Federal Building and Collections.
The federal government has purchased a site for a much needed public building at Tacoma, which will shortly be erected. Tacoma is the headquarters of the new Internal Revenue Collection District of Washington and Alaska. Federal collections at Tacoma for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1903, were as follows: Internal revenue, $688,696.50; customs, $301,039.32; postoffice receipts, $113,598.66; total, $1,103,334.48. Postoffice receipts have increased at the rate of 132.1 per cent. in seven years.
- 1—Mason Library, Whitworth College.
- 2—Annie Wright Seminary from Wright Park.
- 3—Administrative Building, University of Puget Sound.
- 4—Residence and Boys’ Dormitory, Whitworth College.
Municipal Improvements and Utilities.
Extensive municipal improvements are in progress. Among the more important are several miles of asphalt and brick paving; fifty miles of new sidewalks, principally of cement; sewers, water mains and bridges. Tacoma owns and operates its own water and electric lighting plants, supplying both water and light to private consumers. The city procures current from the power companies at the lowest rates paid in the United States and receives a large and increasing revenue from operation, notwithstanding recent reductions in rates, which are as low to private consumers as in any American city. Tacoma maintains an efficient free employment bureau.
Assessment and Bonded Debt.
The assessed valuation of taxable property in Tacoma in 1903 was $22,468,988. The bonded indebtedness, exclusive of the water and light debt, is $1,743,000. The city has no floating indebtedness and has a sinking fund amounting to $135,734.52, largely invested in Tacoma city bonds bought in the market at 110. The city owns property valued at $3,250,000. The light and water debt of $2,080,000 represents the capital invested in a profitable business which produces a revenue to the city.