The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1897-05-01
SPOKANE CITY.
It's Magnitude as Il Business Point and Its
Resources.

Its Magnitude as Il Business Point and Iti
Resources.
| SPOKANE, Wash, April 2S.-Spo
kane claims a population of 10000 anC
comprises within its corporal limits q
square miles of territory, with an ad
ditional area il second and third ad'
ditions to bring the area practically
to SIX miles square. Il is located
on an elevated plain anG the
Spokane river, with its series Of. falls
&Gd cataracts, divides il into two sec
tions, the principal business portion
lying to the south of the river, while a
residence portion is on tho north side.
| Owing to the large expause of terri
tory embraced il Spokane, which
make its outskirts a series of villages,
a local caricaturists has made cartoon
of the world in which from the north
pole is the legion "Nauseu's addition
to Spokane" But the city is grow
ing at tremendous rate. The hotels
are all crowded, AMI the vacant cflice-
rooms in the handsome brick blocks
are being rapidly converted into house
Keeping rooms. In fact one-fourth
of Spokane, l should judge, live in
these office buildings. 1 have only
seen one dwelling house with the sign
''for rent" on it, and it is generally
conceded on all hands that at least
1000 new dwelling houses are an absc.
lutte aud immediate necessity. Rents
are advancing, and wherever possible
business houses are cutting down their
space in order to make room for the
ever increasing demand. There is
not q desirable business location in
the city that is vacant, and very few
business structures under Roadway,
hence practical advance Of 30 per
cent, in rent rates since the beginning
of the year. 1t is somewhat strange
that with all the advancement in Spo-
kane not a single street has been
paved. Years ago they were heavily
gravelled, and the soil and climate is
such that there are only about four
months of rather inocuous mud and
then eight months of dust, the latter
nuisance being partially checked by
an antiquated system of street sprink-
ling. All the candidates in the city
election to be held on May 4th have |
announced themselves in favor of the |
paving of the principal |
business streets. When Riverside av- |
enue is paved with asphaltum it will |
be the handsomest street on the Pa f!
cific coast, being one hundred feet II
width and lined with towering mod |
ern brick and granite business blocks.
Unfortunately it is marred with
'ystem of street railways, which
should in all cities be relegated to
some other than The principal street..
But perhaps street cars like big rivers
always run by large cities.
AS an evidence of the good words
poken of Spokane, railroad men re-
,ort the roads as far east as ST. Paul
ined with hoboes en- route for Spokane.
rs the buzzards gather where the car.
ion is, so does the tramp seek the land
# prosperity. An advance guard of
his army struck Spokane some three
weeks since and for week or ten days
and robberies were of
lightly occurrence. Finally the police
ounded up about sixty of the gentry
nd gave them short time to leave
own, since then all has been peace and
ot fairly set IN as yet, but it had be-
ONE of sufficient Importance to COM
ell the three transcontinental railroad
mes to change their time tables so as
0 get trains into Spokane by o'clock
:. NJ. in order to connect with the ;
pokane Northern for Rossland and
he other Kootenai districts. But
18th the beginning of May will com
renee the exodus of the capitalists, ;
line owners and boomers for the
Genes of activity. The snow is by no
leans gone from the mountains and
Iides and accidents are of daily occur
ences, but the restless can be re- {
trained no longer for the early bird is :
lready on the ground and there will {
e no worms left for the stragglers. Of {
curse every one in Spokane is inter- s
sted in mines and all of your readers /
re anxious to hear about these world :
Lmous regions. SO in my next letters l
will take up, as occasion permits, the ]
arious districts and relate their claims !
, fame. DERF De WOLF. E