The Town That Grew 'In Spite of Reason'

When the Northern Pacific train whirls up to the depot at Spokane Falls and the traveler catches the view presented from the elevation — rolling prairie fringed with evergreens and bounded by distant mountains — he is enchanted with the vision. Anon his eyes take in the hundreds of new unpainted houses, bright brick blocks, the massive roller mills, the extensive school house, several churches, great white tents marked 'lodgings,' straggling lumber yards, and his ears catch the noises made by the contact of saw and hammer with lumber, and the hum of the voices of the crowd around the depot; he is convinced that he has entered an active, bustling, thriving community. As he strolls through the streets and more carefully notes the improvements under way and examines the character of those already made, he begins to wonder what are the causes of the rapid growth. Several extensive two-story brick buildings denote faith in the future, while the multitude of small dwellings, the number of diminutive stores, the quantity of restaurants, lodging houses and tents indicate that many people are mere sojourners. Numbers of idle men are seen in the streets and public places, the hotels are filled, the lodging houses crowded, and a large number of saloons liberally patronized. The chief topics of conversation heard on the streets are the Coeur d'Alene, Colville and other mines, the Big Bend, Reardan and other farming regions, all of which are many miles from Spokane Falls. One gentleman, largely interested in real estate, said he had been trying for years to reason out the almost phenomenal growth of Spokane Falls, but was unable to reach a satisfactory conclusion. He could only say 'It is growing and prospering with great rapidity in spite of reason.' Another said 'the mining excitement has caused over $50,000 to be spent in the city by strangers during the past winter.' Another asserted that the location of the U.S. Land Office at that point had caused thousands of dollars to be expended there since last summer. This is readily believed when we ascertained that the office has three clerks constantly busy, that the officers have made a requisition for two more to relieve the pressure, and that the fees amount to over $9,000 a month. We have studied the Spokane Falls problem since 1881, and each time we have visited the place have found other reasons for faith in its future. The local reasons are its beautiful site, admirably adapted for the residence of man, sloping towards a rapid river, making a perfect system of drainage; an atmosphere rarified by an elevation, at the depot, of 1821 feet above the sea, purified by frequent chinooks, medicated by their passage through pine forests, combine to make it a healthful resort; a river tumbling over falls, and a succession of rapids through banks of basalt, furnishes water power for turning thousands of wheels, while extensive forests of cedar and other timber, easy of access, furnish material to be worked up. Spokane Falls is the chief starting point for the Colville and Big Bend countries, the place where the immigrant designing to settle in those regions obtains his supplies. It is also a prominent starting and outfitting point for the new mines. It is claimed to be the trading point for the rich and extensive agricultural region south of Hangman's Creek, and it is the supply depot for the lumbermen in the Coeur d'Alene country. It has no adjacent agricultural country, the Spokane Prairie on which it is situated being practically unfitted by its gravelly formation and elevation above the river for farming, though vegetables of excellent quality are raised where it is possible to irrigate. Whether the produce of the agricultural country south of Hangman's Creek can be profitably hauled to Spokane Falls will only be decided when the producers raise more than enough for home consumption. When that time comes we expect that other places on the line of the Northern Pacific will become the farmer's market. By agricultural railroads tapping the Farmington, Big Bend and other farming sections, and engaging in manufacturing articles for the use of the tillers of the soil, Spokane Falls will continue to attract their trade. The present permanent population of Spokane Falls work harmoniously for the interests of all, put their money in public enterprises, and are doing all in their power to make the place maintain its present leading position. If they are in their turn followed by men of similar mould, the progress of Spokane Falls must be ever upward and onward. — Walla Walla Union.