The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-30

Julian Ralph in Harner's Macaxi

Julian Ralph in Harpers Magazine.
Spokane is the principal city of Eastern
Washington, and a good point from
which to view the agricultural and
mineral resources of the lands east
of the Cascade range. 1t used to BE-
called Spokane Falls, after the falls in the
Spokane river, which attracted the first
settlers as rallying point, but the people.
dropped the word Falls" in June, 1901,
and Spokane is the city's full name.
Long before its settlement the trails
and roads from every point of the com
pass met there, and seemed to mark it As
natural distributing center. Eight
railroads meet there now. 1t is dozen
years old as settlement and now ex.
tends its broad streets and battalions
of brick and stone buildings over q
considerable part of the bowl-like, level.
bottomed basin in which it has been built
There are evergreen hills all around il,
and upon one slope overlooking the
town the well-to-do citizens have massed
n considerable number of villas, many
of which are both costly and handsome.
Milling, the lumber trade. and jobbing In
all the necessaries of life are its main
stays, and possibly by the time this 4
published it will have started up its smelt-
cry to lead the new industry which many
think must become its main one when,
amid the development of the innumerable
mines of Eastern Washington, it shall
have become a great mining town.
Its jobbing trade in 1890 amounted to
81 ,Bo, 600. Spokane is very enterprising.
1t has an opera-house that is the finest
theater west of the Mississippi river, and
its Board of Trade, under the tireless
energy of Mr.. John Il. Reavis. is incessant-
ly at work to strengthen and enlarge
the industries Of the city. The place has
% 600 population. 1t lost 5000 last year
as a result of the general monetary de-
preston, but its gains continue. and tho
agricultural country tributary to Il has
grown steadily aud suffered no set4
backs. 1t trades with 200 towns, and talks
with sixty over its telephone wires. It's
ater-power-haying minimum power
OF 5000 horses--runs its electric cars
electric lights. cable cars, printing presses,
elevators, and all its small machinery.
IL IS not rampant in its vices -
most Northwestern cities are. Can
bling is done under cover, the yaridJ
theaters are closed on Sundays. and there's
even broached proposition To close -
saloons on Sunday. In justice to 6Ro
leading men ascribe this mastery
over public vice to the unique and high
toned character of the leading citizens.
who embrace large proportion OF Eastern
blood, and good Eastern blood at that.
Such an explanation is highly necessary
here. for in the new Northwest pubiic
morality is sometimes regarded as con-
contain. offailing business powers. hap. !
PLY L can vouch for the fact that
Spokane society is leavened by consider.
able class of proud and cultivated men
and women, who live in charming homss.
and maintain a delightful intercourse with
one another. They make il q very gsy'
city-thcy and the fine climate-and ore
fond of high-bred horses. good dogs ana
bright living. with dancing and amateur
theatricals. good literature and fun. san
Francisco is no longer peculiar in this re.
spect. for Spokane shares her brilliancy
among our Western cities.
Macaulay was AZ when he began the briiissn.
fragment known a. the 'History OF England