▁about ▁us ▁a ▁territory ▁of ▁ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁square ▁miles ▁in ▁extent , ▁to ▁every ▁point ▁of ▁which ▁we ▁are ▁near er ▁than ▁any ▁other ▁city , ▁to ▁every ▁point ▁of ▁which ▁we ▁have ▁better ▁rail road ▁connections ▁and ▁easier ▁gr ades ▁than ▁any ▁other ▁city   ... ▁We ▁have ▁eight ▁lines ▁of ▁rail road ▁that ▁radi ate ▁out ▁in ▁all ▁directions ▁through ▁it , ▁so ▁that ▁ship ments ▁made ▁here ▁in ▁the ▁morning ▁can ▁reach ▁any ▁point ▁within ▁its ▁borders ▁by ▁night fall . ▁We ▁have ▁a ▁tele phone ▁system ▁connecting ▁us ▁with ▁almost ▁every ▁sh ipping ▁town ▁and ▁sh ipping ▁station ▁within ▁its ▁borders . ▁Good s ▁may ▁be ▁ordered , ▁sh ipped ▁and ▁received , ▁in ▁most ▁instances , ▁within ▁one ▁day . ▁Never ▁was ▁a ▁city ▁more ▁int imately ▁kn it ▁to ▁its ▁surrounding ▁territory ▁than ▁Sp ok ane , ▁and ▁never ▁was ▁one ▁more ▁free ▁from ▁a ▁legit imate ▁rival ▁in ▁trade   ..." ▁ ▁The ▁finan cing ▁for ▁re building ▁the ▁dow nt own ▁core ▁came ▁in ▁large ▁part ▁from ▁the ▁inf usion ▁of ▁invest ment ▁from ▁Dutch ▁bank ers ; ▁this ▁invest ment ▁was ▁so ▁deep ▁that ▁by ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁one ▁prominent ▁Dutch ▁mort g age ▁company , ▁the ▁North western ▁and ▁Pacific ▁Hyp othe ek bank ▁owned ▁a ▁quarter ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁the ▁Inter state ▁Com merce ▁Commission ▁agreed ▁with ▁the ▁city ▁after ▁it ▁file d ▁a ▁compla int