The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-01
CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND.
Review of It's Material development
During the Year.
Aggregate OF Real Estate Transfers Up
wards of $4,000. 900 - Develop
ment in Every Department.

kesnly alert 70 seize every local advantage.
Port Townsend has made more progress
during the year 1SS9 than in any FIVE years
preceding 1t may be well 10 remark in
the outset that the certainty Of railway
connection and of Port Townsend becom-
ing the Northwestern terminus OF = great
transcontinental system is the basis OF this
unparalleled advancement. Pioneers and
newcomers vie with each other In exhibit
ing public spirit by the establishment of
industrial enterprises and erecting business
buildings which are credit TO any city.
old or new. The year has been marked BY
commercial activity on the water and on
the land. never before known. With the
addition of 3 dozen or more large three
story business buildings, the demand for
stores and Offices is quite as great today as
it was at the beginning of the year. and
though Ash dwelling houses were erected
during 1850. applea tons from families.
arriving every day and seeking domlcileS,
have TO be met with refusal. But the work
of construction is going en- rapidly without
interruption and no doubt 1000 more
houses viii be added this year 70 Port
Townsend's permanent buildings. This
city has one peculiar advantage. which win
be appreciated by all who have attempted
to erect = building after the fall rains have
set IN. It rains less in Port Townsend
than in any other locality on Puget sound.
Without going into an elaborate. scientific
treatise on meteorology, this fact may be
stated. viz: The southerly winds which
prevail all winter and bring rain to Western
Washington, carry the rain clouds over
Qnimper peninsula toL which Port Town
send is located) where they deposit but lit
tie rain till they pass 20 the islands Of the
San Juan archipelago. The average rainfall
ct Port Townsend for the past decade has
been between sixteen and seventeen inches
per year. and the winters are always mild.
To show how the seasons cut no figure in
building calculations the following instance
is cited: Work was began December 10
on the foundation for tive-story brick
hotel. The owner expects 10 have il ready
for the reception of guests oy June L.
II the late winter and early spring season
this year should be normal. there will
probably not be more than FIVE days inter
ruption on account OF the weather.
INCREASE Is PoPuIAnos.
In the absence of a census figures on
population must be estimated or based
upon the latest vote. With this as guide,
Port Townsend has doubled the number of
her inhabitants within the year past The
vote at the general election in October, 1850,
was 1884. Taking AZ population TO every
vote, the city bad then 6,22S inhabitants.
Since October the immigration has kept up
steadily and 1000 is today q reasonable
estimate Of the population.
TRANscoSTINENrAL RAILROAD.
The Port Townsend Southern railway.
whose inception was a local enterprise,
with the object Of building standard
gauge line from Port Townsend southwark
10 connection with the Northern Pacific
near Chehalis, and thence TO Portland, Or,
has been taken in hand by Eastern men.
syndicate OF capitalists, who are largely
interested in the Union Pacific and the Or
egon Railway q Navigation companies,
have undertaken the work of building the
line from Port Townsend To Portland. a
distance of 27 miles, Several parties of
engineers are nov making the permanent
location, and construction will commence
early in the coming spring. With the ex-
eeptlon OF twenty-Six miles along the west
shore OF Hoods canal the work Is very
light, and there is scarcely doubt that the
road VIII be put through within one year.
wATKR WORKS.
Principal among the purely local enter
prises established during the year is the
Mount Olympus Water Company. organ
ICED last August, and having a capital
stock OF 10000. On the 26th of October
they entered into contract with the city
TO bring in by grayitation from the Little
Quilcene river, distance of twenty miles.
a supply OF pure mountain water for do
nestle, manufacturing and FIRE purposes
ample for city Of 75.e0 population. The
funds have been provided and construc-
ton has already begun. La this prime
necessity for large commercial city Port
Townsend has taiKef = step in advance of
every other city CA the coast. San Diego
alone excepted.
PuBiAc AID RRIvATg BuILnisss.
More than 81. 10000 was expended dur
ing the year by private capital in the con-
struction of new buildings. Principal
among the business blocks Ere. The
Hastings ests1e. corner Water and TaYior.
costinR Sos 90: the Pioneer block, corner
Water and Tyler. built jointly BY Captain
III. l. Tibbals. +. w. Pettigroye and the
State Bank Of Washington. costing $780,
COO. Dr.. ". d. Hili's block, corner Water
and Quincy streets. costing $4,000; the
FowieF-Caines block. Sis. 70; the Ensembles
building. $4,000. the Miller Il Burkett
building. SIS 90. Geo. sterming's, $1,000;
the A. III, Tucker biock corner Water and
Adams. 81 CO., Every one OF these build
Jag were rented almost before the founda-
TORS we're laid.
Work was begun about midsummer by
the government. on 4 custom house and
postofflee building. for which cs-aggess has
made m appropriation Of $50, 90 II sill
be the finest public building IN .he state OF
Washington. and making due allowances
for cred tape" viii probably be finished
within this year
Mr.. Charles kisenbeis has begun work
or a 6ve-story Store and brick hotel. corner
Water and Taylor streets. II viii be
s2ssxi1l and viii contain 100 rooms.
Nothing wsll be spared IN meeting tbs
modern demand Tor first-elass aecomsnoaA-
ton. The enterprise represents an iavess-
ment gnot including gronndl Of SIS. o09.
Work Is being pushed and the founeler
expects 20 have The hotel ready for guests
by The middle Of neat jane.
srsEET RaIgwATe.
A good start vas made ID the matter 81
street railways during the year BIZ a synda-
cate o. local capitalists. VITO built three
miles Of read running from the center OF
the business section westward through the
Hastings and Eisenbess additions and
terminating at the Phillips addition, with
. branch noFthward along Maple ayeane.
Abont 5000 Was invested il the entkr-
prise, ard there = n6w ample Enoney in
the treasury. is wili b. the policy 81 the
com pAny % extend the lines II asfvaf,e. ~