Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-06-23
Ten Days Vacation.
" Mia WAILA CITY.

1.-THE drnwsy travellers first lin,
pres ions Of Walla Walla city ale
not very favorable from the glimpse
he gets Of it at the railroad station,
thr ee quarters of mile away, it il
Dot OWING to any apparent defect IL
location OF want Of thrift, but simply
to the fact that, occupying Il level
PLAIN, 4 large proportion Of it is 50
hi len bah ind the lofty Lomba,dy
popul:,is, Il, to be entirely obscured
from vl:w, except IN locking down
Some On Of the broad streets which
cross ia. principal business thor
ouShfare at night angles, nearly coin
cidcnt With the cardinal points of the
compass. Like in all smal. cities, the
business men seem to be greSariouS
In their habits. The street first APP
prorriated by leading business
houses, is just the place, and the
on Y place, for all subsequent ven:
lures. The barber and boot black
considers it just as necessary to lc-
cate on Main" street as the whole
sale merchant or the leading hotel
keeper, ana the consequence is, as
in Olympia, that nearly all the bust
ness of Walla Walla is done on q
single street, only preferable to the
many other beautiful thoroughfares
from whimsical notion that the
currents Of trade cannot, by any
possibility, be diverted from a
straight line. Hence on Main
street, Walla Walla, we have repre-
scented all grades of business from
the mammoth operations of Rees,
Winans & Co. and the Schwabacher
Bros. to the candy trade of a much
less pretentiops firm. The larger
enterprises are carried on in sub
stantial, if not elegant, brick build
ings, but by far the larger proportion
of wares are kept in wooden tene.
ments, notwithstanding lumber COM
mands about twice the price it does
here, while brick are sold at about
the same rate. The number of brick
buildings, devoted to business, is
probably thirty, most of which
are two stories in height, while that
occupied by the First National Bank,
and the Slime House are three stor-
les high, and the Court House has
two ample stories and basement.
North of Main Street are several
mills and manufacturing establish
ments, while the southern portion of
of the city is appropriated mainly
for residences, many of which are
elegant and costly homes. and all
seem built under the prevailing idea
that " elbow-room is an essential of
comfort. This led to the survey of
wide streets in fixing the original
metes and bounds, and each resi-
dence has its plot Of ground for the
cultivation of fruit and shade trees,
shrubbery and flowers. The streets
are lined on either side with stately
rows of poplar trees, which though
taller than our naples, are fur in
ferior for the purpose intended, to
present an attraction appearance and
secure a cooling shade. Among the
trees used in enclosures for embel-
lishment, we observed the familiar
outlines of our Mountain Ash, and
a few naples, transplanted from
veritable Olympian soil. but they do
not seem to thrive on alkali diet,
and like some frail human natures
torn from kindred and home seem to
droop and decline, and thus pine
their.lives away for the loss of what
is but is not. An unbroken tract,
some ten acres in extent, owned by
Mr.. Ward, occupies central posi-.
ton in the suburban district, which
will prove a bonanza to its posses
sor, if he holds it q few years Ion.
ger and Walla Walla achieves any.
thing like the destiny outlined fol
her by intelligent observers.
Walla Walla has, we believe, only
one brick residence at present, but
Mai. Rees is making preparations fol
the erection of an elegant and COM
modious brick structure, the ensu-
ing season, on two-acre tract in
what will some day be the heart Of
the city.
The population OF Walla Walla is
estimated to be about 5000, and the
total assessed value of city property
as shown by the roll, just completed,
is e, 124 ,620, of which amount 81, >
O9S,S50 is enumerated as real estate
and 81. 025,77 40 as personal property.
This is an increase in valuation OF
$124,62 for the fiscal year just
closed. and although not as large as
that of some Of the preceding years
indicates steady and permanent, if
not rapid growth. The total value
of property of all descriptions. as
shown by the assessment of 1915,
was $40, 40; that of 1876, $780,
100; of 1877, 81 ,023, 1872; of 1878,
$1,17S,470 of 1879, 81 ,297 600
r 1OSn 81 -oS IN and 1f 1891