TACOMA, with a population of about 125,000, is the county seat of
Pierce county, and situated on Commencement bay. Its harbor, one
of the finest in the world, and its railroad terminals, unexcelled
on the Pacific Coast, as already indicated, are the center of a
vast commerce by rail and water. At its door is an immense amount
of water power, already developed, driving her street cars and the
machinery in many of her factories. Coal and coke are in abundance
within a few miles of the city, the coal being used extensively
for steam and conveyed from the trains to the boats by immense
electric bunkers. The coke is largely utilized in the largest lead
and copper reduction plant on the coast. The great Guggenheim smelter
at Tacoma reduces and turns out annually lead, copper, gold and silver
worth about $10,000,000. Along her wharves are immense elevators,
grain warehouses and flouring mills. Tacoma yearly ships out more
grain than any other city on Puget sound. In and around the city
are large saw and shingle mills, which last year cut 527,604,000
feet of lumber and 434,000,000 Shingles. Her factories and shops
have $24,000,000 invested and employ 11,800 wage-earners, and her
large flour mills ship their products to all parts of the world.
Her packing-house products amounted to $5,000,000 in 1908. The
largest car shops west of the Mississippi are located here. Her
downtown streets are lined by large business blocks; she has 185
miles of street and suburban railway, and over 75 miles of paved
streets.
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There are four daily newspapers, 8 banks, 1,120 acres in parks,
and many beautiful and expensive public buildings. The city hall
cost $200,000; the court house, $500,000; her high school building,
the most beautiful on the coast, cost a half million dollars, and the
United States government is completing a $500,000 federal building.
PUYALLUP is one of Pierce county's prosperous towns, having about
7,000 population, in the wealthy Puyallup valley. This is the center
or a great fruit-growing district, in which the farmers have combined
and market their crops through an association, sending their berries
in patent refrigerator cars into far-away markets. It is also quite
a large manufacturing center, with a payroll of $45,000 per month.
BUCKLEY, with a population of 1,500, is the center of large sawmilling,
farming and mining industries.
ORTING is a town with 800 people, chiefly engaged in gardening
and farming. The State Soldiers' Home is located near, and adds
considerable trade to the town.
SUMNER has a population of 1,000, is located in the Puyallup valley,
and its people form a part of the farmers' association, engaged
in fruit-growing, dairying and gardening.
STEILACOOM is one of the most beautiful little summer resort towns
on Puget sound and is connected with Tacoma by two electric lines.
SYLVAN, GIG HARBOR, ROSEDALE, ELGIN, LONG BRANCH, BLANCHARD, and
BEE are very prosperous villages of Pierce county, and are located
on the shores of Puget sound.
SPANAWAY, EATONVILLE, ALDERTON, ELBE, MERIDIAN, KAPOWSIN, and MCMILLAN
are villages in the interior, on the railroads.
WILKESON, SOUTH PRARIE, CARBONADO, FAIRFAX, PITTSBURG, and MELMONT
are coal-mining towns of importance.