The Thirty-Mile Dream: A New Air Line Between Seattle and Tacoma
Promoter Henry Bucey revived a plan for a broad-gauge railroad linking Tacoma and Seattle, promising a shorter route—if he could secure the right-of-way and land subsidies first.
Tacoma, May 24. — The project of building an air line broad gauge railroad between Tacoma and Seattle has been revived by Henry Bucey, who will start at once to secure the right-of-way and land subsidies. He expects then to float bonds. The line would be thirty miles long, a saving of twelve miles over the present route. The grade would be 1 per cent., and the cost of building and equipment was estimated at $850,000. The Tacoma-Seattle Air Line Company was incorporated five years ago to build the line, but the depression caused a postponement of the project.
“The line would be thirty miles long, a saving of twelve miles over the present route.”
The 'air line' was never built as described, but it shows how Puget Sound's growth depended on speculative rail schemes and land subsidies. The same booster logic still shapes regional transit debates—promises of speed, savings and private finance.
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