The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1890-06-20
FROM TACOMA.
TACOMA, WASH, June IA, 1890.

from Benton county boy, giving
few of the things he sees and thoughts
he thinks, might not be wholly unac-
ceptable, I take the liberty of sending
them.
From Pt. Defiance the hills sweep
round to the south and eastward max
ing sloping semi-circle to Commence
ment bay. In this basin and on the
surrounding hills, Tacoma, the So
called "City of Destiny" is built.
Seen from the bay she is pleasing
sight; her blocks of brick and stone
and terraced residence streets, built up
with costly homes, give to her the cosy
look that we all SO much admire.
Viewed from the heights she lies nest
ling at''your feet, while just beyond the
placid waters of Commencement bay,
dotted here and there by vast hulks
and towering masts, and surrounded
by tall forests of fir, add the finishing
touches to picture worthy of the
hand of that greatest of scenic painters
Mature.
The growth of Tacoma has been al
most Incredible. Twelve years ago
scarcely building stood where now is
a large and busy city.
The Tacoma theater is large and
beautiful edi6ce of granite stone and
is attended nightly by hundreds of
people, and only seven years ago the
the ground on which it stands was in
the outskirts of town and completely
covered by logs and stulnps. Now
the town extends for more than a mile
beyond except on the water front
Tacoma had boom with big B
but it is apparent to even casual OBJ
server that that time is past; Tacoma
will now have to standon solid merit
and from present appearances it is
rustling her to keep her feet. Last
week | took an extended stroll through
the residence part OF town and was
surprised ut the number of houses with
the sign "to rent" on the doors. On
returning to my hotel remarked this
'glaring emptiness" as it were and
was told by several that this was the
case with one half of the town. Later
tramps showed that this was an over
estimate; but their number is myriad.
In the business parts of town this de-
cline is also apparent. On every
block is the conspicuous sign "for rent"
or "closing out at cost and ''regard-
less of cost" conspicuously displayed.
| My business calls me to the railroad
depot and there again you see signs Of
declining boom. When the overland
train reaches Puyallup it is as full as
it is at all comfortable, but here the
passengers change cars and the rest of
the way ycu have room and to spare,
and when 1t reaches the Pacific Avenue,
| Tacoma, about one-half of the re-
manning stay on and back down to the
wharf, bound fer Grays Harbor and
way. Probably there is an average of
forty-fve eastern arrivals daily and
there is fully half as many departures
over the same line besides the ones 60
ing south and west efter staying here
a short time. Working men coming
in are almost invariably disguised as
the town is now overfowing with la
borers of all trades. One thing seems
odd to me and that is that people who
have been here for several months and
years ask me questions about Oregon
that shows utter ignorance of the
"Garden Of the West;;" but it is not
strange for as far as I can see there has
been no efforts made to advertise the
Willamette Valley, OF if there has they
have been weak and futile. Why is
this2 AS soon as it is known that
am from the Willamette Valley ques-
tions are asked me by the score about
her climate, soil, crops. etc., and this
has been the case from Port Townsend
to Tacoma. There is no Oregon paper
to be found in the hotels and reading
rooms save the O1egonian and l have
found that in only two Of the dozens
have visited.
I will close from fear of adding the
fault of length to an already faulty
letter.
Rev. J. L. Reeser will preach in the