The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-01-25

lzon! Wnat VISION OF greater America
lured them on?
Ii was the vision Of mightier COM
merce than rides the Atlantic wave: The
outline of richer commonwealth than
proud New England boasts: The proph-
ecy of a greater New York, which, sitting
upon the great divide between the Occi-
dent and the Orient, shall do for the
whole world what London and New
York have done for the portions of which
they are the centers.
And unless these visions were idle
dreams; ii it were actually that out up
on the shores of the blue waters of Pu-
get Sound lay the meeting point of the
East and the West, with the potentiali-
ties of a great commercial center only
awaiting the touch of steel to set them
free, we should expect to see the flash of
meeting currents of trade as the last
rail was placed completing the CONNER
cial circuit of the world.
Those who stood in 1888 upon the
street OF the little logging camp which
fought for foothold upon the uncleared
shore of Commencement Bay know
something of the first thrills of life which
came over the circuitous route via Port
land to the Sound. In a year the logging
camp had become smart little city of
5000 people. But those who waited
through the depressing three years
from 'S4 to 'S7. when it seemed that
after all the daring engineers would find
no means of scaling those Cascade
heights, know what tremendous forces
were let loose and went into the build
ing of the City of Destiny. In two years
Tacoma sprang forward to population
of $4,000. The westward flow of trade
now touched tide water first at Tacoma,
and the outlines of the worlds greatest
city became discernible. Those we're
stirring times concerning which the
"oldest inhabitants" never tire of talk
ing. immigration flowed in in thousands.
Business was transacted in tents. Peo,
pie camped out for months before even
the rudest houses could be secured. The
mildness of the climate made this posi-
BILE even in nid-winter. Lots were
bought, cleared, and houses erected in
day, seemingly. Houses of five rooms
rented for $50 and 500 per month
Business blocks and manufactures fol.
lowed fast, a city government was estab-
lished and an extensive system of city
improvements begun. Everything was
done at a high rate of speed and as one
stands today and looks out over the
magnificent business blocks of solid
masonry, and the homes of luxury and
comfort; all seeming the result of long
years Of steady growth, he wonders how
30 much in 80 little time could be done
SO well. Men worth few hundred
dollars at night awoke worth as many
thousands. 1t was inevitable that in
such times the greedy land shark and
irresponsible real estate boomer should
ply their work with formidable success.
Inevitable that the whole thing should
be overdone. Yet he who thinks this
solid city of $4,000 people, with all it's
commercial and industrial enterprises
which make it today the most important
city in the Northwest. is but bubble
city, a boom product, shows how super-
fetal has been his study of the situation
and the forces which throughout the
history of civilized man, have built great
cities at strategic points. In a dozen
years Tacoma has grown to an assessed
valuation of 100000. She has public
buildings aggregating 100000. She
has light and water plant which cost
over 100000. Her street railway sys-
tenn includes electric and cable lines.
aggregating a total of 70 miles. Her
jobbing and wholesale houses did a
business Of s10,014,00O during 1895. Her
manufactures represent an invested
capital of s9,S27,00O, employ at present
1888 men and their output for 1895
amounted to s10.313,00O. Her imports
for the year amounted to SIS, ,125. .143 of
which $10.000,000 was from foreign
countries. Her total exports amounted
to SIT 100000, These figures do not in
clude the $4,000 tons of tea which
passed over Tacoma's wharves the past
season duty free. since these are only
the appraised values made by the Gus.
toms House officials of the goods which
passed through their hands, and not the
value placed upon them by the import
ers. Tacoma has nine solid banks whose
credit is beyond question. They repre-
sent a capital of s6,97O,OOO and the
clearances through the Tacoma Clear.
ing House for 1895 were s2S. 1853, ,961 SO,
an average of s25OO,OOO per month.
Where is there another instance in the
history OF the world in which twelve
year old city has done an amount Of
business equal to this? And this, too
during year which has been equal to
any of it's predecessors in the stringen.
cy of it's money market. During the
year permanent improvements, includ-
ing manufactures, business blocks,
wharfage, warehouses, bridges and