The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-14
WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

TACOMA, WASH. TER Dec. 25, 1887.
To the Editor of The Uniuersalist:
have recently csst my lot among the
inhabitants OF this North Western Terri
tory, and have settled permanently with
my family in Tacoma, "The City of Des-
tiny" which is located at the southern
terminus of Puget Sound, on Commence.
ment bay, and one of the finest harbors
on the Sound for ocean vessels 1t is the
terminus Of al tne transportation routes
on the Sound, by both rail and steamship.
The Northern Pacific and Union Pacific
railroads, the two great trans continental
roads, have their terminus here. 1t is
also the terminus of the Northern Pacific
to Oregon, connecting with the railroad
to San Francisco, CAL, and the Central
Southern and Atlantic Pacific trans con-
tinental railroads. Tacoma is likewise
the terminus OF the steamship line to San
Francisco, ana other points on the Pa
cific coast Of California. Lines of steam
ships have been established between Ia
coma and Sitka, Alaska; Victoria, British
Columbia; and within the past year a
connection has been made by water navi-
cation with the Canadian Pacific railroad
and the British steamship line to China
and Japan; and ships may be seen any
day unloading their Oriental products at
Tacoma's wharves, and loading up again
with wheat, lumber, iron and coal for the
Chinese and Japanese markets. Between
thirty five and forty steamers of all classes
arrive and depart from this port regular
ly, and new accessions are arriving
weekly.
Eighteen Regular Trains
arrive and depart daily from Tacoma.
This is showing unprecedented in the
commercial history and growth of any
city on this continent within the same
number of years.
1t should be remembered. in speaking
of this growth in commercial business,
that
Tacoma in 1878, Had no Existence.
The site on which the city now stands was
dense wilderness of woods, uninhabited
save by few men engaged in logging.
that is, engaged in cutting and rafting
logs to a saw mill down the Sound. The
census of 1880, showed a population of
920 people, whites and Indians, (the Puy-
allup Indian reservation joins the city
limits on the east. 1t is now an incor-
porated city with population of over
10000, not including indians.
The city is located on the west bank of
Commencement bay, on quite a precipi-
tate slope or bluff, which rises gradually
to height of 300 feet from the waters
edge. The bluff that skirts the bay is
abrupt and rises 100 feet almost perpen-
dicularly, at the ;op OF which is plateau
of 500 feet in width, and two miles in
length. On this plateau the new town
was first built, the "old town" being To-
Gated some two miles down the bay at
the ssw-mill, and was composed only of
the men connected with the mill, and
their families. The city is regulsrly laid
off, the letteIed streets running parallel
with the shore of the bay, north and
south, while the numbered streets run
ing at right angles with these, save the
avenues, which form obtuse or acute an
giles with the other streets, forming an
easy and gradual ascent to the summit of
the hill. In ascending this hill the grade
is at an angle of forty degrees, but be-
tween each block there is a plateau, or
we'll graded sire ct, or avenue, there being
eight of these before the summit OF the
hill is reached. These blocks are terraced
and are improved by fine class of frame
or brick dwelling houses. Pacific avenue,
which is on the first plateau above the
bay, is Ghe principal business street. This
avenue runs almost due north and south
and is about two miles in length. Sew
eral retail stores have already climbed
the hill on streets immediately back of
Pacific avenue, where they are doing a
good business. Thus, in seven years a
wilderness has been supplanted by PROF.
porous and busy city.