▁and ▁Math en ey ▁knew ▁that ▁the ▁Northern ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ▁Company ▁had ▁received ▁a ▁government ▁char ter ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁main ▁line ▁across ▁this ▁northern ▁route . ▁Am id ▁many ▁del ays ▁in ▁construction ▁and ▁uncertainty ▁over ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁rail road ▁and ▁its ▁exact ▁course , ▁Math en ey ▁sold ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁claim ▁to ▁Glo ver . ▁Glo ver ▁confident ly ▁held ▁on ▁to ▁his ▁claim ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁successful ▁Sp ok ane ▁business ▁owner ▁and ▁the ▁city ' s ▁second ▁mayor . ▁He ▁later ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" F ather ▁of ▁Sp ok ane ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 0 , ▁Fort ▁Sp ok ane ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁troops ▁under ▁L t . ▁Col . ▁Henry ▁Clay ▁Mer ri am ▁ ▁north west ▁of ▁Sp ok ane , ▁at ▁the ▁j unction ▁of ▁the ▁Columbia ▁and ▁Sp ok ane ▁R ivers , ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Pacific ▁Railway ▁and ▁secure ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁U . S . ▁settlement . ▁By ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 8 1 , ▁the ▁railway ▁reached ▁the ▁city , ▁bringing ▁major ▁European ▁settlement ▁to ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁city ▁was ▁officially ▁incorpor ated ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 , 0 0 0   res idents ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁When ▁Sp ok ane ▁was ▁officially ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 , ▁Robert ▁W