Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-05-16
He Goes to Gray's HarbOr and Starts
a Town a Ia Former Da-
kOta Days.
Bismarckcrs as Thick in the Sound
Country as Salmon in the
Columbia River.
A Gossippy Letter from OcOsta, in
Which a Number of Familiar
Names are Mentioned.
John Rea Strikes it Rich-In His Mind

OcosTA, WASH, May 8, S90.--Proba-
bly, the TRIBUNE doesn't know where
Ocosta is. A dozen Dakotaps, more or
! less, who attended the first sale of lots
on May 1, know where it is located, and
it begins to look as if they would realize
the Dutchmans one per cent. on their in
vestments. Ocosta, the coast city, is on
the south side of Gray's Harbor. as near
the ocean as possible. 1t is the ocean
terminus of the Northern Pacific, under
the corporate name of the Tacoma,
Olympia & Pacific. Fred. Heustis of In
diana, one of the men with DR.. Burleigh,
| who built the Northern Pacific into Bis
marck, is the protector of the Tacoma,
Olympia & Pacific, and one of the pro-
prietors of Ocosta Mr.. Heustis sends
his regards to E. A. Williams. Our first
surveyor-general will remember him.
The gentleman who coined the word
Ocosta is the distinguished politician,
Col. w. H. Calkins, formerly of Indiana,
but now for good a citizen of Tacoma.
He is also one of the proprietors of Ocos-
ia. This is about the best portion of
western Washington and if the map ma
kers are in Mr.. Wizards confidence, the
branches of the Northern Pacific will
reach all the strategic points. Off Ocos-
ia is what is called South Bay. There is
frst-class anchorage and deep water, not
less than thirty feet at low tide. Grading
at this end has commenced and five sur
veying parties are in the field between
Ocosta and Tacoma.
1t is the gossip on Gray's Harbor that
Frank Pettigrew intends to make some
point on the harbor the terminus of his
Midland Pacific. He has had an engi-
neer here making soundings. If I was
booming Ocosta and vicinity I could
show that it was nearer the center of the
world than Bismarck. It is a sple q did
point for "distance'' map. Not only
all the railroads, but all the Pacific
steamship lines can center here.
I am in receipt of numerous letters
asking: "How do you like it?" Conf
dentially my answer is: GAS far as I have
got, I am not disappointed" Don't
leave out that not. The resources of
estern Washington are as advertised,
considerable of everything. 1t is a
great field for capital and if there is no
conflict between labor and capital, the
deduction follows that it is great field
for labor This is true; it is a great re-
treat for Dakotans. I have been on the
sound, headquarters Seattle, and in this
section thirty five days and don't think
day has passed without seeing new
Dakotan. On street corner in Tacoma,
seven of us accidentally met in as many
minutes. If our North Dakota census
proves minus quantity can give at
least one reason for it.
The first man who hailed me when I
got off the train at Tacoma was W. E.
Bowen, an old Bismarcker and brother of
Judge Bowen. He is sole agent for the
town of Detroit, on Hoods Canal. Next
man was II. n. Day. Day is moving in
to new store and looks as if he was
prospering. George D. Hanscom, for
merly with the TRIBUNE, is q successful
hardware merchant in Tacoma. s. II.
Emerson is commission merchant in a
room 12O feet deep. Neal Claussen is
his bookkeeper. Mrs. Bell and the
Claussens have well-stocked dry goods
store in good location. Johnny Leas-
ure is assistant secretary of the Chamber
of Commerce. Clint Snowden Of Chica-
go Times fame and once partner of SEN
ator w. E. Chandler, is the secretary.
Theodore Shenkenberg is running Char
ley ThompsoD's coal business and max,
ing money on the side. Nanny Pye,
who is also with Charley. is just now in
the neighborhood of Gray's Harbor,t
holding down a valuable homestead.
Vim. M. Pye, Sr., is due at Tacoma on
Friday. E. N. Parker, formerly of
Steele, is successful lawyer Of Tacoma.
Everything around him looks like pros
perity. Major STAN of Bismarck III '83
is the manager of the biggest real estate
Office in Tacoma. He bosses luxurious
Office. Gates of Mandan runs job Office
in Tacoma, and DR.. Galloway, formerly
of Fargo, can point out several brick
blocks as his. Henry Whitney drives
Tacoma hack, and Vansolen is driving
nourinhi inn lntha h11ainona sE; r r. Call ia