Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-09-20
TRANSFORMATION Lines.
The Railroad and SteaUsSOa Lines
of Olympia.

Transportation Lines.
Ts. Railroad and Steamboat Lines
of Olympia.
The editor OF the E'dShington Farmer,
4 journal until very recently published
at North Yakima, after visit paid to
Olympia two years ago, declared III his
paper that the latter city was destined
to be the future Chicago Of Washing
ton. Situated at the head of naviga-
ton on the Sound, possessing mag
niticent harbor and every possible adj
vantage for becoming an important
commercial point, he recognized the
great destiny that awaited her. AL
ready in direct connection with the
Northern Pacific railroad system, Olym-
pia will very shortly have a direct line
from Tacoma and one to Gray's Har-
Dor. Some OF the leading capitalists of
the State have interested themselves
and their Eastern correspondents in
this enterprise. The line has been sur
veyed, and Mr.. Fred. Hustis, well
known railroad builder, who has con-
structed portions of some of the prin-
cipal Western and Southern roads, is
now i'll the East, completing the neces-
sary arrangements for the building of
the road This line, with the compile
ton of the Seattle, Lake Shore and
Eastern across the Big Bend country
and Cascade mountains, will put Olym-
pia in very close communication with
Northeastern Washington and the in
tervening country. 1t will be also the
main line to the Gray's Harbor dis
trict. The Union Pacific is at present
constructing a road from Port Town
send to Portland, which, glance at
the map will show, will afford Olympia
direct connection with both those
points and the Central Pacific system.
A railroad from Olympia to Kamilchie,
less than twenty miles, will connect
the capital city with the road now in
operation from Kemilchie to Elma, and
which is being rapidly extended to
Montesano. Another railroad by the
Cowlitz Pass will cross the Cascades to
North Yakima and the Okanogan
country. A southern branch of this
road will be extended to join with the
Hunt system and the Walla Walla
country.
From this brief summary it will be
seen that in a few months Olympia
will be the greatest railroad center in
the State. Its peculiar position at the
head of the Sound makes it easily ac-
cessible from both sides of the Sound.
There are no high mountains with
difficult passes to cross. The Cascade
range offers the only obstacle, and it
can be crossed by easy grades. No
other candidate for the capital has
similar advantages.
STEAMBOATS,.
Ten lines of steamboats, ply regularly
to and fro from Olympia to all parts of
the Sound. They are fine, first-class
vessels, making quick time and charg-
ing merely nominal fare, as, for in
stance, so cents to Tacoma and 81 to
Seattle. Persons visiting either of the
great Sound cities can consequently
visit the capital, if it is located at Olym-
pia, practically without additional cost.
The trip ON the Sound is delightful. 1t
is doubtful if there is more beautiful
body of water in the world. Though
an arm of the ocean, it is as clear as a
mountain stream, and, to use the Ian
guage OF an Eastern writer, "You can
look far down into the depths of the
CLASSY water and see the starfsh cling
ing to the rocks and moving their red
notified arms slowly here and slowly
there as they creep up and down and
into the Sounds soft bed. You can see
mallards, tame and fearless, riding on
the water almost within reach of the
fishermen as they sit in their boats.
You can see the lofty tops of the Olym-
pic mountains, the light clouds circling
round them, Rugged about with snowy
shawls, ranging far to the north and
far to the south between the Sound
land and the coast" Then there is the
verdure on all sides; the great, tall
trees that hang over the banks, almost
bathing their limbs in the waters be-
low. Perhaps, as you glide along, you
catch glimpses OF Mount Rainier or
Tacoma, and the time passes so pleas
antly that you find the trip all too
short.
TRAMwAYS.
The iron is now on the way from the
East for the street-car line which is to
connect Olympia with Tumwater on
the one side and with North Olympia
on the other. 1t is the intention of
the company who have the construc-
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