Page:Atlantis Arisen.djvu/314



been placed upon the lake, with rustic seats and tables around the margin, a band-stand, and other attractions. Gravelly Lake is a small associate of American, besides which there are several others within a few miles, and a speed-track in the neighborhood. A fine view of Mount Eainier from this locality is one of its features.

American Lake was so named b}^ Lieutenant Wilkes, who celebrated the Fourth of July on its borders in 1841, and was confirmed by the settlement on its border of a Methodist mission party in 1842, during the occupancy of the Hudson's Bay Company, the Eev. J. P. Eichmond being the settler. It is always interesting to know even a little about the origin of things.

Nisqually City (very recently platted for sale) is situated about where the old fort stood, which once represented as much as there was of civilization in all this region,—and a onesided civilization at that. The fort was very nearly taken by the Nisqually Indians, at which time an American settler was shot down at its gate, which event was the occasion of the holding of the first court north of the Columbia Eiver by an Oregon judge. Two Indians were hung for the murder, and after that there was peace for a time.

All these points to which run suburban railroads, and indeed all points to which the Northern Pacific main line runs, are counted as the "suburbs" of Tacoma and tributary to it. It is the policy of this railroad company to build up one large city, with a good many minor ones to support it. I should myself have noticed this had not a former president of the road given utterance to such a statement. For some time, he says, these new towns do not benefit the central city, but in due course the best business ability and most capital will seek it, for people will go where they find superior advantages for whatever business they prefer to follow. It is then this crop of suburban towns yields a large profit. From which it seems that not only Tacoma itself, but many other places are designed by the same brains.

I ask myself is there any reasonable objection to these methods? There would not be—for these new places have important help in starting—if no false inducements were held