The New Steamboat Revolutionizing the Chehalis River
As industry and sawmills take root at Grays Harbor, a new steamer brings promise of a 'new era of prosperity' to the Chehalis valley.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A correspondent of the Astorian writes as follows of the beautiful Chehalis country: The new steamboat Montesano, commanded by Capt. Whitcomb and owned by the S.W.B.T. Co., arrived on the 27th, making the trip from Astoria to this place in about ten hours. The people here hailed her coming with delight, as they have long felt their need of such a craft on these waters. She is very staunch, capacious, seaworthy, and fast. Among the items of interest is the work at Hoquiam, the site selected by the lumber firm of Simpson & Co. for their new steam sawmill, which is in course of construction. A fine wharf and warehouse are already built, and the machinery is on the ground for the mill, which is expected to be finished in June, with a cutting capacity of about fifty thousand feet per day. There is ample room for several first-class sawmills on Grays Harbor, an excellent shipping point with a straight, well-defined channel. Emigration is slowly finding its way here, yet we are hopeful that settlers will find their way soon to occupy the extensive tracts of vacant land. Montesano, the county seat, is situated at the head of tide water and has three stores, two hotels, one blacksmith shop, and a flour and feed warehouse. The people are moral and temperate; there has not been a criminal case on the court docket for several years, which is no doubt owing to the absence of saloons. We are hopeful and happy as a people, believing our county is entering upon a new era of prosperity.
“The people here hailed her coming with delight, as they have long felt their great need of such a craft on these waters.”
This 1881 report captures the transition of the Chehalis valley from a frontier outpost to an industrial timber hub, mirroring the historical development of Pacific Northwest resource towns. Today, these same regions reflect on the legacy of the timber industry and the evolution of their local economies beyond the 'boom and bust' cycles described here.
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