Camp Lewis and Rainier National The largest permanent army mobilization and training cantonment in the United States is Catnp Lewis, just south of Tacoma's city limits. The cantonment contains 76,000 acres and is 18 tniles long and 12 miles wide. Citizens of Tacoma and Pierce County (the city pays 80 per cent of the taxes) voted $2,000,000 in bonds to purchase the land donated to the government for military purposes. In con sequence, a full division of troops will be maintained' at the camp permanently. Paved highways with auto transportation lead from the city to the camp. There is also steam and electric railway transportation.
From Tacoma automobiles convey a tourist in four hours over one ot the finest paved highways in America to the Glaciers of Rainier National Park and to matchless Mount Rainier (or Tacoma, its local name), 14,520 feet high. The park is the most popular of those supervised by the United States govern ment. Attendance in 1918 was 50,000, exceed ing that of. any other national park. There is transportation to the park over the Tacoma Eastern to Ashford from Tacoma, giving rail transportation to within a few tniles of the park entrance.
Tacoma is the seat of the College of Puget Sound (Methodist), Pacific Lutheran Academy (Lutheran), Annie Wright Seminary (Episcopal), Academy of the Visita tion and Aquinas Academy (Roman Catholic). There are eight parothial schools, six com mercial or business schools, and in the public school system two magnificent high schools and 32 grammar schools. The total enrolment of the public schools is 18,904, including 2,000 attending night schools. There are 645 teachers employed. The Stadium High School has a Greek amphitheatre called Stadium which has a normal capacity of 32,500 persons, which can be increased to between 40,000 and 50,000. The Carnegie Library, with two branch libraries and branches in the high schools and grammar schools, has 85,598 volumes with a net cir culation in 1918 of 338.237. The total value of library property is $200,000, and the number of registered borrowers 18,111. Overlooking the
Stadium and opposite the high school are the Ferry Museum, with a large collection of In dian curios and pioneer relics, and the stately home of the Washington State Historical Society.
Churches and Nearly every re ligious sect or denomination has a house of worship in Tacoma, the city being particularly well equipped with beautiful churches, the total number reaching 135, the principal denomina tions being Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, Congregational, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Christian Science, Christian, Jewish, Evangelical, Friends, Adventist, United Presbyterian and Universalist; also Salvation Army and Volunteers of America.
Charitable institutions include the Northern Pacific Hospital, County Hospital, Tacoma Gen eral Hospital, Saint Joseph's Hospital, City Contagious Hospital, Western Washington Hospital for the Insane at Fort Steilacoom, a suburb; the Children's Home, City Rescue Home, Parkland Children's Home.
History.— Tacoma city was originally within the boundaries of the first ward, popu larly known as Old Town, now called Old Tacoma. The city was laid out in 1868 by Gen. M. M. McCarver. In July 1873 the Northern Pacific Railroad established its Pacific Coast terminus on Commencement Bay, giving it the name New Tacoma. The city was also called CoMmencement City. In 1880 the new town became the seat of Pierce County, and in 1883 Old Tacoma and New Tacoma were con solidated and incorporated as a city. Since that time additional territory has been annexed on four different occasions, giving the city a total of five taxing districts. The present area of the city is 25,168 acres of land and 2,752 acres of water, or 39.81 square miles. The distance from northern to southern boundary is seven miles. The 35 wharves and docks have a lineal frontage of six miles.
Government census (1880) 720; (1885) 1,100; (1890) 36,006; (1900) 37, 714; (1910) 83,743; (1 Jan. 1919, local estimate) 142,447.