The west shore., January 04, 1890, Page 9, Image 9

WKST SHORE.
THE REBUILDING OF SPOKANE.
5
I'OKANK FALLS was the latent of the three cities
of Washington to 1h devasted by fire last year.
Seattle burned June G. Kllcnsburgh July -1, and
Spokane August 4. The significance of this lies
in the fact that the two cities previously burned, in
their eager demand for materials with which to re
build, had more than exhausted the home market, so
that Spokane was obliged, from the outset of her re
building ojM'rations, to get her supply of building ma
terials from abroad. Her disaster was not one whit
less severe than that suffered by the others, but the
necessity of imjwrting everything to be used in replac
ing the burned structures was an additional burden
that Sjiokane had to carry. This not only made some
delay inevitable, but it materially increased the cost of
the articles needed. A new country like this can not
he well supplied with facilities for meeting a demand
so vast and sudden as that precipitated by the burn
ing of these three cities last summer.
Still, any one knowing the circumstances can not
fail to ! impressed with the marvelous results that
have already Ix-cn attained in restoring Sjiokane Falls.
Immediately alter the fire the city council enlarged the
fire limits so that no structures but those of brick, stone
or iron could le erected within a large area in the busi
ness center. This had the effect of spreading the busi
ness of the city over a greater area when wooden build
ings could In; hastily thrown up and (rcupied at the
earliest jossiblc moment. Within the fire limits tents
were made to do service until other than wooden struct
ures could I" erected. Many of these are still on the
ground, their occupants anxiously waiting for the com
pletion of the new business block that will enable
them to do business with more comfort and security.
It is surprising, though, how substantial a tent can be
made in case of necessity. Some of them are ru-atly
pajw-red throughout the interior, and a stranger, judg
ing only from the inside apjaratce, would not dream
he was within a frail cloth tent.
The Sokane ojera house block is the most costly
structure erected since the fire, ctirig .'Juo.flij. The
Sjokanc hotel, a five-story brick just reviving finish
ing touches, the (iranite block, built of granite, five
stories high, and the Tull block, a five-story brick,
each cost f 1.7J,(M) and are jut being completed. Six
teen other structures to ct Utacen 7),M) grid
IllHMIeich aie In process of contru lion, many of
them being ready for occupancy. The buildings met
ed since the fire or now in progress costing VM"" "f
more earli make up an aggregate of nearly J.'')-')
in value. Some forty others, each rooting Utweeri
10((i) and V),(jJ) are finished or in tours of coti
itruction. There are comparatively few lower priced
buildings going up. A numler of six and seven story
structures are planned for erection In the spring. The
completion of the buildings now under way will relieve
the tent-crowded central business section so that it can
also U restored to much more than its former grand
eur. Meanwhile, the improvement of streets, the ex
tension of street car lines, the laying out of new addi
tions, improvement of water ower, and many other
enterprises, go on unchecked. The building Is by no
means confined to the business section. One man is
erecting residences costing i.",(K)(), another firm has
just finished 13,(XX) worth of flats, another is build
ing a residence to cost '27,K, and so on through a
long list. Though cold weather somewhat Interferes
with the progress of the work, it is not suspended.
Kven masonry work is prosecuted when the snow must
bo swept away for each successive layer of bricks,
When entirely rebuilt SMkan will ! one of the
handsomest cities in the country, and none will exceed
it in the substantial character of its buildings and
business. The progress Sokann Falls Is making is
little less than phenomenal.
Notwithstanding the interruption of business) by the
great conflagration, the record made by Spokane Falls
in IKVJ was a remarkable one. Sales of real estate
amounted to more than IM.lxxyx), and the land oilier
records show that l'H.',.V.) acres of public land were
filed upon in the district. Seven banks with a total
capital of W7.00I, are carrying d. posits of :I,2I2,3.T.
besides the dejtosits in savings banks, of which there
are several with a capital of 1.71,000. Th total
freight received in the city was TJ.T.Tl tons, yielding
about j,(KM,(M) revenue to lb railroad Tim total
output of lumber was IV yxm.OUO feel. 2,.'i0,.V) were
exnded in public and corjorstion works. The value
of buildings erected si nee the fire has Urn given above,
added to the value of those now under contract, It
reaches a total of .'!,lxx)UX) f,,r es than five months.
One most significant fa t is the liberal subsidies raised
by the citizens for various purjcs f-r the general
good of the city. Them? aggregate K 11,(11), being
273,11 JO for railroads, IMttt) f.r bridge, llliiio)
for churches, and .'50,UJO for college and seminaries.
The business record of Sokane Falls In hV., great as
it was, will be completely iIijed in IV), under the
more favorable conditions that now prevail. It would
he hazardous to record a gus as to the magnitude of
its manufactures, trad, real estate tramfrrs and build
ing improvements, or as to what figures its present
population of 2.'.0") will I increased.
If the influenza U'kb-s all the dukes ari l counts
living on the I'a Uic toast, some of our hotels and res
taurants will have V) lit hew help