The San Francisco call., 1896-05-11

I uB6I OOu1Q QlStAAOSs l. CAAop 20 AhOoe Vail
fornians do not know that every pound o
freight that goes by steamer from Califor
mia to Alaska is first landed on the docks
at Port Townsend and reshipped from
here. This city is the center of the Alasks
business, and every steamer for that coun.
try starts from Port Townsend.
The shipping interests of Port Townsend
are enormous. Over 75 per cent of the
vessels clearing from Puget Sound clear
from Port Townsend. The crews are
| shipped from this city. The only United
! States Hydrographic Office north of San
Francisco is located here. All San Fran
cisco steamers touch here, and nearly every
Puget Sound makes this city regular
port of call. The headquarters and home
port of every tug on Puget Sound are at
Port Townsend.
| All steamship lines running to points
on the straits and those running to British
Columbia ports and to the islands call at
Port Townsend, and many of them make
this city their home port. The water
front at Port Townsend is daily busy
scene and would do credit to many q
larger city. This city is the headquarters
of large sealing and fishing fleet, which
is constantly growing and bids fair to de-
velo p into an enormous industry.
More American vessels enter and clear
at Port Townsend than at any other port
York, Boston, Philadelphia or San Fran
cisco. The writer recently made similar
statement to the above in an interview in
the Boston Daily Traveller, and was imme-
diately "called down" by a chorus of
voices from the solons of the Hub. His
only answer in next days paper was to
refer them to the records In the archives
of the "Only Boston Public Library" and
| to publish extracts therefrom, which more
than confirmed the original statements.
If any one has doubts let him look it up
| for himself.
other particular. 1t is probably the only
town in the Northwest that ever attained
an equal population and commercial i'm
portance without the aid of a railroad or
! land-booming company. Port Townsend
sprang into being of necessity, has grown
| by the gravitation of business to this GEN.
ter by the natural laws of commerce, and
| fourishes to-day because there is COM
mercial demand for city at the entrance
| to Puget Sound.
While Port Townsend has grown in spite
of railroad, yet the lack of a railroad
has been great drawback to its progress.
When the Union Pacific Railroad and the
and work was stopped on their extension
to Port Townsend-which city was de-
signed for their Puget Sound terminus-it
was heavy blow to the young city. The
| rival cities of Seattle and Tacoma, havin g
railroads at their command, have taken
advantage of the long delay and forged
ahead.
But while the population of Port Town
send is to-day considerably behind these
TWO cities up the Sound, there are long.
headed, shrewd business men, who, having
made close study of the situation from
the broad standpoint of great natural laws
of commerce, believe that the history oi
H. 4 Co.. xx.,lI
itself here on the Sound and that the day
is not far distant when Port Townsend
will forge ahead to her rightful position as
the chief city of this great northern coun-
try. This list includes many of the most
prominet railroad men, United States
Senators and financiers OF the East and
| California, who have shown their faith by
investing in Port Townsend real estate at
the present low prices, with view to great
future gains.
One advantage which Port Townsend
has over the up-Sound cities is the fact
that every vessel finding her cargo here
saves from $3.50 to $500 for towage, besides
three days of time anu journey.
Port Townsend has stood the panic well.
1t is in good condition to-day, with money
easier, and business proportionately better
than any other town on the Sound. There
are three solid banks here, and good In
dustrial payroll independent of shipping.
The immense wire-nail works are running
at their full capacity night and day. The
| engineering works, besides building TWO
Government launches, have all they can
do In marine work. The keg factory is
running double shift, with more orders
than they can fill. The boiler works are
| running at full capacity. The Starrett
Sawmili, the Eisenbries Crockery Factory,
the bottling works, sardine cannery, sash
and door factory, and many other indus
| trial institutions oil OnaraflnO with
good payrolls.
The tsh industry is growing rapidly and
has the promise of great future. Port
Townsend is the headquarters for the cod
and halibut catches and other fish products
OF the northern waters. The spring and fall
runs OF salmon here are tremendous.
Port Townsend is backed by splendid
fruit. dalrying and farm country. The
Islands, Puget Sounds garden spot, are all
tributary to this city.
The timber resources tributary to Port
Townsend are almost fabulous. JEFF
ferson County alone, of which Port Towns
end Is the county seat, has, according to
the last official report of the Secretary of
State, over 81. 900, 600 600 feet of standing
timber. 1t is estimated that over 100, ,000,-
GOO, 600 feet of timber are tributary to this
city.
Here is a list of some new industries
which Port Townsend wants and which
offer fine business openings for men of en-
terprise and capital and for the establish
ment OF which the enterprising citizens of
Port Townsend are ready to offer strong
inducements:
"A good hotel man will find here one of
the best openings in the country. A
moderate sized, well-conducted hotel would
receive large patronage and strong in
ducements would be offered.
salmon cannery. We have enormous
runs OF spring and fail salmon, also
crabs, shrimps, Holsters, clans, herring,
etc.
A sardine cannery. Large schools of the
genuine Mediterranean anchoyy in all the
bays.
A fruit and vegetable cannery, to utilize