WEST SIIORK.
45'
cilities, rendered 10 by an obstructed channel, are producing
and shipping annually 80,000,00) fett of lumber. Tliat by rea
son of exiting obstructions in the channel of llray's harbor and
the Chehalis river, deep draft vepls cannot enter, thua necet
eiUting manufacturers to charter only eoutrs and compelling
them to depend solely upon local coast trade, when by the re
moval of these obstruction nearly one-foutth of all the lumber
produced in the atate of Washington, which by careful estimate
will load one hundred and twenty thousand ships each carry
ing one million feet, will find a market in every seaport of the
known world. That, owing to the fact that the Pacific coast af
ford but comparatively few harbori and ihipping porta, the
geographical location of Gray's harbor present a prominent po
sition for an important maritime port, which with an adequate
appropriation and expenditure of public money will complete
what nature has provided, a harbor for the commerce of na
tion. With all theie facta in view and the rapid development
of the Mate of Washington with ita untold wealth in lumber,
mineral and agricultural resources, we resectfully aik you to
secure the appropriation of the sum of one million dollars for
the improvement of Gray'a harbor and the Chehalia river.
VANCOUVER, WASH.-iMil.
With the dawn of the new year naturally cornea the review
of the old, a retrospect that in larger cities than oun runs into
columns and pages of special newspaer editions, and although
Vancouver is not yet rie for such displays, it has much to ita
credit. The past year has seen a flittering Increase of it pop
ulation, enterprise, indu'trie and wealth, and facilities for in
crease of business. The imputation has increased at bust one
thousand, judging by the additional house occupied during the
yeir, and the increase is of working people a well as Including
a number of capitalist aud manufacturers. Home of the mon
eyed men of Vancouver have joined hands w ilh new men in
the establishment of millf and factories and brick yard. New
addition have been laid out and improved. The street rail
road waa planned, built and put in operation. The municipal
ity estal lished and operated electric light work, and is making
further Improvements therein. Odr lumbermen put in force
the logging operations of the V. K. A Y. Hy., have built two
new mills and improved others already built, so that the Van
couver output of lumber Is now an item worth mentioning in
the commercial lists of the Columbia river country. The out
put of every mill, factory, brick yard and orchard has been In
creased largely over the previous year, so that Iih'j may be
set down as the moat active and successful In Clarke county.
Building operations have been carried on with great activity
since May. The fire of June 22nd gave a new Hart to the erec
tion of brick business blocks on Main street, and there are now
nearing completion nine handsome brick stores, while a four
story hotel, 100 1 100 feet, Is In process of erection. Heveral
fine residencea have been complete! and others are now lelng
'finished, some of which would be a credit to Port land even.
The Bomber of duelling erected in all paits of the city and
new addition is net far from 100, and all are occupied. There
are no houea to rent, and more art wanted.
The to'al product of our lumber mills for 1 M foots op about
12,000,000 feet for shipment, besides home consumption. Our
brlk yards have turned out 3,or,0 brick, some of wblb
lave been shipped to Astoria, Gray'a harbor and Pugel sound,
tut more of them used at home. The prune orchards of this
iclnity have prod or cd about 100 tons, or 200,0.0 pound o
dried fruit, white the product of the whole county would add
conilderably more. The Increase ti freight shipments from
Vancouver compelled the 0. U. A X. Co. to ml dotks, employ
an agent and send barges with cars to carry away our product.
This is alone an item of considerable advancement. All these
operations of Industry have added to our wealth as a commun
ity, which is evidenced by increased activity In all branches,
the well-doing of two bank and the constant imploymenlcf
our laboring opuation. Our schools, lioth public and private,
have been compelM, by great Increase of attendance, to en
large their facilitiea in space and number of teacher, have
been more efficient, and are a crowning evidence of the pr
perity of the city. Ho great haa been the Improvement (hat
our neighbors see and acknowledge It In various ways, more
particularly by coming here and Investing in real estate. Tit
movements of real estate for the year have leen very eaten
slve, though not partaking of a boom order. Four addition to
the city, one nearly half a large a the city prur, have been
laid off and improved, hundreds of lot sold and many house
built upon them. Vancouver height addition ha n4 only
had ita streets cleared, but water works have Iwen established,
pumping machinery put in and water pipes Lid, which gives
Its realty a practical home value.
All these thing make Vancouver people believe that our
city Is on the road of real progress and proerity, It I certain
that for ItW jour merchants will have a still Utter trade than
last year. The architects ti II u there are litany plan on hand
for new buildings to he erected the coming year, and building
will certainly be more active than during the pail year, Ileal
estate movements continue and will Uke on hew activity from
the building of new railroad lines to Puget swnd and Central
Washington which will ) through Vancouver, and there I
but Mile doubt that the Columbia will U bridged at (hi point.
Tlie city authorities are moving actively for the Improvement
of streets, for establishing sewer, and for an Increase of the
electric light service. Manufacturing facilille are being In
creased day by day, and everywhere increased activity Is visi
ble in all Industrie. These thing sre the foundation for a -re-diction
that l,vj) will be a star year for the awakened city of
Vancouver. Indrytttdinl.
KUOINS CITY. ON tOOH.
The year Ihvj ha been a xnM year In Lane county,
la Kugene a number of stately business house have been
erected on Willamette street and many deilbng liousr have
been erected all over town. There has been perhapl a greater
number of houses erected than during sny other year, and we
think the Increase In population has lwn grsster. Tlx same
Is true as to other parts of Une county. Price f Mo lA,
which have remained dormant and abnormally low, i citing
on Willamette street, frm Die lime the town was 11! out up lo
tlx present, are now beginning to show sign of waking op all
over town. A place on Ninth trel, tit sJ I aWtl fit ys
ago for 375, sold recently for J,V and les than two Us In
the eastern part of town, thai rust 5Jr) j'ite rfenl!y, eold a
few day ago for I'rW. This U only the terming of activity
that haa long ben delayed by the remote and IflarreeslbUeoa
ditloo of Ux country. We lo,k tor greater advances la prices,
greater Improvements, and a larger Ux-reeea In populate, dur
ing the twit ten yean-perhaps five yar-tha have Ukta
place during the thirty seven yas that the Mo f.i'ud
op to the t time. TU yniUm, bow eW Ji', pr
hapsalfx more, Will soi he five, ail, eight ard Uo thousand,
anl Ux to a will spddy auitx tlx fundi, of a c Hy-wu.b
soorr lhaa ayox eaa reel.ie Tlx growth I. ba s.j stw
la tlx st that we who have bfl tre from Ux first a'e llahx
to base our talrulatLc for Ox htare on ttx yM. This will
do( do at all, fof tlx c4id.iJ.xx are ftow a'l tl.agl. Tlx tele