possesses SO many
advantages as does Idaho, and her peo-
pie appreciate the fact. They are
charmed by the grandeur and pictur-
esque beauty Of its scenery and never
tire Of the splendid panorama or widen
ing view that stretches into the dim
distance until earth and sky meet and
hold each other in fond embrace.
Located as Lewiston is, at the juno
ton of the winding Snake and the
sparkling Clearwater rivers, with an
altitude Of only about 700 feet above the
level of the sea, and with the steep and
rugged mountains OH the north, tower
ing at least two thousand feet above us,
we have Il climate that is unsurpassed;
mot even California can excel.
While the thermometer often indicates
one hundred degrees for several days at
a time in the summer months, it l.,
never sultry or enervating as in the
Atlantic or Middle states. There is
always refreshing wind blowing and
the nights are delightfully."- cool. The
air is pure and dry and free from ma
larial poisons. The winters at this inn
mediate point are short and dry, and as
a rule pieasant--the thermometer sell
dom, if ever, registering lower than ten
degrees. Autumn extends until about
the first of January and is characterized
by that peculiarly pleasant and sooth-
ing temperature common to that brief
but delightful season known as Indian
sum err in the Mississippi valley. The
sun shines almost continually on North
ern Idaho. Cloudy days are the ex-
ception, and the heavy rains are fol-
lowed by bright and smiling skies.
About twenty-five years ago, during
the gold excitement of this Sc, ton,
Lewiston was city, as it We're, of more
than ten thousand inhabitants and
nine-tenths of the people lived in tents.
The thousands We're not here to make
homes and help build up the place, but
were searching for that only which
would enrich thenl-gold and silver;
never for moment attempting to test
the merits of the soil, which has since
proven to be SO fertile and productive.
Gradually, as many became rich, and
the excitement dying out, the then
citizens would take their departure,
| aving Lewiston, as they found it,
almost wholly unpopulated; and for the
last decade the place has kept going
down, until to to-day Lewiston has,
perhaps, not more than two thousand
population.
At that time Lewiston was the capt.
tai of the Territory and would have
been yet, in all probability, had it not
been that it was stolen from her by
clique in Southern Idaho.
For many years Lewiston has been
asleep, the only connection with the
outside world being that of steamboats,
and stages. Her citizens allowed the
moss to grow on their oacks, SO to
speak, and cared naught for anything
but their own welfare, and other places
have sprung up and thrived and taken
from Lewiston the trade that rightfully
belonged to her. But to-day the citi-
zens of Lewiston have shaken off the
moss and donned new robe. They
have raised subsidy Of 500 900 for the |
Northern Pacific railway to extend
their line from Spokane Falls, WASH,
to this place, and the road is being
built as rapidly as manual labor and |
capital can do it. In addition to that
the Union Pacific railway are at work |
building into this place, also. Outside |
capital is investing heavily in real es-