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The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., March 21, 1907, page 5

CITIES ARE DEVELOPING ON THE NORTH BANK

Anyone who will take the trouble to visit the White Salmon and Bingen will soon discover that our neighbors are far from being asleep and that a development is taking place in them that is at present having no parallel along the Columbia river.
Three years ago White Salmon consisted of one or two dwelling houses and a store. Today it has a large population of 600 or 800 and has business establishments that most any town need not be ashamed of. The greatest development has taken place in the past year and a half, or since the announcement that the Portland and Seattle railroad would be built. It now has stores of most every description one of which last year did business of $58, 000; three hotels, modern in every respect, two banking establishments, newspaper, churches, a school in which there are over 100 pupils enrolled with four large well equipped school rooms and four teachers. During the year just closed many buildings have been erected, among them the one by the Odd Fellows, which has two large stores on the ground floor and a fine lodge hall on the second and is supplied with everything needed in the way of holding lodge meetings or entertaining, including a kitchen. Two other business places are now in process of erection and plans for another on the corner opposite the White Salmon Valley bank are being considered. In the largest of the buildings which is being constructed, a theater, equipped with all the adjuncts necessary for the production of the average play has been arranged for.
One of the most important events for White Salmon was the formation recently of a Commercial club. This organization has taken up the work of advertising the country and is issuing attractive literature telling of the advantages of climate and soil. Among the possibilities at White Salmon are an electric road to Trout Lake and a box factory. A company to build the road has been incorporated and a preliminary survey made. Stock has been taken in it, and it is understood that if the plan is feasible the capital for its construction can be secured.
At a meeting which was held a few days ago a proposition to erect a box factory was discussed and favorably considered. Fruit growers are looking forward to the time when they will ship their apples and strawberries out by train and are figuring on the manufacturer of their own boxes.
Although White Salmon has been very successful in raising fruit without irrigation landowners and growers there have come to the conclusion that it can be improved with use of water and have organized a ditch company for that purpose. An expert engineer will be employed to go over the ground and devise the best plan for constructing the ditch and it is expected that work will be commenced this summer. Bonds will be issued to provide the capital necessary for the enterprise and the acreage to be irrigated will be close to 2,000.
An important step in the history of White Salmon will take place shortly when its first city election will be held. A petition asking for the incorporation of the town as a city has been forwarded to the secretary of state and it is expected that a charter will be issued granting permission to incorporate by April 1. At a meeting held last week to nominate candidates for office two tickets were placed in the field, both of which, however, where republican. C.M. Wolfard received 10 votes as a candidate for mayor and J.T. Wyers, sr., also received 10. A.H. Jewett, who was not an aspirant for the office, got three votes and one other vote was cast for that office. For councilman two tickets were also nominated as well as for the city offices, and friends of the various candidates are now getting busy trying to secure their election.
At Bingen, from a dozen to fifteen new dwellings and business places have been erected and lots there range in price from $225 to $500. T. Suksdorf, who has control of the townsite, was recently offered the latter figure for a corner lot near where it is expected the station will be located but refused to sell it at that price. A Portland real estate man was at Bingen last week and offered to buy all that was left of the entire townsite at a figure that is said to have been higher on the average than the price the lots are now selling for, but the offer was refused.
The railroad grade at Bingen is about four feet below the level of the town on the upper side, making it necessary to build a terrace. On the lower side of the railroad grade toward the river Judge Byrkett has erected a huge barn which it is said he will use for housing stock. It is rumored that he will erect a fine house at Bingen and reside there. The railroad company property is 300 feet wide at Bingen, but it is claimed that the station will be built on land that has not yet been purchased for it. Among the sites that it is said to have in view is the hotel property belonging to Mrs. Hansen. The town has a most decided appearance that there is something doing and presents a far different aspect than it did a year ago.