The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1915-01-29

(fOu nave heard OF delayed pay
ments, which are not uncommon these
days, the delayed pass, the delayed
steal and the delayed one thing and
another. This is a delayed letter writ
ten some weeks ago at Spokane, which
has been shunted aside to make room
for more interesting reading, and is
used at this time as filler)
What has struck p'e most forceably,
and | must say most painfully since
my arrival in Spokane has been the
universal cry of hard times" This re-
frain has been iterated and reiterated
every day since my arrival, and has
not been confined to any one class of
citizens. The pinch is felt all down
the line from the very wealthy, or
those who are supposed to be well to
do, to the very poor. That men are
cramped is shown by retrenchment in
the weather. homes, the reduction of
operating forces in industrial lines,
and in bread lines, where appeals for
the bear necessities of life emphasizes
the prevailing condition of industrial
Inactivity, business stagnation, with
the consequent lack of employment
IL is a condition and not a theory" as
the late Mr.. Cleveland would put it,
that is confronting the people, not
alone of Spokane, but of every city,
town and community in the west, and
presumably in the entire land. Every
old timer speaks of the situation as
the worst in the history of the city,
although if they would only stop a
moment and hark back to the days of
1884 and 1891 they would probably
modify that conclusion. Building is
at an absolute standstill, industries
employing men are curtailing forces,
and the merchant is complaining of
slow sales. No one seems able to ac-
count for the prevalence of hard times
beyond the single statement, lack of
confidence. OF course the political
partisan will look wise and attribute
the condition to the present adminis-
tratiOn, a common goat, no matter
what party is in power, if depression
o. disaster should occur. Others
charge 1t up against the European
war, a convenient misfortune that is
not made any worse by being called
m a
That there is money and lots of it in
this community, is conspicuously DEM
Onstrated by the bank reports just is
sued. Those reports show that the
various banks are carrying deposits
tC the amount of some $32, 100000, and
$?2,OOO,00O is some money. However,
people owning these bank accounts
are religiously hanging fast to the
same. No investment is sufficiently
attractive to induce them to shake
loose, consequently nothing in the way
o. improvements, or new Industrial
ventures, are in progress, hence the
lack of pay rolls and the circulation
of the medium of exchange that is the
natural result of the distribution of
regular wage.
That is the dismal tune that has
been dinned into my ears since my
meeting up with old friends and ac-
quaintances, and yet to one fresh from
off the bunch grass, where three peo-
pie collected together constitutes a
crowd and dozen wild and uncon-
trollable mob, Spokane does not ap-
pear to be either dull nor in finan-
cial and industrial topper. Looking
down upon Riverside avenue, one of
the main arteries of business, from any
of the imposing blocks that line that
thoroughfare, one watches the con-
stant and endless ebb and flow of a
stream of humanity, and an almost
unbroken line of vehicles, and the
wonder arises as to where all are 60
ing, or from whence they came. Most
Of the pedestrians seem to be moving
| along aimlessly, and few branch of
to enter the inviting doors of the hand
some and attractive emporiums Of
business and trade. There is an alb.
sence of that sprightly and bouyan,
step indicative of brisk trade and Gag.
erness of accomplishment that is sc
conspicuous here during a high tide
of business activity. Yet all these
| people must live, must have some
means of support, must contribute tt
a greater or less degree toward keep
ing up the ramification Of business in
terests, many times duplicated II