The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-26

"Aiiroad Connection Assured - All
Lines of business Active.

Houuiam, Jan. %. 1s2S.
As the children in the desert cried for
mamma and would not he satisfied. so Ho-
qua m Tor seven long years prayed for a
railroad so that our advantages might
properly be developed This prayer is soon
10 be answered. The Northern Pacific is
building its line To our town. and already
TIE grading Is completed and the contract
tor me piing, etc, let. Ii is believed mat
II VIII be finished by Aprills.
Among the proba bilties of business fol-
lowing the railroad are two shingle mills
and large fish oannery.
NO year In the history of Hoquiam has
opened With so fair promises as 1898. The
completion of the railroad is an assured
TACT; the demand for lumber exceeds the
capacity OF the mills. and logging Is a
busy and munerative industry.
During the past year the fine mill OF the
Northwestern Lumber Company has been
completed and began cutting in March
Since beginning the mill has run steadily
and has cut 2l,5oo.0co feet OF lumber This
was shipped In forty-five cargoes one
cargo going TO Africa and one to Peru,
the remainder to San Francisco. The
company employs about 10 men in its
various lines of business, and is the larg-
est taxpayer in the county.
The +. h. Wood mill has been eXtens-
lively repaired and is perhaps the banner
mill OF the state for cutting capacity per
man employed. 1t cut during the year
Il. 500 600 feet of lumber this was shipped
In eighty-eight cargoes. one Of which
went 10 Honolulu. two TO Gauymas, Mex
leo. the rest TO San Francisco and South
ern California.
The most important industry located in
HoQuiam during the past year is Capt.
Peter Matthews ship yard. This came
here in March and two vessels have been
built The first the Defiance, $50 feet
II, -. f,a. hold
rying capacity 1900 feet of lumber, was
launched in August. The other, the Diri-
go. 1T feet long A-foot beam. iSia-foot
hold. and capable of carrying 10000 feet
of lumber. launched January !. The cap
tain has a large four-masted schooner 20
build at once.
The Weston Basket and Manufacturing
Company. of this place, had busy sum-
mer turning out millions OF fruit baskets.
as well as barrels and basket stock.
The population OF the town has in
creased from 800 TO 1900 during the year;
every vacant house has been filled.
This town is the center of the logging
industry OF Grays harh0r, every large
logging firm having quarters here. These
are Il. +. Lytle. Davis 4 Deneen, Mack
Logging Company. polso, Bros. each
employing about fifty men; the Mack
company aud Poison camps have each
several miles OF railroad. In addition TO
this there are several smaller firms.
For the present year the most important
factors OF prosperity are. hrst, the COM
uletion OF the railroad. Second. the
Northwestern Lumber Company Is build
ing what promises to be the finest shingie
mill in the state, capable OF cutting 10000
shingles per day. Mr.. Lyle has about
completed arrangements TO build a three
story business block in the early spring.
Already work has begun on a powerful
towboat for logging purposes. built by
Hoouiam loggers. This VIII be seventy
feet long and furnished with powerful en-
gines.
Outside OF Hoqulam. but connected in
separahiy herewith Is the building or
the iettv ar the entrance 10 the harbor.
for which 81 os) eo has been appropriated
by congress. $50 Geo of which is available
in lSss-sa This work begins tn March
next and Will require eight years 10 huild.
The lfghthouss. aud the life saving station
ut the entrance Of the haroor are being
completed J. -. DEAN
Editor WashinEtouian