Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-11-08
CONCERNING Aberdeen.
The Commercial and Manufac.
turing Center.
WITH A HANDSOME PAY ROLL.
The Greatest laundering and lanufaetur.
ing Center Of the state. Extensive
Fishing operations and possibil-
lilies. The Coming City.

Aberdeen, the manufacturing, milling
and commercial center of Southwestern
Washington, is situated at the head Of
Grays Harbor, where two large and i'm
portant rivers, the Chehalis and the
Wishkah, empty into the Harbor, and
only three miles distant from the mouth
of the Hoquiam river. All of these rivers
come from different directions away back
in the interior Of the country, through
forests 81 fir, pine, spruce and cedar,
through coal and mineral regions, and
traverse valleys as rich and productive
as the gardens on the Nile. All are
navigab1e for river steamers, and regular
lines are operated on them and do a large
business in carrying to Aberdeen the
products Of the valleys, and taking back
wares and merchandise.
The harbor at Aberdeen is land-locked,
and the depth Of water ie sufficient to
float the largest vessels. The Chehalis
river at this point is 200 feet wide, and
maintains an average depth in front OF
the city Of over thirty feet. The Wish.
kah river, which bisects the city, is 200
feet wide at this point, and at high tide
carries q depth Of about thirty feet OF
water for some distance from its mouth.
The two deep water frontages AFFORD am
pie wharfage facilities for the shipping
Of Grays Harbor, and the depth OF water
is such that vessels of any tonnage will
always be able to reach the docks here
~ - 1onok At<&2OeN1tv
The whole state of Washington has 400
billion feet of timber, 1870 billions of
which is in Grays Harbor basin and
nearly the whole Of it is tributary to
Aberdeen and must come to it to be manu-
factured into lumber. Aberdeen 10 al
ready the greatest numbering center in
the state, and from radius Of four miles
from its center more lumber and shingles
are made and shipped than from any
other place in the state. Aberdeen has
: population Of over 1900, and 10 we'll
built. modern city, with electric lights,
water works (owned by the city,, sewer
age, splendid school houses. hospitals,
churches, theater, public halls, fire de-
partment, improved streets, etc., that
are greatly In advance Of what much
larger cities usually have.
Hoquiam, the center of which is but
four miles from the center Of Aberdeen,
is on the west and has q population Of
over 5000. Coamopolis, the center of
which il = mile and three.quarters from
the center of Aberdeen, has population
of about 1000. Both Of these places are
outside the corporation Of Aberdeen but
are practically part of 1t, and the build
ing Of q city means the merging of these
three into one. Thus within q radius of
four miles there is a population of over
5000 busy people, besides about l 900 en-.
gagged in logging tributary to the city.
Being already the numbering center,
there can be no doubt that Aberdeen is
destined to become a great railroad CEN
ter. The transcontinental railroad that
we already have-the Northern Pacific
and those that will come, will naturally
encourage the lumber trade. That means
that these transcontinental railroads, to.
gether with all their connecting lines,
will become active agents In building up
Aberdeen, ~ the shipment Of lumber to
the Eastern market pays more revenue to
the railroads than any other commodity,
The shipping Of fresh fish to the East
the railroads are beginning to compete
ness. Six years ago q few hundred
pounds day were being shipped from
Aberdeen, but now the business has
grown to such proportions that line Of
refrigerator cars has been established to
run direct from Aberdeen to Boston and
New York. This business IL Just now in
it, infancy, and there 10 no doubt that
within two or three years, twenty, and
possibly good many more, men will be
for every one that il now en-.
gagged in 1t. The deep sea fishing banks
extend up and down the coast for hun.
dreds Of miles and are from ten to sixty
miles of shore. Aberdeen, which is only
eighteen miles from the sea, is In posi-
ton to control this vast business because
Portland 10 1l8 miles, Seattle l22 miles,
and Tacoma l48 miles from the sea.
This enables the fishing schooners to
bring their catch to Aberdeen, put it
aboard the cars and have II long dis
lance on its way to market, and be back
on the fishing grounds again before
schooner leaving at the same time for
Portland, Seattle or Tacoma would have
arrived at her docks. Aberdeen, without
question, is the place from which the
great fish shipments will be made, and
no railroad viii allow the other to take
oil of this valuable business, and the
only way i can keep them from II 10 to
build to Aberdeen, and then it will get
its share.
There are six saw MIL two single
mills, one cOOperage mill, w0 shipyards,
one woodworking and box factory, one
one ice factory, one cigar fac.
tory, one steam laundry, one soda
works, one salmon cannery, and many
lesser iabor-employing industries in Aber.
deem, having q monthly pay roll, accord.
ing to q recent conservative estimate. Of
(l2b, 10000 monthly. The people are of
. good class, enterprising, prosperous
and intelligent, and ell enthusiastic in
regard to the future Of the city.