The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-02
From a STAFF Correspondent.

Tacoma, Wash, April 1.-Great is
Tacomal The youngest Of the mari
time cities of the United States, 1t is
the leading seaport of Puget sound,
the gateway to the orient and Alaska.
It is second only to San Francisco on
the Pacific coast in the volume and
value of its exports. 1t, Is the chief
Pacific coast terminal of steamship
lines maintaining regular sailings be-
tween Tacoma, London, Liverpool and
Glasgow by way Of the orient, the
Suez canal and the Mediterranean; be-
tween Tacoma and Hamburg, the chief
seaport of the continent of Europe,
by way Of Mexican, Central and South
American ports and the Straits Of
Magellan; to japan and ports in north
China and Asiatic Russia, and to
Japan, south China and Manila. It Is
in direct regular steamship communi-
cation with Alaska, San Francisco,
Honolulu and New York.
9 It is the chief emporium and dis
tributing point for the leading staple
products-lumber, wheat and coal
Of the state of Washington and the
finland empire"-the valley of the
upper Columbia in eastern Washing
ton and Idaho, between the Cascade
mountains and the Rocky mountains.
It is the chief wheat exporting and
flour milling city Of the Pacific coast.
1t Ia the first city Of the state Of Wash
ington in manufactures. It handles
the largest railway freight traffic of
any city in the Pacific northwest.
It is the electric city of the Pacific
coast with power resources unequalled
at any city in America except Niagara
Falls. It Is city Of homes, with a
climate unsurpassed for health and
comfort and scenic attractions which
evoked from Sir Henry Irving the
declaration that Tacoma has the most
beautiful situation and environment
Of all the cities in the world. 1t Is an
educational, literary and musical CEN
ter, with several institutions of higher
learning, public library, a famous
museum, 500 acres Of parks Of sur
passing beauty, fine public buildings,
theaters, hotels churches. hospitals,
charitable and benevolent institutions
and a rapidly growing population OF
enterprising, prosperous and hospit-
able people.
The Beginning.
q The selection of Tacoma in 1873 as
the terminus Of the Northern Pacific
railway sealed its destiny as a great
city. The same year a section of the
road was completed and opened ex-
tending from the north bank of the
Columbia river at Kalama to Tacoma.
Fourteen years elapsed before the
transcontinental line of the Northern
Pacific crossed the Cascades and en-
tered Tacoma from the east.
+, Tacoma's rapid growth is attrib-
utable to two principal causes. First
the Industrial, and second, the COM
mercial development of the city. There
are abundant grounds for. the predic-
ton that Tacoma will not only continue
to hold her position as the leading
manufacturing city in the state of
Washington, but will rapidly become
one of the greatest Industrial centers
in the world. Tacoma possesses un-
equalled facilities for manufacturing
In several important fields of industry.
The first superior advantage is abund-
ance Of cheap power; the second is the
possession or command of the raw
materials, and the third is direct
transportation facilities placing her in
touch with the markets of the world.
In manufacturing Tacoma has
gained the lead by reason Of having
the largest area Of level land suitable
for, the erection of factories in the
heart Of the city, and so located as tc
be, easy Of access by both rail and
water. It has the most extensive
docks on the Pacific coast and the
best railway terminals probably ir
the United States. It's facilities fol
the handling Of heavy cargoes, In the
words Of President Ingalls, of the Big
-Four, are the most complete "any.
where in existence" In the words OF
j. J. Hills