Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-02-25
The New Town Of Kalama.

visit to this now noted full-Aedged depot
of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company
on the Washington Territory side Of the
Columbia river, about forty miles below
Portland. 1t came into depot existence
with the present year, ahd its rise and pro-
grcss can therefore be readily traced. Lo.
Gated upon what used TO be the land claim
of MIR. Hensill, from whom the purchase
was made by the agent of the Company, it
occupies favorable position for the pur-
pose and destiny that that great corporation
intend it shall fill.
It is said with travellers first impressions
of place 90 good ways. In one respect
we can say that all who visited kalama for
the first time on last Saturday, found their
individual first Impressions, on stepping
upon the native soil, to 90 good way for,
perhaps, a bal way would nearer tell the
story] deeper than they cared for. The
| incessant pouring Of the most deluging
rain of the whole season on that unpavcd
and implanted railway terminus, for three
or four consecutive days, had softencd the
freshly laid out surface Of its area of moth.
er earth to such condition that unless a
body had high-topped boots Of the water.
proof kind they necessarily "took water
in theirs" The Company and the resi-
dents had, in view Of the laying of the
corner stone Of the St. Andrews Protestant
Episcopal Chapel, on Saturday, lain planks
for persons to walk upon over some por.
there we're the sections Of sidewalks and
planks put down by the Company and
those who have located in business there
These portions were passablc without much
discomfort to pedestrians, but whenever
the native soil had to be encountered, bot
tom was found at not less than ankle DEPTH
| Kalama has full frontage on the river
ut point where ocean steamers and the
largest sailing vessels which enter Colum.
ba Bar can conveniently haul close to the
bold bluff at the lower end OF town, and
where the river steamers and smaller craft
can find an easy natural landing place
The Railroad Company are constructing a
long line of wharf ut the lower frontage
the piles for which are driven and quite
ready for Gaping and plankins. A long
warehouse will be built upon the high
bank, to front upon the wharf. The river
steamers at present land at the foot Of the
bank a. the upper end Of the wharf. The
quantity of freight on the bank gave in
dication Of the merchandising business al
ready sprung up there.
The town is laid off in blocks of 300 feet
front by 800 feet depth, with streets eighty
feet wide, and alleys to cut in two each
block (from front to rear) Of twenty feet
width-which takes ten feet off each lot.
and makes the full block to consist of
twenty four lots each Of 25 feet front by
40 feet depth. The streets which run
parallel with the river commence with that
just along the river bank, next back is
Front street, and from that on back the
streets are numbered as in Portland ::
First, Second, Third, and so on. The
streets leading from the river commencing
at the upper end of the place are called al
phabetcally after species of trees or, where
this rule cannot be preserved, after flowers
as follows Alder, Beach, Cedar, Date,
Fir, Gcranium. Holly. etc.
The whole plate embraces the half dona.
ton claim of Mr.. Hensill, and is $40 acres
area. The other half of the full claim Of
$40 acres is still owned by Mrs. HensilI,
and lies below the town site. 1t is not,
We were told, for sale. The plat on which
Kalama is built is much better adapted for
a town than the half which is reserved
The fat runs back for two OF three blocks
from the river, and from that there is an
incline upward, of different degrees of
grade here and there, back to the base of
the bluff which forms the front of the
great plateau above The whole claim is
we'll or heavily timbered, but in the bust
ness portion nearly all the timber has been
already cut away The plateau is intended
chiefly for residence purposes, and the
public park of seventy acres is set apart
with the view to make that portion ulti-
mately more attractive. Under the bluff.
at the rear of the lower part Of the bust
ness portion of the town there is a stretch Of
swampy ground, but even this is now
eagerly sought for by persons who desire
to purchase lots. As an evidence of how
property sell. there, We will state that one
block, sold in lots to various purchasers.
brought q total Of SIS, 240, and lots in the
swampy section have been quickly taken
ut 5000.
There are about thirty wooden build
ings, hotels, stores, restaurants, shops and
offces-no saloons are ermitted-already
up, and many more contracted for. The
Railroad Company are building a large
two story frame building in the back part
of the business section. and just above the
ground is prepared for the erection Of a
large hotel, 100 by $50 feet and three
stories, to be put up by parties from
Chicago. Branch stores, belonging to mer-
chants Of Portland, and Vancouver, and
Olympia, are there, and others are going
to locate. The trade at present is almos,
exclusively from the railroad employees,
although farmers and others from the
Lewis river country aud small settlements
| .lnnn tho rirnr have commenced To trade