The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01
THE CITY OF ASACoRTES.
Energetic Town Carved Out Of the
Dense Forest.
Eemsrkab1e Growth Of PopHisfion-
Many Substantial Buildings and En-
ferprfses-The Story Of . Year.
AsAcorrrs, wash, Dec. 30. 1870.

atbe years progress" Of Anacorfes, for IL
e. not year since the site of the present
city Of Anacortes was dense forest, and
one lone Iogger's hut constituted the
buildings of the place. The site for the
city was plated and dedicated January IS,
1890, since which time the growth OF the
place has been so remarkable that outside
Of Washington II would be considered a
miracle.
Anacortes IL situated at the north end
Of Fidalgo island, Skagit county, not far
from the Straits Of San de Fuca- The
towBsite Is surrounded on three sides by
water; 70 the east by Fidalgo bay, directly
IN front 20 the north being ship bsrbc-,
which is one Of the finest harbors Of the
Sound, and TO the west by Burrows bav.
This ute il at the point selected By Jay
Cooke years ago as terminus for his pro-
posed transcontinental railway. and now,
BIZ the rnplefion Of the Seattle a. North
srn. Is indeed in direct railway communi-
cation with the Atlantic sesbozrd.
When IN January Of 1870 the Northern
railway company announced that Ana
cosses would be the terminus Of is short
iine from Spokane Falls to the Sound,
property on Ship harbor ven. Up ike
= H.
points. Inside Of three months there was
population Of more than 900 people on
the ground. and clearing and building was
going on AZ . remarkably rapid rate The
Oregon Improvement Company and
The Mcknight Land and Investment
Company acquired large interests,
and they, too. began TO carry on
extensive business operations: merchants
and artisans Of al descriptions noyed In.
and the city Of Anacortes became fact
Although the excitable. unstable, IN
healthy. boating element, which is always
attracted 20 3 new town, gradually dropped
OFT, their going was not ceplored. and the
actual growth IN population has been
rapid and steady ever since
The completion Of the Seattle & North
eTn into Anacortes, over which the first
through train Of the Northern Pacific was
run on November 3, has given building
an added activity. and al present there are
several large brick structures being added
% those already completed and occupied.
besides scores OF frame buildings nov being
put up. As the entire city has been built
during the past year it would be out OF the
question to give complete list of all the
buildings put up during that time. but
Some Of the most prominent can be given.
Among them is the Hotel Anacortes. own
ed by Ward, Mcpherson 4 Kyle. Just COM
pleted, az the corner of Eighth and ]
streets, one Of the handsomest hotel build
ings on the Sound, of brick and stone. four
stories high. The ground door is occupied
By the First National Bank Of Anacortes
and two stores. II cost $4,000. The Nc
Naught block, three-story frame on and
Eighth streets, is a handsome structure. the
inside finishing being of selected cedar in
fine designs. The cost was $1,000. The
lower door is occupied by three stores and
the upper stories by business offices.
Other prominent buildings are. the Hon.
toon, three-story frame on street. cost
B.oo; the Pratt and Ogden building, a
two-story frame, on / street. cost s.. 90:
Piatt bank building, at Fourth and p.
fwo-story brick, cost SIS, 900. the Goodwin
Benedict-Havercost, two-sfory brick, cost
$1,000; the Wilson block, three-storv
brick, to be used as q hotel. cost SIS .OD0;
the Jordan building, q one-story brick.
cost 70 ZOO; the Taylor building. a three
story frame, cost $500. Among the MANY
buildings now in course of construction is
three-stcry frame by Babcock, at the cor
ner OF and Sixth, at cost OF $500. C.
I. Conover has plans for a three-storv
frame at the corner Of Second and P streets
20 cost 81 600
Along the water front building onera-
tons have been very extensive, and among
the docks are the following: Oregon I'm.
provement Company, ocean dock and
warehouses, cost SO, 60; McNaught Land
and Investment Company. dock and ware
house, cost SIS go, the Oregon Improve
menf Cornpany's lower dock and ware
house, 50. 900; Northern Pacific dock and
warehouses, $4,000. Then there Is the
depot Of the Seattle & Northern at Tenth
and streets, the Northern Pacific denot
n the foot Of | avenue, and the terminal
depot and warehouses of the Seattle e
Northern al their transfer dock.
There are three good hotels. the Nobar
the Arlington and the Louis house he.
sioes the new AnacoTtes hotel: there SIRE
Tour cnurch societies, all planning 10 build.
ana me county commissioners have voted
szo.Uo for school buildings. the ranjd
growth Of the city having completely over.
taxed the present small structures. There
Il one theafer at the corner of I and Third
STREETS There are two new spapers. the
fro9ress and the AHacortes American the
latter having one of the best equipped ION
o1oeeS IN the Northwest. The Anacortes
and f1dalgo City Electric Railway is now
beng built, which viii connect the CITY
with the southern end of the island. aud
cover eleven miles of ground, and with the
seattie & Northern will resch a wide ex-
tent OF the richest farming land of Skagit
county.
The city is supplied with excellent water
by system which was put in four months
ago, and which uses I'VE miles of pipinr
IRON, and viii be extended. The water Is
rom Lake Heart, and is of the best.
The opening of the Seattle 4 Nor.he-,
railway to the city on November = Is al
rsEdy fresh in the mind OF the public.
Among the manufactures Al Anaco-..v
sire: Anacortes machine shop and fonn-
dry, Bosnaan's sawmill, Skagit Mill C.,p,.
pany, capacity $4,000 feet a day; Bailey q
Ufus, planning mill, sash and door fae-
tory, on Fidalgo bay; Fischer a Hoben.
STEMS brewery. John Sees bricsvars =,
the Nelson property; Fidalgo Island Tile
and Brick Compsny's yard, on the Beebe
place, Fldaleo bay. There is 3 prospect Of
many other manufactures in the near fti-
ture, as other companies are now being
formed
Treasurer Matlock, of SkaSit county
says that that county has made = v-~stsr
propo-tionats increase in wealth dn~;ns
the past year than any other county IN
the state. The total revenue of the c.,s,+w
this yesr viii not fall far short OF Sf0a T,l5
as against Sc. 900 for iSS9. The most 80
dertul change that has been rsSa
IN the assessment snd the valaa-
tion of the propertv az So,