The Iron Horse Comes to Tacoma

At six o'clock in the evening, a large number of early arrivals stood upon the rear perch of the Tacoma and watched the straight line of road that comes out from under the hill, crosses the tide flats eastward, and winds into the woods of the Puyallup river. The party kept their patience and whiled away the time with utmost good humor, though what they looked for seemed delayed beyond expectation—but presently, shortly after seven o'clock, there was a gleam of light like the flash of a diamond out of the woods and one said, 'There she comes.' But it was lost again in an instant. 'I have been waiting for this train fifteen years and there is no use growing impatient about it now,' said Will Wright, as he smiled placidly. As he spoke, however, a black coil of smoke rose above the distant line of trees and an instant later the headlight of the engine flashed out steadily. It was the first regular train direct from the East over the switchback. The crowd on the perch rose up and started down the slope to the boat-house bridge to greet it. As it passed under the bridge, several enthusiasts, including Assistant General Manager Buckley, ran down and boarded her with a flying leap. The Coeur d'Alene band was aboard, and they formed and furnished the inspiration that soared the hack horses and enabled the pedestrians to keep step up the hill. Such was the reception to the long-anticipated train over the Cascade division; it was composed of eleven passenger and two baggage cars and brought in about 400 people.