The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01
THE CITY OF FAIRHAyEN.
A Sturdy Young Giant on Belling
ham Bay.
Ten Miles OF New Plsnked and Graded
street-PubIie Improvements-Heavy
Investment of Capital.
FarRHavxs, Wash, Dec. q, 1890.

Taking into consideration its age and
size, the growth Of Fairhaven during the
past year has been without parallel in the
history Of the cities and towns of Puget
sound. And its great claim to special
consideration lies not so much IN the
rapidity Of its growth as in It's solid and
substantial character.
The rise of Fairhaven from the tangled
trails of DIRTY Dams" ranch, and the
trackless forest surrounding. TO a substan-
tiai city OF {. go souls, and all in the brief
period Of eighteen months. has been phe-
nominal. IL has been no mushroom
growth. as the visitor readily realizes as
soon as he looks upon the numerous pro-
ductIve enterprises already established,
the miles Of weil-graded and planked
streets, banked by substantial business
| buildings. the schools, churches and eIe-
CANT residences which are here, the
wharyes, railroads, electric light, gas and
water-works, and, in short. all the acces-
sories of the highest civilization of our
time.
The corporate limits of Fairhaven en-
brace an area Of about six square miles,
bordered on the west by about three miles
Of water front, from which the land rises
gently TO a height Of 300 feet, sloping
again toward Lake Padden and the ada
cent foothills.
From BeIlingham heights the view is
beyond question one of the finest In the
world. In the foreground the beautiful
Bellingham bay glistens in the sunlight
and just beyond it the green isles of the
Archipelago de Haro stud the waters like
so many emeralds in a silver setting: the
snow-capped peaks of the 0lympics border
the western horizon, and 70 the northward
the rugged mountains along the Fraser
river, white-capped here and there. stand
like huge sentinels watching the interna-
tional boundary, while to the eastward rise
the beautiful Cascades. where great Mount
Baker and the Three Sisters, all white with
the SHOWS Of ages, tower majestically
above the surrounding peaks and hrst of
ali the northern mountains greet the rising
sun. It's picture to delight the eyes of
any lover of natures beauties, even though
he has wandered at viii among the finest
scenes on earth.
To come back to the city proper. An
idea of its substantial character may best
be gained by glancing for moment at the
record of public and private improvements
| to which the city may justly point with
| pride" The assessed valuation of taxable
property within the city limits is s., $50. 600,
according to returns made several months
| ago and representing approximately one
| half the actual value, which at the present
| writing cannot be much less than $30,-
| 100000. Among the investments, business
| interests, industries, educational, religious
| and benevolent institutions especially
worthy of note are the following:
| Great Northern Railway shops and
| terminal works -. $4,000
Natef-works. e.......-..... 10000
| Electric light plant. 5000
Gas works trnains covering all the bay
1 towns ..~.... 10000
/ Three lumber mills, daily capacity So
600 feet -, - 10000
| Two fine newspaper and printing plants. $500
Foundry and machine shops--.......... 1900
1 Churches and school buildings .... 5000
| Three large docks. ..s....-.-..... 100000
| Two national and two private banks. 2o0,0Oo
| Hotel Fairhaven. northumberland. 10000
TWO and three-story business blocks. $4,000
| Ali these are only a few of the many
deserving of mention which cannot be
| given in an article confined sto such
| limited space as this must necessarily be.
| IL is fact espec tally worthy of note that
| Fairhaven has in fifteen months graded,
| planked and sidewalked ten miles of streets
| traversing an area that two years ago
| was a forrest Of giant hrs. This has been
| COO by direct assessment, and without in
| curing dollar OF Indebtedness. In fact
f! the city is not only free from indebted
ness, bonded or otherwise. but has a cash
| balance in its treasury varying from S25,-
600 TO $4,000. Work is now in progress on
sewer system in accordance with plans
| furnished by noted sanitary engineer of
/ Chicago. Within the next seven months
| about 100000 viii be expended in the con-
| struetion of the portion most urgently
| needed.
| In the matter of fire protection Fairha-
| ven has not been neglected, as young
| towns are apt to be. A well organized paid
| hre department is maintained, provided
| with every appliance necessary for effect
i've service. and having for central sta
| ton tine two-story brick building fitted
! in the most approved manner Within
| forty days work will be commenced on an
| extensive electric street railway system, q
| franchise for the construction and opera
| ton of which was recently granted to ex-
| Senator Plat and Senator Hiscock, of
| New York, Samuel Hill, of Minneapolis,
and Others Within sixty days work viii
| be commenced on coal bunkers to have q
| daily capacity of , 900 tons, and which viii
/ be the shipping point for the great Fairha-
| ven mine, in the Skagit valley, one of the
| greatest coal mints on the PACING coast.
Among magnificent buildings upon which
work will soon commence may be men,
toned an elegant opera-house to cost SlOo.-
900 and the Sisters of Peace hospital, vi ieh
| Is 10 be brick and stone structure on
| Bellingham heights, 80 feet long and three
stories high. When completed it will be
the nnest institution Of the kind on the
North Pacific coast. The Great Northern
is to build Ane brick and stone depot, an
elegant new schoolhouse Is TO be erected,
and st least two new churches are assured,
besides scores Of enc residences and busi-
ness blocks. One year ago the Fairhayen
& Southern railroad, now q part Of the
Great Northern system, was completed 10
the Skagit river, twenty-six miles.
Last February construction of the
northern extension began, and in
few days connection with the Canadian