The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., November 30, 1907, page 3
BINGEN
Bingen is making it great plans for the future, the
optimistic in regard to what the North Bank road is going to do for the place,
says a Glacier writer. Tuesday, November 12 marked the date of the first
train into Bingen, following the machine which lays track as fast as a slow
walk. It was a great day for Bingen. The whole country turned out to celebrate
the event, and it did certainly look good to the old settlers who have waited
for a railroad for thirty years. White Salmon was in the evidence and shared
in the joys of the community. The schools of White Salmon and Bingen closed
for the day and allowed the children to watch the wonderful machine lay track.
At Bingen a mile of side track was laid first and then
followed the main track, after which the track laying was continued to Underwood,
which was reached Friday afternoon. The crew was held up for a day by not
having timbers for the culverts. Temporary timbers and trestles are being
put in over culverts and streams, the steel bridges to be put in after the
road bed is ballasted, so that the work can be handled more economically.
While waiting for the temporary bridge at Underwood,
a number of side tracks will be put in at Bingen. It is said that about twelve
miles of sidetrack will be laid at Bingen. This leads the residents to believe
that great things are in store for Bingen. This will give Bingen more trackage
than any place between Vancouver and Pasco. This situation of Bingen is ideal
for a town. The land is practically level, there is good spring water in
abundance, and is one of the few places on the North Bank where the railroad
company have room for tracks and buildings. If anyone outside of the officials
of the company have any knowledge of the intentions of the company, however,
they are not saying much, but from the moves that have been made around the
town a number have either positive knowledge or great faith in the future.
The Joslyn Improvement Co. have spent a large sum of
money in the purchase of the Byrkett property and, have built a fine saw
mill and either have unbounded faith in the future or have inside information
that would warrant them in investing so heavily.
While it is not expected that a through regular schedule
of passenger trains will be run through until spring, arrangements are being
made to get ready for the business that will come with the establishment
of passenger traffic. M. Morris is a newcomer and has purchased the new store
building of the Swan-Hamman Lumber Co., which was built last spring but never
completed. Mr. Morris is finishing up the front and will put in a stock of
furniture and hardware as soon as completed.
Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Cooper, of Manitou, Colo., arrived in
Bingen a week ago and are investigating the proposition of putting in a
sanitarium on the first bench back of the town. It is an ideal site for any
institution of this kind. There is a large level tract at an elevation of
a hundred feet or more above town, and but a quarter mile from the depot,
where fine grounds could be laid out, and cold spring water piped to the
buildings. A magnificent view can be had of Mount Hood, while the mountain
at the back rises up sheer 1700 feet an imposing sight, and sheltering the
place from the north and west winds.
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© Jeffrey L. Elmer