The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01
CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND.
A Season of Growth and Remarkable
Activity.
Construction on Port Townsend South
mgs, Hotels, wharves, Etc, Etc.

PoRr TOWNSEND, Wash, Dec. Is, 1890.
Fcw cities in Washington have such just
cause for seif-congratuiation upon the ac-
cornpIis hments of 1880 as Port Townsend,
the Key City of the Sound. Twelve
months have developed thriving, pros
porous city from an ambitious though
Somewhat provincial town, and the end of
the year shows ls9i big in the conception
of further prosperity for the metropolis of
the great Olympic peninsula.
Port Townsend, on the first of January
q year a,o. was q somewhat provincial
town because il was without almost the
first signs of railroad. Settled in the
early SOS by an adventuresome band of
pioneers, some of its residents might have
reached middle age and never seen COM
merce moved overland by steam, and it
was not until the spring of 1880 that the
first railroad work was done in the
city. The Port Townsend Southern
was born Of local enterprise,
and was turned over to the
Oregon Improvement Company. Some
thing over twenty miles are now in OPP
Grafton, and with small expenditure upon
seven miles of the right-of-way the road
will be finished to Quilcene, opening the
entire trade Of the. Hoods canal country
70 Port Townsend. Upon the completed
work the company has spent, according to
figures given by its general manager,
81, 10000. The company Is not now in a
position to push its projects rapidly, but
friends and foes alike believe its embar-
easements only temporary. At any rate,
its work in Port Townsend has cut an i'm
portant figure in the prosperity of the last
year and has made it certainty that the
Key City is to have through railway con-
nections, either through the continuance
of the old company or through its sue
cessor.
Not only has this company spent for
tune on It's railroad, but ii has also spent
much money in substantial improvements
In ITS terminal grounds, in the shape of
wharves. warehouses and depots. 1t has
pursued conservative course with refer
ence 10 its property interests, and has not
attempted to force them to the front The
natural advantages Of location, however
have induced others to activity, and dur
ing the year over a score of other build
lDgs have been erected in the immediate
neighborhood. The character of these
buildings indicates that the owners are
oonndent that this is TO become perhaps
the most important of the business dis
triets of the city. A conservative estimate
places the expenditures on the terminal
grounds during 1890 at $500, 600.
Activity In this locality has not impeded
the development of the older part Of the
business district, which is cut of from the
terminal ground by an emhankment
which will be removed by the city next
spring at an expense of $4,000 This will
give Port Townsend the needed room to
expand on perfectly level ground, a necu-
larity on the Sound, and valuable aid to
its rapid development.
Handsome buildings that would do credit
% any city in the country have been
erected. Two of these have cost ahout
100000 each. One, erected by Charles
Eisenbeis is known as the Mount Baker
block. 1t is now leased for stores and
offices, bat Is so constructed that il can at
any time be turned into warehouse with
out superior on the Coast. The other.
with frontage of over 100 feet and four
stories in height, built by Judge J. A.
Kuhn, IS designed for a CONNER
eial hotel, being needed in Port
Townsend. These two buildings are an
index 10 the substantial character of the
business blocks erected during the wear.
and of others for which architects are now
preparing plans. In business and wharf
facilities in this district during the year
Port Townsend has expended fully $500. 900.
Progress in public buildings has been
slow during the year. but larger amount
of money is to be expended in 1891 in this
direction. The customs house, for in
stance, for which $24o, 900 was appropriated
by congress. viii be finished, and the con-
tractors now have q considerable force AZ
work. The county and school district
bonds have been placed, and the money
viii be used in the construction of a court
house to cost $ioo.ooo and an additional
school building TO cost $4,000. plans for
both having been accepted. Several him.
dred thousand dollars have been expended
during this year by the city and county on
streets and roads, and SIS much more viii
be spent during the coming year.
A tourists hotel costing about SSOoo0
has been built and near By the Sisters of
Mercy have expended about $4,000 on
their hospital building. which will REQUIRE
as much more before they are completed.
About 30 residences costing from $500 to
$4,000 each have been completed during
the year and many are in course OF con-
struction. One electric street car line, i've
miles in length. has been built and
another seven miles in length is nearly
finished. Gas works have been put in and