The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-08-10
NEW TACOMA,
A Young Metropolis of the Pacific
Bidding for a. Railroad Terminus
IGOR dependence sALr LAKE herald ]
NEW TACpMA. w. T.

Puget Sound takes hand, | do not
feel particularly interested. The
people here think they have the best
of IL; Seattle has pre-empted the
terminus; Steila;Com has at least
one enthusiastic believer in its lOca-
ton at that point; Port Townsend is
very confident that iC can't go south
Of its precincts, and there are half a
dozen northern points whose people
ferl sure that their country pos esses
the Site where the me .rop0lis of the
Pacific will be located. This termi-
nus question is the bett n0jr of
Sound intercourse. Especially be-
tween Seattle and New Tacoma the
battle wags fiercely. While the
latter has already an actual railroad
nearly completed to Portland, the
former is promised an early connec-
ton with the same, and upon this,
and its respectable start in business
ahead of its rivals, the Seattlers pro-
fess great faith in their ability to
corral about everything desirable in
| the way of trade and commerce. To
give the devil his due is regarded
simple justice even ON the Sound,
save in this single matter of the
railroad terminus. and it is only
justice for disinterested observer
to admit that Seattle stands at pres
ent, in point of actual accomplish
mrnts and enterprise, head and
shoulders above all her rivals.
She controls the local steamboat
traffic Of the Sound, and has man
aged to establish considerable
manufacturing establishments, does
a large wholesale business. and ex-
ercises her prerOgatiye as leader by
an interminable clatter Of tongues,
of which depreciation of this city
constituted the main feature.
| On the other hand New Tacoma,
though her aspirations and hopes
of reciprocity are old in point Of
years, her business activity and en-
terprise are confined to a few
months. Seattle has been gradually
strengthening her position and
n gathering in the Sound trade
| for long time, while this place ap-
pears to have been patiently wait
ing to see what the railroad would
do for it. At last it appears to have
awakened to the fact that all the
railroads and fine harbors and
natural facilities can inStill life and
confer greatness upon city, whose
people fail to put their own shoIl-
ders TO the wheel. and for two years
past a business boom of consider
able proportions has been expert
enced. There has never been "a
doubt since 1873, that the railroad
won d give all the prominent points
on the SOurd whatever facilities
they might desire with the outside
world. 1t is sufficient for these cor
.poratiOns that they are railroad and
mot city builders. Great cities are
feunded1on a variety of cOnsidera-
tlons, and through many contribut,
} ing agencies, the chief OF
which are the enterprise of theii
: people and the right location. Now
a-days the latter consideration
does not appear to be so important
as formerly as distances count TO
little in the manipulation and con
troll of the facilities for transpo.ta
ton. 1t is almost certain tina
Chicago's position might have beer
held by some other point on Lax
Michigan but for circumstance
: mainly determined by her builder
and settlers. The same may b
said of Salt Lake City. Ii grea
rivers are not always made to ru
{ by great cities, as some on
faciIlously remarked, it lis generall
i through the determination. energ,
I and foresight Of'a community tina
metropolitan greatness is attained
New Tacoma has some natura
advantages beyond the possession c
railroad facilities. She has dee
\ water at ner shores too deep he
rivals sayl: plenty # room on tn
: flats east and south to build bushes
Z blocks adjacent TO tide water; som
2 agricultural country; as fine scener
4 as can be had anywhere. sui
d stantial backbone, high and dry 70
q residences, with Old Mount Revie
q in the southwest rising above tn
= coast range like a giant, with III
great white sides and summit, IN
= wonder Of the world. Here is e.
y cuse enough, it seems to me, for th
= ambition of New Tacoma, were
- ten times as great as it is. But tn
I. is not all. There are improvement
car shops and an iron foundry, sal
mills, and q few manufaetOriei
Z churches and stores, and goo
1e many dwelling houses. Bulldin
q is progressing on a considera0l
Q scale, and public and prlYa'
Of works employ large numo'
P of workmen. General grain shlI
IS are contracted to load with whei
c. at the warehouses for Europea
II points, this fall, and a warehouse
70 being built to store the grain. Or
ng gon vessels are always loading lun
III Der for the sea islands, or for Il
Is rope, and a large increase in tn
ne trade is looked for.
OF The city is a quiet one; 1.-THE pop
OF lation, largely composed of Of
n timers on the Pacific Coast, maj
<, OF them of eastern origin. is dal
40 increasing. though Seattle manag
ne often to grab some intending ca
II Zens Of New Tacoma; the hop ira,
AZ OF the Puyallup Valley Will
ne IL ~rrnaI