Quite as much praise should be bestowed upon the citizens of Tacoma for the excellent public school system they have created as for the wonders they have achieved in the construction of a substantial city in so brief a period. Public schools have been recognized as one of the fundamental necessities of society throughout the west generally, and wherever the nucleus of a city has been planted, the public school system has formed part of the seed. Especially in Tacoma is this regard for the educational welfare of the rising generation exhibited in a marked degree. Six school buildings have been erected, engravings of which are given on the opposite page, and these will soon be inadequate to accommodate the children applying for admission. In 1880 but one hundred children attended the single school. By 1884 this had increased to four hundred, to five hundred in 1885, and now, in 1888, no less than fifteen hundred children are enjoying the advantages of free instruction in the six school buildings. The schools are thoroughly systematized and graded from the primary to the high school department, and are under the charge of a competent superintendent, ably assisted by a large corps of teachers. The enterprise, liberality and good citizenship displayed in thus providing promptly and adequately for the needs of the ever-increasing numbers of school children, is an evidence of the energy and intelligence of the citizens, and explains much that seems wonderful in the phenomenal growth of the city.
SOUTH SCHOOL. WEST SCHOOL. FIRST WARD SCHOOL.
EAST SCHOOL. CENTRAL SCHOOL. NORTH SCHOOL.
FARRELL & DARMER, ARCHITECTS.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS—TACOMA
RAILROADS OF THE TERMINAL CITY.
Great sport was made of Tacoma’s railroad aspirations a few years ago, but now things have assumed a different aspect. This city is now not only the theoretical, but the actual, terminus of the Northern Pacific railroad. Here are located the company’s general offices, the offices of the land department, the western car shops, and all the docks and terminal facilities owned by the company on the Pacific coast. The lines of this road not only extend east to St. Paul, and thus connect with all the eastern trunk roads, but pass through the heart of the region whose products reach market through the ports of the Pacific. All of this vast interior region is now opened to Tacoma, and trade relations are rapidly being established. In addition to this, the Portland branch gives access to the rich section lying south of the city. In addition to this line the merchants of Tacoma have direct connection by steamer with the terminus of the Canadian Pacific, and thus have another through route to the east. Lines now under construction north will connect Tacoma with the Canadian Pacific by rail. The extension to a Puget sound harbor of the Southern Pacific railroad, now as far north as Portland, has been practically announced by gentlemen connected with that company, and that the Union Pacific will also seek a Puget sound terminus is quite certain. Both of these roads, and in fact, any road building north from the Columbia, west of the Cascades, will undoubtedly come to Tacoma. The Tacoma Southern is being built south from Crocker, on the Northern Pacific, into a body of timber fifteen miles distant. This is looked upon as a link in a line to the Columbia. The Tacoma, Olympia & Chehalis Valley R. R. Co. has been incorporated, to build a line from Gray’s harbor up the Chehalis valley and across the Cascade mountains to the Columbia, with a branch running north to Tacoma. This would give this city another line to the Inland Empire, as well as a line to Gray’s harbor and the fertile Chehalis valley.