Spokane Dressed for a Railroad King—and Waited Until Midnight

The programme published throughout the country promised that the Northern Pacific guests would arrive at Spokane Falls at 8 o'clock Sunday morning and remain until 10 o'clock that night, while Mr. Villard and his foreign friends were to pass the day here. Accepting this as a fact, the people of the Falls went to great expense and trouble to prepare a fitting reception, and it is not to be wondered at that the failure to arrive was the cause of a great amount of chagrin.

For a week prior to the date when the party was expected the public were busy, and notes of preparation would be heard on every hand. A vast amount of evergreens were shipped over the road and distributed among the business houses. Red, white and blue cloth was in such demand that the stock ran short, and flags of all sizes were displayed to the best advantage. By Saturday night the city was decked out in gay finery, far surpassing the exhibition of the Fourth of July. Along the route that the guests were expected to travel waved flags of pine, fir and cedar, while the national colors caught the eye in every direction.

Arches had been built across the principal streets, appropriately decorated and bearing suggestive mottoes. On the west side of the arch near Riverside avenue, in front of M. Cannon's bank, was “All hail to H. Villard and his associates,” and on the opposite side “The Steel Rail line at last united our common interests.” On the south side of the arch at the corner of Howard and Main streets appeared: “The Northern Pacific Railroad, the great road which unites us with the rest of the world,” while on the other side was “Spokane Falls, the Minneapolis of the West.” The arch at the intersection of First and Howard streets read: “Spokane Falls, the Gem City of the Inland Empire, gives a greeting from Washington Territory to our Eastern guests.”

The bridge leading to the mill, where the exercises were expected to be held, resembled a shaded avenue. The enormous room on the lower floor of the Davie flooring mill had been changed from a bare, empty space into a beautiful grotto by the deft hands of fair women, aided by many assistants. Evergreens covered the walls and twined about the pillars; a large “Welcome” constructed from evergreens looked down upon the stage, and an immense flag formed a suitable background. Flags fluttered from all the mastheads in the city. The depot was covered from roof to floor with decorations. A magnificent display of grain and vegetables was made at the depot. The executive committee put their heads together and made up an elaborate programme that was printed and scattered broadcast. Everything that could be thought of to make the demonstration a raving success was ventured into, and had things turned out as was expected the travelers would have been surprised with a reception little short of the one prepared.

Sunday morning at an early hour people commenced pouring in from every direction, and soon the streets were crowded. It was soon learned that there was a hitch in the affair, and word was spread that the first division train would not reach the Falls until noon. This threw a slight dampness on the spirits of the people; but even at that late hour a great deal might have been done, and our citizens clung to hope, ready to celebrate at the proper moment. By noon it was learned that the party could not possibly reach here before 4 o'clock, and it was generally conceded that all chance for carrying out the elaborate programme was lost. From 3 o'clock until after 10 o'clock, when the first division arrived, a vast crowd hung about the depot, eagerly gazing upon every train of cars before it halted.

At last, after long and tedious waiting, the first train, containing the Portland, San Francisco and Western guests, stopped at the depot. The crowd was dense and black with people, and the travelers looked out over the crowd. With only a few minutes' stay the train pulled out, and in half an hour the second section, bearing President Villard and his foreign guests, reached here. Mr. Villard was received with loud huzzas and spoke as follows:

“Ladies and Gentlemen—I regret extremely that circumstances prevented our friends from the East from reaching Spokane Falls at the hour arranged. You must understand the great difficulty of moving heavy trains over a new road at a high run of work. This has caused our delay. I have heard with pleasure of the wonderful growth of Spokane Falls, and of the enterprise of the people. I understand you have made extensive preparations to receive this party. I most sincerely thank you for the interest you have manifested in the Northern Pacific road and its management, and can assure you that it is appreciated. I desire to see your city, and promise you that I shall stop with my foreign friends in the day time on my return.”

After inspecting the display of grain, etc., the train started to make room for the third train expected every minute. Huge bonfires were lighted, illuminating the depot, and at their height the third train, containing General Grant, Evarts, Hunt, and a host of other public men, arrived. It was pretty late by this time, but still the crowd was but slightly diminished, and the mass of people made a rush toward the car pointed out as containing Grant. There are few individuals living who can awaken as great an amount of enthusiasm in a crowd as the mere presence of Grant can. Let him appear in any city in the Union, we care not where that city may be, and his face is welcomed with prolonged cheers. He need do no talking to stir up this feeling; the name of General Grant, and the man who owns that name, is sufficient to set men wild. When he appeared on the platform of the palace car loud and long cheers went up for the hero of many battles, and there was a simultaneous rush to take the old man by the hand. In order to grant this privilege the General stepped down into the crowd, and for a quarter of an hour he was kept busy touching flesh. General Grant could not be induced to speak, but he expressed his determination to come through Spokane Falls in the day time on his return in order to see the little city he had heard so much about.

Just as the train was pulling out Gen. Wm. M. Evarts was called upon. This able talker appeared on the platform and spoke a few words that we regret that the time was so short for him to do his talking in. He said that the party had been enthusiastically met stop by stop on their way until it had culminated in mass meetings, bonfires and illuminations at Spokane Falls. The time was hardly necessary, as the train would have been illuminated by the bright countenances of the assembly. He had seen many collections of people on the way, but none that looked as intelligent as the crowd before him.

After the departure of the third train the crowd thinned out considerably and only a comparatively few were present when the fourth division, containing the newspaper correspondents and editors, arrived. We had the pleasure of meeting E. V. Smalley, who sincerely regretted the miscarriage of the programme as he very much desired to have the services under his charge see the city by daylight. Between 12 and 1 o'clock the fifth and last train passed through the city, but very few people were on hand to receive it. Every train was made up of a large number of sleeping, dining and baggage cars, and the number of excursionists must have numbered over 300. All who expressed themselves at all regretted their inability to see Spokane by daylight. Such men as Villard, Buckley, Schuttze, Cheney, Billings, Grant, Evarts and Smalley were very anxious to drive about the place. Of course all the extensive preparations were thrown away when the result is considered, yet the activity of the people showed that they were awake to the importance of preparing a suitable reception, and as the travelers have been made acquainted with the arrangements, they no doubt fully appreciate the feeling manifested. We do not believe now that anyone is to blame for the failure of the party to arrive here on time. The spike was not driven until a late hour Saturday, and the trains were behind hand at every point on the route. We wish it had been otherwise, but as it was not, we do not propose to kick or find fault.