The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-15


To those who arc familiar with the growth
and history Of that great inland empire, known
as Eastern Washington, Hon. A. NJ. Cannon
needs no introduction and eulogy. The
history OF Eastern Washington is his his
tory; its prosperity is his triumph. Every
town and county from the snake river
TO British Columbia bears the impress of
his enterprise and energy. He is pio-
neer in the best and broadcast sense of that term,
ripe specimen of Western American manhood.
Born in Illinois in 1887, upon the then frontier
OF American civilization, he grew up sur
rounded by forces ami circumstances that pro-
duced such men as Colonel Baker, Dick
Hatss stephen A. D2ggas J0an .d
the foundation of the third state
in the Union in wealth and population, and
built upon the shores OF Lake Michigan the
greatest inland city upon the globe. His father,
William Cannon, was an anti-slavery Wing,
and lived and died fearless, consistent advo-
cate OF the doctrine of free soil, equal rights and
free men. Mr.. Cannon early cspoused the po-
litical principles OF his father, and for more
than third OF a century he has been an active,
earnest Republican During Mr. Cannons child
hood and early manhood his parents and their
ueighbors were poor, and the struggle Tor exist
ence was often sharp and exacting. Schools
were scarce, and even when they were accessi-
bic the boys were needed at home to assist III
the support of the family. few terms At
country school gave him what education he
obtained, and at the age OF 20 he lett his home
and turned his face westward to solve for him
self the complex problem of life. In 1873, dur
ing the early Pixies Peak excitement, he drove
an OK team across the plains to Denver
Col, when that place was but
struggling hamlet upon the dividing liue be-
tween 4 wilderness of plains and a wilderness
of mountains Falling to realize his dreams of
wealth and prosperity there, he JOuIneyed still
westward until he reached the then Mecca OF the
gold hunter and emgrant. san Francisco. He
remained in san Francisco but short time be-
lore returning 10 illinois. For the next lew
years he engaged in business in Chicago. and
one of the men whose pluck and genius
converted a struggling town into magnificent
of han 4 Mo IA
Chicago he was prominent member OF the
Board of Trade, aud made and lost fortune after
fortune, until ls6s, when he moved TO Kansas
City, where he engaged extensively in the grain
aud milling business. Once more the restless
longing for the extreme West seized him, and
he is next found in Southern California, then IN
San Francisco, and finally in Port
land, Or. The hardsaps of his
youth, the restless energy and exhausting
struggle OF his manhood. began TO tell upon his
health. For twenty years, with tireless energy,
he had been seeking fortune. He was now, at
little past the age of 40 years. compelled to
abandon fortune aud seek health. He was adj
mountains, where the dry atmosphere aud
primitive conditions would furnish the tonic
for lungs and quiet for nerves SO much needed
by him. But even though threatened by physi-
cal prostration his business instincts could not
be crushed. He started to seek health ard for
tune in the upper valley OF the Columbia. In
the fall of 1873 he arrived Mt spokane, a
city, to use the words OF Hon. J. W. Felghan in
his nominating speech, which consisted of
James n. Glovers cabin, u magnificent water
fall and million acres oil unplatted
townsite. Here he opened store, and
for some years lived largely upon hope
and an invigorating climate" But nothing
could check his ambition or curb his energy.
While the town was still in its infancy he
opened n tank, the first bank started north of
Snake rivera bank that has grown and pros
pered from that day till this, and has never for
an hour closed its doors upon its creditors. The
building of the Northern Pacific railroad gave
him new energy and opportunity. In connec-
ton with other enterprising citizens of Spokane
he assisted in starting n newspaper, build
ing mills, brick blocks. and bridges, and finally
he organized company that built a railroad
into the Palouse county, aud another, the
Spokane Falls & Idaho, into the C0enr d. Alene
mining country, and still another into the Big
Bend country, which gave spokane Falls an i'm
petus that made it the Denver OF the Pacific
coast When, on August 4, 1888, Mr.. Cannon
saw the city he had so largely assisted in build
ing swept away by the deyouring flames of the
Spokane fire, he might well have said, "Let
other younger and stronger hands rebuild upon
the foundation ! labored SO hard to lay for
them" bur he did nothing of the kind In the