Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-06-23
their interests, but whose hands are
tied by political graft?''
WHAT AILS SPOKANE.

lliC DlOhdilC Oil OillNiC JlnlJo OH Gull
torial, headed "Why not pass Port
land" and the paper cites it's big fig
ures in bank clearings, its large
territory and its wonderful water
power in support of its enthusiasm.
Spokane may "pass Portland" but
there are conditions. present that will
prevent the place reaching the popula-
ton and degree of stability that it
ought to reach. There is no perma-
nency in hotel registers and transient
trade, such as Spokane boasts. The
city may spend great sums in advertis-
ing, as it has in the past, and is still
doing; it may draw the prospective
manufacturer by its alluring announce
ments to look upon the almost mex
haustible power Of it's river, but when
the visitor finds the cost is so high that
only laundries, dentists, newspaper Of
fees and other necessary institutions in
the community can employ the power
with return on the investment, he will
not remain. The city may point to its
scope of territory in its contention that
it is a jobbing center, but when the
visitor finds that Seattle, Portland and
even Lewiston merchants are selling in
Spokane the same class of goods that
are handled by home jobbers. he will
decide there is something radically
wrong with Spokane, and he will not
locate. The city may point to the
value of its factory output, aggregating
something like $40, 1000, 600 last year, but
the visitor will find that this was the
product of four breweries and several
saw mills, the former giving employ
ment to not more than dozen men
each, and the latter sure to move on
when the supply of timber plays out.
The citizen may tell the story of equable
climate calling attention that this is an
"off year") but the story will count for
little in the absence of the other things
that have been advertised and found
lacking.
Yes, Spokane may 'pass Portland"
but the boomers in that city must learn
a few things, or give the platform to
more prudent men if it does. Condi-
lions will have to be changed. The fell
lows who have harnessed the falls and
would bring its power under contribu-
ton to enrich their own purses must be
made to see that manufacturers are not
going to pay fabulous prices to get in
when other communities equally as
promising as Spokane are offering
liberal inducements. There is more
stability in dinner pail brigade than
there is in hotel registers, or bank
clearings when The latter reflects,
principally, the output of mining dis
trict that is tributary to the city. You
never can get up early enough i'll the
morning in Spokane to view the dinner
pail procession on their way to work, for
that element, which is the sinew of all
substantial and prosperous American
cities, is conspicuous by its absence.
Spokane may pass Portland There
are many sister cities in the Inland EN-
pire that would be pleased if it would,
but the thing to hasten the day would
be a very severe epidemic of smallpox
judiciously distributed to kill off a score
or more of native sons who have fed
at the political pie counter so long they
have bottled up all of the natural re-
sources and now ask the newcomer a
fortune for a look in.
The rapidity with which Main street
in Elk Citv dries I'M after rain ilh1s-