The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-05-07
HIS IDEAS Of THE WEST
THERE is BIG WASTE OF TIMBER
MlahigAn Man Writes About the Great In
hand EmPire-IR the Lumber Mills
Good Chance for a Paper MIlI-Have
More Churches and school.

An enthusiastic admirer OF the
Inland Empire is L. G. Willis, OF
Auskegon, Mich, formerly business
manager Of the Record in that city.
Mr.. Willis, who Is now in Spokane,
states that he came west for his
health and is looking for business
location in the northwest.
In a letter addressed to NJ. t.
Tenny, Of Muskegon, MIR. Willis sets
forth some Of his ideas Of the Inland
Empire as follows:
According to agreement, will
try and give you something Of an
account of our trip, though any
words may use will fail to give you
an idea of the surprise and delight
We experienced on this, our first visit
TO the west
Really, 1 thought We should be
sorry when the trip was over, but
when We stopped at Spokane and saw
this really beautiful city our sorrow
was Of short duration, for Spokane is
certainly the best and most enter
prising city 1 ever saw. 1t is sub
sGantially built, with clean, neatly
paved streets and water power enough
In the Spokane falls to supply the
whole country west of the Rockies
With power. This power is controlled
and not abused here, electricity for
power, heating and lighting being
furnished at much less cost to the
consumer than in the east. Al
splendid street car service is main
tAined. One noticeable feature Of
tAis Is an observation car that gives
y0u % mile ride past all the points
Of interest for only % cents.
There is no boom on here-just a
steady growth-but | stood in one
place and counted 80 new buildings
N process Of construction.
They have more churches and |
schools to the square inch than any
city in the east, and the climate Ia
eat Of sight-nOt a day here last
winter that was below zero.
This city Is the market for the |
whole country west Of the Rockies |
sAd east Of the Cascade ranRe-the
most fertile country on the face Of
Shs earth and the richest ia timber
aad minerals. II anyone had told me
Sefors starting ] should find such an /
Ideal location, suitable for both rich
~nd poor, | should have thought they
we're romancing.
Then to the east Of this 80 miles
md connected by electric road Ia
occur d'Alene City. a new, small
asvn, but destined to be the 'Muske-
gen Of the west. 1t is situated on
lake Of the same name, the head Of
~ Spokane river. This lake IL
ASoot 30 miles long and has two
AVers emptyiDg into it, each from
~ to l25 miles long. the banks of
both lake and rivers being heavily
dnbered, and nearly all of this
timber will have to come to Occur d.
Aiene to be manufactured into Ium.
Der. Think Of that. Muskegop
With her lake and one river was the /
largest lumber manufacturing city in
he world, and then ask yourself
what Is the future Of this city.
laundering here il carried on in :
auch the same wasteful manner a. in I
@ichigan 30 and 40 years ago. Tim I
ssr is slaughtered the same az there.
bot from the Immense amount stsnd r.
ing 1t does not seem as though il :
could ever become exhausted; but
"e thought that once Ia Miobiuan
and we are now sorry.
1.-THE climate ia delightful At =
me present time fruit trees and
bowers are nearly ia full bloom. bpt
IN a two hours ride one can On n n
where the snow is quite deep.
I'VE eastern folks have aIuays had :
, wrong idea Of western peopls
imagining them a rough, uacoutb
md unkempt lot, butsxactIy opDosjts a
q the case. They are the mos, r
generous and sociable people one can
meet with. Stop any man, rich or =
'oor, on the streets to AK him a n
question and he is ready 10 give you r
IN honest and courteous ansvsr an
ar as lies In bis power. OF the very n
'oor, they do not seem to have them r,