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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 1890)
WEST SHORE. 106 A OHOVP OF SPOKANE INDIANS. J Spokane Falli baa iprang up ao recently that aome of the evidences of aboriginal glory atill linger in its vicinity. The canyon of the Spokane river below the city ia a favorite hannt of the wandering red skins who are strag glen from aome of the reservatlona, and during the aalmon season, which lasts nearly all summer there, the clusters of tepeea are a familiar sight along the banke of the stream. The Couer d'Alene reservation is only twenty mllea op the river from Spokane. The Colville and Mos?s reserves are a considerable greater distance to the northwest. These Indians, of course, are entirely subdued and are as harmless as cattle, as they move quietly about from place to place and pursue their fishing and hunting in a modest way between the dates of recoiving their supplies from the kind hearted government. The Indiana that frequent the Spokane river may belong to any of the tribes of Eastern Washington or Northern Idaho. The photograph from which the Illustration on the front page of this piper was made waa taken a few mllea west of Spokane Falls, near Medical Lake. It is a fair picture of the average Indian family in the upper country. The grouping of this fam ily as seen in the picture is not familiar. Photographs of Indiana can only be obtained by disbursing to each member of the group more or less filthy lucre-the amount depending on the ability of the photographer to drive a sharp bargain. The group in thle picture evidently was newly clothed shortly before the photograph waa taken. They are often more picturesque ly clad. Harmless as these straggling Indians are, they often indulge in the luxury of painting and decorating their persona In true savage style. Gaily decked young bucks often ride through the streets of Spokane Falls on their cayuaea, two or three together, and are objects of much curiosity on the part of new comers, but are not noticed by residents of the city. The old sachems strutting through the streets arrayed In holiday attire are objects of no leas Interest and are a great deal more ridiculous. Among the most noted Indians of the country are Chief Seltise of the Cwur d'Alenes and Chief Joseph of the Net Pertus. The former is a wealthy old redskin, devoted to prosecuting agricultural operations on the reservation and bringing his people to a knowledge of the artB of peace. He ia genial and popular old fellow and shrewd business man. Joseph came to fame through bis leadership of the Net Perces in the war of 1877. He la now aojournlng on the Moses reservation in Northern Washington. He is in many waya one of the most remarkable Indiana that have come in contact with the whites. He Is now a peaceable and comparatively intelli gent old man. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CIIVRCII. On the center pages appears an engraving of the edifice now under con struction for the First Congregational church of Portland. Though not the oldeat, it la the strongest church of that denomination in the state, and had its beginning in 1848. Congregationalism waa planted In Oregon by Dr. Whitman and hie associates, In 1838, aa missionaries sent out by the Am erican Board. The missionaries Increased In number, and gradually their attention was turned from the natives to the Increasing white settlers, among whom church organliatlona were formed at the various centers of population, the first at Forest Grove, In 1842, the second at Oregon City in 1844, and the third In Portland in 1848. Two lota were deeded to the church by D. II. Lownadale, on the corner of Second and Jefferson streets, covered t that time with a growth of huge fir trees. In 1850 a subscription of $5,000 waa raled,the lots cleared, a pastor's residence built, and on June 15, 1851, the church edifice waa dedicated. This waa largly the result of the vigor ous effort and active physical labor of Kev. Horace Lyman. The building then erected waa used for twenty years, Ilia edifice now used being erected at a coat of $20,000, and dedicated August 0, 1871. Now, after twenty years of aervlce, this structure has become too small for the needs of the society, hence the construction of the new building shown in the engraving. The new church is being erected on the corner of Eat Park and Madison atreeta, In one of the most beautiful and accessible portions of the city, and Ita erection Ia largely due to the indefatigable efforts of Rev. T. K. Clapp, who has been pastor of the church lor the put five years, and under whose able administration it haa grown wonderfully in Influence aud membership. The edifice la being erected upon plana drawn by II, J, Hefty, the architect of tlit Portland city hall, St. Helen 'a hall and other large struc tures In Uila city, and la both beautiful In design and substantial in Ita con stituent parts. The structure will be 94x118 feet In site, built of stone with sandstone trimmings, and will coat $80,000. It it of the Italian cathedral style of architecture, with a high tower rising 185 feet from the ground. The ground plan la cruciform, the main portion rising to a height sufficient to render the entire structure Imposing in appearance. The main auditorium will havt a aeatlng capacity of 700, and the galleries 400. The auditorium will be finished with wainscoting of hardwood and in stucco work, the fin- SELESw?- the vestibule, one through each of the corner IT Lecture room, Sunday school room and other necessary rooms wiU Ton he ground floor. Stained glass windows, with .the stone architecture 5 b IglL the cathedral effect. This structure has not . supenor in Euty or completeness of deUil on the Pacific coast, and will be . lasting ornament to our beautiful city. THE PROFESSIONAL REFORM DEMAGOGUE. About the moat transparent piece of demagogy is that of a few profes sional reformers, who, forgetting that reform begins at home more surely than charity have constituted themselves the unsolicited and undesired champions of the farmers of Oregon, and in this self-ordained capacity de clare that the farmers are not interested in advertising the state's resources for the purpose of attracting population and capital, since the farmers have no land to sell and would not be benefited by an increase of the population. Both of these propositions are absurdly untrue. Whoever thinks the farm ers of Oregon have no land to sell will be cured of that erroneous idea if he will visit the roomB of the immigration board and the various real estate offices in this city and all the townB of the state. He will find that there are now more farms and parte of farms listed for sale than there is the least probability of finding purchasers for during the next two years. It is not only important to the farmers themselves, but to every person in the state, that these lands be sold, as well as the thousands of acres of other agricul tural land that will be placed upon the market nnder the new conditions of farming rapidly developing here. Farmers are going to raise more valuable crops on a less quantity of land than heretofore, and will have land to sell to new comers. The greater the immigration the better will be the price they will receive for their spare acres. But the greatest benefit the farmers will receive will not be the opportunity to sell such land as they may want to dispose of. There are many who do not want to sell any portion of their property. They do, however, want a market for what their land will pro duce. The great drawback to the agricultural interests of the state in the past has been the lack of a market for all products save the great staples, such aa wheat, wool and stock. Even potatoes have often been unsalable. All this was the direct result of Insufficient population in the state to con sume a tithe of the products of the soil, and of an utter absence of manu facturing industries that could utilize the raw materials that might be sup plied in great abundance. Gradually this condition of affairs is passing away. Population 1b coming in, factories are being built, new demands for agricultural products are being created, a name is being made abroad for Oregon fruit, fish, lumber, etc., and new industrial conditions are spring ing up. It Is to help tills change along, to bring it about more speedily, to draw hither a greater population and a larger number of manufacturing industries, that enterprising men of forethought and wisdom are doing all In their power to make the advantages of the state known abroad. To say that this is being done solely In the Interest of speculators and real estate agents and that It is ot no benefit to the farmers, Is the rankest demagogy. The perma nent prosperity of the agriculturists, as well as the men who are engaged in legitimate business pursuits, depends upon the creation of a home market for a great variety of the products of our soil as well as an increased trade. The welfare of the whole state is Involved in this matter, and It personally interests every man or woman who has a dollar's worth of anything to sell, or who could produce a dollar's worth provided there were a market for it. Intelligent farmers who do their own thinking can not be deceived by the clap trap of professional reformers, who presume too much upon the ignor ance of those whom they would mislead. They have learned to sprinkle liberally with salt the assertions of those papers that pose as their special champions, and seek to ingratiate themselves into their favor by trying to create antagonism between them and other classes. West Suori does not strike an Ajax attitude, with a flare of red fire upon it, in the professed championship ot any class. It represents the entire state and all classes. Its purpose and endeavor are to promote the welfare of all, to build up every Industry, to develop every section and to benefit every honest and industri ous citiien. It does not rely upon demagogic appeals to class or sectional prejudice for popularity, and during its career of sixteen years, it has wit nessed the failure and death of every newsiper that has pursued that rep rehensible and suicidal course. New venturers of that class on the uncertain sea of journalism would do well to consider the fate ot their predecessors. A farmer In Polk county haa harvested a crop of 8,000 bushels of pota toes which at the correct market price are worth $4,800. He also hat a goodly quantity of grain and hay, and has not neglected his orchards. That this plan of (arming is a success is obvious.