The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1905-12-29

Within year the face OF the business
district has been greatly changed. Three
handsome and substantial business
blocks have been added to the business
center. The Hotel COlfax, the Lippitt
building and the Busse building have
been erected ut total cost Of $7l 900
for the buildings alone. This does not
include the furnishings and greatly in
creased stock OF goods incident to the
larger space acquired. In addition there
have been many new dwellings, erected,
with others iD contemplation.
The building era does not end with the
old year. With plans for new residences
and business blocks Cofax owners are
preparing to expend between $32 900
and $35, 900 the coming spring. Among
the new buildings planned for early erec-
ton will be the Moffatt building and
apartment house, the two new buildings
to be erected by Philip WiIman and
another large business block, the lOca-
tion OF which IL not yet made public.
Added to these, in all probability, will be
a new and better city hall and number
of new private residences. The Dr.
Stuht home, the Warner bungalow, the
Allen home, the Mitchell residence, and a
new home planned for w. r Anderson
are to be followed by Others equally pre-
tentioue and modern.
Commercially COlfax is on a wave OF
real prosperity Added to the trade
during the year has come fair Christ
mas trade bich, although not so large
in few special lines as in previous years,
has been augmented with better and
more liberal buying at good prices in
general lines.
OF misfortune Colfax has been excep-
tionallY free. No business failures have
been recorded as ia other cities and the
credits OF Colfax business men have be-
come a motto in the larger markets.
The three larger fires have come more in
the shape Of spur to Improvement, in
that the destruction Of the old buildings
is resulting in the erection of modern
structures.
With the coming OF the Spokane & In
land electric railway Colfax will be given
doubled traffic facilities to which are TO
be added terminal enterprises with the
prospect of another steam railroad com
ing within reaching distance.
La railroad matters Colfax has been
particularly fortunate this year. The
work of the railroad commission has
opened new possibilities, has determined
the concessions OF new freight rates and
developed an inquiry which must GER.
tainly rebound to the benefit of local
trade. Made famous by the widely
quoted railroad meeting" attention
has been attracted to the commercial
metropolis OF the Palouse country and
beneficial results are sure to obtain.
The coming year will witness the in
staIlation OF electric light power for con-
tionOus service, the establishment OF a
new gas plant and the possible acqusi-
tion of an automatic telephone service
all opening up the possibilities for the
requirement OF new industrial and manu-
featuring enterprises.
1t is not the purpose of The Gazette to
go into dry statistics to illustrate what
is common knowledge among all inter
ested in the progress OF this growing
city. Rather is it better to submit the
weighty expressions of those experts
best fitted to recount the municipal,
commercial and financial triumphs Of the
year.
In accord with this idea The Gazette
requested two of the best known busi-
ness men OF the city to contribute the
reviews for the year OF municipal welfare
and business advancement. This re-
quest was delivered to Walter j. Daven-
port, mayor of Colfax, and Edwin I.
Conan, president of the First Savings
& Trust Bank of Whitman county and
vice president of the Colfax National
Bank.
As busy men the courtesy of their ac-
quiesence will be appreciated. AS men
amply qualified to review the conditions
and offer conservative estimates for the
future, a weighty consideration is as
sured.