The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-08-15
Interest Never Wanes in a Trip
Along the Line of the
Northern Pacific.
Seattle and the Puget Sound
to be Considered in a
Future Letter.
Special Cores. The Irish Standard.

Spokane, Wash, Aug. 10.-In a
former letter mention was made Of the
Occur d Alene district in Idaho Oh the
line of the Northern Pacific between
NIissoula, Mont, and Spokane, Wash.
Speeding along through a mountainous
region for hours the ascent and descent
Of tie mountain is interesting in the
extreme. Winding it's way in a semi
ciicle, almost Il hundred trestles and
bridges have been crossed, many of
them of great length and extending
over ravines and gulches of wondrous
depth. The train is on time at Wal
lace, we have reached the level, Ward
ner is soon passed and more even
tract of country continues before us
to Harrison. \ transfer is made here
from train to boat by the Northern
Pacific, and thirty miles by steamer
over beautiful Couer d Alene lake to
Couer d'Alene city is one of the most
pleasant memories of an overland trip.
From the latter point it is all aboard
again by train, and in another hour
Spokane, one of the prcttest cities in
the West, is reached
Down through the great mining dis
triot of Idaho, the Irish Standard has
many supporters. At Wallace your
representative met the Mahoney. Bros,
Neill Quinn, j. 7. Ryan, while at
Wardner, amongst the number was X.
]. Hanley, Edward Bolger and Miss
NJ. Doyle. Mention must also be made
of WIN. Hennebery, of lola, Idaho.
and J. r. Sullivan, of COuer u'.Alene,
whose Acquaintance was formed at
Spokane. On our return trip from
Portland we will again visit this sec
ton, when the Couer dAlene and the
mining centcrs Of Idaho will receive
more particular attention through
further correspondence.
Spokane reminds one in many ways
CT Minneapolis, and every loyal Min
neapolitan thinks he is living in one
Of the most beautiful cities of the
Union. This pretty Washington city
contains in the neighborlood of $4,000
people and has gained in population
during the past year, some G,OOO in
habitants. Level and neat. with it's
broad streets and splendid parks, it
certainly attracts the stranger and
seems destined to become one of the
leading cities of the West -Four
hundred miles this side of Seattle, it
is east of the mountains and has a
climate unsurpassed. On the Spokane
river, like Minneapolis ii has mag
nificent water power. that when fully
developed must naturally assist in the
general growth and prosperity of the
city. Spokane is yet Il young city,
having been incorporated in 1881
twenty-five years ago. 1t is Il great
commercial and minin. center and all
the railroads of eastern Washington
converge here. Three Of these are CON
tinrntal lines. the Northern Pacific. O.
II. 4 ~. and Great NurthcrM Then
there are branches of these rXtrndin.
in various directions from the city,
amongst them the Spokane Il Palousc
Central Washington. and the Occur
dAlcne, the three mentioned being
parts of the Northern Pacific system
From Il railway. ms We'll as from many
other standpoiEtS. it will he seen that
Spokane has bean fortunately blessed
And it is admitted to be the chief min
ing center of the Pacific coast. From
camps in every direction are produced
gold. silver. copper and lead. besides
sandstone. granite, slate. marble and
onynX, the aggregate annual output. il
is said. amounting 10 about 2O.OOOOC0
Spokane is divided into five wards
and is governed by a mayor and tel
councimen. The building season la.
been one of the best the city has wit
messed in many years. particularly il
the residence districts. and Il number
of fine business blocks are in cours,
OF erection. a new p0stotlice buildin:
will be erected in the near future an,
splendid structure may he locke,
for, as the government appropriated
for this purpose was very liberal. \
the present time twentyeight carrier
are assigned to districts here and tw
more are soon to be appointed. thu
placing the number at thirty.
In Catholic church circles much
being done. In st. .Ioseph's paris
Rev. Father De Knnter has recent
finished Il fire brick church ut ii
corner of Dean avenue and Map
street, at a cost of $4,000. st. Alo
sius church, corner Of East Boone an
Astor streets, is in charge of Re
Father Rebmann s. j.. as pastor, an
Rev. Robert Smith as assistant paste
who attend to the spiritual wants of
large congregation. And speaking
church matters, great interest is no
being directed to the building of tt
new church Of Our Lady of Lourde
now being erected at the corner
Madison street and Riverside avenl
in the central part of the city. Wht
complete it promises to be one of Il
finest and largest church edifices
the Northwest. The estimated cost
the structure iss placed at $4,000