The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-01

forward sad take survey al the possibili-
ties OF the early future.
beEseve Spokane Falls wilf be q vers
beautiful city. The appearance Of ctr.
depends upon the tastes 81 its inhabitants
and the character Of IT'S surroundings. Two
very conspicuous illustrations OF this truth
are London and Paris. The former never
could have been aeEty charming TO tbs eye
first, because the climate would not have
permitted Il, aud second. because the Eng
lish pe0ple have Isn't poor sense OF archi-
tectural beauty. What most impressed
me when ! frst landed in Liverpsol was
the duh, muddy smoky, grinay appear
ance Of the bricks Of which the houses are
builk il was the same when | went 30
Londcr I afterwards learned that the
only attractive portion Of an English house
Il the inside of il. The same criticism
may be made on the English parks. Ev-
cry park in or about London looks Ike an
open field There is but little shrnbbery
and almost an entire absence Of ornamen-
tation In Paris ell this is reversed. The
houses have a bright, cheerful and artistic
appearance, and the Champs EIysse is the
most splendid driveway on the globe
While. in fact. ! nav ike London better
than Paris and may like the English people
far more than the French, yet in the mat
ter OF the artistic sense OF the two peoples
and the exhibition OF that sense IN their
chief cities, the comparison mast always
be greatly in favor of the French. They
not only have the taste, but they have cli-
mate that harmonizes with and encourages
that taste and, indeed. may have been its
principal creator.
II will not be questioned for one moment
by anyone who has ever seen Spokane Falls
that il Is one OF tho most beautifully stu
ated cities on the continent, The ground
upon which it is being built was noted for
its natural attractiveness long before
there was more than an Indian wigwam.
First. there is the Spokane river. q clear
swift-fowing stream, the dividing Of the
river into three channels. the wonderful
series OF fails, nine in number; the high,
picturesque banks below the falls; then the
great bend, or crescent, OF the river; the
valley. and from either side the hills bor-
dering on this, and the mountains 10 the
northeast and the southeast. with the val
ley running OF 90 the east between them.
and the groves of pines on the hiiisides
and mountainsides. and the open glades
that look like cultivated fields, making
altogether a panorama that one may take
in from thousand different points and
which has in it ak the elements that
combine TO appeal to the sense of beauty.
II is not sublimity or imposing grandeur
that one discovers here. but simple, quiet
beauty. We have no single peak that APP
proaches Rainier, nor any raLge that climbs
up Like wall 10 the clouds like the Olym-
pics, nor wide stretch of water like
Puget sound. nor giant trees and forests.
We have all these elements. but on a re-
duced scale, and in addition We have one Of
the most charming valleys in the world,
and an abundance OF open country from
which one seems to breathe more freely the
air of heaven. We have enough level
ground upon which TO build the business
portion OF city of 500 600 inhabitants. The
ground is so evenly situated that one can
see from one end TO the other of every
street, except whore some of them
are diverted TO conform to the me-
anderings OF the river.
is city of splendid possibilities in thesmat-
ter of boulevards, driveways and parks.
Instead OF having one broad and level
street il will have a hundred; and instead
of having one great driveway il will have a
score; and in extent and character of
ground for parks it is equally well-favored.
Its streets can be graded, its driveways
built and its parks laid out at one-half the
expense incurred for like improvements in
most cities, because OF the work that nature
herself has already done. Her beauty Of
situation, and climate of nine months of
sunshine out of twelve, with light, inspir
ing atmosphere, have already had their eff
feet upon the quick suscepsibllities OF the
people OF Spokane Falls. 1t is seen in the
tasteful architecture of both their business
houses and their residences. in their fond
ness for outdoor exercise. and in their gem
erai gayety and love of pleasure. Spokane
is the most hght-hearted, cheerful city in
America. unless it is New Orleans or San
Francisco. / think ii is a good deal owing
TO climate and natural surroundings. Ma
ture may he in = smiling mood, or she may
he somber and depressing. 1t is all owing
10 the spot you select III her bouadleSs do
main. Upon the people OF Spokane Falls
she forever smiles-hence the efforts OF our
people are allon the brighter and gayer side
oh lise. They like what is beautiful and bril-
liant; they like theaterS and driving and
riding. There Is more horseback riding in
Spokane Falls than in any other city Of It's
size in America: there ere more iine horses
in Spokane Falls than in any city of the
Pacific coast. except san Francisco. and we
shall soon have the finest theater and OPP
erahouse west of Che Rocky mountains and
equal 20 any in New York city itself ex-
cept the Metropolitan tirand operahonse
These phases Of our city life are highly
significant They clearly preligure a city
not only Of beauty, but OF exceptional bril-
liancy.
II is probable that Spokane Falls viii in
the future he visited much hy tourists and
pleasure seekers. They will come not for
the sake Of the city alone. but because il il
the central point Of al extensive region
which has a great variety of attractions. III
you viii look on the map OF Northern and
Eastern Washington. British Column
bla and Northern Idaho. son viii see a re-
narkahte system 81 rivers and lakes, at
which the Columbia IS the crest central
artery. I'm this system are included. be-
sides the upper Columbia. che Spokane,
the Pend O Relic, tic 81 Mays the 81
Ioseph, the Coner q AIene. the kootenai.
the EeFmillion. the salmon. the Colyiile.
the 0kanogan. the Methow and the Kettle
rivers. Nearly al of these run Within fifty
railes OF spokane FallS-none of them fur
sher away than 80 miles. Al OF them have
their own claim 70 beauty and picturesque
ness. The Pend Relic, the kootenia, the
Kettle and the Colamhia are al great
streams that must grew IN popular estima-
ton as they are better known Bat the
lakes are even nsoFe attractive than the
rivers Here are lakes Pend ofRelie,
Coner q 'Aieqe. kanicksu. Chelan and a
hundred others * lesser dimensions. There
Bsk.