Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-08-17
HE LIKES FAIRHAVEN
Robert z. Strahorn Tells About the Pro-
gressive Young City

Robert E. StrahOrn. of Fairhaven. came
over Friday, says the Tacoma Globe to
meet Mrs. StrahOrn. who is en- route from
San Francisco to their new home. Mr.
Strahorn has been ON the Sound only
about month. but he carries no traces
OF the ''tenderfoot." His twenty wears
training as newspaper man and long
service as manager of the advertising de-
partment of the Union Pacific serve him
a good turn when ii comes to absorbing
facts about new country and then sow
ing them in good soil. While greatly as
tonished at the growth of Tacoma since
his last trip, he says Belingham BAY
and Fairhaven particularly are almost
magical in their progress. Fair
haven reminds him of Tacoma's
pal miest year. IL has grown from a little
collection Of huts in June. 1889. to "A pop
ulation of over 1900. The census gave IL
4,O3l last June and il has increased from
one to two thousand since. The popua-
llon Is permanent and substantial. Hun
dreds of nice houses are being built and
there is a loud call for more. Many sub
stantial business blocks are going I'M.
some of these costing as high as 10000
each. The magnificent hotel Fairhaven
is just being completed and finished at a
cost OF sl5O.OO. 1t will be opened in
grand shape about September under
the auspices Of the Washington State
Press association, which has It's annual
meeting at Fairhayen at that time. Other
improvements aggregating sl.JOO.OOO in
value are in progress. among these are
great ocean docks for the Great Northern.
as well a ear shops. machine shops.
round house. etc. for the same roads
sos 900 gas works. electric street railway.
costing $4,000, some five miles of street
grading and paving. a $4,000 public
school building. and very extensive
system OF Improvement, at the coal and
iron mines.
A. 10 railway matters Mr.. Stranorn
said track laying was now progressing
rapidly between Fairhaven and New
Westminster and Canadian Pacific and
treat Northern cars would be running
INTO the city over that line by October -.
The Great Northern main line east will
be extended from Fairhaven up the Skagit
10 the base of the Cascades by January |
and the Portland line would reach seattle
at the same time aud Tacoma about sixty
days later. He is much amused at the
claims OF Seattle and other towns in re-
gard to the Great Northern terminus.
and the claims of the numerous inter-
mediate places We're still more abSard.
"FairhaYen. Seattle. Tacoma and Port
land Will all get the Great Northern. for
Jim Hlll j. on the coast for business. The
same applies To the Union Pacific. South
ern Pacific and Northern Pacific They
can't help going to these four commercial
centerS. But as for the Great Northern
making any other terminus than Fair
haven In the sense that the Northern Pa
ellie made one here at Tacoma Is simply
out of the question. While the Great
Northern j. content at all these other
points with right-of-way aud the usual
depot grounds. ii has thus far not in
vested a dollar in anything at any other
point. look at its course at Fairhaven. IL
started in last winter by securing three
lines OF railway running out of Fairhaven
teaSt. north and SOUTH at an expense of
several millions. II has for the past three
months been securing other vast Interests
there In the may of water front. many
acres for shops and terminal purposes aud
very valuable property right in the city.
all at great outlay in hard cash. II
seattle and some other points will tell Us
why Jim Hill If putting four or five mill
lions of dollars into Fairhaven and vicln-
ity aud taking elsewhere only what he
can get for nothing, we will have more
light on this terminal business:
Mr.. Strahorn says great preparations
are being made at FairhavenS coal and
iron mines for the early erection of a |
mammOuth coal and iron industry. Hun I
drcds of men are opening them up in
systematic manner for handling their /
products on a big scale in the immediate I
future. Everything will be in readiness
for supplying 1890 tons of coal daily by
october 10TH. aud the iron furnace VIII be- I
blown in early in 1891. lie reports the
numbering industry very active. The F.
mills in the immediate vicnitp have
daily capacity Of of 10000 feet. much of
which goes into the street work and rail-
way construction. Agriculture and the /
search for precious metalf are progressing .
equa lly well. Thousands are going into .
the interior 10 open up farms and to pros /
pcct for gold and silver in the Ca Scade .
from which pNcifiuU rspnrfS .
of rich discoveries are coming daily.