The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-05
FROM GRAY'S HARBOR
The March Of Railroads and
Immigration.
mAsy sso TOWNS oaovnno Up.


GaATs HAsson CIR. Nay 3-it b graft
FIRING 70 know that the excessive incon-
venisncs which has long attended travel
from Puget sound to 6rays harbor VIII
soon b mere romembeance Of tie poUG
The prospect Of quick transportation 70 Ill
parts Of the hasbof, and also 10 ShoaivafeT
bay. before the year has closed. Is definite
and beyond . question. Of doubt. IL h csr-
tain that one yailrcad u least viii b built
70 Grays hsrbor Immediately. and there -
very strong probability that another win be
constructed this year. Indeed. enthusiss-
tic residents OF the several thriving towns
on the harbor claim thst the NEXT year. or,
1t the outside, two years, win witness an
awakening in railroad building in South
western Washington that vii result IN the
operation Of four or nve distinct lines into
the harbor. The claim II not af I'll unrsas-
enable. for Il h wsii-known that nearly
oil important roads in the Northwest have
hsd Grsy's hsrbor or shoaiwstsr bay IN
view ~ their ultimate western termini.
and have made no secret OF their respective
intentions to 90 there. These are the
Northern Pacific. Union Pacific, Oregon
improvement Company and Hunt syetem.
which have made definite overtures 70 the
inhabitants Of the two great estuarzes; and
the Great Northern and Southern Pacific
ara somewhat indefinitely declared to Be
headed In this direction. The Tacoma.
Olympia Il Pacific. . local organisation.
with It's objective point ct Ocosta. new
townsite on the south side OF the harbor,
announces that 1t viii begin construc-
ton Of its line within two weeks,
and that work will be hurried
TO compilation. Several surveying parties
are In the field and have nearly finished
permanent location Of the route. This
railroad. Ii Is Sid. IL backed by the North
ern Pacific, and 1t n supposed that that
company viii reach both Gray's harbor
and shoaiwatsT bay over is track.
The chief engineer OF the Union Pacific
was recently At Aberdeen. the largest town
on the harbor. at the mouth Of the Cheha-
lis river, and submitted 70 the people .
proposition TO extend the Yoad TO that
place. Its highly probable that when the
Union Pacific has constructed its line from
Portland to the SOUND . branch viii be
run down from the trunk line to
Aberdeen. Is well - to . I'll other
considerable points on the harbor. II IL
natural to believe that . great transconti-
mental system which already controls 80
many miles Of railroad In Washington, and
undoubtedly viii. this year. construct
many more, viii not neglect 90 important
portion Of the state q Grsy's harbor. An
outlet In this direction Is an essential fea-
turs Of the great Union Pacific scheme 10
gridiron the entire state with railroads.
II was said above that the people Of the
harbor are certain of one railroad The
Hunt railroad was referred to. and the as
surancs OF the expectant people rests upon
the contract entered into by g. w. Hunt,
the weli-known railroad builder, to
construct and operate line to the harbor
from "soms point on the Northern Pa
ciic." A bonus, aggregating in money and
lands the enormous sum OF u ,200, 900 or
more. has been subscribed and will be as
signed to Mr.. Hunt when the track Is laid.
The point on the Northern Pacific il
Centralia. which donates 500 600 for the
railroad and It's junction with the Northern.
The route lies practically the en-
tire distance on the north side OF the Che
halls river. and extends through the towns
of Montesano. Aberdeen and Hoquiam,
terminating at Gray's Harbor
City. Cosmopolis, just across
the river above Aberdeen. will doubtless b
reached in some feasible manner, ana thus
al the principal towns Of the harbor In.
eluded in the route. Gray's Harbor City,
tho townsite. three and ons-half miles be-
low Hoqaiam. subscribed one-half Of the
great subsidy for the privilege Of becoming
the sole terminus OF the system. IL ID
claimed for this place that IL viii have the
two essentials for the building Of Q large
seaport city-desp water and railroads.
An apparent disadvantage TO it, lofty a..
pirations 10 the great stretch OF tide fats in
front OF the townsite and the necessity Of
reaching deep water over long wharves.
To Offset this, however, it Is argued that
the flats, instead OF being drawback. are
In reality very material advantage. They
afford opportunity for the construction OF
great manufacturing establishments on the
level and adjacent to deep water. IL Is
the intention Of the townsite company to
make the most of the fats. and to con-
sfrucs deep water channels through the
fats to the shore.
This plan, IL eonsummated, will allow
the erection of the proposed manufac-
tories upon big entertainments thrown
np between the channels. upon
which railroad lines shall also be con-
structed. Deep-sea vessels. lying adjacent
to the manufactures, ready 10 transport
their product to the markets OF the world,
complete an ideal picture of . very plaus-
ible scheme for the uphuilding OF a mighty
city. Projectors OF the proposed metropo-
lis rely upon the present fact that vessels
of considerable draft can reach no other
place on the hsrbor. because OF the choked
condition of the channels above the new
town. 1, il not TO be expected. however,
that either Aberdeen or uoquism viii allow
the present condition Of the upper harbor
TO exist permanently. Removal OF the OBJ
s,ructions, mainly or altogether large de-
posts OF sand and mud. will render them
iust as accessible 20 deep-sea vessels as the
ambitious new town. Congressional Aid is
expected TO place them on an equal footing
with their young rival, and IL viii doubt
less be given. bat how soon and 20 wha.
extent remains To BE- seen. Aberdeen.
with commendahle enterprise, o few
months since sent . representative tn
Washington City 10 secure favorable legis-
iasion, and he has already returned, con-
flden. that congress viii grant what il
asked. No money whatever has ever been
spent nv the rovernmens ~ 6ray's hareor,
bat now that Washington is a
stale snd an important factor In the gen.
srsl political system. liberal appropriations
may reasonably be expected. A lighthouse
- I. x,sh s.xrt AZ xafrx 70 Ale, ,.a-~~.