for several additions to the original town site. As a lesson in town-making Hoquiam might be studied with profit.
Although the original business men of Hoquiam took no part at first in founding cities, Aberdeen and Hoquiam had demonstrated the resources of Chehalis Yalley and the importance of Gray’s Harbor as an outlet to them.
Mr. Emerson was the possessor of a tract lying three miles west of Hoquiam, and directly facing the main channel, but not on it. It would require long wharves to reach out to deep water, but did not commerce build a Yenice in the midst of the sea? and would it not more easil}’ call into.being a city which required only some expensive harbor improvements ? He answered this question by forming the Gray’s Harbor Company, composed chiefly of eastern capitalists who were seeking a location. That company put money to his land, constructed a forty- thousand-dollar wharf, cleared and improved the site of Gray’s Harbor City, all of which was paid for out of the sale of lots in the first six months, and pointed out to railroads the short cut to the seaboard, which they at once proceeded to take.
The work of laying out the city began in the spring of 1889, at which time the ground was covered with a heavy growth of timber. By emplojdng hundreds of laborers this was removed, streets opened and improved, and at the end of a year elegant buildings were going up where late the plumy fir and spruce tossed in the sea-breeze. It is an oft-quoted saying that “ Home was not made in a da}’;” but we do things better now, and a year or two suffices to establish a city. Two railroads are at this writing striving to reach Gray’s Harbor before the close of 1890, and they will very nearly do it. There is no longer any doubt, if ever there was one, about the future of Gray’s Harbor. Additions are being laid out, which with the additions to Hoquiam and Aberdeen will some time compel a consolidation. Already their several city governments are proposing to have one Chamber of Commerce.
The site of Gray’s Harbor resembles that of Tacoma in being upon a high bluff with railroad tracks and wharves in front erf it on the beach, and also in having a grand view. Mr. Emerson kindly explained to me the plan of the company to extend several of the streets out to the channel. This will be done by
