, 1877-09-29
New Tacoma


the railroad terminus town ot New Ia
coma from Seattle. Our visit to that
place and the PuyalIup valley, kept us in
that vicinity until Wednesday OF last
week. The different articles in this Is
sue relating to that region are the result
of things witnessed and facts gathered
on this trip.
Ever since it was definitely known
that the Puyallup road would be built
up that valley al least, it not over the
Matches Pass into Eastern Washington,
the growth OF New Tacoma has been
rapid and substantial.
In TACT one OF the most noticeable iea-
lures witnessed on landing there, and
seeing what is being done, is the per
manent and substantial appearance OF
the work done by the n. p. r. r. Co.
The first Improvement noticed is the
removal to the back of the wharf OF the
building used as an office, and ware
house for freight in the lower story, and
the Railroad Hotel up stairs, and the re-
modelling of the whole struc ure, so as to
give room down stairs Tor the various
offices oil the company, which are very
conveniently fitted up. Before this
change the hotel was all up stairs cX-
cent the saloon. Now the saloon, din
ing room, kitching, &c, are down
stars ; making it much more convenient.
All OF the up stairs is now used for IL
hotel. The building is said to be two
hundred feet long, and its removal in
good shape very difficult Job. Dick
Atkins of Seattle, VINO has been doing II
rreat amount of substantial work tor the
company in the past year, has the honor
of accomplishing this successfully.
In place of this building, n freight
house. has been erected one hundred and
sixty.five feet long The freight office is
in the new building. The other railroad
offices are in the old building, as well AS
the telegraph office. and office OF Wells
Fargo g. Co. The old building. Is re-
fitted SO as to make it present an excel
lent appearance.
Mr.. Blackwell, the proprietor of the
railroad hotel, is very accommodating
gentleman. who thoroughly understands
his business, and will keep none other
than strictly first class hotel. He is
also gentleman oil refinement and cul
tured literary tastes. The work oil re-
fitting since the removal is hardly COM
bleted; when finished his accOmmola-
tions will he second to none. Although
the house is so large, the travel is often
times so great that he fails in furnishing
room Tor all.
The company are making arrange
,ments on an extensive scale for the coal
they expect to ship in large quantities
from the Tacoma colleries, located at the
new town of Wilkeson, in the Puyallup
valley; by the branch railroad grade
thirty one miles distant from Tacoma, in
an air line, probably some five miles
less.
A few hundred yards east of their
wharf, they are filing in a large space
for park of cars, so that they will not
need to build coal bunkers. The build
ing Of these extra cars, and track way is
considered cheaper than the erection
and maintaining of bunkers sufficient to
hold an equal amount OF coal. Besides
the coal requires less handling.
The coal wharf will he built about
one fourth mile below the present wharf,
towards the mill. There will he grade
in the rear OF the present wharf to it Of
sufficient elevation to dump the coal from
the cars into the largest vessels. Mr..
Atkins is driving the piles tor the coal
wharf. Each pile is sheathed with cop
per, and every pTecaution is being taken
TO make durable wharf.
Col Samuel A. Black the successor of
Gen. Sprague us the General Superin-
tendent OF the Pacific Division OF the N.
p. Railroad is gentleman OF command
ing yet very agreeable appearance. He
is considerably past middle age, and