The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-23
KEY CITY IS PROSPEROUS.
GOOD TIMES RETURNING AFTER
THE LONG DEPRESSION.
She Is Getting Fair share of the
Alaska OutattirE Trade. and Her
Many Handsome Brick Blocks
Are Again Filling With Tenants.
Port Townsend. Wash. Feb. q.


end. From 1889 10 1Nss, while the whole
country was enjoying unexampied pros
perlty and The state OF Washington was
setting more than her share Of the ben
efts OF this satisfactory condition OF
trade and commerce. Port Townsend was
having genuine boom. No town in the
state had better prospects. The long-de-
sired railroad. making this poin; trans
sentimental terminus. was al last being
btit. Everyone here was making money.
Everyone was happy. There did not seem
10 De any reason 10 doubt the permanent
character Of the prosperous conditions
then existing. Some Of the shrewdest and
most conservative investors in the coun-
4 Try had put their money into property
mere ana were holding on 10 il. All felt
certain that prosperity had come to stay.
Ihen the crash came without warning.
1t struck the whole country. but one OF
the first financial institutions 10 20 down
was the one that was behind the con-
stTuctlon OF Port ToNnsend's railroad No
community dropped any faster. or any fur
ther. than did this particular section of
the state OF Washington when the imam
ciaI crash came In the latter part of 1921.
The conditions here were ripe for this
sudden change from sunshine 10 gloom,
and the picture was a vivid one.
Fort townsend is now emerging from
her business gloom OF the past few years.
She is again steadily pushing forward in
business way 10 substantial prosperity.
and her business men realize that even
during the worst of the hard times this
town dill not suffer 80 badly as other
places that did not have nearly SO far 20
drop. There were no bad failures here
during the hard times. and while the
suictest economy ana the closest business
management we're necessary to make ends
meet, these conditions were met bravery
h.. a
10 profit 5y the experiences they have gone
through.
Port Townsend is already getting a fair
share Of the benefits OF the Alaska and
klondike excitement, and her business
in this line viii increase all the time. AL
ready fully l50 people have Quilted here
and many OF them have given voluntary
testimonials. setting forth that they have
done better here than they could have
done elsewhere, and their friends who n
tend going 10 the northern gold fields ara
advised 10 come here 10 outfit.
The Yukon ard Alaska trade Is no new
thing with the merchants of Port Towns
end For the past dozen years prospect
ors on their way to the north have out
fitted here. The location OF the town,
rlsht Al the mouth OF Puget sound. and
its being the port of entry, have combined
10 cause Alaska bound vessels, almost
without exception. to call here on their
way north. This has given a practical
Illustration OF the advantageous location
Of Port Townsend with reference TO the
Alaska trade, ana has brought thousands
of dollars here annually from that bust
ness. Up TO three years ago. when the
rich strikes began to be reported from the
Yukon and the exodus In that direction
became a regular thing. Port Townsend
practically controlled the Alaska trade
OF course, when the great rush set in. and
Seattle began 10 advertise herself so ex-
tCnsiVely as an Quitting point her splend-
10 railroad facilities made 1t impossible
for Port Townsend to compete with her
In the matter OF bringing Eastern people
IN, but the business men and miners here
insist thar every argument in favor OF tie
uneAcellcd advantages Of Seattle as an
Alaska Quitting point are equally appI-
cable to Port Townsend. The boom here
resulted in the construction OF a large
number Of splendid brick business blocks
which are now being occupied az very lit
tie rental and other expense. and this
together With the fact that most Of these
business men have been handling and
packing Alaska p.cspeCtors' outfits for
over ten years, puts them on an equal
footing with the business men Of the mos.
favored places n the Northwest with ref
egenCe to the Alaska outGtting trade
owners OF residences IN Port Townsend
are also receiving Inquiries about vacant
houses, OF which there are large num-
Der here Hundreds OF men who are GO
Ing north are bringing their families with
them from the East as far as Puget
sound and viii leave them here till they
return. These men are finding on in
quiry, that they can get comfortable
homes for theft families In Port Townsend
cheaper than elsewhere. and many Of them
are taking advantage OF the fact. They
hud on inquiry. also. that there liz not a
healthier place on the Pacific coast than
Port Townsend. with It's pleasant ocean
breeze ard an annual rainfall Of less thaa
seveate en- inches.
Port Townsend is the headquarters for
Puget sound shipping The shipping
brokers are located here the headquar-
ters az the great Puget Sound Tugboat
. Company. one Of ths largest Institutions
Of the kind in the world. are Ia Port
Townsend. ana nsgs Of all nations fly
from ships At anchor IN Port Townsend
bav. The biggest ships In the world can
sal Up the Straits OF San Juan de Fuca
and into Port Townsend harbor. but can
sal 10 further on their way up Sound
Here they find T safe and commodious
harbor. whic~ II not excelled az any port
in the world. and II provides IDEAL an
ch1rage ground.
The completion or the Port Townsend
Southern railroad 10 a tTansc0ftiunntaf
connection Is now believed 10 be an az
H3frU iAEf 4 ne company OWING the
roadJed which - already built part OF
the way from Port Townsend 20 Olympia
and tie rlzht-Of-way clear through 10 ths
latter point has refused offers for this
property. aad evidences are accumuiatlng
that within the next twelve months the
work - completion viii begin. This rail.
road = all that is needed 70 give Port
Townsend a. equal chance with the most
favored po.at on Puget sound FOR ire trade
ard commerce Ok the Northwest
The timber resources ~ jefferson cofIu-
y are practically unlimited. The classs-s
- timber !rclDde Gr. spruce cedar alder
ard maple and there are millions - feet
easily arcezs,nIs fer logging 1fd milling
purposes. Jefferson county Sas A total
acreage % fIQl0z0. over 3s.s,o acres Of
which have been surveyed BY the govern
Fg1ent. and the reTnainde- wil - surveyed
without further delay. over a.t09 acres
aye IN cultivation. and "a 90 are suitable
f1r fruit culture Given n railr5ad Port
Townsend Mould be the headquarters fur
th. .mmeusa fishing business % Puget
s3ur3 and Alaska and. iu fact. thfs i'm
partaet Industry 2ilI never be "a ; fully de-