UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 i;v 
 
 C. P. HUNTINGTON 
 
 .JUNE, 1897. 
 
 No, 76~J.40 Class No, 
 
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 SETTLERS' GUIDE, 
 
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 A HAND-BOOK: 
 
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 SPOSAHE FALLS, 
 
 1885. 
 
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 WALKER L BEAN, 
 
 WHOLESALE AND RETAIL 
 
 UNION BLOCK. 
 
 ^ Howard St. Spokane Falls, W. T. 
 
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 Slje Queeii City of tl^e Pacific, 
 
 as a CnmniErcial 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 DALLAM, ANSELL & EDWARDS. 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS: 
 
 EVENING REVIEW BOOK AND JOB PBIHT 
 
 1885. 
 
Rntered according to act of Congress, In 
 Hie year 1885. by Dal lam, Ansell and Edwards 
 in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Introductory 9 
 
 Washington Territory 11 
 
 Northern Idaho 13 
 
 Eastern Washington 14 
 
 The Great Plain of the Columbia 16 
 
 The Palou.se Section 17 
 
 The Spokane Section 18 
 
 The Crab Creek and Grand Coulee Section 19 
 
 The Moses Lake Section 19 
 
 Other Sections 19 
 
 Tributary to Spokane Falls 20 
 
 Spokane Falls, Advantages, etc 25 
 
 Situation 26 
 
 Past, Present and Future. 26 
 
 Water Power 32 
 
 Surrounding Country.. 34 
 
 Live Stock ..-. 36 
 
 The Big Bend Country 37 
 
 The Mineral Resources 40 
 
 The Coeur d'Alene Mines... 40 
 
 The Chewelah Mines 43 
 
 The Pend d' Oreille Mines 46 
 
 The Similkameen District.. .*. 48 
 
 The Kettle Falls District 49 
 
 A Mica Mountain 50 
 
 Coal Fields 51 
 
 A Plumbago Mine 52 
 
 Manufacturing and Business 52 
 
 Grain, Fruits and Vegetables 53 
 
 Growth 55 
 
 Educational. .... 56 
 
 Churches 58 
 
 Climate 58 
 
 Transportation. 61 
 
 Questions and Answers 62 
 
 What Outsiders Think of Spokane 64 
 
 Conclusion ... 66 
 
OF THK 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
Introductory. 
 
 Since the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad, almost every 
 newspaper east of the Rocky Mountains has devoted considerable 
 space and attention to the country and towns along its route, and very 
 man\ r of the larger and more prominent city dailies have sent special 
 reporters through to the extreme northwest to gather the most reliable 
 information to be obtained to serve in the most attractive style to their 
 armies of readers. The eagerness with which this knowledge has been 
 sought and relished shows something of the interest felt in * the States" 
 in this northwestern empire. While these reports have almost inva- 
 riably been furnished by experienced writers, and often by trained 
 journalists, they have always been prepared in haste and with but a 
 very superficial knowledge of the country described. The result has 
 been that they were generally grossly exaggerated or fell short of the 
 actual truth. 
 
 The compilers of this work have been urged to the task of its pro- 
 duction by many of the best citizens of our young city. The matter 
 contained in its pages has been submitted to many of them, to whom 
 we are under obligations for valuable suggestions and assistance, and 
 has met with their unqualified approval. We have endeavored to 
 simply state facts, which can be verified by proper investigation. In 
 no part of the country is capital so urgently needed as in the new 
 regions of the West. Houses are to be built, towns created, roads 
 made, land broken, machinery put to work to raise and harvest crops 
 and it all takes money. There are no accumulations of past industry 
 to fall back upon. The capital must be brought in from older commu- 
 nities, either by the settlers themselves or by banks and other agencies 
 for making loans. The great drawback to the development of new 
 regions is the scarcity of money and the high rates of interest. Both 
 are caused by lack of knowledge and confidence on the part of capital- 
 ists in the East. When money is a drug in the market at five or six 
 
10 
 
 per cent, in Pennsylvania, New York, and the New England States, it 
 is in active demand at ten or twelve per cent, in Washington Territory, 
 with security offered of first-class real estate mortgages. For small 
 loans secured by chattel mortgages on crops and machinery, Washing- 
 ton farmers are sometimes forced to pay as high as four per cent, a 
 month. 
 
 But capital is cautious, and, to attract it to this country, we must show 
 this a profitable place for investment. To do this, is the object of this 
 work. To show that nature has done enough to secure abundant suc- 
 cess to the industrious faimer, stock-raiser and fruit-grower in Eastern 
 Washington, and that the miner, manufacturer and artisan cannot find 
 equal inducements elsewhere on this continent, we will let facts speak 
 for themselves. Our city of Spokane Falls is the natural centre of one 
 of the richest and most extensive regions of country to be found in the 
 United States. Its plains and plateaus are covered with productive soil, 
 in which all kinds of grain matures to its fullest perfection, and its 
 mountains and hills hide untold treasures of the precious metals. To 
 attract to these the attention of the capitalists, the mechanics, the hus- 
 bandmen and others in the overcrowded East, who desire to seek an 
 abode with us, and that they may be prepared for just what they v-ill 
 see when they come, is the aim of this book. That it may not return 
 to us void, but accomplish the work to which it is dedicated, is the 
 earnest wish of 
 
 THE AUTHORS. 
 
 Spokane Falls, January, 1885. 
 
Washington Territory. 
 
 No section of the Union has attracted more attention during the 
 past two years than Washington Territory. Practically unknown be- 
 for the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the public at- 
 tention being so thoroughly occupied by the Dakota boom, the won- 
 derful excellences of this country and the inducements it offers to set- 
 tlement were slow in being brought to the notice of the people in other 
 portions of the country. 
 
 The length of Washington Territory, from north to south, ranges 
 from 200 to 250 miles, and its greatest breadth from east to west is 
 about 360 miles. Its coast length is 245 miles, and its full shore line 
 1738 miles. It is smaller than most of the Territories and several of 
 the Western States, having an area of only 66,994 square miles, or 44,- 
 796,160 acres, but is, nevertheless, one and a half times as large as New 
 York or Pennsylvania. Exclusive of the area covered by the waters 
 of PugetJround, and the mountainous region, there would probably 
 remain 40,000,000 acres. Of these 20,000,000 acres are timber lands, 
 about 5,000,000 are rich alluvial bottoms, and 15,000.000 are prairies and 
 plains. A large proportion is well adapted for wheat culture, and all 
 of it for stock raising. The tenth census of the United States, taken in 
 1880, gave the Territory a population of 75,120. So rapid has been the 
 increase that the population has more than doubled during the past 
 four years, an increase almost unprecedented in the history of our 
 country and which promises to continue for many years to come. 
 
 The C'ascade Mountains which take their name from the numerous 
 waterfalls that pour down their rugged faces, divide Washington into 
 two unequal parts, each of which is characterized by a marked dissimi- 
 larity in topography, soil, climate, and, to some extent, productions 
 This range of mountains is a prolongation of the Sierra Nevada chain, 
 and traverses Washington in a course slightly deviating from north ta 
 south. The average distance of these mountains from the Pacific 
 
12 
 
 Ocean is about 110 miles. As the range reaches northward it puts out 
 spurs in many directions, so that the whole country in Washington, 
 west of the Columbia is broken and hilly. About 150 miles east of the 
 Cascade Mountains the Blue Mountains stretch from the interior of 
 Oregon toward the northeast, penetrating the southeastern corner of 
 Washington. At a distance varying from 40 to 70 miles west of the 
 Cascade Mountains is another range running also north and south, 
 known as the Coast Range. Generally separated from the Pacific 
 Ocean by an intervening narrow strip of upland, this range has an al- 
 titude from 3,000 to 5,000 feet. Mount Olympus, not far distant from 
 Puget Sound, towers to the bight of 8000 feet. These mountains are 
 all densely wooded. 
 
 These ranges conjointly with the numerous hills which flank and 
 border and run from them, especially in the country west of the Cas- 
 cade Mountains, break the surface of the land, cutting it up into num- 
 berless valleys of varying extent and of great fertility, each of which is 
 traversed by a more or less important stream. 
 
 There is no part of the United States that is richer in natural re- 
 sources than Washington, but they have been only slightly developed 
 and are comparatively unknown. The climate is healthy and delight- 
 ful, and the soil is of the most fruitful character; there is an inexhaust- 
 ible supply of timber, vast mineral wealth and very valuable fisheries, 
 Before 1869 there was not a single railroad in this region '. But the 
 building of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company's lines, and 
 the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad have given a wonder- 
 ful impetus to this part of the country, and the great influx of settlers 
 and capital has resulted in a proportionately greater outflow of its pro- 
 ducts to the markets of the United States and the world. 
 
 The capabilities of this vast region being unlimited, there is room 
 for millions of people to profitably engage in the development of the 
 resources of wealth that abound every where in this political division. 
 The climate of Washington is mild and equable. The mean tem- 
 perature of January ranges from 10 to 20 higher on the Pacific than 
 on the Atlantic side of the Rocky Mountains. This difference is 
 caused by the Japan current, which modifies the climate of the North- 
 ern Pacific Coast in the same way the Atlantic Gulf Stream tempers 
 the climate of the British Isles. There is, however, a great dissimi- 
 larity in the climate of Washington between those lands lying west of 
 the Cascade Mountains and those east of them. 
 
 West of the Cascade Range the .winters are rainy, rather than cold. 
 The winter or rainy season begins about the middle of October, often 
 later, and ends about the first of May. The rains are more" copious in 
 December, January and March. At the beginning and end of the wet 
 season the rain is usually in showers, with many intervals of bright 
 weather. Snow sometimes falls but speedily disappears. Thunder 
 storms are exceedingly rare; hail-storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and 
 other destructive phenomena are scarcely known. 
 
 .East^oT the Cascade Mountains, it must be remembered, the cli- 
 mate and natural features of the country are very different from those 
 
13 
 
 of the great basin lying west of them, so that the popular division, 
 Eastern and Western Washington Territory, is warranted. 
 
 In the eastern section the thermometer is much higher in sum- 
 mer and lower in winter than in the western section. The rainfall is 
 only half as heavy. From June to September t'here is no rain, the 
 weather being perfect for harvesting. The heat is great, but not near- 
 ly so oppressive as a much lower grade would be in the Eastern 
 States, and the nights are invariably cool. 
 
 The winters are short, but occasionally severe. Snow seldom falls 
 before Christmas, and sometimes lies from four to six weeks, but 
 usually disappears in a few days. The so-called "Chinoook," a warm 
 wind, is of great benefit to the country; it blows periodically and melts 
 deep snows in the course of a few hours. This warm atmosphere is 
 caused Dy the passage of the wind across the Japan current. 
 
 In Eastern Oregon and Washington spring begins in February, 
 with warm, pleasant weather and lasts until the middle of May. At this 
 season rain falls in sufficient quantity to give life to vegetation and in- 
 sure good crops. The average temperature is 52. 
 
 Autumn weather in October and November is generally delightful. 
 There is often frost by night, but the days are usually warm and 
 bright. The season is marked by showers, and also by thunder 
 storms in some localities. The mercury ranges between 55 and 70. 
 
 Northern Idaho. 
 
 The five counties comprising the " pan-handle" or northern portion 
 of Idaho, for the purposes of this work, may be considered as actually 
 a portion of Eastern Washington. The residents of that section voted 
 almost unanimously in favor of annexation to Washington, the Idaho 
 Territorial Legislature has endorsed the proposition, their incoming 
 Delegate to Congress was elected on that issue, and as both political 
 parties in this Territory strongly favored it in their recent platforms, it 
 may be said to have been endorsed by the voters of Washington at the 
 polls last November. It now only awaits congressional action, which 
 is strongly hoped for at this session. In character and appearance it is 
 very similar to Western Montana and portions of Eastern Washington 
 and Oregon. The scenery is indescribably wild and picturesque. The 
 present Idaho line is only eighteen miles east of Spokane Falls, and 
 this is the natural gateway to, and the supply point 'or its valuable 
 mines, as well as the point at which its vast forests around Lake Coaur 
 d'Alene must be cut into lumber. 
 
 The Northern Pacific Railroad, while traversing Idaho for only a 
 comparatively short distance, passes through a region of abundant and 
 magnificent timber, many of the trees being from seven to ten feet in 
 diameter, and of great height. The varieties are red fir, white pine, 
 white cedar, hemlock, tamarack, and larch. The construction of tha 
 
14 
 
 Northern Pacific Railroad has made this wild and hitherto compara- 
 tively unknown country accessible, and its resources and capabilities 
 are being investigated by large numbers, while settlers are going in 
 rapidly to whom its timber alone will be an important source of wealth 
 The capabilities of soil generally in Northern Idaho are great, and, 
 unlike Southern Idaho, abundant and seasonable rains render irrigation 
 unnecessary. The grazing areas, as yet largely unoccupied, are of the 
 same general character of superiority as those of Montana, Washington 
 and Oregon. Many beautiful and highly romantic streams are crossed, 
 the water of which is of exceeding freshness and purity, while lapids 
 and falls are of frequent occurrence, furnishing water power of unlim- 
 ited capacity all through the country which can be easily and cheaply 
 utilized by future settlers for manufacturing purposes. Northern 
 Idaho is teeming with all kinds of the large wild game which are 
 found upon the mountains or in the primeval forests of the Northwest. 
 Of swift, noble rivers and deep, placid lakes, Northern Idaho has its 
 scores. Snake River, which flows along the western boundary of 
 Idaho, is navigable from the Northern Pacific Railroad on the Colum- 
 bia River eastward for 200 miles. Clarke's Fork of the Columbia, 
 Cceur d'Alene and St. Joseph Rivers are each navigable, and larger 
 than the Ohio at Pittsburg. The Kootenai, Vermillion, Palouse and 
 Clearwater are larger, and compare favorably in picturesqueness with 
 the Susquehanna, or other similar streams which are recognized as the 
 noblest and most beautiful possessions of the Alleghanies or Blue 
 Ridge. All of these and hundreds of minor water-courses are swift 
 and clear currents, full of trout and other species of fresh-water fish. 
 
 It has very many beautiful lakes of clear fresh water, the most noted 
 of which are Coeur d'Alene and Pend d'Orielle, each within easy reach 
 of Spokane Falls, and are the hunter's and sportsman's paradise. It 
 also contains some of the most valuable mineral fields yet known, of 
 which we will speak more fully elsewhere. 
 
 Eastern Washington. 
 
 The terms Eastern and Western Washington are generally under- 
 stood to refer to the portions on the east and west sides of the Cascade 
 Mountains, and that is the division which will be followed in this 
 book, although that portion between the Cascade Range and the Col- 
 umbia River is often referrred to as Middle Washington. Eastern 
 Washington is about 180 by 200 miles in extent and contains, approxi- 
 mately, 36,000 square miles, or 23,000,000 acres, an area more than 
 three times the size of Maryland and even larger than the States of 
 Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Ver- 
 mont together, and vastly more arable. With the system of railroads, 
 
15 
 
 which are now projected, in operation, which is not many years ahead, 
 atid the mills and manufactories in operation here which are bound 
 soon to come, all this vast country will be directy tributary to Spokane 
 Falls, as its natural manfacturing, mining and commercial centre. 
 
 The soil in Eastern Washington is generally a dark loam and often of 
 great depth, composed of alluvial deposits of decomposed lava over- 
 laying a clay subsoil. This rests upon a basaltic formation which is 
 so far beneath the surface as to be visible only on the banks of the 
 water courses. Some of the more broken sections have considerable 
 "scab" land which is unfit for agricultural purposes but is excellent 
 grazing land. The constituents of the soil adapt the country peculiarly 
 to the production of wheat and other grains, as well as vegetables, 
 while the mild climate makes this an excellent fruit growing country. 
 Although the dry seasons often continue for months, this light, porous 
 land absorbs and retains enough moisture from the atmosphere to in- 
 sure perfect growth and full harvests. 
 
 This assertion is so at variance with common experience that it 
 might well be questioned. Happily, it is susceptible of explanation. 
 In spite of the fact that there is scarcely a shower between May and 
 the following September and that the average rainfall for the year 
 does not exceed twenty inches, there is always the requisite moisture 
 for maturing the crops. Paradoxical as it may seem, if the rain were 
 greatly in excess of this low average, damage would certainly ensue; 
 and it is equally sure, if successful farming depended upon the limited 
 rainfall, there would be poor harvests. The clouds supply only in 
 part the moisture which is needed. The warm air-currents, surcharged 
 with vapor, which sweep inland from the ocean up the channel of the 
 Columbia River, prevent drought. The effect of the atmospheric cur- 
 rents in tempering the climate is very beneficial. Their influence upon 
 the vegetation is no less vital. The moisture with which they are 
 laden is held in suspension during the da\ r , diffused over the country. 
 At night it is condensed by the coo er temperature, and precipitated in 
 the form of a fine mist onevery exposed particle of surface which earth 
 and plant present. The effect is that of a copious shower. 
 
 The climate of the great region lying between the Bitter Root anfl 
 Coeur d'Alene Ranges of the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade 
 Range is subject to the same regulating influences which determine 
 the character of the climate west of the Cascade Range. The currents 
 of the Pacific Ocean form a great river of equatorial warmth, which, 
 leaving the coast of Japan, flows across the Pacific, follows the Ameri- 
 can Pacific Coast, sends its warm breath known as the Chinook winds, 
 over elevated plains and through mountain defiles far into the interior. 
 It is, therefore, a climate of greater mildness and equability than is 
 found in the same or approximate latitudes elsewhere on the Ameri- 
 can Continent, the average indication being 30 in winter and 85 in 
 summer. The amount of rain and snow is less than west of the Cas- 
 cade Range; buithe snowfall alone is greater, there being little or no 
 snow in the coast counties. Snow, however, rarely occurs here be- 
 fore Christmas. The dry season is longer, but is not of such severity 
 as to require artificial irrigation. for the growth and maturing of crops. 
 
Only at mid-day is the heat ever considerable; the mornings and eve- 
 nings are perfectly fine and enjoyable, and the nights are refreshingly 
 cool and invigorating. 
 
 The Great Plain of the Columbia. 
 
 The most important portion of Eastern Washington, and that 
 which will always be most directly tributary to Spokane Falls, is that 
 portion best known as The Great Plain of the Columbia River, which 
 in this work deserves the most minute description. In order to show 
 complete accuracy, as well as impartiality, we will quote largely from 
 the report of Lieutenant Thomas W. Syrnons, of the Corps of United 
 States Engineers, which was transmitted by Robert T. Lincoln, Secre- 
 tary of War, to the United States Senate, in response to a resolution of 
 that body calling on him for " information respecting the navigable 
 waters of the Upper Columbia River and its tributaries, and of the 
 resources of the country adjacent thereto." We shall quote freely from 
 this report, because in its official nature it is entirely unbiased, and 
 because it contairs statements that might be regarded as exaggerations 
 should we make them without such verification. Of this section, Lieu- 
 tenant Symons says : 
 
 "The northern portion of the interior Columbia Basin, known as 
 the Great Plain of the Columbia, may be described as that area bounded 
 on the west by the Cascade Mountains, on the south by the Blue 
 Mountains, on the east by the Bitter Root and Coeur d'Alene Moun- 
 tains, on the north by the Mountains of the Moses and Colville Reser- 
 vations, and those in a triangular area between the Columbia River and 
 Clarke's Fork. This area is about 145x155 miles in extent and contains 
 approximately 22,000 square miles, or 14,080,000 acres, an area as large 
 as Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island put 
 together. This section is also known in popular parlance as the 
 " Bunch-Grass" country, from the fact that nearly all the plains and 
 hills are covered by this most hardy and nutritious grass. In the 
 Spring and early Summer when it is green and juicy, it is very sweet 
 and palatable and cattle eat it with avidity. During the Summer it 
 ripens, and the heat of the sun and dearth of moisture dry it up and 
 color it a rich yellow brown, but in this condition it is even better for 
 stock than it was in its early green state. I have been told by an old 
 pioneer packer, who for many years packed through the country, that 
 his animals would keep in better condition on bunch-grass alone, 
 than they would if fed on ordinary hay and grain. Bunch-grass has 
 became the synonym for things good, strong, rich and great. The- 
 bunch -grass country is the best and finest country on earth ! Bunch 
 
17 
 
 grass cattle and horses are the sweetest, fleetest and strongest in the 
 world ; and a bunch-grass man is the most superb being in the uni- 
 verse ! Over nearly the whole of this Great Plain of the Columbia, 
 there is now spread a rich and fertile soil, varying in depth from a few 
 inches to hundreds of feet. This soil has been produced by the grind- 
 ing action of the ice and drift of the great glacial epoch, by the water- 
 wearing action of the champlain epoch and from the disintregation of 
 the rocks during the last and present existence of the Terrace epoch, by 
 the action of the Summer's rain and heat and Winter's frost and cold, 
 and chemical decomposition arising from exposure to the atmosphere 
 Soil arising from the disintegration of volcanic rocks is known to pos- 
 sess in a high degree the qualities and mineral constituents needed by 
 plants. The most fertile soil of France, Italy, the Sandwich Islands 
 and California, are of this nature, and the wondrous harvests in some 
 localities of the Bunch-Grass country shows that its soil has no supe- 
 rior anywhere. From an inspection of the topographical charts it will 
 be seen that nearly all of this" vast area is susceptible of use, either for 
 agricultural or grazing purposes. 
 
 " In order to particularize a little in regard to this Great Plain of the 
 Columb.a, let us suppose that portion north of the Snake and Clear- 
 water Rivers to be divided into four nearly equal parts, by a line drawn 
 due south from the Big Bend of the Columbia River, near Camp Spo- 
 kane, to Snake River, and a line due east and west through the south- 
 ern end of Colvilie Lake. 
 
 "The northeastern section may be termed the Spokane Section, the 
 southeastern as the Palouse Section, the northwester \ as the Crab 
 Creek and Grand Coulee Section, and the southwestern as the Moses 
 Lake Section. 
 
 "To these must be added the section south and west of the Snake, or 
 Walla Walla Section ; the one south of the Clearwater and east of the 
 Snake, as the Lewiston and Mount Idaho Section, and the one to the 
 west of the Columbia as the Yakima Section. 
 
 THE PALOUSE SECTION. 
 
 " The lands of this section are nearly all of good quality and are 
 being rapidly settled. This section is well watered, the main streams 
 being the Palouse, Cow Creek, Rock Creek, Pine Creek, Union Flat 
 Creek, Rebel Flat Creek, Potlatch Creek, and the headwaters of Latah 
 or Hangman's Creek, besides which are many smaller streams. 
 
 44 Considerable "scab" land exists in the western and northwestern 
 parts of this section. The land so designated by the people of the 
 country is that whrre the original volcanic rock is exposed and uncov- 
 ered by any soil. Patches of this exposed rock exist scattered through 
 the most fertile regions. This is the most fertile, most thickly settled, 
 and best known of the four sections, north of the Snake. Several tine 
 towns have been started in this country ; the principal one, and the 
 one which is destined to become quite a railroad and commercial 
 centre, is Colfax, at the junction of the North and South forks of the 
 
18 
 
 Palouse. The western portion is devoid of timber, but in the eastern 
 portion, about the headwater streams of the Palouse and Hangman's 
 Creek, plenty of fine timber exists. 
 
 THE SPOKANE SECTION. 
 
 " This section is more varied than any of the others. In its south- 
 eastern part is Coeur d'Alene Lake and the tine timber-covered coun- 
 try surrounding it. In its northeastern and eastern parts are the 
 Spokane Plains and the fertile prairies scattered through the northern 
 woods. Its western portion comprises some of the finest farming 
 lands in the Territory, among which are those known as the Deep 
 Creek, Four Lakes, Upper Crab Creek, Hangman's Creek, a-id Cotton- 
 wood Springs Countries, Gordon Prairie, etc. The Spokane River runs 
 through this section, giving water transportation for the timber from 
 the great forests about its headwaters, and furnishing one of the finest 
 water powers in the world. The main line of the Northern Pacific 
 Railroad runs diagonally through the section, along the Spokane 
 River. 
 
 ;< Due west from Spokane Falls and extending in a westerly direc- 
 tion, is the divide between the streams which flow north into the Spo- 
 kane and south into Crab Creek. This divide is higher in appearance 
 than the country to the north and south. It abounds in springs and 
 swales, where the waters collect and then flow away as rivulets and 
 brooks through the gently rolling hills at first, finally becoming more 
 deeply encanyoned as they near their destination at the greater river, 
 or creek. Of uourse those flowing north into the Spokane River cut 
 more deeply than those flowing south. This divide is of importance 
 in the economy of the country, as it furnishes an excellent route for a 
 railroad, which will pass through an extremely fertile and desirable 
 country, and be easily accessible from both sides throughout its entire 
 length. This railroad is one which in the near future must certainly 
 be built. Its starting point must be at the Falls of the Spokane, from 
 whence it will stretch away westward to the Okanogan and vicinity of 
 the Wenatchee, bearing in one direction its loads of grain to be ground 
 into flour for shipment to the great world, and in the other direction 
 the fuel, lumber and merchandise required by the inhabitants along 
 the route through which it passes. 
 
 " Upon the plain just above where Hangman's Creek joins the Spo- 
 kane, is situated the City of Spokane Falls, and it is certainly unex- 
 celled in the whole world as a townsite. There never will be any mud, 
 and pavements will never be needed in this beautiful place, which is 
 already assuming the dignity and business appearance, as well as the 
 name, of a city. The Northern Pacific Railroad here crosses Hang- 
 man's Creek, and first reaches the Spokane River. Several other i ail- 
 roads have been projected, which, when built, will make the town an 
 important railroad centre. Its situation and natural advantages must 
 make it a place of consequence, and great things are predicted of it. 
 
 " The climate is truly delightful and of the most undoubted health- 
 
19 
 
 fulness. In the vicinity are all the elements which go to make up an 
 attractive place of residence ; beautiful scenery of varying plains and 
 mountains, prairie and timbered hills, lovely lakes for boating, fishing,, 
 bathing, etc ; a picturesque river abounding in the finest trout, unex- 
 celled rides and drives, and hunting of all kinds from prairie shooting 
 to deer, elk and bear hunting among the summits and gorges of the 
 mountains. 
 
 THE CRAB CREEK AND GRAND COULEE SECTIONS. 
 
 At the time Lieut. Symons made his report these regions were lit- 
 tle known and the only inhabitants, he states, were '*three or four cat- 
 tle men living along Crab Creek" and two or three others. He pro- 
 nounced it, however, "a very fine agricultural and grazing section." 
 The southern portion, or Crab Creek Section, is well watered by streams 
 heading along the divide already mentioned, and there are numerous 
 valleys of varying width covered with rich grain and grass- producing 
 soil. Foster Crd3k, witii its in my branjae-s, is farther north and in 
 that section there are miny springs, sin ill lakes, and every induce- 
 ment, in the way of natural advantages, for thousands of settlers to 
 make prosperous and pleasant homes. The more western or Grand 
 Coaled portion of this section is now much better known than at the 
 time Lieut. Symons mide his report. It is kniwn as the Big Bend 
 country un J has proven, so far as tested, to be equal to any portion of 
 the Territory (not even excepting the famous Walla Walla and Pa- 
 louse Se^ions,) in the richness an J proiuetive qualitieof its soil. We 
 shall allude to it more minutely elsewhere in this book. 
 
 THE MOSES LAKE SECTION. 
 
 This last one of the four sections is purely uninviting and Lieut. 
 Symons finds no word of commendation for it. He describes it as "a 
 desert pure and simple, an almost waterless, lifeless desert. A large 
 portion is covered with boulders embedded in a loose, light, ashy soil, 
 other portions are covered with drifting sands, and taken all in all, it is 
 a desolation where even the most hopeful can find nothing in its fu- 
 ture prospects to cheer." 
 
 OTHER SECTIONS. 
 
 The Walla Walla, Takiraa, Lewiston and Mount Idaho Sections 
 each have large areas of rich and productive soils, where abundant 
 crops are grown without irrigation, as well as finely timbered and 
 grazing lands. These regions lie contiguous to the mountains and are 
 well watered and inviting to settlers. The Walla Walla Section has 
 been settled for many years and its productions of wheat and fruits 
 are known far and wide. The wheat production of this section for 
 this season is estimated as high as 6,003,003 bushels and its quality 
 canuot be excelled. For stockraising these regions are counted vastly 
 
20 
 
 superior to Montana. The climate is very mild and the bunch grass 
 very abundant. Cattle graze even to the summits of the mountains 
 and fare well all winter without feed, other than that gathered on the 
 range. 
 
 TRIBUTARY TO SPOKANE FALLS. 
 
 All these sections which have just been describe;], with even a 
 much larger scope of country, must become densely populated and di- 
 rectly tributary to some manufacturing and commercial centre. It 
 has a total agricultural area of not less than 10,000,000 acres, of which 
 probably not more than one-tenth is taken no and under cultivation. 
 It will be readily seen that its producing capacity is stupendous. It 
 will be able to produce 150,000,000 bushels of wheat, besides oats, bar- 
 ley* r yu, corn, vegetables and fruits of every description. Wheat has 
 often gone as high as 56 bushels per acre, corn 40 bushels and potatoes 
 500, while the different varieties of fruits have been grown with flat- 
 tering success. Apple trees generally come in bearing in three years 
 after planting. California has always been jealous of Oregon and 
 Washington Territory, so that an allusion to this section from that 
 quarter cannot be held other than as an acknowledgment forced out 
 by the facts. We quote from the San Francisco Chronicle, as follows: 
 
 "Eastern Washington Territorv is probably destined to become the 
 richest and most renowned wheat growing region in the world. The 
 great body of its arable land is in the southern portion, known locally 
 as the Spokane, Walla Walla, Palouse and Yakima Countries, which 
 have an unbroken area more than 150 miles square, extending from 
 the foot-hills of the Cascade Mountains eastward to the Idaho boundary 
 line, and from the Oregon line northward beyond the Great Bend of 
 the Columbia River. But Eastern Washington, in its entirety, is dis- 
 tinctively an agricultural region of great fertility ; for, in addition to 
 its vast scope of rolling prairies and plains in the southern and middle 
 sections, there are, in its more northerly portion and extending so far 
 as the British Possessions, numerous rich and well watered valleys, 
 such as the Okinakane and Colville Valleys, the latter of long standing 
 fame. Eastern Washington has been described as the 'Valley of the 
 Columbia River in Washington Territory, lying east of the Cascade 
 Mountains.' The appropriateness of this description will readily 
 appear by an examination of your map, showing the courses of this 
 river and its numerous tributaries. Here the climate is most favorable 
 to health, the soil yields the largest average return of wheat, drouth is 
 unknown, the crops never fail, and the ultimate. capacity for produc- 
 tion of cereals of the highest grade has been estimated by good judges 
 as high as 150,000,000 bushels per annum. 
 
 " Northeasterly extends the great Pulouse Country, which covers a 
 fertile circle of land, almost illimitable in extent, and whose produc- 
 tiveness has been proven by trial experiments, here and there, in 
 advance of its occupation for general husbandry, which now is to be 
 heralded by the advent of railroads. The people of the Willamette 
 
21 
 
 Valley have constrained themselves to believe that theirs was the 
 garden of the world and but one remove from Paradise, but the fact 
 confroms them that, in point of productiveness and diversity of cereals, 
 fruit and vegetables, the new land we have referred to, can anywhere 
 double-discount it. Dr. Blalock, than whom no one is more entitled to 
 the honors of discovery of this bonanza of agricultural wealth, has 
 demonstrated to anyone's satisfaction, who will give it an examination, 
 that, not only the elevated plains, where his first efforts were made, but 
 the sage lands, which were considered the barrenness of desolation, 
 can be made to blossom as the rose. His farm in the 'sage-brush 
 tract,' from which some of the finest peaches ever seen have been 
 received at the Oregonian office, will yield a great variety of fruits, 
 besides all kinds of vegetables ; but the bulk of this tract produced a 
 yield in wheat and barley which would put to effort the best producing 
 grain lands of the Willamette Valley to exceed. The Doctor is the 
 modern Colossus of wheat-growers, and enjoys the proud distinction 
 of being the largest producer per acre in the world 1,000 acres of his 
 2,400-acre hillside farm having yielded in excess of 50,000 bushels of 
 wheat the present season." 
 
 To further verify our statement as to the productive qualities of 
 this section, we append an extract from a letter written by Philip 
 Ritz, on oJd settler and a practical farmer and fruit-grower in Eastern 
 Washington. Mr. Ritz says : 
 
 "Wheat, rye, oats and barley grow finely without irrigation in all 
 our soils which contain clay or loam, and can be raised on the sandy 
 portion of the valley, with irrigation. Three years ago, when our val- 
 ley contained a population of less than six thousand souls, all told, we 
 raised about a million bushels of grain, seven hundred thousand bush- 
 els of which were wheat." 
 
 "I have seen large fields of wheat average fifty-six bushels to the 
 acre, and weigh sixty-two pounds per bushel; and have seen fields 
 which yielded forty to fifty bushels per acre from a volunteer crop 
 that is, produced the second year from grains scattered out during 
 harvest, sprouting during the fall, and growing even without har- 
 rowing." 
 
 "We generally raise the variety known as 'club' and sow it in the 
 fall or spring. We produce about forty bushels of corn to the acre, of 
 the large Yellow Dent variety, and it ripens nicely bj the first of 
 September." 
 
 "The potato is perfectly at home here, growing large, fine and 
 mealy. I let a neighbor have nine pounds of the Early Goodrich va- 
 riet\" last spring, from which he raised 1,575 pounds. Sweet potatoes 
 yield finely, but they are not so sweet as farther south. Turnips, 
 beets, cabbages, tomatoes, peas, beans, onions, are all raised with ease, 
 and in great abundance." 
 
 "Although this country has been settled but a few years, there are 
 already a number of fine bearing orchards. I commenced here six 
 years ago last spring, on ground that had never been fenced or plowed. 
 After thoroughly plowing up about five acres of ground, I planted it in 
 
22 
 
 orchard with small yearling trees. This season I had a thousand 
 bushels of the finest peaches that I ever saw grown, fully equal to the 
 best Delaware and New Jersey peaches, besides large quantities of ap- 
 ples, pears, plums, cherries j apricots, grapes and every variety of 
 small fruits. Fruits of all kinds are perfect in every respect, in this 
 climate, particularly plums, the curculio having never been seen. I 
 have a hundred bearing plum trees; one imperial gage two years ago 
 produced four hundred pounds of delicious rich fruit, which brought 
 eight cents per pound; last year it had about the same amount of fruit r 
 which sold for twelve and a half cents per pound; many other trees 
 did nearly as well. There is a large number of orchards just coming 
 into bearing in the country. The climate is so dry that we never see 
 any tiling like mildew or rot on the grape. I had grapes, last summer, 
 ripen, and have a fine flavor, although they lay entirely upon the 
 ground." 
 
 We turn from these extracts to quote again from the valuable re- 
 port of Lieut. Symons, giving some conclusive facts and figures bear- 
 ing on the productive qualities of this region tributary to our embryo 
 city. He says: 
 
 "In order to show the extraordinary fertility of this region of the 
 Columbia Riyer, I give below the statistics from the United States Cen- 
 sus Office of the average yield, per acre, of the cereals grown in 1879 la- 
 the State of Oregon and Territories of Washington, Idaho and Mon- 
 tana, comprising those regions drained largely by the Columbia 
 River and its tributaries Montana is included in this region for the 
 reason that, while most of the Territory is drained by the Missouri, a 
 large proportion of the cultivated land is on the headwater streams of 
 the Columbia, in the Missoula basin." 
 
 Cereals of the United States; average yield per crop O/1879. 
 
 STATES. 
 
 Barley. 
 
 Buck- 
 whpsit. 
 
 Indian 
 corn. 
 
 Oats. 
 
 Rye. 
 
 Wheat. 
 
 
 31 
 
 17 
 
 22 
 
 29 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 Washington 
 
 3H 
 
 24 
 
 19 
 
 41 
 
 14 
 
 24 
 
 
 as 
 
 
 &J 
 
 3o 
 
 12 
 
 24 
 
 Montana, 
 
 80 
 
 13 
 
 29 
 
 88 
 
 2(7 
 
 27 
 
 Average for above region, 
 Average whole United States- 
 
 33 
 
 22 
 
 18 
 14 
 
 25 
 
 28 
 
 85 
 2fi 
 
 18 
 11 
 
 23 
 13 
 
 "From this it is seen that the average yield of barley per acre in 
 this Columbia country is 50 per cent, greater than the average yield in 
 the whole United States, including this region; the average yield of 
 buckwheat is 29 per cent, greater; the average yield of Indian corn is 11 
 per cent, less; the average yield of oats is 40 per cent, greater ; of rye is 
 64 per cent, greater, and the average yield of the most important cereal 
 of all, wheat, is 77 per cent, greater than the average of the United 
 States." 
 
 "I give below the avereage yield of the cereals per acre of, the 
 
23 
 
 cereal crops of 1879, for the principal agricultural States of the Union, 
 aiid those \vnose average is the largest: 
 
 STATES. 
 
 Barley. 
 
 Buck- 
 wheat. 
 
 Indian 
 Corn. 
 
 Oats. 
 
 Rye. 
 
 Wheat. 
 
 Arkansas 
 
 12 
 
 6 
 
 19 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 C'a-lifornia 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 2X 
 
 27 
 
 9 
 
 16 
 
 Dakota 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 22 
 
 28 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 Illinois 
 
 22 
 
 11 
 
 36 
 
 32 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 Indiana 
 
 23 
 
 10 
 
 31 
 
 25 
 
 12 
 
 18 
 
 Iowa 
 
 20 
 
 10 
 
 42 
 
 34 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 Kan-'us 
 
 13 
 
 10 
 
 31 
 
 19 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 24 
 
 10 
 
 24 
 
 11 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 Massachusetts 
 
 25 
 
 12 
 
 34 
 
 31 
 
 10 
 
 16 
 
 Michigan 
 
 22 
 
 IS 
 
 35 
 
 34 
 
 13 
 
 19 
 
 Min nesota 
 
 9ft 
 
 11 
 
 34 
 
 38 
 
 16 
 
 11 
 
 
 jq 
 
 11 
 
 36 
 
 21 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 Nebraska . ... . 
 
 15 
 
 11 
 
 40 
 
 9 6 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 
 New York 
 
 22 
 
 15 
 
 33 
 
 30 
 
 11 
 
 16 
 
 North Carolina 
 
 U 
 
 g 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 Ohio 
 
 30 
 
 13 
 
 34 
 
 31 
 
 13 
 
 18 
 
 Pennsvl vania 
 
 IQ 
 
 V 
 
 33 
 
 27 
 
 9 
 
 13 
 
 Texas 
 
 II 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 21 
 
 g 
 
 
 V if n i a 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 16 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 Wisconsin 
 
 25 
 
 9 
 
 34 
 
 34 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "The statistics regarding the production of Irish Potatoes in th e 
 States and Territories where they are principally raised, is given in the 
 following table: 
 
 STATES. 
 
 Acres, 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 Yield per 
 
 acre. 
 
 Washington ....'... 
 
 6,823 
 
 1,035,177 
 
 152 
 
 Oregon 
 
 11,106 
 
 4.359,930 
 
 122 
 
 California 
 
 55,471 
 
 4,550,565 
 
 82 
 
 Connecticut 
 
 32,375 
 
 2,584,262 
 
 80 
 
 Illinois 
 
 151,123 
 
 10,365,707 
 
 69 
 
 Indiana 
 
 91 9S5 
 
 6 23 246 
 
 68 
 
 Iowa 
 
 121,358 
 
 9,932,537 
 
 82 
 
 
 71,41*3 
 
 7,999,625 
 
 112 
 
 
 32.660 
 
 3,070,389 
 
 94 
 
 Michigan 
 
 134,274 
 
 10,923,060 
 
 81 
 
 
 51,419 
 
 5,184.676 
 
 101 
 
 Nebraska 
 
 28,374 
 
 2,150,873 
 
 76 
 
 
 29,659 
 
 3,358,828 
 
 113 
 
 
 41,683 
 
 3,563,793 
 
 85 
 
 New York 
 
 349,903 
 
 33,612,313 
 
 96 
 
 Ohio 
 
 173,321 
 
 12,719,215 
 
 73 
 
 3*61111** vl vania . .. 
 
 185,429 
 
 16,284,819 
 
 88 
 
 Rhode Island 
 
 5,988 
 
 606,793 
 
 101 
 
 
 38,855 
 
 4,438,172 
 
 114 
 
 "Wisconsin 
 
 99.266 
 
 8.509,161 
 
 86 
 
 Dakota 
 
 6,960 
 
 664,086 
 
 95 
 
 
 
 
 
 "These statistics are only given to show the great fertility of the 
 soil of this country drained by the Columbia, its adaptability to sup- 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
24 
 
 port a large population engaged in agricultural pursuits, and the 
 enormous crops which its immense acreage must yield as soon as a 
 population sufficient for their cultivation is attained, and means of 
 transportation provided. This country is far away from the seat of 
 government and is very little known, but is bound soon to force itself 
 on the attention of the country, as one of the grandsst portions of our 
 domain, unexcelled by any, in the productions of the earth, 
 in the beauty, extent, and yield of its waters, in its mountains 
 clothed with splendid forests and enfolding mines of the useful and 
 precious metals, and in its climate." 
 
 "In consequence of its great and sure promise, our legislators 
 should look upon it with liberal eyes and grant abundant aid to all de- 
 sirable works of public improvement which may be undertaken to 
 facilitate transportation, sure of a prompt and rich return in the in- 
 creased prosperity and loyalty of the people." 
 
 "From the interior water ways, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, 
 should be removed, as far as practicable, all the rocky fetters which 
 prevent and hinder full and free navigation. Commerce will require 
 it, the people will demand it, and it must be done sooner or later." 
 
 We have claimed Spokane Falls as the natural mining, milling, 
 manufacturing and commercial centre for this vast region, and we will 
 now follow with the facts on which we base this assertion. Our city is 
 young, almost dating its existence from the time of the entrance of the 
 Northern Pacific Railroad, so that we cannot present a stupendous 
 array of figures and statistics to prove our point, but we will appeal to 
 facts equally conclusive and convincing. We shall briefly allude to 
 its location and history, and more fully to the resources and future 
 demands of the country of which it must ever remain the trade centre, 
 and to some of the enterprises which this country demands, showing; 
 that they can succeed best if located here. We shall endeavor to show 
 the superiority of our water power and its adaptability to various 
 manufactories ; with the materials for such in easy reach, and the home 
 market for their products. We shall endeavor to show this the natural 
 supply point for an extensive and rich mineral district and the induce- 
 ments for the location here of extensive smelting and reduction works. 
 This city is making rapid progress in educational and moral advance- 
 ment, and we shall endeavor to show that it possesses all the natural 
 elements, advantages and surroundings for a great inland metropolis. 
 
SPOKANE FALLS, 
 
 pfflEL CITY OB 
 
 The Advantages af its Situation and its 
 
 RESDTITCES SnpErinrtn any Other 
 
 in the Northwest, 
 
 In the older States of our Union, manufacturing and commercial 
 centres were established almost entirely on account of the location 
 being peculiarly fitted for such centres of trade. With the march of 
 civilization West a spirit of greater enterprise, push and determination 
 seemed to be possessed by the people, and it was soon discovered that 
 pluck, /eal, determination and enterprise could establish and build up 
 great and prosperous cities, even though they might not possess all 
 the natural advantages of location previously thought necessary 
 thereto. We have only to instance Chicago, Indianapolis, Peoria, 
 Kansas City, Denver, Fargo and others of that character, to prove our 
 assertion. But, when a place has all the possible natural ad vantages of 
 location, is surrounded with vast regions of the most productive coun- 
 try in the world, inexhaustible forests of the finest timber and moun- 
 tains of gold, silver, iron, lead, copper and coal, and is peopled at the 
 same time with men of energy, grit and go-ahead enterprise, with an 
 abiding faith in the future and full of determination to make it succeed 
 success may be said to be already assured. Spokane Falls has within 
 itself all the elements which have operated to build up all the principal 
 cities of this continent, and does not have to depend on a single feature, 
 as almost every one of them have been compelled to do. Our fathers 
 depended upon a good location and its peculiar advantages and sur- 
 roundings to make a city ; the more progressive, stirring Westerner 
 often depends on his own pluck and energy, with equal success. We 
 
26 
 
 have each of these advantages in Spokane Falls, as we shall endeavor 
 to fully show in this article, and, while trusting largely on the former, 
 we do not undervalue or depreciate the latter advantage. We know 
 that no amount of natural advantages can make a city unless there are 
 ;good earnest men within its own limits. Otherwise, a place less favored 
 by nature, but more favored with enterprise, will make immense 
 -strides of progress, while the place which nature intended should be 
 the city is left in almost its primitive condition. 
 
 SITUATION. 
 
 Spokane Falls is situated on the Falls of the Spokane River, and 
 takes its name therefrom. It would be very difficult to imagine a more 
 beautiful town-site. The river, having its source in Lake Coeur 
 d' Alone, flows in a westerly direction until its junction with Hangman's 
 Creek, just west of the city, where it turns abruptly to the north. 
 From the falls, the ground slopes, on the south side, gradually fora 
 
 'little more than half a mile, where it rises more steeply into a line of 
 small pine and fir-clad bluffs. The hillside leading up to the top of 
 this bluff is not too steep to build on, and is even now well dotted with 
 residences, many of them of a very handsome and substantial charac- 
 ter, and several of our most prominent citizens are preparing to make 
 
 .their permanent home in that part of the city. On the top of this bluff 
 is a handsome plateau, delightfully situated so as to command a view 
 of the present city, the river, the falls and the rolling plain stretching 
 away to the north, with its background of towering pines and rugged 
 mountains. This plateau will surely be one of the most beautiful resi- 
 dence portions of the city in the ne.ir future. It is a delightful situa- 
 
 : tiou, airy and cool in Summer, and high enough to escape the fogs of 
 Fall and Winter. Between this bluff and the river lays the city proper, 
 
 ' the Northern Pacific Railroad running almost through its centre. The 
 City stretches up and down the river for nearly two miles, and is very 
 beautiful in its design as well as location. It is regularly laid out, with 
 streets and avenues from eighty to one hundred feet wide. It is built 
 
 on a solid gravelly foundation, its graded streets make the best drives 
 in the world, and mud and dust are practically unknown. There will 
 
 .never be any need of pavements, and the millions of dollars spent in 
 that way in other cities will be saved to Spokane Falls. On the north 
 side of the river comparatively little improvement has yet be'en made, 
 but the location is fully equal to that on the south side, a large area has 
 been surveyed into town lots, and the city's growth for the next few 
 years will doubtless be largely in that direction. 
 
 PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. 
 
 In alluding to the marvelous growth of Western towns, especially 
 .those along the line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, the West Shore, 
 published in Portland, Oregon, calls attention to the fact that many of 
 them have but a " mushroom" growth and are inflated beyond their 
 proper limit. In drawing a distinction between such and this city, it 
 ays : " A year's dependence upon its own resources invariably 
 reveals the character of a town's growth, whether it is founded on a 
 
27 
 
 permanent basis or has only been inflated by an organized fr boom. T A- 
 town that in its second year grows still faster than in its first, w hose- 
 trade increases, whose wooden buildings are supplanted by brick, 
 whose situation renders tributary to it a vast extent of surrounding 
 country, rich in natural resources that are rapidly undergoing develop- 
 ment, such a town soon demonstrates that its growth possesses all tho 
 elements of stability. But when, in its third and fourth years it con- 
 tinues to grow in the same or even greater ratio, when it possesses 
 within itself unrivaled facilities for manufacturing, and when its rela- 
 tion to surrounding regions is such as to render it the natural railroad 
 centre for all the arteries of commerce by which the products of those 
 regions are brought to the great trunk lines which span the continent, 
 it is not only relieved of the imputation of being a ' mushroom city,' 
 but becomes universally recognized as a natural metropolis, awaiting 
 only the further development of its resources to become a large city. 
 Such a town is Spokane Falls ! u 
 
 That such a hopeful look into the future may not appear purely 
 visionary, it is only necessary to take a glance at the city's past history* 
 It is not yet seven years since the original townsite was first platted and 
 surveyed, and the growth of the city has been substantially within the 
 past tli ree years. We quote from a sketch written by Rev. H. T. Cowley, . 
 for many years a missionary among the Indians in this region and 
 now editor and proprietor of the Spokane Chronicle. It sounds almost 
 romantic when we remember that the place described now has a popu- 
 lation of S,500 or 4,000 permanent inhabitants, with business houses, 
 residences, and public improvements that would do credit to a city ten 
 times its size and age. Mr. Cowley says : 
 
 "Beyond the memory of the oldest aboriginal Spokane, the 
 enchanting groves of pine surrounding the Great Falls of the limpid 
 mountain river which takes its name from the dominant tribe of 
 Indians who held sway in this region, have been the favorite camping, 
 grounds in Summer and the rendezvous in Winter, of the Spokane 
 Nation. In the Spring of 1873, Mr. J. N. Glover, the present Mayor of 
 the city, and the only original pioneer now resident, arrived here from 
 Salem, Oregon, via Lewiston, prompted by the reported probable selec- 
 tion by the Northern Pacific Engineers of the Spokane Valley as a- 
 favorable route for the projected transcontinental railroad. Mr. Glover 
 found himself preceded by several other parties, most prominent 
 among whom were L. R. Scranton, J. J. Downing and a Mr. Benjamin,, 
 who had built a small saw-mill with a sash and muley saw run by an old- 
 fashioned overshot water-wheel. A part of the old frame still stands in 
 Mr. Cannon's present mill. Besides these men, there was also a lawyer 
 named Swift who dispensed, or dispensed with, the administration of 
 justice as suited the interest of his clients. In fact, there was a decided 
 tendency to anarchy in the little community, .and Mr. Glover had no 
 great difficulty in persuading the proprietors of the saw-mill and a few 
 cabins, to part with their squatter's rights and improvements for the 
 sum of $4,000. One of the proprietors, who was a fugitive from justice 
 on the charge of cattle add horse thieving, had to be approached in the 
 night in order to complete the purchase, and was found concealed in 
 
true dense underbrush near one of the ponds over the river, where he 
 had been hidden some time, armed to the teeth. In the entire region 
 now constituting Spokane Country, there were probably not a hundred 
 souls. Mr. Glover went below and brought up his wife about the mid- 
 dle of August. A small box house, had been built by the former mill 
 owners on the site where now stands the rear of Glover & Gilliam's 
 livery stable, and this had to answer for their domicile until Fall. Mr. 
 Glover went below again and bought an entire new outfit of machinery 
 for the saw-mill and selected a stock of goods in Portland for their 
 store. The machinery was put in operation late in the Fall, and before 
 Winter closed in they had run out 100,000 feet of lumber and built a 
 store-room and dwelling combined, adjoining the first building. 
 
 "Quite an Indian scare occurred this year, which was about equally 
 shared by both the natives and the whites. Unfounded rumors of an 
 expected outbreak got alioat and were magnified by the Portland 
 papers until it created such an excitement that several left the country. 
 It was reported in the papers that Spokane Garry, who was represented 
 as an educated savage, was serving written notices on settlers that they 
 must give up their claims or expect to feel the scalping knife, Hnd that 
 large numbers of Indians were fortifying at White Bluff, on the Colum- 
 bia River. That there was no particle of foundation for the rumor, was 
 evidenced by three missionary visits to the Spokanes that season by 
 Rev. H. H. Spaulding, of the Nez Perces Mission, at Lapwai, who at 
 the urgent solicitation of a delegation of Spokanes, came and preached 
 among them and baptized two hundred. 
 
 " The Spring opened up with no active promise, but there was much 
 to be done in the way of improvements to incomplete dwellings, and 
 several hundred thousand feet of lumber were added to the stock, but 
 there was only a limited demand and but very little money in the 
 country. The principal events of the season were the visit of General 
 Jefferson C. Davis, Department Commander, and successor of the 
 lamented General Canby. General Davis arrived the evening previous 
 to the writer's advent, and the next day a pleasant pow-wow was held 
 with the Indians, who had just returned from their ' carnas digging,' 
 about the first of July. The writer had come at the request of Fathe r 
 Spaulding, who had during the visits of the previous year become 
 much interested in the Spokanes, but whose last sickness had prevented 
 his return to fulfill his promise. The Indians were not only peaceably 
 inclined, but were anxious for instruction in the white man's ways. 
 Satisfied that something might be done for them, the writer made 
 arrangements during the Summer to bring his family from Mt. Idaho 
 beyond Lewiston, and establish a Mission at the Falls. The Indians 
 bargained to exchange horses, oats, furs, etc., for lumber, and by the 
 aid of a carpenter named Poole, who with his family of four arrived a 
 day later, a dwelling and school-house were built for the mission. 
 
 " The first school district between Spangle's and Colville Valley 
 was organized that Fall of 1874. The first school was held in the 
 writer's house and comprised four pupils. The first Territorial election 
 was also held in Spokane Falls Precinct in November 1874, in the front 
 
29 
 
 room of Mr. Glover's house and Hon. Robert Wimpy was elected 
 Representative. Messrs. D. F. Percival, L. S. Myers and another 
 County Commissioners; J. N. Hofstetter, Sheriff, and Mr. J. N. Glover 
 Justice of the Peace. The county seat of Stevens County, which then 
 included all of Spokane, Lincoln and Douglas Counties, was then at 
 Fort Colville, and thither the writer went on a journey of eighty-five 
 miles in December, to secure the necessary teacher's certificate. On 
 his return the writer met Deputy Sheriff Poole at Chewelah, in charge 
 of the first criminal convicted at Spokane Falls for theft by Justice 
 Glover. The culprit was the notorious Susaune, who had been the 
 Indian wife of several renegade white men. 
 
 4 *The Winter and Summer of 1875, was one of great financial 
 depression all over the Coast, and but very little improvement was 
 made in the Spokane Country. During the Summer of this season 
 Rev. S. G. Havermale, then a presiding elder of the Methodist Church, 
 passed through the town with his wife on his way from Colville, and 
 was impressed by the beauty of the scenery and the power and prob- 
 able future utility of the Falls. He saw, too, that it would bean excep- 
 tionally fine location for educational institutions and with a project for 
 the establishment of an academy, he decided to make it his future 
 home. Mr. and Mrs. Havermale returned late in the Fall of 1875 and 
 pre-empted what is now known as Haverinale's Addition to Spokane 
 Falls, and the water power adjoining it. 
 
 " Early in the Spring of 1876 there were added to the embryo town 
 Mr. Frederick Post with his family, having decided to locate here his 
 flouring mill, which he had been making preparations to locate at the 
 rapids, ten miles up the river, but as help was scarce he did not get his 
 mill in running order until the Winter of 1877-78. During the Spring 
 and Summer of 1876 the town firm built a storehouse and hall on the 
 corner where now stands the First National Bank. This building was 
 urged to completion in time for the celebration of the National Cen- 
 tennial. A surprisingly large number of people assembled at the Falls 
 that year from the whole region north of Snake River and celebrated 
 the event with great enthusiasm. The affair was quite a revelation to 
 the settlers of the region as it was not dreamed there was such a 
 population. 
 
 "In the Spring of 1877 the town-site firm dissolved partnership. 
 The mill and store business had not been profitable, but Mr. Glover 
 held on. This was the year of the Nez Perces' outbreak, and was the 
 most trying period of the history of our settlement. From the 27th of 
 June till the 10th of August there was a season of intense anxiety for 
 the -safety of the whole upper country, and many removed to Walla 
 Walla. The little community at the Falls, however, braved it through, 
 and suffered no harm. On the 10th of August, General Frank Wheaton 
 arrived in command of five hundred troops, accompanied by Indian 
 Inspector E. C. Watkins, for the purposes of preventing the return of 
 the hostile Nez Perces through the upper mountain passes, for over- 
 awing the natives, and for arranging to place them on reservations. 
 The troops pitched their camp on Mr. Havermale's claim, and on the 
 15th, 16th and 17th of August, a grand council was held with all the 
 
Indians of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, except Moses- 
 band, who refused to come in. The only result, however, of the 
 council and the presence of the trnops, was to inspire confidence among 
 the se tiers, and the establishment of two companies of infantry at the 
 Falls for wintering, preparatory to building Fort Coeur d'Alene. The 
 season was signalized also by the visit of General Sherman and escort, 
 who came through here from the East and arrived here via the Mullen 
 Road. It was on this trip that the General selected the site of the above 
 fort. 
 
 i4 The Spring of 1878 saw the departure of the troops to Coeu r 
 d'Alene, the revival of the prospects for building the Northern Pacific 
 Railroad, and on the arrival of Messrs. Cannon & Browne, whose pur- 
 chase of an interest in the townsite and the addition of a large stock of 
 goods by the firm of Cannon, Warner & Co., gave a fresh impetus to 
 the piace. Mr. Gray built the beginnings of the California House, and 
 opened it on Thanksgiving Day on the occasion of an entertainment 
 for the benefit of the public school building which had been begun in 
 the grove, where now stands the Northern Pacific Freight Warehouse^ 
 The next year, 1879, brought with it the surveying of the route for the 
 Northe in Pacific Railroad, the establishment wf the first newspaper, 
 the Spokane Times, by Hon. F. H. Cook, and the erection of the large 
 stores of F. R. Moore & Co., J. T. Graham, Friedenrich & Berg, R. W.- 
 Forrest, and tiie Northern Pacific Hotel by Arthur & Shaner. In the 
 Fall the hardware store of L. Ziegler and Clark & Rickard were also 
 added." 
 
 This is a graphic and accurate picture of the early history and 
 foundation of our city. From 1879 progress was steady but slow for 
 two or three years. Few lost faith in the town, but the outlook was 
 not always the most hopeful. The Northern Pacific Railroad built 
 from Wallula on its way eastward reached here in 1881, and with it 
 came an increased prosperity, but it was not until the Fall of 1882 that 
 the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company's Line along the Columbia 
 River gave the place railroad communication with Portland, and it was 
 not until September 1883, that the union of the two ends of the North- 
 ern Pacific in Montana gave it an outlet to the East. Certainly the 
 people were not idle during this time, but they labored under the dis- 
 advantage of being practically shut out from the outside world. 
 Really the first opportunity that Spokane Falls had of making known 
 her situation and advantages came with the completion of the railroad, 
 a id her real and rapid growth actually dates from that period. 
 Although that has only been sixteen months ago, half of which have 
 been Winter months, and the last six have witnessed one of the greatest 
 financial depressions ever felt in this country, yet the population of the 
 city has vastly more than doubled, its march of improvement has not 
 been checked, and greater enterprises of public improvement than 
 ever before are being inaugurated for the coining season. One of the 
 editors of the Chicago Times, certainly a disinterested party, who 
 visited our city eight months ago, wrote of it to that paper as follows . 
 
 "The wonder of the place is its immense water-power, and which in 
 the means at hand for utilizing the same is, perhaps, greater than that 
 
31 
 
 at Minneapolis. One must first become accustomed to the grandeur 
 and beauty of the scene, and which fairly rivals Niagara, before any 
 proper conception can be had of the magnitude of the ined ium in a 
 means of development and manufacture. There is power sufficient 
 for twice the spindles, machines, and manufactures of the New Eng- 
 land States more than is utilized in the manufacturing cities of Lowell, 
 Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Rochester, and Patterson combined; 
 is in excess of that at Minneapolis, and best illustrated, comparatively, 
 with that at Appleton, Wis. There is more value, in dollars and cents, 
 in the water-power at Spokane Falls than is possible to attain more 
 than any other known, unless it be at Appleton. The source of supply 
 is not drawn from mountain torrents, but covers a vast extent of 
 undulating country in Coeur d'Alene district, proceeding directly 
 from that large body of water, is reinforced in innumerable streams, 
 and of such temperature from the conditions incident that its flow is 
 perpetual, and "never freezes." Its value is simply incalculable, and, 
 with the immense forests at hand and other means of manufacture 
 common to the country, must prove a first means in maintenance of 
 the same. The natural advantages incident with such diversity of in- 
 terest tributary to its doors as is found in all surroundings fixed, in the 
 natural channel of trade, such condition as must inevitably result in 
 the building of an important city." 
 
 "Its present population is estimated at three thousand, the charac- 
 ter of its people progressive, its institutions liberal, and its government 
 good. The immediate vicinity is a gravel formation, with prevailing 
 ba.saltrock, and the region susceptible in grazing purposes; but at a few 
 miles distance a general change to fertile prairie transpires, with open 
 country extending in all surrounding save at the east, which is moun- 
 tainouswith extensive valleys concluding such course and all directly 
 tributary to this point. North, and extending to the Columbia, is Col- 
 ville Valley, comprising over one thousand square miles, recently 
 opened to settlement and offering rare inducements, the land fertile, 
 and producing extraordinarily in all cereals. South, and beginning 
 within the limits of the city, farming lands extend generally to the 
 Farmington country and to Snake River, a vast region of highly -pro- 
 ductive land, mostly occupied and among the older settlements of 
 Eastern Washington. This region in a succession of valleys extends 
 from Idaho Line on the east to Oregon on the south, from Spokane 
 River on the north to the Cascades at the west. A railway proceeding 
 from Spokane Falls, as already projected, and terminating at Levviston, 
 is to traverse such district in early comoletion, and will establish the 
 importance of this vicinity beyond any present means of estimate. 
 Commencing ten miles west is the region known as the Big Bend of 
 the Columbia, 200 miles long by 150 wide and embracing 30,000 square 
 miles, now sparsely settled, but holding rare opportunity, and all 
 tributary to Spokane Falls. To the east in a distance of ninety miles, 
 and with the best practicable route determined, is the famous Coeur 
 d'Alene Country, rich in mineral and promising as definitely in placer 
 mines as is common to the age. Whatever there may be in it, as in 
 other surroundings cited, it is all tributary from the place which I 
 
32 
 
 write, and the building of a city at Spokane Falls depends in no man- 
 ner upon any one interest, but rather comprises the resources and in- 
 dustries of the whole country. In this there is unlimited supply in 
 best lurnber-rields, grazing regions, agricultural facilities, and the best 
 possible means in every manufacture. The place was a considerable 
 hamlet rive years since, is not the creation of a discovery, nor has it 
 come from the excitement common to a mining camp, but is rather the 
 result of the fortunate combination comprised. In promise it holds all 
 prominence, and occupies as favorable a situation as is known to the 
 country. The town is built along a bold, broad plateau, commands the 
 grandest outlook, and embraces the most enchanting, captivating, 
 loveliest situation possible to conceive. The falls, of which there are 
 seven separate leaps and like a 'lion's paw' in the various divides of 
 the stream and a series of cascades, are the one grand, unceasing at- 
 traction; but the place in all its relations is perfectly elegant, and calcu- 
 lated to charm the beholder in every sense. For tourists and observers 
 it is a perfect sine qua non in any first trip of the continent, and event- 
 ually must take precedence with the most popular resorts." 
 
 THE WATER POWER. 
 
 The falls of the Spokane River, within the limits of the city, are 
 certainly among the most remarkable in the world, and have excited 
 the wonder and admiration of vistors from all parts of the country. 
 We do not believe there is another instance where so many favorable 
 conditions exist for handling, controlling and utilizing such a vast 
 volume of water. No civil engineer could have designed a better work 
 than has been done here by Providence. In order to properly appre- 
 ciate the situation and worth of these falls, it will be necessary to de- 
 scribe the river from which they are fed . On this point Lieut. 
 Symons, s&ys: 
 
 "The Spokane River, by its situation and characteristics, is bound 
 to play an important part in the settlement and ultimate well being of 
 the whole country within a great distance of it. At Spokane Falls is a 
 magnificent water power, one of the finest in the world and situated as 
 it is in the midst of a splendid agricultural country, most of which, 
 however, is treeless, there seems no room to doubt that it will become 
 a great manufacturing and commercial centre. By means of the river 
 and Coeur d'Alene Lake, and the tributary streams of the latter, a 
 magnificent and widely extended area of timber land lying along the 
 Coeur d'Alene and Bitter Root Mountains can be made to yield its 
 forest-covering for transportation by water to Spokane Falls, there to 
 be manufactured into lumber and distributed throughout the agricul- 
 tural lands to tiie south and west. In return for this lumber and fuel, 
 these lands will send their wheat to the Falls to be manufactured into 
 flour, and sent from there to the seaboard to be shipped to the markets 
 of the world. Large portions of the country are better suited for pas- 
 toral purposes than for agricultural, and it is reasonable to expect that 
 here at these falls will be erected great woolen manufactories, to work 
 up the raw products of the country into cloths and blankets required 
 
by the inhabitants thereof. Large quantities of brown hematite ironr 
 ore have been found near the Spokane River, below the Falls, and it is 
 known that other iron deposits lie to the north. Quantities of flax have 
 been grown the past few years in the country to the south of Spokane 
 Falls, and it must also be brought to this great water power to be 
 manufactured into thread, cloth, etc., and the seed into oil. The num- 
 ber of manufacturing enterprises for which this place seems adapted is 
 very great. I may enumerate, besides those mentioned, the manufac- 
 ture of all kinds of wooden ware, of agricultural and farm implements, 
 wagons, carriages, furniture, leather, harness, boots and shoes, pork, 
 beer, and iron and metal works in great variety. The Spokane Kiver, 
 in the upper part of its course, presents the estimable peculiarity 
 especially valuable in view of its use as a water power of never 
 freezing. It seems to be fed -by many springs between the Falls and 
 Coeur d'Alene Lake, which have the effect in the coldest weather, of 
 keeping the temperature above the freezing point. It would seem as if 
 nature could not have done more to make this a great manufacturing 
 and commercial centre, and a beautiful, healthy and attractive place." 
 
 Lake Coeur d'Alene, the source of the Spokane River, is one of the 
 most beautiful and beautifully located sheets of water in the Northwest, 
 well stocked with the finest trout and is surrounded by mountains cov- 
 ered with forests of the finest timber and containing a large variety of 
 wild game. The depth of the lake has never been fathomed, though 
 plummets have been sunk 1,800 feet. The water is very clear, and the 
 bottom can be easily seen at a depth of fifty feet. Its area is between 
 150 and 200 square miles. Its outlines are very irregular and the scen- 
 ery surrounding it is very enchanting. The principal feeders of this 
 lake are the Coeur d'Alene and Saint Joseph Rivers, each of which are 
 navigable for steamboats for many miles. The timber section sur- 
 rounding this lake covers an area of over 200 square miles. Its mag- 
 nificent forests of pine, cedar, fir, hemlock and other woods are pia"- 
 tically inexhaustible, and it is the only timber region of that magnitude 
 on the Pacific Coast which is tributary to water power. The logs from 
 this timber region can be run down the rivers and streams flown g into 
 Lake Coeur d'AJene, and from there down the Spokane River to the 
 Falls. The Spokane River has been pronounced the finest logging 
 stream in the world by experienced lumber men from all parts of the 
 country. The river is swift and deep, with hard basalt bed, steep 
 banks and clear cut shores. The current will average about three milea 
 per hour. The vast Columbia Basin, which en: braces an area of nearly 
 250,000 square miles, or over 140,000,000 acres, is bountifully watered, 
 but hus no convenient water power near the forests which cover most 
 of the mountains and hills. The streams generally flow in rugged, 
 inaccessible, narrow canyons. They are raging torrents during the 
 season of melting snows, and carry little or no water at other times 
 unsuited for logging at either time. By the time they reach an accessi- 
 ble mill-site they have readied the level plain and lost their force and 
 power. The Spokane River is the single exception to this rule. 1^ 
 seems that nature planned to place this water power at a point where 
 railroads and other means of transportation could reach the mills and 
 
34 
 
 manufactories which it should operate. Instead of being shut in by 
 impassable barriers, it is located thirtj'-five miles out on the plains 
 The river being so swift at high water would sweep away barriers 
 erected for its control were it not for another noble work of nature. 
 Instead of being in one volumo, the river at the Falls divides into seven 
 different channels, separated by islands of black basalt rock as 
 hard as steel. The banks and bottom of the river are of the same 
 material, which ages cannot wear away. Another aid to controlling the 
 water is the fact that there are a succession of eight falls averaging 
 about twenty feet and one great fall, where all the channels re-unite, of 
 about seventy feet. The rapids and falls extend over a linear distance 
 of nearly half a mile, and the fall of the river in that distance is one 
 hundred and fifty-six feet. Ai extremely low water these falls are esti- 
 mated by competent engineers to furnish 144,323 horse-power, and at 
 an average stage 214,954 horse-power. By a system of flumes and 
 dams, which could easily be constructed, this could be vaslly increased. 
 Above Big IsLmd, a dam six feet in height can be constructed at a cost 
 not to exceed $3,000, and from this water can be flumed down both 
 main shores and along the islands, furnishing abundant power to a 
 hundred great mills and factories before returning to the river chan- 
 nels above the main fall. A flume or flumes projected from the chan- 
 nel bed of the river at any point below the h'rst of the cascades would 
 furnish almost unlimited power all along the river for a mile or more. 
 But one of the most remarkable features of this river is the excellent 
 provision nature has made for controlling the stage of water at the 
 Falls. About twelve miles from the reservoir ( Lake Coeur d'Alene) 
 the river bed is contracted by jutting walls of great basaltic rocks 
 coming so close together that they act as a gateway or dam to hold back 
 the waters of the lake when its volume is so vastly increased by the 
 melting snows of the mountains. This natural dam is so effective that 
 no matter how high the lake rises, the water at Spokane Falls never 
 rises more than six feet. It also checks the flow of the water so that 
 the mud brought down the mountain streams settles to the bottom of 
 the lake and the drift wood is lodged along its banks, leaving the 
 waters in the Spokane clear of either. With slight improvements, this 
 dam can be made so effective that the supply of water at the Falls can 
 be regulated at will, A prominent manufacturer from Lowell, Massa- 
 chusetts, who visited our city during the past Summer, when told of 
 this advantage, pronounced this water-power the best on the conti- 
 nent. Governor PiJlsbury, the Minneapolis miller, of world-wide 
 reputation, admired the water power chiefly because of the ease with 
 which it can be controlled and the inexpensiveness of utilizing it, and 
 this is the universal expression of all who have inspected it. 
 
 THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY. 
 
 Stretching along the Spokane River from the falls to Lake Coeur 
 d'Alene is a gravelly plain from one to four miles wid^ which is very 
 beautiful in appearance but of the productive qualities of which there 
 are various opinions. Some excellent wheat has been grown in places, 
 but there are doubts as to whether there is sufficient soil mixed with the 
 
35 
 
 gravel to make that crop profit \ble from year to years. Its fruit pro- 
 ducing qualities, however, are thought to be excellent. So well ; satis- 
 fied are the people of this fact that almost every tract is occupied by 
 filings in the Land Office. With the exception of this tract, the arable 
 lands in the immediate vicinity of Spokane Falls is limited. South of the 
 city for a few miles the land is broken arid rocky, though w.ll wooded, 
 Frequently patches of a few acres are very fertile but the other portions 
 are not suitable for the production of grain. Fruits and vegetables do 
 well. Four or five miles south is Moran Prairie, containing several 
 thousand acres of fine farming lands as well as alarge grazing domain. 
 About the same distance north is Plateau Prairie, a level elevation con- 
 taing three thousand acres of the finest land to be found anywhere. 
 East of this is Peone and Pleasant Prairies, each much larger in extent 
 than the first named and Very productive equally so with Illinois, 
 lovra or Minnesota. Going west six miles we come to the White Bluff 
 Prairie, containing a large extent of fine land, but little inferior to those 
 named. A few miles farther aw -ay are larger bodies of tine land, much of 
 which still remains unoccupied but is being rapidly settled. Among 
 these are the Rockford and Farmiugton country to the south and east, 
 the Palouse Section to the south and southwest, the Big Bend region 
 west and the Colville and Chewelah country farther north. These are 
 all rich in their agricultural poss.bilities. All kinds of grain do Wv.ll. 
 The tame grasses may also be grown successfully and dairying is des- 
 tined soon to become a prominent industry here in connection with 
 agriculture and fruit raising. Prices of dairy products have ruled 
 higher on this Coast ever since its first settlement than in the principal 
 cities of the Eastern Coast and are so ruling to-day. Indeed butter and 
 cheese are shipped in here all the way from Minnesota and beyond at a 
 profit. And tnis in the face and eyes of the fact that a few dairymen 
 are demonstrating to their satisfaction, financial and otherwise, and to 
 the satisfaction of all observers that dairying can be carried on as suc- 
 cessfully here as in New York State. 
 
 In calling attention to the vast agricultural regions tributary to 
 Spokane Falls we clip the following from a recent number of the 
 Northwest published in S:. Paul, Minn.: 
 
 "A few people who went out to Washington this season with the 
 intention of settling, have returned, because they did not see any good 
 farming land open to seLlement. These people sutt'ered from their 
 own ignorance. If they had informed themselves about the country r 
 they would have known that the agricultural belts of Eastern Wash- 
 ington are not seen from the railroad, but lie both north and south of 
 t in large fertile areas, easily reached from the towns of Spokane Falls, 
 Cheney, or Kitzville. The most extensive of these bolts is 250 miles 
 long, reaching from the timber country which the railroad traverses 
 after crossing the Idaho Line, southwest to the Blue Mountains, south 
 of Walla. Walla. This is the region where the farmers harvest fifty 
 bushels of wheat to the acre, and where the dry bunch grass supports 
 horses and cattle all winter, so that they are fat in the spring. North 
 and northwest of the Northern Pacific Road is another good stretch of 
 rolling prairie, called the Big Bend Country, just beginning to fill up 
 
with settlers. The people who turn back from Eastern Washington 
 this year because they cannot find good agricultural land, should ap- 
 ply for guardians when they get back to their old homes." 
 LIVE STOCK. 
 
 Oregon and Washington Territory are undoubtedly the best 
 country for cattle in the United States. The farmers allow their cattle 
 to roam at large nearly the whole of the year, only providing fodder 
 for them during a short time in winter. Sometimes in cold weather 
 stock suffers; but as a rule it does well in the open air. During the 
 winter of 1882-83 no fodder was needed. 
 
 Horses of an excellent type are largely raised. The soil and 
 climate, combined with good blood, have produced not only the best 
 draught animals, but also good trotters and carriage horses. Much 
 money "has been invested in fine imported stock, from the heaviest 
 Percherons and Ch'desdales to the fleetest thoroughbreds. The horses 
 raised east of the Cascade Mountains excel those of other sections in 
 Bpeed. This is due to the bunch grass pasturage and the distance to 
 watering places. The animals sometimes go on a fast trot for ten m les 
 from their feeding places to water, thus developing muscle from their 
 birth. In the bunch grass districts grass costs nothing. 
 
 Sheep husbandry is one of the greatest and most productive in- 
 dustries, being carried on under the most favorable conditions of 
 climate. Sheep farmers prefer the ranges close to the mountains, 
 where they say the greatest variety of grasses grow upon which the 
 sheep thrive best. Lambing time is in April and shearing in May. In 
 June the flocks are driven to the mountains, where they fatten and the 
 young become vigorous. These mountains are often covered with 
 open pine forests, through which very nutritious grasses grow, different 
 in nature from the bunch grass of the plains. The wool produced in 
 the Pacific Northwest is fast taking rank with the best fleeces which 
 reach the East and has a reputation of its own in New York and Boston. 
 The wool clip in this Territory for 1884 is estimated as high as 6,000,000 
 pounds. Woolen mills are even now demanded at Spokane Falls and 
 the demand will increase continually. 
 
 The pastoral domain is much greater than many stockmen imagine. 
 In the region of the Great Plain of the Columbia, and which is directly 
 tributary to Spokane Fails, it comprises over 0,000,000 acres. It in- 
 cludes the "scab land" sections, the broken plateaus and slopes 
 not suitable for farming, but which produce excellent grass. Cattle 
 and sheep can often be taken off the range fat enough for slaughtf r, 
 which cannot truthfully be said of any other part of the country. The 
 meats are tender and sweet and are sold in the markets here at prices 
 not above those in Iowa and Minnesota. Even then the stockman has 
 many advantages over those in that section where stall feeding during 
 the winter months is absolutely necessary. 
 
The Big Bend Country. 
 
 To the west of the Falls is situated a magnificent empire worthy a 
 special description. First comes the fields and cattle ranges of Lincoln 
 County, a region but recently an unoccupied wilderness and now form- 
 ing a county by itself, through which runs a good wagon road, giving 
 easy communication with-this city. 
 
 Beyond Lincoln County lies the famous Big Bend Country, another 
 yast agricultural country tributary to Spokane Falls, from which hun- 
 dreds of settlers start with their wagons loaded with supplies purchased 
 there. A good road leads all the way to the Grand Coulee (Indian 
 name for waterway,) which was once a secondary channel of the 
 Columbia, and marks the eastern boundary of the region under con- 
 sideration. The Coulee commences on the present course of the 
 Columbia River, between the Sinopel and Nespilem Rivers, and 
 extends in a southwesterly direction for fifty-five miles, when it merges 
 into the boulder-covered sage-brush plain once the bed of a prehistoric 
 lake. It is a deep chasm, with vertical walls, averaging about 350 feet 
 in height, and impassable throughout its extent, excepting at one point 
 about midway in its course, where tha walls are broken down so a good 
 wagon pass is formed. Stretching away to the west for sixtj- miles, by 
 ninety miles north and south, lies the largest area of good agricultural 
 land in one body in Washington Territory. Spreading out in swell 
 after swell of rolling prairie, to the bluffs on the banks of the Columbia 
 on the west and north, und to the prehistoric lake before mentioned and 
 the Badger Mountains, lies as fair a country as ever the sun shone 
 upon, comprising an area of 3,000 square miles, which will make 9,000 
 farms of 160 acres each, and leave 500,000 acres in the belt of bluffs on 
 the Columbia River and in the Badger Mountains, nearly all o which 
 is covered with timber and is fine grazing land. The whole prairie is 
 covered with a tall rank growth of bunch-grass, from tde great abun- 
 dance of which it has by many been called the Bunch- Grass Country, 
 and the finest farming lands in Washington Territory are the bunch- 
 grass .sections. The soil of this prairie is very rich and fertile, varying 
 in depth from a few feet to hundreds of feet, and the wonderful veget- 
 ables, in size equalling, and in quality surpassing California itself, the 
 prodigious grain crops, the luscious peaches, grapes and other fruits 
 raised at the old Wenatchee Crossing of the Columbia, point with 
 unerring certainty to the fertility of the soil and its adaptation to the 
 raising of all the grains, fruits and vegetables of the temperate zone. 
 
 This region was erected into a separate county called " Douglas" by 
 the last Legislature, with the county seat located at the new town of 
 Okanogan. During the past year a large number of settlers have gone 
 
in there, and the experiments in agriculture have been very satisfac- 
 tory. Considering all of its advantages, in fertility of soil, extent and 
 climate, competent judges have pronounced the Big Bend Coun ry 
 superior to the far-famed valleys of the Willamette and Walla Walla. 
 Spokane Falls is now and must ever continue the supply point for this 
 vast region which is destined in a few years to be densely populated* 
 A railroad from this city through that region is already projected and 
 will be built soon A letter written fron: an actual settler in the Big 
 Bend Country to the Oregouian, December 20th, makes these state- 
 ments : 
 
 "As we, in the Big Bend, are beginning to feel sure of what we say, 
 we need have no hesitation about saying it, and letting the world at 
 large known what sort of a country we have. There is nearly as great 
 a difference between Eastern and Western Oregon and Washington as 
 betueen California and Minnesota, in climate, productions and general 
 adaptability. Eastern Washington may be divided into two classes of 
 country stock country and farming country. The best stock country 
 is in the poorest agricultural districts as a rule, i. e., the stony "scab 
 lands" are usually well watered by small ponds, and furnish plenty of 
 grass bu ich grass and r\-e grass. North of the Northern Pacific 
 Railroad there are about 12,000 square miles of territory, about 9.500 of 
 which is first-class farming lands, and the balance mixed but mostly 
 stock range. As nearly as can be estimated there are about 50,000 
 farms, of 160 acres each, north of the railroad. At least three-fourths 
 of this area is claimed by settlers, and the rest is being rapidly taken 
 up; the only drawback to the development of'the country being a lack 
 of transportation. Farmars cornpla*in greatly because they have ,no 
 means of shipping their produce to a consuming market. But it seems 
 even this cannot long be against the successful development of this 
 part of the Territory, for jve have one of the noblest rivers on the 
 Coast waiting far boats to be put on it; and a wide belt of the finest 
 agricultural land in the Nortwest, which would be self-sustaining, and 
 is capable of sustaining a railroad, in case it should be built from the 
 Northern Pacific at Spokane Fall-, thence west through the Brents 
 Country to Okanogan City, crossing the Columbia River near Priest 
 Rapids, and passing through the Snoqualrnie Pass or through the 
 Metlow Country to Puget Sound; or down the Columbia to Portland. 
 Either of these plans are feasible, and no doubt one will be begun at 
 an early day." 
 
 We also make some extracts from a letter written from that 
 country by Mr. H. N. Wilcox to a gentleman in this city in answer to 
 inquiries respecting the outlook and productive qualities of the prairies 
 of the Big Bjnd. Mr. Wilaox located there permanently less than a 
 year ago and has had little opportunity to make tests, but as he is a 
 practical farmer of large exparience in the States, his opinions and ex- 
 perience here is valuable. The letter was written without the least 
 thought of its finding its way into print; was written to a personal 
 friend and, therefore, is the calm statement of a farmer rather than of 
 a speculator. Mr. Wilcox writes as .follows, under date of November 
 20, 1884 
 
39 
 
 "In my opinion Okanogan Prairie cannot be beaten in this Terri- 
 tory for beauty, and will rank with any for richness of soil. All that 
 is wanted is the right kind of men to till the soil, to make it one of the 
 banner prairies of the Northwest. Since I have been on the Pacific 
 Coast I have made it a special point to study the nature of the different 
 soils, and I will say that this section of country will compare favorably 
 with any I have seen. You ask for my experience with the soil. I 
 never had anything to do with any land that gave better satisfaction 
 than this of the Okanogan Prairie. It is the easiest land to put under 
 cultivation that I ever saw. Last April what *od I broke was 
 easily harrowed all to pieces, and now this Fall I have been plowing 
 some of land a second time and it works up like old land and is in a 
 complete state of cultivation. The land I cultivated this past Season 
 was all sod broken about six inches deep. It was then sowed, thor- 
 oughly cultivated and rolled. I did my breaking from the tenth to the 
 twenty-fifth of April, and had I been here earlier all my planting 
 might have been done fifteen days earlier than that. My potatoes were 
 fine and my onions did remarkably well. In fact I never saw such 
 onions raised on upland without manure. Beans are a sure crop here. 
 I raised about five bushels which are fine. I planted beans here the 
 tenth of April and they were never touched with frost. I raised some 
 very fine watermelons, and in fact everything I planted did remarkably 
 well. Had I harvested one-half what I did I would have been satisfied. 
 We not only have a good top soil here, but the sub-soil is good, and 
 that is one of the most important essentials to a productive country. 
 This sub-soil will stand either wet or dry weather, being of such a 
 nature that it receives and holds all the water that falls and in dry 
 weather sends moisture to the surface as needed. It will take a severe 
 drouth to effect the crops. I believe that all kinds of small grain, such 
 as wheat, rye, oats, barley and flax, and all kinds of vegetables will do 
 well here. My fruit trees are doing finely and I have set out some 
 more this fall. Have two peach trees set out for a trial of that fruit^ 
 Have strawberries, currants, raspberries, and blackberries set out and' 
 an. I all promise well. I see that everybody oat here are taking a great 
 interest in fruit. " 
 
 These statements of Mr. Wileox are a sample of the reports re- 
 ceived during last Season. Settlers who put in crops have received the 
 most flattering returns and a larger immigration than ever will pour 
 into the Big Bend Country the coming Season. Most of the lands are 
 outside of the Railroad limits and the whole country is destined soon 
 to become a stolid block of the finest farms to be fonnd in any country. 
 The Big Bend Country alone is capable of poduciug 30,000,000 bushtls 
 of wheat annually, more than the entire milling capacity of Minne- 
 apolis could convert into flour in one year, running three hundred 
 days at their full capacity 20,400 barrels and this region is not more 
 than one-third of the wheat growing country which will become di- 
 rectly tributary to Spokane Falls as a milling centre. A handbook of 
 Minneapolis recently published, alludes to the fails of St. Anthony as 
 "manufactor" in the city's greatness and states that "the great manu- 
 factories which cluster in e very-increasing numbers around it are the 
 
corner stones of the city and the secret of her success." With such an 
 agricultural and timber area directly tributary to Spokane, who can 
 doubt that our magnificent water power will prove to be the means of 
 laying here such "corner stones" as have built up at Minneapolis a city 
 of 130,000 within two decades. 
 
 The Mineral Resources. 
 
 Not alone on its matchless water power, its extensive agricultural 
 and stock raising country, its inexhaustible timber supply, the adapt- 
 ability of tributaiy regions to fruit growing and its invigorating salu- 
 brious climate does Spokane Falls depend for the full measure of its 
 prosperity. One of the most important factors in its future growth is 
 its inexhaustible mineral resources. Situated in the centre of a semi- 
 circle of mountains richly laden with precious ores, the city would 
 have an equal chance with Denver for greatness without a single other 
 advantage. Stripped of her vast mineral resources, she would stand 
 an equal chance for greatness with Minneapolis. With the advantages 
 of these two cities combined, there scarcely seems room for a doubt of 
 the future, or a single reason why capitalists need be timid in making 
 investments here. Speculation is always more reckless in a mining 
 country than in any other, and where the mines are valuable, and may 
 be worked permanently, a prosperous mining and commercial city is 
 sure to spring up. We shall endeavor to show that the mines in the 
 semi-circle of mountain ranges on the east and north of Spokane are of 
 this character and that this is the natural supply centre for the entire 
 region. We will endeavor to demonstrate this from the fact of the 
 natural advantages of this city for the location of reduction and smelt- 
 ing works, its accessibility to all the mining sections, its being the only 
 point within such easy reach of them all and the only place which 
 could possibly be selected as a supply and mining centre, suitable to all 
 alike. We will first call attention to 
 
 THE COEUR D'ALENE MINES. 
 
 Any a new discovery of the precious metals is almost sure to be 
 prematurely heralded abroad, and to create an undue excitement and 
 an unwarranted rush to the new region. It was so with the Coeur 
 d'Alenes. The discovery of gold and silver in these mountains was 
 spread abroad throughout all the land, and adventurers eager to secure 
 a fortune without proper effort, poured into the mining region in vast 
 armies. They came without giving the matter of the needed prepara- 
 tion for such a venture a moment's consideration. They were going to 
 scoop up a few large sacks of gold nuggets and return to their homes 
 
41 
 
 in a few weeks and dazzle the gaze of their less energetic neighbors 
 with the splendor of their living. Such was the dream of a large 
 majority of the 8,000 or 10,000 who hurried into the Coeur d'Alene 
 Mountains in mid-winter to become suddenly rich by mining. They 
 had not calculated on finding the ground covered to a depth of from 
 five to twenty feet with snow, in fact they had not calculated on any of 
 the hardships incident to a mountain mining camp at that season. 
 They were not practical miners, and, consequently, had made nothing 
 of the preparations necessary for such an adventure. But few of them 
 were even prepared for prospecting, so as to be able to intelligently 
 determine the richness of the country. Food and shelter could be had 
 only at the most exorbitant prices, practical mining was impossible, 
 and the rigors of the climate soon cooled the ardor of all who went in 
 with little money and no experience, and the exit of such resembled 
 the rout of a demoralized army after a disastrous defeat by a superior 
 foe. Their dream of suddenly acquired wealth had vanished and, 
 having determined to go, they stood not upon the order of their going. 
 The flight was first by ones and twos, then in squads of twenty or 
 thirty, and lastly by fifties and hundreds, each carrying bitter memo- 
 ries of privation, suffering, disappointment and loss, and each cursing 
 the railroad, the newspapers and the country. These men returned to 
 their homes all over the country bearing with them the story of their 
 experience in the Coeur d'Alenes, of the barrenness of the whole 
 region and the impossibility of there being gold there. To say any- 
 thing favorable of these mines, in the face of such an experience, and 
 have the public believe it, we know is no light task. But not all who 
 went in became frightened and fled. Some three or four hundred of 
 the more hardy and determined, of which a large number were prac- 
 tical miners and prospectors, have remained through the season and 
 their operations have fully demonstrated the fact of the vast richness 
 of the mines in these mountains. We shall make use of no varnished 
 statements, but siruply refer to facts, which are that in the mountains 
 of Northern Idaho, between the Coeur d'Alene Lake and the summit 
 of the Bitter Root and Coeur d'Alene Mountains, there is a region about 
 thirty miles square which is among the richest in placer and quartz 
 gold and silver to be found in the United States. Good prospects have 
 been found on all the creeks and gulches, and every claim which has 
 been worked to any extent has proven exceedingly rich, and a number 
 of nuggets weighing from $75 to 140 have been picked up by different 
 parties. 
 
 The oeur d'Alene District has been known to a very few miners 
 to be very rich for many years, but was never closely prospected until 
 the Fall of 1880, when Mr. A. J. Prichard made his discoveries and 
 locations, and to him belongs the credit of first bringing the mines 
 into notice. Many are the vague stories relatsd of prospectors who 
 penetrated the wild forests and gloomy gorges of these mountains, 
 with a foreshadowing of what was to be, but who were lured away by 
 other excitements or compelled to return to replenish their stores, 
 always promising to return to that particular locality that had pros- 
 pected and panned so richly. Many also were the different parties who 
 
42 
 
 tried to return to these "old finds" but were prevented by a lack of 
 supplies, want of perseverance or a failure to recognize the landmarks 
 that were to guide them again into the field known to be so rich in its 
 store of precious minerals. Nearly twenty years ago one Wilson, who 
 had made a location in this district, easily organized a party by the 
 wonderful stories of the gold he had found, but after piloting his party 
 to within a few miles of the present discoveries, lost his bearings, 
 became bewildered and was compelled to abandon the search. His 
 party became indignant, suspected him of treachery, and but for the 
 kindly interference of one of the Jesuit Fathers at the Old Roman 
 Catholic Mission, he would probably have been hung at their hands. 
 The gold-bearing quartz and fine placer gold were found around Coeur 
 d'Alene Lake and River and Pend d'Oreille Lake, but not in paying 
 quantities, and to find the source from whence it came was what 
 bothered piospectors. Prichard got on the track of this and deter- 
 mined to trace it to its source or spend his life in the attempt. After 
 long and tedious journeys he was rewarded, late in the Fall of 1880, 
 making his first discovery on Prichard Creek. As Winter was 
 approaching, he was compelled to wait until the next season before 
 making further observations. He returned in 1881 and made some 
 further prospects, but was not sufficiently satisfied to spread the report 
 of his find. The next year he went in again with two friends and 
 prospectors, and they found enough to satisfy them of the worth and 
 permanency of the diggings. That Fall the story of the discovery of 
 the mines began to spread and the early Spring of 1883 saw nearly a 
 hundred men fully equipped for a season's prospecting making their 
 way into the mountains. They compelled Prichard to pilot them in 
 much earlier than he wanted to go, as the snow was still from five to 
 ten feet deep, and the streams very high. Reaching his former camp, 
 they found the water so high that it was impossible to reach bed-rock, 
 and most of the party retraced their steps, cursing Prichard and the 
 folly of looking for gold in such a place. But a few remained, and 
 when" the waters subsided they were amply rewarded for their perse- 
 verance. Soon the news began to spread and the excitement to 
 grow. Many came in from the surrounding country and many rich 
 discoveries were made and claims located during 1883. From a hand- 
 ful of men in July the population increase I to two or throe thousand 
 before Winter. Many remained during the entire Winter, and such 
 was the excitement that those who wanted to get into the mines could 
 not wait for Spring, but floundered through many feet of snow, endur- 
 ing many untold hardships, in their eagerness to be first in the mines. 
 The early months of 1884 saw the great rush we have mentioned in the 
 first part of this chapter, following by its attending disaster. As we 
 have already stated, several hundred remained during the entire season 
 just past and they were so successful and sent out such amounts of 
 gold dust every week during the Summer and Fall that public atten- 
 tion was again attracted to the mines and there were continual acces- 
 sion to the numbers during the latter part of the season until two or 
 three thousands were again found in the diiferent camps, most of whom 
 were prepared to remain there during the entire Winter. These are 
 
43 
 
 made up almost wholly of practical miners and capitalists 'a clas 
 badly needed. While the mines are rich, they are not poor men's 
 mines ! Their situation is such that it takes capital to open and work 
 them. Active mining operations closed ne irly two months ago, and, 1 
 while tho sea.-on's work was carried on under great disadvantages, it 
 was enough to astonish the croakers who have been crying the mines 
 down as a " humbug." Mr. Hussey, the banker at Murray, estimates 
 the output of the region during the Summer at between $300,000 and 
 400,000, and states that next season fully as much will be taken out 
 each month. .Several of the best claims are now owned by men of 
 large capital, who will spare no expense to open the mines next season. 
 Eastern and European capital has beon attracted by the evident rich- 
 ness of the camp and some of the claims have been sold at exorbitant 
 figures. Two or three ditch companies have been formed and com- 
 menced operations on ditches which will cut and drain the best regions, 
 and next season's work will be startling to those who have so confi- 
 dently denounced the mines and everybody who has advocated them. 
 Thus far the placer claims have averaged $40,000 per acre. Tbe quarts 
 claims are also numerous and developing slowly but surely. Recently 
 the ** Mother Lode" was bonded to English and Denver capitalists for 
 $30,000. The progress made in the camp during the past season has 
 been enormous. Parties who have had faich in the mines have 
 invested their money freely and living there now is vastly different from 
 one year ago. Then letters could only be obtained by paying fifty 
 cents each for -them, while now there is a United States postolfi-e there 
 regularly supplied by carrier from the railroad. There is a telegraph 
 line from Spokane Falls, a good newspaper, good hotels, etc. The best 
 way to reach the mines is to come direct to Spokane Falls and from 
 here take one of Hall & Martin's covered coaches to Coeur d'Alene 
 City. This is the best natural road into the mines. A ride of two 
 Lours up one of the finest valleys on the continent brings the traveler 
 to Coeur d'Alene City and the lake of the same name. There one of 
 the handsome steamers of the Coeur d'Alene Transportation Company 
 will take him up the lake to the Mission, from which place a splendid 
 road was recently graded into the heart of the mining section. This is 
 the only route into the mines which can be kept open and traveled at 
 all seasons of the year, and the only route over which freight can be 
 hauled all the others being used for pack animals. At Spokane Falls 
 miners can procure complete outfits of everything needed, cheaper 
 than at any other point. A railroad has been projected from this city 
 into the mines, the company organized and stock subscribed, and, but 
 for the recent financial depression, would now be under construction. 
 Ores from these mines can be brought here cheaper than to any other 
 place on the railroad, reduction and smelting works could be built and 
 operated here and Spokane Falls is bound to be the lap into which the 
 wealth of the Coeur d'Alenes will be poured. 
 
 THE CHEWELAH MIXES. 
 
 The latest discovery of precious minerals in the region tributary to 
 Spokane Falls is that in the Colville Valley, fifty miles due north of 
 this city near the town of Chewelah. For sometime these minerals 
 
44 
 
 have been known to exist in that region, but it was not until July last 
 that locations were made in the immediate vicinity" of what have proved 
 to be the richest mines of the whole section, and certainly among the 
 richest yet discovered on this Continent. Attention was first attracted 
 to the Chewelah District by the working of a mine seven miles north 
 of the Chewelah townsite, by a syndicate of monied men, among whom 
 was Mr. J. N. Squier, of this city. These gentlemen had faith in their 
 mine and have spent large sums of money in tunneling, sinking 
 shafts, etc., and, while the ore assayed well, they refrained from pub- 
 lishing anything in relation thereto until the mines proved rich beyond 
 question. This was the view generally taken here, as a repetition of 
 Coeur d'Alene craze was deprecated by ail, as likely to do more harm 
 than good. In fact, exaggeration has been carefully avoided in every 
 statement published relating to these mines. 
 
 Chewelah, a small hamlet hardly ever heard of before spring- 
 ing into prominence in connection with the mines now bearing 
 that name, is near the centre of the new mining district. Two 
 and one-half miles southwest of Chewelah is a new and promising town 
 named Embrey, in honor of the gentleman who really was the first to 
 thoroughly prospect the country, and who has had many years of ex- 
 perience at mining in Idaho, Montana, Colorado, California and 
 auriferous sections of the Pacific Coast. This place is in the midst of 
 and is surrounded by partially developed mines that are really what 
 has given the country the reputation it has for possessing rich ores. 
 These places are about fifty miles north of Spokane Falls, and two 
 good wagon roads connect this city with that part of the country, and 
 stage arid freight lines are now running out of the Falls regularly, con- 
 veying merchandise and passengers to the new land of promise. The 
 means of communicating from this point on the railroad is so easy 
 that from necessity traveling and freighting are bound to be from this 
 place. Quite a mining camp has already sprung up at the new town 
 of Embrey, and a few of the men have pushed far enough into the 
 hillside to be able to keep at work all winter, and the product of those 
 claims so worked is conclusive proof that these mines are sure to rival 
 the famous Comstock, that made Virginia City one of the liveliest cities 
 in the world a few years ago. The ledges in which the mineral exists 
 are quite easily worked and promise great results. All kinds of min- 
 erals have been discovered in a greater or less quantity, but the chief 
 ones are gold, silver, copper and lead, and the latter two will 
 pay for working the ores, leaving the other metals as a clear 
 gain. There is so much of the ore that even if it should run 
 low millions of dollars could be taken out. Next summer 
 the mines will be the scene of refreshing life. Claims will be 
 opened everywhere, and crushers put up. Those who are there 
 have unbounded faith in the country, and they have every reason to 
 feel satisfied with the outlook, astheassayer with his scientific research 
 has now shown by test the ore to be of great value. These assays are 
 not made from picked rock, nor are they confined to one particular 
 pot. The reports brought to us from the camp during the past two 
 weeks are of the most satisfactory nature. From some 30 or 40 assays 
 
the ore has run from $9 to over 350 to the ton in silver alone, most of 
 the specimens going above 100. The test was only made for silver, 
 and there is a large per cent, of lead and copper in the slag. A few 
 days ago we had an opportunity to look over the assayer's certificate 
 given on the assays of several samples of rock known as croppings, 
 that is taken from near the surface of the earth. One assay taken from 
 the Enterprise mine, owned by Thomas Fuller, showed 179.37 ounces 
 in silver, wiih no account taken of gold, lead and copper. The Fiske 
 mine on poor rock showed 16 ounces in silver; but this is by no means 
 a fair showing for the claim, as the owner sent specimens to Burlin- 
 game, the well-known assayer of Denver, who returned reports show- 
 ing the rock to run $172 per ton in silver. Galena taken from the 
 Cleveland mine, owned by A. M. Baldwin <fc Co., shows up 126.13 
 ounces in silver; and a cropping from the Phil Sheridan mine 11.66 
 ounces in silver. Since those assays were made Prof. Reilly, an expe- 
 rienced and practical assayer, has examined much rock from various 
 parts of the district for his own satisfaction, and has met with wonder- 
 ful results. Work has been progressing right along on the Silver Gem, 
 a mine that opened up with good prospects. Lately the mon at work 
 cleared ofl' the face of a vein nine feet in thickness, and as the appear- 
 ance of the rock was not such as to indicate any particular value, the 
 rock was thrown over the dump out of the way as fast as it was blasted 
 out. Prof. Reilly, the local assayist, happened to visit the mine and 
 took home a number of the fragments to make an examination. The 
 result so surprised him tha t he made other tests, and when convinced 
 that no mistake had been made, informed the careless miners that they 
 were throwing away quartz that averaged from $75 to 80 per ton. 
 This ledge is nine feet thick and runs the same value clear across the 
 face. It is sirapty impossible to estimate the value of such a ledge, and 
 it is safe to say that the Silver Gem will become one of the notable 
 mines in the history of American mining. 
 
 It must be remembered that all of the rock from which assays 
 have been made has been taken from near the surface and known as 
 "croppings." These croppings have been worked for several feet 
 underground, and tine well defined ledges found. It is well known 
 that silver-bearing quartz grows richer the deeper the ledge goes, and if its 
 croppings show such flattering prospects, at two or three hundred feet 
 the ore must be immensely rich. The Chewelah District comprises all 
 the country within a radius of twenty miles of the town of that name. 
 It includes the mines about Embrey, as also those about Trout Lake, 
 eight miles south ; the belt of mineral near the town of Argentum, 
 seven miles northward from Chewelah, where is located the Squier's 
 mine, and the valuable and fabulously rich mines, about eighteen 
 miles west of Chewelah, owned by Messrs. Friend <fe McKinney. 
 Silver is the predominating metal in all the quartz found n this 
 region, so far discovered. Yet lich gold fields, in gravel, have been 
 worked for years along the bed of the Columbia River, and even the 
 town of Chewelah has surrounding it some rich gravel prospects. 
 Only two miles from the Indian Agency buildings, located there, up 
 Sherwood Creek, fifty cents to the pan is often obtained. 
 
46 
 
 How is this new mining district to effect Spokane Falls, is now the 
 question. It takes no profound reasoning to show that it will contrib- 
 ute largely to the growth of this city. The mines are within easy reach 
 of Spokane Falls, in fact the mines are really only accessible from the 
 railroad at this point. A large sum of money has been expended on, 
 the roads leading from the Falls to Chewelah, Ernbrey and Colville 
 during the past few months, and there are few roads in the northwest 
 in better condition. Tri-weekly stages are now carrying the mail and 
 passengers between these points, and this service will be increased to 
 daily stages as soon as the Winter breaks up. Besides the stage lines 
 there will be several freighting companies in operation. This means of 
 transportation will have to answer for some time, as the projected rail- 
 road to be built to the Columbia River can not be constructed for a 
 year or two. Not only will our city be greatly benefited by holding 
 the key to the position, so to speak, from whence all supplies are 
 bound to be drawn, but it will bear another and closer relation, not 
 only to the Chewelah, but all other quartz mines in the Northwest. 
 Reduction works, smelters and refineries are necessary adjuncts to 
 successful mining regions, It will not pay to take out ores and ship 
 them to some distant point to be reduced to bullion, and as the demand 
 grows such industries must spring up. Here is where these works are 
 certain to be located. It would be folly to construct them elsewhere. 
 The cheapest and very best of power exists in this city, and the ease 
 with which quartz can be conveyed to mills here favors such projects. 
 As soon as men of capital are convinced that the mines will justify 
 such an investment these refineries will spring into existence. We feel 
 satisfied that a few years hence, among its many other manufacturing 
 industries, that of reducing crude ores to shining bricks of precious 
 metals will be pre-eminently the leading interest. 
 
 THE PEND D'OREILLE MINES. 
 
 One hundred miles from Sind Point, a station on the Northern 
 Pacific Railroad, and on the Pend d'Oreille Lake, and about n nety 
 miles north of Spokane Falls, is the town-site of Pend d'Oreilie City, 
 lying in the centre of the new mining district of that name. Within a 
 few miles of this town-site the Hudson Eay Tracing Com] any had a 
 post some thirty-eight years ago. Fur bearing animals were plentiful, 
 and considerable business was done in this vicinity by that company at 
 this early date. A few years later gold was discovered at the mouths 
 of the numerous streams tributary to the Pend d'Oreille River, and 
 quite a rush was made into the country then, from the Colville Valley, 
 and the old trail cut through the dense undergrowth, up and down the 
 rugged canyons, and over the high mountain peaks from that valley to 
 the gold fields has again become of importance, and the fallen timber 
 and brush, accumulated through the past quarter of a century, are 
 once more being removed to make room for the pack trains and saddle 
 horses that will undoubtedly pass over it in the coming Spring and 
 Summer. 
 
 Thousands of dollars in dust were taken out in pockets during the 
 first few years of the rush, but the country being large, very little 
 
47 
 
 prospecting having been done in the surrounding country, and the cost 
 of living being very high, prospects, which are now considered fair, 
 were left for new fields where it was presumed more gold could be 
 obtained with less labor. " Old-timers" still lingering around the Col- 
 ville Valley, tt-11 tales (probably much colored by the elapse of time) of 
 the \vondei ful pockets that were "worked out" in this region long 
 before the tide of immigration turned to the Northwest, and wish, with 
 a sigh, for the good old times again. 
 
 After having been deserted for a period of about twenty years, 
 these same diggings are again attracting attention, and their wealth, 
 like that of Gold Hill, Nevada, bids fair to be far outdone by the quartz 
 ledges which crop out in nearly every canyon in the district. There 
 are placers here which will probably prove good paying properties, but 
 long after hydraulicing has ceased on the numerous creeks and moun- 
 tain slie*:ns, the galena and carbonate ledges (unless all the old pros- 
 pectors now in camp have been much led astray) \vill be turning out 
 lead and silver in quantities to compare with the yield of the Coin- 
 stock. 
 
 The work that has been thus far done has been carried on quietly, 
 very little having been said about the camp through the newspapers, 
 notwithstanding the fact that work is progressing on three quartz 
 ledges in the dead of Winter, and that two placer claims were 
 profitably worked during the past season and that several more will be 
 opened during the next Spring and Summer. 
 
 The carbonate and galena ores are of a low grade, but exist in such 
 large quantities that if but a small profit to the ton can be gained in 
 working them, the future prosperity of the district is assured, and from 
 all assays so far received it is confidentially believed that the ores war- 
 rant the statement that this result will most assuredly be brought about. 
 The district has, as yet, been very little prospected for quartz ledges, 
 and it, is anticipated that during the coming season discoveries even 
 more important than those already recorded will be made. 
 
 The two most accessible routes into this district at present are : 
 From Spokane Falls, via Colville, W. T., over the old trail mentioned 
 above, or from Sand Point, down the Pend d'Oreille River with boats. 
 The former mate, over th3 trail, will not be traversable before the 
 middle of March, on account of the heavy fall of snow on the mountain 
 ranges, and the latter route down the river, will probably remain 
 closed until about the same date, the river being covered with ice nearly 
 the entire distance from the railroad into camp. Parties going down 
 the river should secure the company of someone familiar with the trip, 
 as there are several rapids and falls to be avoided, the running of which 
 might prove fatal to parties not conversant with their whereabouts. 
 
 There will probably be a large number of prospectors visit this 
 region this coming Season, but it is hoped by all parties in camp that 
 they will postpone their trip until the Snow has fairly left the moun- 
 tains in order that new parties corning in may take with them plenty of 
 provisions for their own use, as at present there is only enough in camp 
 to carry those already there through the Winter. There are now 
 several parties camped along the river, between Sand Point and Pend 
 
48 
 
 d'Oreille City, awaiting the breaking up of the ice on the river, haying 
 been caught in the ice while endeavoring to reach the camp this 
 Winter. 
 
 Pend d'Oreille City presents a picturesque appearance at the pres- 
 ent writing, everything out of doors being mantled in its Winter attire. 
 Several cabins are progressing as fast as the cold weather will permit 
 and ere Spring rolls around quite a respectable little town will have 
 grown up. Four blocks of the townsite have been surveyed, nearly 
 all of the lots are being occupied or claimed by parties who intend to 
 build as soon as possible. The camp is at present quiet, prospecting, 
 having stopped for the Winter, and the inhabitants (about fifty in num- 
 ber) are patiently awaiting the disappearance of the snow, when work 
 will be resumed again. The more recent development of this district 
 is just now in its infancy but its vastness of extent and the richness of 
 its deposits make it an important factor in the future of Spokane, This 
 is the nearest and most accessible point on the railroad and is sure to 
 be the supply centre for this region. A railroad from here to Kettle 
 Falls will give rail and steamboat communication with the Pend 
 d'Oreille mines at all Seasons, and this will doubtless be secured in time 
 to aid materially in their development. 
 
 THE SIMILKAMEEN DISTRICT. 
 
 Prof. J. M. Tiernan, of this city, has made explorations of the 
 northwestern portions of our Territory and the adjacent portions of 
 British America, and has published reports of the wonderful mineral 
 richness of those regions. Prof. Tiernan 's reports excited no particular 
 interest at the time of their publication, owing principally to the Coeur 
 d'Alene excitement, but later developments made by experienced 
 prospectors have more than verified the Professor's statements. 
 Prominent among the sections which showed the richest prospects and 
 which will, in a few years, attract a large share of public attention, 
 theSimilkameen and Mount Chopaca Districts, being a portion of the 
 fifteen-mile strip of land, reserved by the Government for mineral 
 purposes, on the north side of the Moses Indian Reservation and con- 
 tiguous to British Columbia, and which extends for two hundred miles 
 east and west. That this district is very rich in its store of precious 
 metals, there is no doubt and the wonder is that it has remained so 
 long practically unoccupied. History states that mining was carried 
 on there by the Hudson Bay Company and the Indians twenty-five and 
 thirty years ago, and traces of their operations may yet be seen in 
 places. Since that time it has almost been forgotten, but stories of its 
 wealth were handed down, as a tradition, from one to another until 
 within the past few years, when a few adventurous prospectors found 
 their way there and the result of their search more than confirmed the 
 previous stories. In April last a party of five gentlemen, experienced 
 prospectors, was made up in Spokane Falls for the express purpose of 
 making thorough prospects in this region. They traveled northwest 
 to the mouth of the Okinakane River, passing up that and theSimilka- 
 meen Valley. They prospected principally along the Ellimaheen 
 range of mountains. These mountains are from two thousand to three 
 
49 
 
 thousand feet high, are covered with a luxuriant growth of timber and 
 abound in .springs and water courses. The Similkamaen River flows 
 at their base, and Nature has nuul> every provision for the erection of 
 mills of all kinds, the cutting of lumber for building purposes, and 
 working the mines. Over forty different ledges were discovered and 
 located by this party and they returned with some of the finest speci- 
 mens ever brought' to this city. Their richest discovery was made 
 near the top of Mount Ellimaheen, and \\hich they named the Tyee 
 mine. The ledge is over two feet thick and is easily traced for over 
 fifteen hundred feet. The ore is among the richest found in the 
 Territory, showing an as.ay as high as 400, silver, to the ton, with 
 traces of free gold. The Reformer or Mother Lode, they so named on 
 account of its vastness rather than its richness It runs from thirty to 
 forty feet in thickness, can be traced for a long distance and is said to 
 carry gold and sii\ er in the proportion of about 50 in gold and $200 
 in silver to the ton. A few men of wealth have already found their 
 way there and discoveries of equal richness have been made on lands 
 yet included in the Moses Reservation. They are waiting for the 
 Government to renove the Indians so as to allow the mines to be 
 worked which will no doubt soon be done. Three mines, called the 
 Eagle, Cabaar and Enterprise, on the north side of the Similkameen 
 River, are being worked. Two-fifths of the Enterprise mine \vas sold 
 to Walla Walla parties for 812,500, and each of them are considered 
 very valuable, but the ore in them does not run so high as that in the 
 higher altitude on the south side of the Similkameen River. There can 
 be no doubt that the opening of this district will be of the utmost 
 importan.-e to Spokane Falls, as this is the only place which can possi- 
 bly become its base of supplies. From this city there is a level grade 
 and a good wagon road directly to the Similkameen region and the 
 building of a railroad from Spokane to Kettle Falls, on the Columbia, 
 will bring the mines to our very door. The Cascade Range shuts the 
 mines off from the west and this is their natural and only outlet. 
 
 THE KETTLE FALLS DISTRICT. 
 
 In addition to the Chewelah, Pend d'Oreille and Similkameen Dis- 
 tricts, to which we have alluded, all of which are located in Stevens 
 County, that county has just developed a fourth mining region which 
 has been named the Kettle Falls District. This is situated on the west 
 side of the Columbia River and west of the Peiid d'Oreiiie District. 
 This is among the very latest discovered and shows immense deposits 
 of the finest sand and crystalized carbonate ores, similar in character 
 to the LeadvLle and Eureka ores. In addition to these, a number of 
 large veins of coal have been discovered in that region, which experts 
 declare will coke as readily as the noted Westhartley coal. These coal 
 veins have been traced for a mile or more in length, showing a width 
 of from five to twenty feet, and the fields are thought to be very exten- 
 sive. This will prove of incalculable yalue and add immensely to the 
 richness of the region and to our city, which stands at the gateway of 
 the very best outlet to that entire county. The old mines in the Kettle 
 Falls District are not being vigorously worked at present, although 
 
50 
 
 some fabulously rich samples of ore have been brought from them. 
 Ricli gold fields, in gravel, have been successfully worked along the 
 Columbia River for years. What promises to be one of the most 
 important of these is the hydraulic diggings, which will be opened up 
 fully this season, owned by Judge Still, of this county, and nine other 
 gentlemen. This claim is located at the mouth of Mill Creek, six miles 
 above the famous Oppenheimer claim. It has a vast extent of three or 
 four thousand acres, is located so that the whole surface can be easily 
 washed and is known to be immensely rich. Its owners have jus-t 
 refused an otter of 100,000 for their claim. 
 
 Hydraulic mining along this portion of the Columbia River has 
 been done at different places for many yeaus, some of the most exten- 
 sive of these operations being carried on by Chinamen. Lieutenant 
 Symons alludes to their work as follows : " There are quite a number 
 of Chinamen engaged in mining on the river bars. Many bars have 
 been worked and abandoned, and others have not been worked, owing 
 to the difficulty of getting water to them. In some instances the Chi- 
 nameii have put in flumes several miles in length and constructed 
 quite extensive works to obtain the precious metal from the gravel and 
 sand. In the construction of these works they often display much 
 ingenuity and knowledge of hydraulics. In one place, just below the 
 Spokane River, they have taken the water from Hawk Creek and con- 
 ducted it about three miles in ditches and wooden flumes made of 
 whip-sawed lumber, and have taken it to a large bar-island in the 
 river, crossing the intervening channel by means of an inverted 
 syphon, also made of whip-sawed lumber." The mineral regions spe- 
 cifically alluded to are, by no means the only ones tributary to this 
 city. Others, notably those around Lake Pend d'Oreille and the Metlow 
 District, have been partially prospected and are known to contain 
 valuable deposits, and still others are being discovered. Those 
 described are sufficient to prove the bright future before our city. The 
 Seattle Chronicle, published in a city which feels under no obligations 
 to Spokane Falls, a few days ago made this candid statement : "Spo- 
 kane Falls is expecting to reap a rich harvest from the different mining 
 camps next season. It seems to be situated in a semi-circle of vvliai 
 promises to be a very rich mineral country. The Coeur d'Alene on 
 the east and southeast, the Kootenai and Upper Columbia on the north 
 and the new discoveries on the west and northwest. The latter prom- 
 ises to be very rich and extensive." 
 
 A MICA MOUNTAIN. 
 
 Another valuable auxiliary to Spokane Falls' growth is a mica 
 peak, which is being rapidly opened and developed, and which is con- 
 sidered a perfect bonanza to its lucky owners. The Spokane Falls 
 Evening Review recently called attention to it in an article from which 
 we make the following extract : " Few of our readers may be aware of 
 the existence, in sight of this city, of one of the most promising mica 
 mines in the country, but it is there all the same and is being worked 
 by a syndicate of Denver capitalists. Mica is a valuable mineral tha 
 can be found, in paying quantities, only in a few portions of America. 
 
51 
 
 Heretofore the chief supply of mica has been drawn from North Caro- 
 lina, but the indications now are that Eastern Washington and North- 
 ern Idaho will wrest much of the trade in that material from the 
 Southern State. Little has been known and less said in regard to this 
 mine, and in fact no large shipments have been made from the claim, 
 ar.hounh much valuable mica lias been taken out during the oast few 
 months. By some means, ten residents of Denver got hold of the mine 
 and incorporated a company under the name of The Mica Peak Mining 
 Company, of which J. D. Coplen is President, and E. Moses, Secretary. 
 We met Mr. Coplen to-day while he was in the city on business, and 
 he gives a very favorable report of the project. Mica Peak is a high 
 i'l -vailon in the chain of mountains southeast of this city and is some 
 twenty-five miles distant. The mountain is plainly to be seen from 
 this plai-e. Considerable work has been done on the mine and a force 
 will be kept constantly in operation. The company has an order on 
 hand for 5000 pounds from Denver, and when it is rilled the stuff will 
 be shipped through to New York. Spokane Falls will be the shipping 
 point for this mine. The mica taken out is in large sheets, that is large 
 sheets for that kind of mineral, and has been pronounced as good as 
 the best in the market. There is a ready sale for all that can be mined, 
 and as it brings between 11 and S12 per pound it will be readily seen 
 that the mine is an exceedingly valuable one. This is but another of 
 the many industries that will go to aid in building up this city during 
 the next few years. If the mine proves to be more extensive than it is 
 at present known, it will give employment for a large force for all time 
 to come, and will be the source of a large income to those who hold 
 stock in the company." 
 
 COAL FIELDS, 
 
 The vastness of the timber regions of the Territory and the meagre 
 demand for coal, has tended to retard the development of the coal 
 fields within our borders, but this fuel is known to exist in very large 
 quantities and of the very finest quality. With the building of mills 
 and manufactories here will eo.ne a demand for coal, and the fact that 
 it can be had within easy reach of Spokane Falls will encourage such 
 investments here. We have already alluded to the rich and vast 
 deposits of this fuel one hundred miles north, in our article on the 
 Falls Min ng District, and this will be brought to our very doors 
 within a year, by the construction of a railroad. The Governor of the 
 Territory, in a recent address, publicly stated that " all of Western 
 Washington was one vast coal basin." Within a few months our city 
 will lx> directly connected with that region by the completion of the 
 Cascade Branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Another very large 
 coal region is found in the Yukima Valley, between Yakima City and 
 Ellensburg. These mines can be very easily worked and the quality 
 of the coal is found to exceed that in the Western part of the Territory, 
 near Seattle, and which is particularly noted for its heat-producing 
 qualities. The Northern Pacific Railroad is now completed and in 
 
52 
 
 operation to these Yakima coal fields, putting them but a few hours 
 from Spokane Falls. 
 
 A PLUMBAGO MINE. 
 
 The Ellensburg Localizer says : " Every week develops some new 
 discoveries in the mineral district northwest of this place, in the exten- 
 sive mineral belt about the headwaters of the Cle-el-um and other 
 tributaries of the Yakima River. This time we have to record the dis- 
 covery of a valuable silver lode on the Catches, just above the 
 Cle-el-um. We have a specimen of the ore that we think is very rich, 
 and i-, perhaps, the very best that has been brought to public notice. 
 The discoverers are John Davis, David Wheaton, L. Cassady, John E. 
 Voice and Lerov Gilham. They went five or six days to Catches Lake, 
 and in their prospecting they discovered what was thought to be silver 
 It is found, however, to be a genuine mine of plumbago, with a small 
 per cent of silver. The plumbago in places is soft and can be spaded 
 out like peat. It is perfectly pure, and some of it resembles horn- 
 blende, is in flakes, and will mark like a lead pencil on paper. It is 
 difficult to tell what it is worth on this coast perhaps several hundred 
 dollars a ton. A man could get out several tons a day." These mines 
 are situated only one hundred arid fifty miles from Spokane Falls, and 
 are directly connected with us by the Northern Pacific Railroad, now 
 completed and in operation. 
 
 Manufacturing and Business. 
 
 The present industries of Spokane Falls are two flouring mills, 
 three planing mills, two sash, door and blind factories, one excelsior 
 packing and mattress factory, one machine shop, two carriage manu- 
 factories, two banks with a capital of $300,000, one fence manufactory, 
 one cigar factory, one saw mill, three breweries, sixteen saloons, one 
 hide and fur depot, three wholesale liquor dealers, nine grocers, four 
 drug stores, nine general merchandise stores, two boot and shoe stores, 
 two furniture houses, four hardware stores, four wholesale dry goods 
 houses, three lumber dealers, three commission merchants, three 
 harness factories, seven real estate dealers, two ice dealers, two agricul- 
 tural implement houses, one grain dealer, one soda water factory, four 
 jewelers, one broker, four money loaners, four millinery stores, three 
 fruit and confectionery stores, two book stores, four tailors, eight 
 contractors and builders, three buther shops, two skating rinks, three 
 second hand stores, three bakeries, rive hotels, four restaurants, several 
 boarding houses, four livery and feed stables, one live stock dealer 
 and a number of small retail dealers in various branches of trade. The 
 city has six practicing physicians, twenty-three attorneys, one 
 
53 
 
 abstractor, four surveyors, four insurance agents, three dentists, two- 
 photographers, rive barber shops, two weekly newspapers and one 
 daily. 
 
 The business of the town has increased marvelou.sly. Four years 
 ago the amount of trade here did not exceed 100,000 per year. The 
 past year it is estimated to have amounted to nearly 3,500,000. Thia 
 vast increase is due largely to this being made a wholesale distributing 
 point, and the business could have been much more largely increased, 
 had there been sufficient capital here. 
 
 Among the enterprises which are demanded here and which could 
 not fail to succeed we may name flour mills, saw mills, woolen 
 mills, flailing mills, sash, door and blind factories, tub and 
 bucket factories, starch factories, beet su^ar factories, furniture fac- 
 tories, alcohol works, breweries, paper mills, vinegar factory, tannery* 
 barrel factory, wagon and carriage manufactories, machine shops, gold 
 and silver reduction works and smelters, shot tower, iron and steel 
 works, car works, linseed oil works, boot and shoe manufactory, 
 agricultural machinery works, foundry, pork and beef packing houses, 
 fruit canning establishment, cracker factory, and many others too 
 numerous to mention. All those enumerated would find plenty of raw 
 niater.ul produced in this country, and would have all the country 
 within a radius of several hundred miles in which to find a inarke 
 without competition. 
 
 Grain, Fruits and Vegetables. 
 
 Wheat is the staple agricultural product of the entire country. Its 
 superior quality has made it famous in the grain markets of the World 
 and always insures for it the highest market price. The berry is 
 heavy and full and often exceeds, by from five to nine pounds, th Q 
 standard \\eiglit of a bushel. The average yield is from twenty to forty 
 bushels per acre, and it makes the very finest of flour. 
 
 Oats yield heavily and, like wheat, usual} o errun the standard 
 weight, by from four to nine pounds to the bushel. The average 
 yield is probably about thirty-five bushels per acre. In the the richer 
 soils and more favored localities the yield is much greater. Barley has 
 been and can be grown here with eminent success. Samples gathered of 
 the fanners in this region have been pronounced in quality superior to 
 that grown in other localities by experts in San Francisco and Eastern 
 cities and frequent shipments are made all the way to Chicago, 
 Milwaukee, St. Louis and Cincinnati, in which markets it has made a 
 reputation for superiority. We are not prepared to give an accurate 
 estimate of the average yield, but some farmers cLurjt^JUjtJ^ave raised 
 
54 
 
 fifty bushels per acre. It has excellent properties for brewing 
 purposes, makes the very best feed for hog.s, and by many is thought 
 to be superior to oats for horses. 
 
 Rye and corn are largely raised in this section, but do not succeed 
 BO well as in the more southern parts of Oregon. Corn is said to aver- 
 age here about forty bushels and rye from twenty to twenty-five per 
 acre. Of recent flax has been raised for export, and its culture is a 
 permanent industry. It is not unusual to obtain from 400 to 800 pounds 
 'of clean fibre per acre. The seed nets one dollar per bushel. Linen 
 making could be successfully engaged in, as there is convenient water 
 power in Spokane for driving- any number of looms and mill-*. The 
 culture of hops is one of the most important and profitable industries 
 in Western Washington and the Yakima Valley, and it is claimed they 
 can be grown with equal success in this section. The}' are grown on 
 the river bottom lands, and, with proper cultivation, a large yield of 
 superior quality is obtained. The crop runs from 1,500 to 3,000 pounds 
 per acre. The crop sells readity at prices ranging from fifteen to 
 twenty cents per pound, and the export demand is steady. In 1SS2, 
 owing to a strong speculative demand, the price reached one doll ir 
 per pound. The advantages connected with the hop industry are a 
 suitable soil, the certainty of a good crop, early bearing of the vines, 
 extraordinary yield, low cost of production, facilities for securing 
 poles, fuel for drying, and cheap labor for picking. 
 
 Fruits of delicious aroma and flavor, and of remarkable size and 
 beauty, can lie laised in great abundance. Apples grow to perfection. 
 The tree is indigenous to the soil, the fruit is large, highly colored and 
 of delicious taste. The trees are stout, hardy and prolific. 
 
 Prunes thrive as well as in any other part of the world. The trees 
 are henlthy and vigorous and bear early. The fruit is rich, mellow, 
 large, and has a delicate aromatic; taste. 
 
 Plums are prolific, magnificent in size and color, and are sweet 
 and of fine flavor. There are many varieties, and the trees are hardy 
 and reliable bearers. 
 
 Pears of nil the best known varieties, early and late, of large size 
 and excellent flavor, aie produced in profusion. The trees are hardy, 
 bearing at a remarkably early age. Some specimens attain a weight o 
 three pounds and upward. 
 
 Cherries, unexcelled anywhere, grow in unlimited abundance. 
 The trees are hardy and heavy bearers, and the fruit is superior in size 
 and beauty. 
 
 Peaches have been cultivated satisfactorily along the Columbia 
 River and in the Walla Walla Valley, as \vell as at many other points 
 east of the Cascade Mountains. Sufficient experiments have not been 
 made here yet to enabla us to speak positively as to whether they can 
 be grown successfully in this altitude. Mr. J. J. .Stage, an experienced 
 horticulturist, who has a farm and nursery adjoining the townsite, 
 says: "I have peaches and apricots that have grown well and stood 
 .the last two Winters, but have raised no fruit yet." 
 
 Strawberries, raspberries, blackberrias, gooseberries and currants, 
 
00 
 
 delicious- in flavor, large in size, and perfect in all respects, are easily 
 raised and are quite abundant. 
 
 Mi -[mates the number of apple trees in Spokane County 
 
 "00, plum trees 5,500, prunes 4,400, peaches 5,000 and grape- 
 vine- 
 
 Vegetables of every variety and of the finest quality are pro 1 need. 
 Potatoes, <-abbat:es. on o:;s, turnips, squashes, be -:s, carrots, parsn ps ? 
 cucumbers and celery grow to large size. All the vegetables named 
 thrive equally well and give abundant crops in both sections of the 
 country, not\\ irhstand'ng the climatic distinctions which exist east and 
 - -ade Mountains. Melons, tomatoes and some of the 
 frn it 8, however, flourish better in the warmer and drier atmo-phere 
 east of the mountains. Rev. Neal Cheetham, \vlio lives neir Waits- 
 burg, sold stjQO worth of melons raised on less than one acre. 
 
 Of liis experience with vegetables, Mr. Stage says; ' Ye-re'ables 
 of all kinds do excellently; in fact, I have never, in all my experience 
 of eight years, arrow n better onions, cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, 
 beans, turnips, etc.. than I have here this year. I raised 11,690 pounds 
 of onions, on one-fourth of an acre." 
 
 The average yield of wheat per acre may safely be stated at 22 
 bushels ; of oats and barlov, 3~> : corn, 40 ; rye, 21 ; peas, 40 ; beans, 36 ; 
 potatoes, .",00; sweet potatoes, 150; turnips, 600; carrots, 500; parsnips,- 
 500. Cabbages produce from 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, and hay from two 
 and a half to three tons per acre. 
 
 Growth. 
 
 The population of the entire Territory has increased at a very rapid: 
 rate. By the Government Census, in 1*70 it was 23.955. In 1SSO it had 
 grown to 75,116 an increase of 213 per cent, in ten years. In 1884 the 
 population exceeded 150,000 an increase of over 1000 per cent, in four 
 years. Spokane Falls has had a much more rapid increase than that. 
 By an official census taken less than two years ago thv j opulation of 
 the city was about 1,600. In October last the permanent population 
 was estimated by careful observers to be at least 3,500 and cannot now 
 be much less than 4,000, showing that the city Avill nearly treble its 
 size in two years, and that at a time of the greatest depression known 
 in this country. In IS*2 the vote of Spokane Falls was 336. At the 
 election two years later it was 1010. The number of its bu- 
 houses and the amount of business transacted here has increased in a 
 still greater proportion, as a large wholesale trade with the smaller 
 towns is now carried on by our business men. This is a very remark- 
 able showing, when we remember that it was only November 29, 1881, 
 when the Governor signed the bill incorporating this as a city. Another 
 
56 
 
 remarkable feature of the city's growth is the fact that it has been 
 almost wholly from within and not from outside capital. That it may 
 be seen that the city has not been boomed ahead of the outlying 
 country, we haye but to allude to the progress made by Sp >kane 
 county. In 1882 the vote of Spokane county was 1,900. The county 
 then included the territory now embraced in the new counties of 
 Lincoln and Douglas and covered an area of over 10,000 square miles. 
 The county now has an area of but 1,534 square miles, yet at the general 
 election last Fail, the vote was nearly 3,000 and the vote of the territory 
 formerly included in Spokane county, was 6,000, showing an increase 
 for the whole county of over 300 per cent, an increase even greater than 
 that for the city. In 1883 the assessment of property in Spokane 
 county, (the territory now included in the counties of Spokane, Lincoln 
 and Douglas) aggregated $3,183,378. In 1884, in the same territory it 
 aggregated $4,702,102, an increase of nearly 50 per cent, in one year. 
 Five years ago the taxable wealth of Spokane Falls was not over 
 $30,000, while now the city pays taxes on property assessed at 
 $ 1,500,000, at a very low valuation. 
 
 Educational. 
 
 The permanent population of Spokane Falls is of a very highly 
 intellectual and moral character, composed of the families of those 
 enterprising persons who have gathered here from the Coast cities 'ind 
 from the East, to unite their enei'gies in the work of building up a city. 
 The people of Spokane Falls deserve to be complimented more for 
 their generosity in furthering the cause of educi:iou th in th ).v d> on 
 account of their beautiful townsite, their sup3:b water power, their 
 fields of waving grain, their sublime mountain scenery or their mines 
 of the precious metals. It cannot be said of Spokane Falls, as of most 
 new towns, that the people have gone crazy in their eager pursuit of 
 the almighty dollar. They recognize the fact that intellectual cul.ure is 
 the genius of the age in which we live, and constitutes in itself a true 
 exponent of real wealth and power. Within the past two years a pub- 
 lie school building which cost nearly $8,000, a Methodist College more 
 costly and a building for a Catholic College, to be under the manage- 
 ment of the Jesuit Fathers, have been erected. This latter structure is 
 an imposing one and cost $15,000. 
 
 The city public schools are in charge of Professor L. H. Prather, of 
 the Asbury (now known as the De Poe) University, Indiana. The 
 schools are divided into six different departments, each of which is 
 presided over by an experienced assistant. The grading and manage- 
 ment of the schools, and the intellectual and educational standing of 
 the scholars is equal to any schools of like character in the Eastern 
 States. The schools now have an attendance of two hundred and sixty 
 pupils. The present school building has four separate departments, 
 
57 
 
 and was thought at the time of its erection, less than two years ago, to 
 be sufficient for the demands of the city for a number of years. 
 Already it is found to be only half large enough and two of the city 
 churches are rented by the city and used for school purposes. The 
 High School has organized a literary society which is doing good 
 work. 
 
 On Riverside Avenue, in the central part of the city, is located the 
 Spokane English and Classical School, a select school organized in 
 September last and conducted by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Libby, with able 
 and competent assistants. This school was organized and is conducted 
 on a high plane of efficiency and has mat with very encouraging sue* 
 cess. It has enrolled over sixty pupils in the first two terms. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Libby are confessedly among the most competent instructors in 
 the Territory and are greatly beloved by their pupils. Their school ia 
 to be one of the permanent institutions of our growing city and is con- 
 stantly enlarging its facilities. It is doing a good work. 
 
 The Spokane College is a regular chartered institution with full 
 course of study and a competent corps of instructors. Graduates for 
 the college cjurse of four years will receive the usual degrees. Besides 
 the regular college course, there are the usual normal, preparatory and- 
 commercial courses, so that the students of all grades may be received 
 and their wants fully met. No pains are spared to make this institu- 
 tion equal in all respects to those of the East. The college property 
 consists of about twenty acres of land beautifully situated on the north 
 side of the river with a view of the Falls, and of a fine building cost- 
 ing over $3,000. The Preparatory DSpj,r:ment of the College opened in 
 November 1882, under the instruction of Rev. I. C. Libby, the first 
 President. Mr. Libby was in charge of the college two years. During 
 his admmis:ration several students became quite well advanced in 
 languages and mathematics. In the Fall of 1884, Rev. R. E. Bisbee 
 took charge of the college and employed as assistants Rov. L. D. Pang- 
 born, L. D. Westfall, Mrs. M. C. Walts and Miss F. M. Williams, the 
 latter two being music teachers. Classes are organized in Latin, Greek, 
 geometry, algebra, philosophy, history, logic, book-keeping, etc.- A 
 literary society has been organized and holds weekly meetings. The 
 college is under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but ia 
 by no means sectarian in its purposes. Its aim is thorough scholar- 
 ship and a high standard of moral and Christian character. Great 
 credit s due the generosity of the citizens of this place, without regard 
 to denomination, in establishing and maintaining the institution. 
 Though yet in its infanc}^, Spokane College is destined to take its place 
 among the great institutions of the land. 
 
 Let no one who contemplates coming to this city have any fears of 
 alack of educational facilities. Besides those enumerated the Rodney 
 Morris (Episcopalian) school is located here and expects soon to open 
 with excelbnt facilities and a full course of study. The Gonzaga 
 (Catholic) College Buiding, to which we have alluded, is completed 
 and will no doubt be opened this season. The recent death of the resi- 
 dent pastor, Rev. Father Ruellan, has caused a delay, which, however, 
 
B8 
 
 will be only temporary. Spokane Falls promises to be the great edu- 
 'Catiorial centre of the Pacific Northwest. 
 
 Churches. 
 
 The Congregational, Catholic. Episcopalian, Baptist, Methodist and 
 Presbyterian Churches are represented here with active working 
 societies and resident pastors. All have houses of worship except the 
 Presbyterians, and they have just purchased a lot, in a very desirable 
 locality, preparatory to building this season. These societies are all 
 composed of an active intelligent membership, have good Sunday 
 Schools and are in charge of pastors whose ability is of a high order. 
 Christians desiring to remove here can tiud pleasant church homes 
 with these people. 
 
 Climate. 
 
 In the inquiry madeabouta new country the climate is always the 
 Chief burden. It is a matter that interests those of sound bodily health 
 as well as those who are invalids. We think many exaggerations have 
 been made in representing the climate of Eastern Washington. Some 
 Lave misrepresented by stating that the Winters are extremely rigorous 
 and severe, while others have erred in asserting that there is no cold 
 and disagreeable Wimer weather here. We have alluded incidentally 
 to the climate of this region on page 13. The fact is, tli3re are Winters 
 here when there are several weeks of quite cold and disagreeable 
 weather, but certainly not so much as this northern latitude might 
 lead one to believe. Being so far north it would be cold here, but for 
 the fact that we are not subject to the natural influences of climate- 
 that is, not located with reference to the zones. In the three months 
 called Winter, we have the climate of Maryland, Washington City, 
 and Jefferson City, Missouri. In the Winter we have the influence of 
 the soft, warm winds from the China and Japan Seas, and in Summer 
 these winds are cooled by the high range of mountains lying to the 
 west, north and east of the Spokane Country. According to the Signal 
 Service record, the average temperature for 1882 was 57.70. Here in 
 the Falls, that Winter, there were but seven days when carpjn:ers 
 could not do outdoor work, and not more than two weeks between 
 November and January when it was not cjinrnon to see painters 
 doing outside work. During the year, there were 21 days when the 
 maximum thermometer was below 32, and six days when it exceeded 
 to . Rainfall, 20.18 inches. When we have hot weather, the heat is 
 not at all oppressive ; everybody laboring without any inconvenience. 
 The nights are always cool and refreshing, making light blankets a 
 
necessary part of the bed clothing. Nothing could be more thoroughly 
 delightful than the Spring and Fall, months.. 
 
 Some seasons, snow may lie a month or six weeks on the ground. 
 Usually, however, it disappears within a few days. Thespeedy melting' 
 of the snow is due, at times, to a somewhat remarkable phenomenon. 
 A periodical warm win I blows up the channel of the Columbia from 
 the southwest throughout the year. This is calljd the Chinook. It 
 penetrates the gaps and passes of the mountain ranges of Moruana. 
 Before it the snow melts so rapidly that often in- the course of a fe\v 
 hours no vestige rem-iins where it liy a f >o^ in dapth a day before. 
 The Chinook wind is a greac benefit to the country. Its warm, moist 
 atmosphere is doubtless the result of its passage across- the great 
 thermal o^ean stream, known as the Japan current, which operates 
 so powerfully to mitigate the climite of the entire Northwest Coast, that 
 otherwise would be coll and rigorous in the extreme. Further, when 
 it is very cold, there are no razor like winds, as in Nevada, Utah and 
 Nebraska. 
 
 Spring begins in February with warm, pleasant weather, and last* 
 until the middle of May. At this season rain falls in sufficient quantity 
 to give life to vegetation and insure good crops. The clmiate is quite 
 healthy, the-death rate in Spokane Fnlls last year being less than tea 
 to the* thousand, the usual average being about seventeen throughout 
 the whole country. 
 
 Meteorological Summary for th-; Years of 1882-83-84. 
 
 WAR PEP'T, SIGNAL SERVICE, U. S. ARMY, ) 
 AT SPOKANK FALLS, VV. T. J 
 
 1882. 
 
 | TEMPERATURE." | WIND | 
 
 
 *,* 
 
 eg 
 
 ^ 
 
 ?> i " >*, H 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 !s? 
 
 2s 
 
 
 
 
 T. 2> _r 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 3 ^ 
 
 MONTHS. 
 
 ' 
 
 3 
 
 c 
 
 C- 
 
 ? 
 
 it 
 
 > 
 
 fl 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 2* 
 
 f 
 
 = =i 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 
 g-3 
 
 January 
 February 
 
 22.8 
 
 42.0*17.0 
 45.0 *U f 
 
 -,9.0 \V 
 
 >o.o s \v 
 
 2S 
 
 4.54 
 
 March 
 
 365 
 44 4 
 
 68.0 
 69 
 
 7.0 
 99 o 
 
 >1.0SW|44 
 40 S W 30 
 
 1.04 
 ^84 
 
 April 
 
 May 
 
 54.5 
 
 84.0 
 
 320 
 
 V> 
 
 s 
 
 3-' 
 
 1.54 
 
 June 
 
 64.7 
 
 94.5 
 
 39.0 
 
 V).:, 
 
 S W 35 
 
 1.17 
 
 July 
 
 69.2 
 
 97.5 
 
 45.0 
 
 52.5 
 
 S W 32 
 
 .8d 
 
 August 
 
 <i8.9 
 
 101.5 
 
 88.0 
 
 J3.5 
 
 SYV 2(1 
 
 .14 
 
 Sept em ber 
 
 VM) 
 
 87 36 
 
 51.0 
 
 S W "4 
 
 8(1 
 
 October 
 
 44 4 
 
 61 o' 28 
 
 n 
 
 SW 24 
 
 4.81 
 
 November . . 
 
 33.8 
 
 33 S 
 
 52.0 14.038.0 
 4<.0i 2 2)46.8 
 
 X K 20 
 
 S \V 23 
 
 2.44 
 3.54 
 
 December 
 
 Annual Mean Temperature, 4U.5. 
 Highest Temperature, 101.5. 
 Lowest T( mperature. *17.0. 
 Total Rainfall or Melted Snows Inches, 25.99. 
 low Zero. 
 
60 
 
 1883. 
 
 MONTHS. 
 
 TKMPKHATUHK. 
 
 WIND 
 
 
 ft 
 P 
 
 Maximum 
 
 Minimum 
 
 Absolute rango 
 
 s. 
 
 3=: 
 
 3 
 g 
 
 g 
 
 x 
 5 
 
 < 
 
 o 
 
 i 
 ? 
 
 T't'lrainorml'd 
 snow inches.. 
 
 
 47.2 
 47.3 
 67.2 
 70.0 
 78.7 
 95.4 
 96.7 
 96.3 
 84.0 
 70.4 
 57.6 
 47.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 January 
 
 23.8 
 19.8 
 40.8 
 46.0 
 <^ 3 
 
 *27.7 
 *21.4 
 25.0 
 29.0 
 34.0 
 39.2 
 46.0 
 39.0 
 35.0 
 24.0 
 19.8 
 3.5 
 
 74.9 
 68.8 
 42.2 
 41.0 
 44.7 
 56.2 
 50.7 
 57.3 
 49.0 
 464 
 37.8 
 43.5 
 
 SW31 
 
 E 24 
 N E 25 
 .- VV 37 
 S W 31 
 SW28 
 S W 23 
 S VV 23 
 SW 16 
 SW'26 
 S W 31 
 N 128 
 
 2.13 
 2.95 
 .85 
 1.93 
 2.11 
 .(JO 
 .00 
 .15 
 .08 
 1.48 
 1.98 
 .21 
 
 February 
 
 March... 
 
 April 
 
 May 
 
 June . . 'fi5 3 
 
 July 
 
 71.1 
 
 68.8 
 " " 
 
 August 
 
 
 October 
 
 44 3 
 
 November 
 
 39.0 
 29.5 
 
 December 
 
 Annual Mean Temperature, 46.8. 
 
 Highest Temperature, 96.7. 
 
 Lowest Temperature, #27.7. 
 
 Total Rainfall or Melted Snow Inches, 14.37. 
 
 NOTE *Below Zero. 
 
 \ TEMPERATURE | WIND. | 
 
 MONTHS. 
 
 % 
 ct> 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Maximum 
 
 Minimum 
 
 Absolute range. 
 
 Prevailing 
 Direction 
 
 M'xm Velocity. 
 
 Tot'lrainormlt'd 
 snow inches, .... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 January 
 
 24.4 
 21.3 
 35 9 
 
 50.9 
 48.8 
 58.2 
 73.0 
 88.8 
 93.8 
 91.0 
 97.5 
 75.3 
 70.5 
 5(5.2 
 44.3 
 
 1.2 
 
 #17.8 
 12.0 
 31.5 
 37.8 
 42.8 
 428 
 44.3 
 32.8 
 260 
 18.0 
 *17.8 
 
 49.7 
 66.6 
 46.2 
 41.5 
 5KO 
 51.0 
 48.2 
 53.0 
 42.5 
 44.5 
 38.2 
 62.1 
 
 N 
 NE 
 SW 
 SW 
 SW 
 SW 
 SW 
 SW 
 
 s\v 
 
 SW 
 NE 
 W 
 
 22 
 29 
 
 22 
 >>*> 
 
 21 
 26 
 19 
 16 
 19 
 17 
 16 
 23 
 
 1.79 
 3.04 
 1.54 
 1.33 
 .56 
 2.58 
 1.06 
 .54 
 2.43 
 1.82 
 .59 
 3.28 
 
 February 
 
 March 
 
 April 
 
 50.2 
 59.8 
 65.7 
 65.7 
 69.6 
 52.5 
 46 9 
 
 May 
 
 June 
 
 July... 
 
 August 
 
 September 
 October 
 
 November 
 
 37.7 
 15.5 
 
 December.... 
 
 Annual Meun Temperature, 45.4. 
 
 Highest Temperature, 97.5 
 
 Lowest Temperature, #17.8. 
 
 Total Rainfall or Melted Snow inches, 20.56. 
 
 ./&S-NOTE. *Below zero. D. MOORE, 
 
 Sergt. Signal Corps, U* S. A. 
 
Transportation. 
 
 At present Spokane Falls has but one line of railroad the Northern 
 Pacific but this is one of the best equipped and best managed roads in 
 the country. But this is the centre of a great system of radiating stage 
 lines and wagon roads and is destinjd within the next few years 
 to become an important railroad centre. A railroad is soon to be built 
 north, passing directly through the Chewelah and Colviile mining 
 camps, and agricultural valleys, to Kettle Falls on the Columbia River. 
 From tiiere the river is navigable for large steamers for 350 miles. A 
 line of boats is to be run in connection with this road, which will place 
 us in direct connection with the Canadian Pacific Railroad and the vast 
 regions of British Columbia. 
 
 A railroad is also projected to run west, through the famous Big 
 Bend wheat fields to Priest's Rapids, on the Columbia, from which 
 point there will soon be steamboat navigation to Portland and the sea 
 coast. The United States Government has nearly completed the locks 
 at the Cascades and plans are being perfected to remove the obstruc- 
 tions to navigation at The Dalles, which will open ihe river to free 
 navigation to the Pacific Ocean. 
 
 A railway has also been projected to run south, up Hangman 
 Creek, which will drain the rich and highly cultivated section coming 
 to within a few miles of Spokane and spreading all the way to Lawis- 
 ton, Idaho. A branch from this road will be built through Moscow 
 and on south to the Snake River, securing another route to connect 
 with water navigation to the Ocean. From this road another branch 
 will be constructed north and northeast around the south end of Lake 
 Coeur d'Alene and into the famous Coeur d'Alene mining regions. 
 This is the most practicable and accessible railroad route into these 
 mines and it is a line that will be built very soon. The main line will 
 be extended on southeast so as to connect with the Utah & Northern, 
 giving us direct connection with Butte, Ogden, Salt Lake City, Denver 
 and another route to all points east and south. 
 
 These are the lines at present projected, which are to centre at 
 Spokane Falls, and which will doubtless, be constructed without serious 
 delay. They are roads projected by Mr. Viiiard and which but for his 
 reverse of fortune and the financial disaster which came upon the 
 country, would now be under contract, in the course of construction or 
 completed. The development of the country and the rapid growth of 
 this city which they will hasten will demand still other lines in a few 
 years. 
 
Questions and Answers. 
 
 In order to present in as concise form as possible the information 
 desired by parties in "the States," in reference to this country we ap- 
 pend a list of the questions most frequently asked, by parties writing 
 here for information, with- each properly answered: 
 
 What is the population of Spokane Falls? 
 
 About 3,500. 
 
 What are the prominent features of the climate ? 
 
 Mode-rate, healthful, and in the main pleasant. 
 
 How much snow and rainfall ? 
 
 A good deal of snow in Winter and the rainfall in- Summer rather 
 
 light. 
 
 Have you Dlenty of water and is it pure ? 
 
 In most localities plenty and always pure. 
 
 What is the character of the soil in and around Spokane Falls ? 
 
 The soil varies in character. 
 
 How near to Spokane Falls can vacant Government lands be 
 obtained ? 
 
 North, about twenty miles, mostly timber. West, one hundred 
 miles. South, all taken, but good claims can be bought for very 
 reasonable figures. 
 
 What is the price of railroad lands in the vicinity of Spokane 
 Falls? 
 
 From $2.50 to $10.00 per acre, on ten years time at 7 per cent. No 
 reduction for cash. 
 
 Are there any good grazing lands in your section ? 
 
 Yes, plenty of them. 
 
 How far is Spokane Falls from the Columbia River 7. 
 
 About fifty- rive miles to the nearest point. 
 
 Are there plenty of fish in the streams ? 
 
 Yes, and a great abundance of game in the mountains. 
 
 How far are the Coeur d'Alene mines from Spokane Falls, and 
 what are your nearest mines ? 
 
 About ninety miles to Coeur d'Alene, and the nearest mines 
 (Chewelah) are about fifty miles away. 
 
 Have you means of travel and transportation to and from the 
 mines? 
 
 Yes, there are regular lines of stages and freight teams, in connec- 
 tion with steamers, and railroads are projected to each district. 
 
 What are your educational facilities ? 
 
 Good graded public schools, two colleges, and one private or selec t 
 school. 
 
OP 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 What is the price of fuel ? 
 
 Three dollars pei cord for pine wood. 
 
 Have you any coal ? 
 
 None yet in use here. Coal has been discovered within one 
 hundred miles and of good quality. 
 
 Are the churches \veJl represented ? 
 
 We have six different churches. 
 
 Do you manufacture brick in Spokane? 
 
 Yes, and of excellent quality. 
 
 What wages do mechanics receive ? 
 
 Carpenters get from 3.00 to 3.50, masons from $4.00 to $6.00, and 
 laborers from 1.50 to $2.50 per day. 
 
 Can you raise fruits, and what kind ? 
 
 All kinds raised in temperate climates. Small fruits, apples, plums, 
 etc., do splendidly. 
 
 How cold does it get at Spokane Falls ? 
 
 It very rarely gets as low as thirty degress below zero. The past 
 Winter it did not get so cold as twenty bdlow, and the Winters are 
 generally no colder than this one. 
 
 What is the railroad fare from Chicago ami St. Paul to Spokane 
 Falls ? 
 
 Emigrant rate, $54.00 from the former city, and $42.00 from the 
 latter. 
 
 Have you any Indians and are they troublesome ? 
 
 Only a few and they are rot troublesome. All of them will soon 
 be removed to reservations remote from us. 
 
 What class of people in and around Spokane Falls? 
 
 Neai ly all Americans, intelligent and thrifty. 
 
 What are the chief industries of the country ? 
 
 Mining, agriculture, grazing, lumbering and fruit growing, 
 
 What are the taxes ? 
 
 Less than one per cent, of actual value of property. 
 
 What is the best route from the States? 
 
 Buy tickets over the Northern Pacific Railroad. 
 
 Is there much stock raised about Spokane Falls ? 
 
 Some, but not a great deal as yet. 
 
 Does stock have to be fed in Winter? 
 
 Stock now lives on the bunch grass range all Winter, when the 
 snow is not too deep, but usually farmers prepare for thirty days 
 feeding. 
 
 Are there any mineral spri igs near the Falls ? 
 
 No, but Medical Lake has mineral waters possessing medicinal 
 properties. 
 
 What public improvements has your city ? 
 
 The H-.lly Water Works, Telephone Exchange, will have gas this 
 Spring, and Electric Light soon. 
 
 Would you advise a man of fair means to move to Spokane Falls ? 
 
 Yes, if he has fair judgment, energy and pluck. 
 
 What is your water power ? 
 
 One hundred and forty -four thousand horse power at low water. 
 
64 
 
 What kinds of timber have you ? 
 
 Pine, cedar, hemlock, fir and tamarack, mostly. 
 
 Are the professions well represented ? 
 
 Yes. 
 
 How many stage routes centre in Spokane Falls ? 
 
 Seven. 
 
 What is the price of lots in Spokane? 
 
 Dwelling lots from $50 to $100, and business lots from $500 to $4,000 
 
 What is the cost of living ? 
 
 Food and produce are a very little higher than they are in Illinois, 
 while clothing rates about the same as in all of the States west of the 
 Mississippi, hoarding house rates are about one-third higher and 
 rents nearly double. 
 
 What is the price of building material ? 
 
 Good lumber $10 per M. and brick $8 per M. 
 
 How far are you from Portland ? 
 
 Distance by rail, 374 miles. 
 
 What is the character of your buildings ? 
 
 Mostly wood, but we have nine fine brick blocks. 
 
 At what rate can money be had ? 
 
 From one and a half to two per cent, a month. 
 
 What Outsiders Think of Spokane. 
 
 A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial-Gazette, a few weeks 
 ago, alluded to this city in the following language: u To show the rapid 
 strides of this place I will mention the fact that, whereas the lands 
 were taken up five years ago at $2.50 an acre, the tax duplicate of Spo- 
 kane Falls runs to-day up in the millions. Flour and saw-mills are 
 running day and night and cannot supply the demand nor work up 
 the wheat and logs offered. Spokane Falls is bound to become -the- 
 Minneapolis of the Pacific Slope within a very short time. The climate 
 here is still soft and pleasant ; I gathered yesterday four varieties of 
 wild flowers upon the hillsides back of the city, which, considering 
 that this point is at nearly forty-eight degrees north latitude, and far 
 north of Portland, Maine, is almost incredible. I have no interest 
 here, no axes to grind, no town lots to boom, (I wish I had ; ) hence 
 when I say that this is the loveliest spot on the North American Conti- 
 nent, it is from pure conviction." 
 
 In a three column article in the Cincinnati Commercial-Gazette of a 
 late date, summing the results of his observations on the Northern 
 Pacific Railroad, General H. V. Boynton, Chief of the Washington 
 Bureau of that paper, says : "The most productive grain region of 
 the line, not excepting the famed Red River Valley, is without doubt 
 that of which Walla Walla and Spokane Falls, both in Washington 
 Territory, are the centers. The former is already well developed, and 
 the capacities of the latter have been sufficiently tested. This region is 
 
65 
 
 about twice the size of the Red River Basin ; it has a soil as inexhaust- 
 ible ; it will produce more wheat to the acre, and it enjoys a climate 
 where the Winters bring little discomfort, and are for the most part 
 and through most seasons mild and attractive. The wheat is not so 
 hard as that of the Red River, but the great excess in the yield makes 
 up for the deficiency. The belief of the railroad officials is that the 
 wheat from this section can be profitably transported to Duluth for 
 shipment eastward by the lakes. In the near future, however, much 
 of it will l>e turned into flour at Spokane Falls, a place which promises 
 to become the Minneapolis of the Western end of the road. It is beau- 
 tifully situated on the rocky bluffs overlooking a river which affords 
 unlimited water power. The northern timber belt is close at hand on 
 one side, and the wheat region just described on the other. It already 
 has a thriving business, mills, lumbering establishments, schools, 
 churches and two colleges. It will soon give heavy business to the 
 road. In fact, it has now outgrown the very liberal freight accommo- 
 dations which were provided when the road was opened to the place, 
 and once afterward enlarged." 
 
 One of the most flattering tributes ever paid to our city was in an 
 editorial published but a short time a^o in the Portland Standard. It 
 certainly comes from an impartial source and from a city that has never 
 been accused of having a disposition to magnify the importance of 
 other localities. The Standard says : 
 
 "As a specimen city of the Pacific Northwest, Spokane Falls, 
 Washin ton Territory, takes the lead. If, as it has been aptly termed, 
 the Northern Pacific Railway is a rosary of beautiful and thriving 
 towns and cities, the Standard is cosmopolitan enough to experience 
 pleasure and gratification in knowing and saying, that for rapid, yet 
 permanent growth, for enterprise and thrift, Spokane Falls, among 
 all the (owns in Washington Territory, is the gem ; stands pre-eminent, 
 It is doiihtful if the Western slope of the Continent can producea better 
 exemplification of indomitable pluck and push, a prouder result of 
 genuine American enterprise than is afforded by the career of Spokane 
 Falls. 
 
 "Less than thirty months ago Spokane Falls was a village of about 
 300 people: raw in growth in all that pertained to progress. To-day, a 
 bustling city of more than two thousand people, with bright news- 
 papers, church and college edifices, opera house and public halls, bank 
 and business blocks of rnetropolital size and character, elegant resi- 
 dences, parks and drives, municipal arrangements for gas and water 
 works, defiantly challenges public attention. The city gives an open- 
 armed welcome to all comeis, and prides itself upon doing the honors 
 royally ; especially if there is that in the credentials of the stranger 
 which guarantees an addition to the moral, social and financial strength 
 of the community. 
 
 'Spokane Falls is no longer mere promise, but performance. It is 
 the vestibule or gateway, into a vast, and as yet comparatively new 
 territory on thp North; an empire yet to be taken from the only isolated 
 portion of the Continent and transformed into inviting and profitable 
 homes for hundreds of thousands of people; a region already available 
 
GG 
 
 for the farmer, and miner, the stockman and the lumberman. To the 
 South lies tributary an agricultural domain unequaled in production; 
 to the West stretches away the famous Big Bend Country, and on the 
 East, the farming' lands merge into the mining district of the Coeur 
 d'Alenes, the Comstock of the Pacific Northwest. For these mines, for 
 all the immense domain we have mapped out, Spokane Falls is the 
 commercial metropolis, the base of supply, the market for production, 
 and nothing but the blindest stupidity or narrow selfish policy can 
 forfeit this advantage. 
 
 "Withing the gates \ve find a citizenship that \vhille it is phe- 
 nomenally liberal in moral, social, religious and educational status, 
 gives quick recognition to the multiplying resources of that locality. 
 It is pleasant for the Standard to make this statement ; not intending 
 any invidious comparisons with other towns in that region, which are 
 big with the muttering greatness of corning municipalities, but simply 
 to chronicle that which is highly creditable to the people of the com- 
 munity in question, of interest to our local readers, and information to 
 the intending immigrant." 
 
 Mr. Chas. A. Pillsbury, who has the largest flouring mills in the 
 World, and who is located in Minneapolis, in speaking of the future 
 cities of the Northwest, says : "Portland may be a great city some 
 day, Seattle and Tacoma may become great cities, but Spokane Falls 
 has all the advantages which will be vure to make it the greatest city in 
 the Northwest before many years have elapsed." 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 " Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter," the readers of 
 (his book, in the States, will doubtless ask, Would yon advise us to 
 corne to Spokane Falls ? If you have pluck and energy and a little 
 money you are willing to invest with it ; if you are content to live 
 where people rustle for a living, are content to take your place among 
 them and wait a reasonable time for a rich return for your toil, we say 
 emphatically, YES ! If you can scrape together barely enough to pay 
 your expenses here, and would come expecting to find a land where 
 people could live and grow wealthy without labor, be alvva^ys free from 
 care, aches, pains and disease, we say just as decidedly, No ! 
 
 This is the poor man's country in the sense that it pays a larger 
 reward to industry than almost any other. To the farmer we can pre- 
 sent three conditions essential to his success a comfortable climate 
 just warm enough to ripen crops and mature his fruits and vegetables ; 
 a soil of more than average fertility, with enough moisture to make the 
 soil productive, and a good market for his products. To the capitalist 
 we present one of the best places for investment on the continent ; a 
 city now in its infancy but sure to grow, in a few years, to one of the 
 
67 
 
 most prominent manufacturing, railroad and mining centres in the 
 country. To the mechanic wo present that grandest opportunity 
 which can ever come to those of* his class the opportunity to secure 
 plenty of labor at good wages. To those seeking a pleasant place in 
 which to make a home and spend life, as far as possible, at ease, we 
 present a favored climate, a city delightfully situated, with good 
 society, schools and churches, an atmosphere of moral refinement in 
 which to rear and educate their children, and all the elevating influ- 
 ences of an Eastern city. To the tourist and sportsman we hold out 
 th inducement of streams and forests abounding with fish and game, 
 pleasant drives, opportunities for boating and bathing and scenery 
 equal to the boasted pleasure resorts of Italy and Switzerland. 
 
 To all people who expect to labor who expect to begin with 
 energy and keep it up, until a competence is gained ; who will add 
 moral, social, industrial and financial strength to the community, 
 those now here extend a hearty welcome. Wit-living individuals had 
 better give this country a wide berth. 
 
 During the next quarter of a century, here will be the theatre of 
 the most stupendous public and private enterprise, which ever the 
 world saw. Fortunes will be made, and the children of another gener- 
 ation will enjoy the luxuries of wealth. Careful investments now, 
 while the opportunities are presented, cannot fail to be profitable. The 
 history of the development of the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and 
 others, will be repeated here. It must be so, and the events of the 
 next ten years will convince the doubting of the truth. There is no 
 other country as the Spokane, so near the market and so fertile, where 
 the land can be had for the asking. There is, in fact, no other prairie 
 country in The Great Northwest that is not already cultivated. 
 
 Spokane Falls has an organized Board of Trade, composed of its 
 intelligent and energetic business men, which is constantly engaged in 
 promoting the welfare of the city. Its interest and influence covers a 
 wide range and embraces the entire region tributary to the city. Immi- 
 grants and capitalists looking into the resources of the country are 
 treated with courtesy and supplied with all the necessary information. 
 The United States Land Office, for all of Washington Territory north 
 of Snake River and east of the Columbia, is located here, also a branch 
 office of t lie Northern Pacific Land Department. These combine to 
 render this an especially desirable place at which to secure information 
 about the lands of Eastern Washington, and to be used as a base of 
 operations while searching for a suitable location. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 Resolved, That the Board of Trade of the city of Spokane Falls, 
 through its special committee, appointed for that purpose, fully en- 
 dorse the foregoing work entitled "Settlers' Guide to Homes in the 
 Northwest; Being a Hand-book of Spokane Falls, the Queen City of the 
 Pacific," and recommend the same for its truthfulness and accuracy; 
 and be it further 
 
 Resolved, That the committee are hereby instructed to place a copy 
 of the said work in the various Public Libraries where the same may 
 be of use to those seeking information in regard to Eastern Washington 
 Territory. 
 
 Adopted, February 6, 1885. 
 
 G. H. MORGAN, 
 
 Vice-President. 
 
 MILLARD T. HARTSON, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 We have read the proof sheets ot the work entitled "The Settlers' 
 Guide," which issues this week from the press of our contemporary, 
 the REVIEW, and do not hesitate to indorse it as a very interesting and 
 thoroughly reliable representation of the points in regard to Eastern 
 Washington and Spokane Falls about which there is at this time such 
 extensive inquiry. Messrs. Dallam, Ansell & Edwards have spared 
 no pains to make it thorough, accurate and comprehensive. Spokane 
 Falls Chronicle, Feb. 5th, 1885. 
 
ADVERTISEMENTS. 
 
FIRST NATIONAL BANK 
 
 OF- 
 
 Spokane Falls, Washington Territory. 
 
 Authorized Capital, : : $100,000 
 Paid up Capital, : : : : $70,000 
 
 PRESIDENT, FRANK R. MOORE. 
 
 VICE-PRESIDENT, H. M. McCARTNEY. 
 
 CASHIER, HORACE L. CUTTER. 
 
 DIRECTORS: 
 
 FRANK R. MOORE, JAS. N. GLOVER, HORACE L. CUTTER, 
 H. M. MCCARTNEY, L. H. WHITEHOUSE. 
 
 Jl General Backing Business Transacted. 
 
 Buy and Sell Foreign and Domestic Exchange, County War- 
 rants and United States Securities of all Kinds. 
 
 COLLECTIONS 
 
 MADE direct on all Accessible points in Washington, and Idaho Terri- 
 tories and Oregon. Accounts of Banks, Bankers Corporations, Manu- 
 urerer.s, M -rcli-tnts and Miners K< j ceiv-'d on Liberal Terms. PK '- 
 SONAL ATTENTION paid to business of Correspondents, their interests 
 Carefully guarded and promptly served. 
 
 Attention 4iveii t<> 1'laciiigr ^foiioys for F.asteru 
 <'orporatioii or In livid vals oa Commercial Pai>er or 
 eH. 
 
 REGULAR CORRESPONDFNTS 
 
 An<rlo-Cnlifornia Bank (Limited) San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 First National Bank Portland, Oregon. 
 
 American .Exchange National Bank New Yoik City. 
 
 Merchants' National Bank f*.t. Paul, Minn. 
 
 First National Bank ti-lervi, M. T. 
 
 First National Bank Walla Walla, W. T. 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 unoi, mm & co.,. 
 
 DEALERS IK 
 
 FARM MACHINERY 
 
 Including the Celebrated 
 
 D B 
 
 "wzrf' " ~ -T 
 
 WAGONS AND BUGGIES, 
 
 AndJ.LCase Engines, Saw Mills, Headers, 
 
 
 CO 
 
 CO 
 
 Also STORAGE and COMMISSION MERCHANTS, and Dealers in 
 HAY, GRAIN .AND PRODUCE. 
 
 AcrossR.R. Track, on Howard Street, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
AD VERTISEMEXTS. 
 
 Spokane ChronicleA 
 
 WEEKLY. 
 
 Published Every Thursday Morning. 
 
 H. T. COWLEY, PROP'R. 
 
 ENTERPRISING, 
 
 RELIABLE, 
 
 PROGRESSIVE, 
 
 The Best Advertising Medium in the Spokane 
 
 Country, 
 
 SEND FOR SAMPLE COPY. 
 
 S2.5O 
 
 /.s the Most Complete in the Northwest. 
 
 LATEST STYLES OF TYPE AND PRINTERS' MATERIALS ALWAYS ON HAND, , 
 
 Copies of the- 
 
 Chronicle Directory and Annual, 
 
 FOR 1885, 
 Sent to any address on receipt of 10 cents. 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 THE SPOKANE FALLS 
 
 IMS HID mi CO 
 
 E. J. BRICKELT,, President. 
 
 A. M. CAXXON, Vice-President and Manager. 
 
 B. H. BENNETT, Treasurer. 
 
 F. C. BRICKELL, Secretary. 
 
 MANUACTURERS OF AND DEALERS IN 
 
 L"TT" TV/T TZ2 TCT 1 
 LJ JVL CD JJ 
 
 Latl], Sljirigles, Pickets 
 Mining and Bridge Timbers, 
 
 Of Every Descrfption, 
 
 ALSO ALL GRADES OF 
 
 coring, Jeiling, Aiding, Qurface, Stc. 
 At the Lowest Prices. 
 
AD VERT1SEMENTS. 
 
 NOTRTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD 
 
 THE Nor'hern Pacific Railroad Company has a large quantity of Ex- 
 tremely Fertile. 
 
 Agricultural and Grazing Lands, 
 
 For Sale at LOW RATES and on EASY TERMS. Theo land> are located 
 along the line in the Slates and Territories traversed by the Northern Pa- 
 cific Railroad. The Lands are for Sale at the LOWEST PRICES ever 
 offered by any Railroad Company, ranging chiefly 
 
 FROM $2.60 TO '$6.00 PER ACRE 
 
 For the Best Wheat Lands, 
 
 For the Best Farming Lands, 
 
 For the Best Grazing Lands 
 
 IN THE WORLD. 
 
 For Particulars, Address 
 
 A. A. NEWBERY, 
 Spokane Falls, W. T. 
 
 HOLLEY & NEWPORT, 
 
 DEALERS IN 
 
 v 
 
 Stoves, Tinware and Miner's Supplies, 
 
 Cor. Howard and Main Sts., SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 ALVA SUMMERS. C. H. DUNCAN. 
 
 THE PAHTHEOU, 
 
 WRCAK & SUMMERS, - - Proprietors. 
 The Gentlemen's Popular Resort of Spokane Falls. 
 
 BSTA11 the Easlern and Pacific Coast Papers and Periodical Kept on 
 Fiie for the use of Guests. 
 
AD VERTI8EMENT8. 
 
 R. L. CLARKE. C. F. CLOUGH. 
 
 Wholesale and Retail 
 
 BOOKSELLERS and 
 
 STATIONERS, 
 
 Pl t MM mM mm* 
 
 -..-. ;-:,. :_--,-,.-. v---;- , - ^ .^:-^. - - : I, 
 
 Fine Confectionery, 
 FRUITS, NUTS AND CIGARS. 
 
 HOWARD STREET, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, WASH. TER. 
 
 Charles A. Webster, 
 
 REAL ESTATE and MINING BROKER, 
 
 Special Care taken of Properties plar-ert in my charge. 
 Sixteen Years in the West, 
 
 OFFICE: RIVERSIDE AVE., BET. HOWARD AND MIL.L.STS. 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 Notary Public. 
 
 ORCHARD & SAYRE, 
 
 Wholesale and Retail Dealers in 
 
 mm, Mien, JJ&44W Jarii aa 
 
 " ^ 
 
 SPURS, BLANKETS, ETC. 
 
 We Carry Everything in Onr L,iiie and Will Fill Orders Promptly 
 RBPAIRINQ A SPECIALTY, 
 
 MILL STREET, : : SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
ADVERTISEMENTS. 
 
 ADAMS, MAM & CO., 
 
 OKANOGAN, DOUGLAS Co., W. T., 
 
 SETTLERS OEi 
 
 IZsT 
 
 BIG BEND COUNTRY. 
 
 Claims Carefully Selected and all Kinds 
 of Land Office Papers Prepared. 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE -SOLICITED. 
 
 Special Attention Given to Locating Claims. 
 
 MONEY TO LOAN ON REAL ESTATE. 
 
 Chapter oa Big Bend, omatey, Page 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 Wholesale a i}d Detail 
 
 Stoves and Tinware, 
 
 Coal,Iron,Steel,Blacksmith's Supplies 
 Miners' Supplies and Mill Machinery. 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, WASH. TER. 
 
 JACK & STRATHERN! 
 
 IFJROIPIRIIETOiRS 
 
 (Opposite Echo Roller Mills.) 
 
 Manufacture all Kinds of Sash, Doors, Blinds, Moldings, etc. 
 
 Turning, Scroll Sawing and Shaping Done Neatly 
 
 and on Short Notice. 
 
 Orders From Abroad Promptly Filled, PEICES REASONABLE. 
 
 S. G. HA YERMALE, Prop. 
 
 k|i?ifiiiiii|ll|wiMiJ|il 
 
 Snow Flake Flour a Specialty.. 
 
 Correspondence Solicited. SPOKANE FALLS, W. T 
 
ADVERTISEMENTS. 
 
 Only Complete Set of Abstract Books and only Tract 
 Indices in Spokane County. 
 
 I am now Prepared to Show a Full Line of Imported 
 Woolens for Gentlemen's wear, embracing all the New 
 Designs, and would kindly solicit your Inspection and 
 patronage. 
 
 P S MEADE RIVERSIDE AVENUE, 
 
 i ** *TdiriMrifeHrMHlj Near Zieeler's Store, Spokane tal 
 
 Fal IK 
 
 1880 PIONEER RESTAURANT. l885 
 
 C. W. CARSON, Proprietor. 
 
 HOWARD ST., opp. Great Eastern Store, SPOKANE FALLS. 
 
 The Pioneer Restauranteur! The Peerless Caterer. 
 
 Refresh Yourself at 
 
 GENERAL MERCHANDISE. 
 
 Cor. Howard & Sprague Sts., SPOKANE FALLS, W.T. 
 
 ALSO AGENT FOB 
 
 Gerrrjai} Lloyd Stearrjsliip Co., 
 
 Sold to and from any Part of Europe to Spokane Falls. 
 
AD VERT1SEMENTS. 
 
 C. A. ABSOLOM. W. H. MAXWELL 
 
 H 
 
 ESTATE JieiflTS, 
 
 Investors are Invited to Examine 
 
 our List Before Making 
 
 Investments. 
 
 MAPS OF THE CITY OF SPOKANE FALLS 
 
 Sent by Mail on Application. 
 
 J&^CORRESPONDENCE CORDIALLY INVITED. We are 
 thoroughly posted on the Great Northwest. 
 
 OFFICE: 
 
 Corner Riverside Ave. and Post St., Browne's Block, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 J. KENNEDY STOUT, 
 and ^Soundelor at 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, WASH. TER. 
 
 Practices in all Courts of Washington and Idaho, and before the U. S. 
 
 Land Office. Notary Puolic and Commissioner 
 
 of Deeds for Idaho. 
 
 A.T 
 
 Spokane Falls, W. T. 
 
 SPECIALTIES Commercial and Corporation Law and Collections. 
 
 Rooms 5 and 6, Jamieson Block, Directly Over P. O., 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 WILLIAM M. MURRAY, 
 
 -fl|ttorneij and -^JounAclor at 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 CT. J. 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
ADVERTISEMENTS. 
 
 The Only Strictly First-Class Res- 
 taurant in the City. 
 
 OPEN DAY AND NIGHT. 
 
 CHAS. C. GRANT. Proprietor. 
 
 J. T. 
 
 Looks up Investments and Business 
 Chances for Non-Residents. 
 
 e had Several Years Experience along the line of the N. P, 
 from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Coast. . 
 
 _ REFERENCE GIVEN. '// 
 
 J. D. SHEKWOOD. "* E. 
 
 SHERWOOD & DEMPSIE, 
 
 Wholesale and Retail Dealers In 
 
 Men's Furnishing Goods, Boots & Shoes, 
 
 Hats and Caps, Trunks, Valises Cigars and Tobacco. 
 
 8. E.Corner Howirdanl Main Streets, 
 
 . TIT. 
 
 Wholesale and Retail Dealer in 
 
 , j|(iiiciu9i f BrfcnuriBj, f oilit j|rlicle^ 
 
 [Paints, Oils, Grlass, Etc. 
 
 Rear Corses So ward Street aad Riverside 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
A D VERTISEMENT8. 
 
 Spokane Falls, W. T. 
 
 A. P. HOTALING fc CO., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
 THE A. P. HOTALING CO., - - PORTLAND, OR. 
 THE A. P. HOTALING CO., - - - SEATTLE, W. T. 
 
 IMPORTERS WHOLESALE DEALERS 
 
 WINES 
 
 IN 
 
 SOLE AGENTS FOR 
 
 P. Moorman 9 s Celebrated J. H. Cutter 
 Voechting, SJiapo $ Co's Jos. Svhlitz 
 
 MILWAUKEE BEEH. 
 
 Vol. Blatz Weiner 
 
 MILWAUKEE BEER. 
 
 Luged ad IU U in U. Ter. 
 
AD VERTISEMESTS. 
 
 THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. 
 
 THE ONLY RAILWAY LINE 
 
 FROM THE PRINCIPAL ATLANTIC PORTS AND INTERIOR CITIES TO THB- 
 LEADING CITIES AND TOWNS IN 
 
 WvV^HIlVGTOlV Al\r> OREOCX1V, 
 
 The Only Dining Car Line 
 
 To The Pacific Coast. 
 
 The most Elegant and Complete Equipment of Palace Dining an* 
 
 Sleeping Cars in the Service, attached to trains leaving St. 
 
 Paul daily and running through, without 
 
 change, to Portland, Oregon. 
 
 The Only Line Running Through Emigrant Sleeping Cars. 
 
 From the East into Montana, Oregon and Washington Territory. 
 The Only Bail Line to 
 
 "The Wonderland of the World," 
 THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 
 
 AHmCJl Millions and Millions of Acres of low-priced Lands toy 
 LABVU&i sale by the NORTHERN PACIFIC K. R. CO. on Easy 
 lernis. Tlu-y are the cheapest and most productive Lands ever offered for 
 sale by any railroad company. An equal quantity of Government lands 
 al-so OIWMI for settlement under the H mes ->fd, Pre-emption and Tree- 
 Culture Laws. These Railroad and Government lands are THE RE-^T 
 WHEAT, GRAZING, FARMING ANu TiMBER LANDS NOW IN 
 MArCivi'. i'. 
 
 1TDMC flC CAIC OF NORTHERN PACIFIC LANDS. Agricul- 
 I LniTlO Ul OALu tural land of the Company, east of the Missouri 
 River, in Minnesota and Dakota, are sold at 84.00 per acre, and the pre- 
 ferred s'oek of the Company will be received af, par in payment. When 
 these lands are purchased on time, one-sixth stock or cash is required 
 at time of purchase, and the balance in five equal annual payment* 
 in stock. or cash, with interest at 7 per cent. 
 
 Tlu- price of a largn proportion of agricultural lands west of the Missouri 
 River in Dakota and Montana ranges chiefly from 82.60 to 84.OO per acre. 
 If purchased on time, one-sixth cash, and the balance in five equal annual 
 cash payments, with interest at 7 per cent, per annum. 
 
 THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD passes through a region re- 
 plete with more picturesque and wonderful scenery than can elsewhere be 
 found. Added to this. The Northern Pacific Country possesses unrivaled 
 attractions in undeveloped agricultural, grazing, mineral and forest wealth. 
 Its waier-power privileges are unequaied in numberand capacity. Its fishery 
 resources are boundless. Its numerous town, farm, and all other properties 
 are rapidly increasing in value, and it is an inviting field for people to en- 
 gage in profitable manufacturing and various business enterprises. These 
 conditions offer excellent opportunities for profitable investment and em- 
 ployment. The vast numbers who will make an interesting tour of obser- 
 vation rurough the Northern Pacific Country in Minnesota, North Dakota, 
 Montana, Northern Idaho, Washington and Orep-on-the pleasure-seeker, 
 the sportsman, the invalid, the land buyer, the stock raiser, the farmer, the 
 mechanic, the manufacturer, and the business and traveling public generally 
 can combine profit with pleasure by making judicious investments and 
 securing points for future location, in this prosperous, new country. 
 ~TT1TI> ~T7T"rp For Maps and Publications. SENT FREE OF CHARGE, 
 _L? JLV_l\jJLlJ. and for all informotlon relating to the NORTH PACI- 
 FIC CuL'NTRY. apply to or address either of the following officers : 
 CHARLES S. FEE. Gen'l Passenger Agent, St. Paul. Minn. 
 J. M. HANNAFORO, Gen'l Freight Agent, St. Paul, Minn. 
 PAUT, ScHVLZK. General Land Agent, Portland, Oregon. 
 ED. STONS, General Land Agent, Helena, Montana. 
 P. B. GROAT, Gon'l L-ind Agent, St. Paul, Minn. 
 
 CHAS. S. LAMBOHN, Land Comm'r, St. Paul, Minn. . 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 DIRECT IMPORTERS OF 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T., Howard St., Near Main. 
 
 SPOKANE COLLEGE, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 A Regularly Chartered Institution, with Preparatory arid Normal 
 Courses of Study, and a Full C. urse of Four Years. 
 
 Beautiful and Healthy Location. 
 
 Board and Tuition at Reasonable Rates. For full information, address, 
 
 Rev. R. E. BISBEE, A, M. ( 
 
 President. 
 
 IT 
 
 l23.c3.ojD@nca.oiat:, 
 
 A BOARDING AND DAY SCHOOL. 
 
 Primary, Commercial, College Preparatory aiid 
 Normal Courses, 
 
 Thoroughly Educated and Experienced Teachers. Advantages Unsur- 
 passed in Music, Drawing, Painting and Elocution. Personal supervision 
 of Pupils by Head Instructors. 
 
 Riverside Ave., bet. Stevens and Washington Sts., 
 
 SPOKANE F^fct, W. T. 
 MRS. I. C. T.IBBY. REV. I. C. LIBBY, 
 
 Preceptress. Sup't Classical and Business Dep't. 
 
AD VERT1SEMENTS. 
 
 CCZUR d'ALENE 
 
 AND 
 
 TRANSPORTATION COM% 
 
 Carrying Passengers and Freight, per 
 Steamers, from Coenr d'Alene City 
 to all points in the famous 
 
 CIUR d' ALENE MINING DISTRICT, 
 
 The Best, Cheapest and Most Expeditious 
 
 Route to the Mines from Spokane 
 
 Falls or Rathdrum, on 
 
 THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. 
 
 THROUGH TICKETS 
 
 To Eagle, Murray, and other points in the 
 Mines, can Repurchased 
 
 AT SPOKANE FALLS OR RATHDRUM. 
 
 Freights can be consigned to C. B. King, 
 Coeur d'Alene City. 
 
 Perfectly Safe, Finely Equipped and of 
 Great Speed are on this route. 
 
ADVERTISEMENTS. 
 
 OLIVER & JOHNSON, 
 
 PROPRIETORS 
 
 njILL. 
 
 Manufacturers and Dealers in 
 
 DOORS, SASH, BLINDS, BALUSTEHS, POSTS, 
 
 AND GLAZED WINDOWS. 
 
 Brackets and Mouldings 
 
 Of all descriptions. 
 
 Planing Done to Order. 
 
 J. fVL GRIMMER, 
 Express and Drayman, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 es, Trunks and Valises, and 
 1 to any Part of the City Promp 
 at tlie Lowest Rates. 
 
 Look Out for Him at the Depot. 
 
 Parcels, Packages, Trunks and Valises, and Heavy Freight 
 
 Delivered to any Part of the City Promptly, and 
 
 at the Lowest Rates. 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL, 
 
 Mrs. M. MILLER, Prop. 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 LOCATED NEAR THE RAILROAD DEPOT. 
 
 Newly Furnished and Pirst-Class, Pleasant and Homelike. 
 Rites Reasonable. 
 
AD VERT28EMENT8. 
 
 FALLS l FORT 
 
 E 
 
 Carrying the TJ. S. Mails, and Wells, 
 Fargo & Go's Express. 
 
 STAGES tEAVE SPOKANE FA113 OK 
 
 4||ondaijd, -i^ 
 
 and I 
 
 FOR THE FOM.OWIM; ioi\ rs : 
 
 Deep Creek Falls, Fairweather, Davenport, Camp Spokane 
 
 RETURNING, 
 
 Leaves Ft. Spokane Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays 
 
 Further particulars apply at Wells, Fargo <fe Go's Express 
 Office, Main Street, Spokane Falls, W. T. 
 
 YOUNG & ENG-LEE, PROPR'S. 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 THE GERMANIA HOTEL. 
 
 HOLLAND & McLEOD, Proprietors. 
 East side Howard Street, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, WASH. TER. 
 
 First-Class in Every Respect. 
 
 Only Hotel in the Territory run exclusively by White Labor. 
 
 Satisfaction Guaranteed or Money Refunded. 
 
 Rates Always Reasonable. 
 
 IE. CT. "W IE IB S T IE IR/ , 
 ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, 
 
 Will Practice in ail the Courts in Washington Territory. 
 Also in the United States Land Office. 
 
 Office: Near Cor. Riverside Ave. and Howard Street. 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 C. G. BRADSHAW, 
 
 WILL PRACTICE in the Territorial and Federal Courts; 
 will attend to all business pertaining to the Land De- 
 partment, Filing claims and prosecuting contested claims be- 
 fore the Interior Department. 
 
 OFFICE : South side of Riverside Avenue, near Howard 
 Street, Spokane Falls, Washington Territory. 
 
 H. C. WINTERS, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS, WASH. TER. 
 
 Repairing and Cleaning neatly done on short notice. 
 Charges always Reasonable and satisfaction guaranteed. 
 
AD VERTISEMEXTS. 
 
 DAILY. WEEKLY 
 
 The Spokane Falls 
 
 DAILY i WEEKLY 
 
 THE 
 
 Representative Journal 
 
 OF 
 
 EASTERN WASHINGTON. 
 
 FRANK M. DALLAM, Editor and Prop. 
 
 If you desire to ke^p posted on the Agricultural and Mineral 
 Resources of the Northwest,and especially of Eastern Wash- 
 ington, Subscribe for the 
 
 SPOKANE PALLS WEEKLY REVIEW, 
 
 Published every Saturday at the office of the Daily Review, 
 SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 It is devoted to the Mnterial Interests of the City and County 
 in which it is published, and contains Reliable Informal on 
 upon the surrounding country. 
 
 Terms: $3.00 Per Year. 
 
 $1.50 for six months. 
 
 $1.00 for four months. 
 
 Copies Sat on Application. 
 
 Address, 
 
 FRANK M. DALLAM, 
 Spokane Falls, Washington Ter. 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 Correspondence Conducted in English, Ger- 
 man, French and Bohemian. 
 
 COMMERCIAL AND LAND ATTORNEYS, 
 
 South side Riverside Avenue, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS W. T. 
 
 Will Practice, in all the Courts and 
 Land Offices in the Territory. 
 
 Loans Negotiated and Taxes Paid. 
 
 N. P, LIVERY STABLE, 
 
 St., Spo&ame Falls, W. T. 
 
 THE VERY BEST OF TURNOUTS 
 
 Always on Hand. Fine Saddle Horses a 
 Specialty. 
 
 SPECIAL INDUCEMENTS 
 
 Offered to immigrants wishing to view 
 the Country. 
 
 RATES REASONABLE. 
 
 Call and See Vs. Stable Nearest to Depot. 
 
 LAUMAN & READ Proprietors. 
 
AD VERTISEMENTS. 
 
 Correspondence conducted in English, 
 German Frenciiand Bohemian. 
 
 Strobach & Munter, 
 
 LAND ATTORNEYS I REAL ESTATE AGENTS, 
 
 RIVERSIDE AVE., SPOKANE FALLS, W. T. 
 
 Lands Selected and Settlers Located on 
 Public Lands. 
 
 II. S, Land Office Practice a Specialty, 
 
 Have for sale Ranches and Improved 
 City Property. Lots in Cannon's, 
 Heath's, Cowley's, Morgan's and 
 Railroad Additions to the city of 
 Spokane Falls. 
 
 LOANS NEGOTIATED AND TAXES PAID. 
 
 Exchange Sold on More than 500 Cities and 
 Towns of Europe. 
 
 " COMPLETE ~^a 
 
 TITLE ABSTRACTS OF SPOKANE COUNTY, 
 
 Under Strobach & Munter's 
 
 Improved American Title Abstract System. 
 
 A Sectional map of Spokane and Lincoln counties will be sent 
 on receipt of Twenty-five Cents. 
 
ADVERTISEMENTS. 
 
 Wendell Hall, 
 
 Insurance 
 Agent, 
 
 SPOKANE FALLS W. T. 
 
 Will write in any part of 
 and 
 
 Idaho Territories. 
 
SPOKANE FALLS, W. T., 
 Importers, jobbers, aijd Retailers of 
 
 SILKS AUD DEY GOODS, 
 
 CARPETS, OIL CLOTHS, 
 Linoleums, Mattings, Rugs, 
 
 G^PS, BOOTS jqu S^OES, 
 Rubber Goods, Wall Paper, 
 
 e Hes ^ Cr^ke fy , 
 
 Glassivare, Bar Fixtures. 
 
 ALSO WINES, LIQUORS AND CIGARS 
 
 .A_T 
 The Most Extensive Establishment in Washington Territory 
 
tWHETHAM * & * BOLSTER*- 
 
 $ 
 
 SFQKANI5 FAI,S, W. 
 
 CI.AVK KorSALK A COMIM.KTE JjIST OK 
 
 FAF(MII2G"UDD*GRAZIGG 
 
 In All Hie Best Agricultural Districts. 
 
 ALSO THK CHOICEST 
 
 Business an d Residence 
 
 IN ALL PARTS OF THE CITY. 
 
 WATER POWERfON THE FAMOUS FALLS 
 
 For Sale or to Lease on Reasonable Terms. 
 
 Any of the Banks or Business Houses of the Cit.y 
 CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED."^; 
 
 (OHIVEHSITY) 
 
 ^SLcAu^\t-i/. 
 
m 
 
 mm 
 
 14 DAY USE 
 
 'ESK FROM WHICH BORROWED 
 
 LOAN DEPT. 
 
 .General Library 
 
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 &3&S&32, 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
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