The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-03-13

up the greatest competition III
building pride, commercial strug
gle and enterprise known to the
northwest. That early competition
was the father of the inspiring
spirit of boosting that is still firing
Spokanes people on to do great
things today.
STARTING TO BUILD A NEW
CITY.
Before that most of Spokane's
business section was spread along
Howard street from the river to the
Northern Pacific railroad, the only
line that had at that time pene
trated this community of hidden
riches. Smoke was still curling
from the old ruins when men who
owned property on Riverside, both
cast and west of Howard street, be-
gan the erection of statnly office
buildings. The Hyde block. Fern
we'll and the Jameson buildings
we're among them.
The big six-story structures look
ed all too large and out of proper
ton for Spokane in those days,
but" said the Hydes and others,
1--WE are going to make Riverside
the main business street of Spo-
kane; this is our only chance and
the only way is to make our build
ings handsome and imposing, so
others will build beside them and
keen the good work going"
Thus ii is seen that as direct
result of that open valve a new
city sprang up with its principal
business streets crossing the main
business lines of the old town at
right angles. Unfortunately, in
deed, many of these enterprising
men who plunged into the early
building boom of a new Spokane
failed in the financial crash of
1893, but the stately buildings bear
ing their names stood as an example
for others in the building of big
ger and better city.
HOW THE OLD TOWN LOOKED.
Ten years before this time the
present site of Riverside avenue
and Howard street seemed away
out on the prairie" from the central
part of old Spokane Falls. Howard
street and Front avenue was the
scene of the greatest activity,
though a few scattering little bust
ness places reached as far as Main
avenue. The entire village was
framed by Front and Main ave-
nues and Stevens and Wall streets.
Outside of this territory practically
the only buildings were the log
hundred inhabitants, saw mill
and flour mill.
Barracks used by soldiers who
kept trace of the Indians and
builded the Mullan road across the
prairies and through the hills, were
standing about Main avenue and
Howard and Wall streets. No rail
road entered the town at that time
and owners OF the property that is
now dotted with towering business
blocks, factories and mills were
fearful that no road would come
this way. The canyons hemming
the city in on nearly every side
seemed almost impossible.
PIONEER RELATES STORIES
or THOSE OLD DAYS.
Secretary Il. N. Cory of the Spo.
kane Grocers' association. one OF
the earliest residents OF the city,
was q clerk at this time in the
grocery store of r. w. Forrest. who
opened 6pokane's first exclusive
grocery store at the corner OF Front
and Howard. where the Occur
d'Alene hotel now stands. Follow
Ing Ii o story Of those old days as
he has related II to a representa-
tive Of The Press:
Spokane Falls. as the town was
then known, could not scratch to-
gether more than 300 or $50 people,
even by taking In all the white
population OF the whole surround.
INK country. There were only q
IN little trading places here and
m nAonf ~ ollr noffQpase came