Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-07-08
Official Paper OF Nez Perez County
Industry, Prosperity and Progress.

nat prosperity aDIutS III thC
Pacific Northwest to- day is amply
shown in this issue OF The Oregon
ian. individual depositors never
had so much money in the banks,
and there was never less excuse
for men who desire work to be
idle. A healthy activity marks
every fed of endeavor unless ii
be that ol the moneylender. The
people are busy with productive
industry, the development of nat
ural resources is engaging wide
attention, trade is good aud the
prospect in general is in every way
encouraging. The Pacific North
west was never so independently
prosperous. in general and in de-
tail, as it is in this year of grace,
1899
In Oregon, Washington and
Idaho, which now have $500
miles of steam railway in operation,
1000 miles more have been pro-
jected within the past year, and it
is promised that about 900 miles Of
the newly projected lines will be
completed by the end of the pres
ent calendar year By far the
greater part of this new mileage is
for the accommodation of local
traffic. both agricultural and min
eral. New sections are to be
brought into connection with the
commercial world aud to be stirred
with agencies for development.
Notable energy is displayed in the
quartz mining districts of Eastern
Oregon, Of the Clearwater country
in Idaho, and northeastern Wash.
ington. Similar activity is OBJ
served in the Seven Devils copper
country on the Idaho side of Snake
river. The Increase of mining
camps bring new consumers of pro-
ducts of the soil, aud builds up
local markets, and encourages Ill
lage of more ground, for there Is
profit in it, AT the same time
comes an increasing demand from
beyond the Pacific for many of the
products Of this favored land. A
large part of the sugar consumed
here is now grown and manufac.
tured at home. 1t will be but a
few months before Oregon and
Washington coal viii wholly sup
ply the home demand, and great
iron plants are coming. Thus in
dustrial progress is coming to have
an even balance in the Northwest,
which means increased stabi,y, in
dependence. The prosperity of
this day is home grown. not I'm.
ported.
While bank deposits have in
creased greatly in the Northwest
i'll the past two years, and are still
increasing, the country is by no
means drained Of its marketable
products. The producer mig Int
easily pat a half dozen millions
more in the banks IN a week il
they chose to sell their surplus at
once But they are In easy circum-
stances, and in many cases prefer
to hold their products rather than
market them for the money they
have no immediate use for. Some
6,ooo. 900 bushels of last year 5
wheat crop constitute perhaps
the largest item of hold over re
sources. Cattle, sheep and wool
are moving rather freely just now
under the stimulus of good prices.
1t cannot escape attention that
Portland holds a commanding po-
sition with reference to the bust
ness Of the entire Pacific North
west. The confguration of the
country determines this matter to
a large extent, and Portland's nat
ural advantages are beyond dis.
pute. That Portland already does
the business Tor the Northwest is
abundantly shown by the piles OF
hgutes that tell of her banking
and shipping and her general
trade. That she will continue to
do SO is insured by the spirit of her
citizens and the natural wealth of
the tributary country. Oregon.
ian.