Frank M, Dallam Tells of the Kelso-Longview Boom

The Oroville Weekly Gazette
November 23, 1923

It is some weeks since we bade goodbye to old friends, to whom we feel bound with hoops of steel, shook the dust of Okanogan from our feet and headed out to cast our lot in new fields with new surroundings and among strangers, which is quite an adventure for an ancient citizen who had spent a big chunk of his life in one place. It seemed that the very birds whispered “Goodbye, old man; take keer of yourself," and believe us, after visiting several cities, and living in one wherein the boom is in full bloom we have developed a good deal of agility dodging traffic, reaching the conclusion that the bird was wise in its advice. 

Taking care of one's self is about the business exercise that the pedestrian develops. Passing up the cities in which we found temporary shelter while on the way perhaps the Gazette readers would be somewhat interested in the particular part of the state in which we have cast anchor. At last we are “at home" in Kelso. and the latch string hangs out to any of the old acquaintances that might drift down this way. Kelso is situated on the Cowlitz river near its junction with the Columbia. 

It is one of the oldest towns in western Washington, and the moss of ages rest upon some of the towns, for the first settlement of the country that subsequently became the territory and then the state of Washington took place at along the western water course near the sea. And the separation of Washington from Oregon was not so awfully long ago, for one day we happened to meet a man aged 71 years who was born a few miles from Kelso and he could be set down as a native of Oregon, as this state was included within the boundaries of Oregon at the time of his birth. But this is a digression. 

Kelso has undergone rejuvenation and that neither from the grafting of sheep glands but because the town is in close touch with one of the most ambitious city construction undertakings that has ever been un undertaken in the northwest. Kelso proper covers territory on both sides of the Cowlitz river joined like the Siamese twins by a concrete bridge and the two parts are known as East and West Kelso. 

Adjoining West Kelso the Long-Bell Lumber company is building Longview, a model city that promises to reach a population of 25,000 within the next five years. This company is no piker. It is spending money by the millions, and it is estimated that when the town is full blown the company will have invested upwards of $30,000,000, possibly much more. Naturally, Kelso is feeling the influence of that expenditure and growth, for hundreds of people are employed in Longview carrying out the improvements under way, and many of these men live in Kelso, east or west. 

But Longview is worthy of separate notice and covering Kelso is a big contract. Kelso is a hummer. Building is under way east, west. north and south, and with all the building it is impossible to keep up with the demand for store rooms and residences. The consequence is that rents are something fierce, and incidentally the cost of building is high. Three small apartment rooms will bring $55 to $60. 

The man is in luck who can find a five or six room house at $50 per month. Store rooms rent much higher. A bootblack stand some 8X10, on a back business street, is rented for $65 per month. It would probably rent for $100 if a block closer in. These rents are possible because of the shortage of accommodations and the constantly growing demand for rooms. Business in every line seems to be rushing. 

Public utilities are overloaded. If you want a phone you are in luck if it is installed in a month. If you want anything done it will he promised today and performed next week. These procrastinations are taken good naturedly, simply because everybody is in the same boat, more orders than can be promptly filled. Of course in a twin city, we can designate Kelso and Longview, with a combined population of 6,000 or 7,000, there must be some out of work, some in want, but one never hears a complaint. 

Optimism is the dominant spirit and “hard times" are words erased from the lexicon of the Kelsonian. This activity is bound to continue for years to come until Kelso will be classed among the big cities of the coast, that is Kelso and Longview combined. C. Schassberger, formerly the washy wash man of Oroville, is located in Longview where he operates the Longview Laundry and has more business than he can fairly handle. 

He has built a fine building and the structure with the plant stands him in hand some $40,000. He employs a very large force and the family are all helpers, for they never shirk work. Mr. Schaasberger is on the flowery road to fortune if he meets with no unexpected hard luck. We met Louis Stoffern the other day. Mr. Stoffern was in former days rather inclined to look upon the dark side of life. All in all Mr. Stoffern is a wise old bird, and he has accumulated a lot of information with all his experience. 

He has imbibed the prevailing spirit and looks upon Kelso and Longview as the coming great city. He is now holding a job as millwright at most attractive wage, and while we never before supposed that he was a wizard with tools, more of a cow puncher than a hammer swinger, he is holding his own with the best of them and likes his job. 

Although he had trouble making a life of it after an attack of sickness about a year ago, he now looks to be in the pink of condition physically and a little thing like severe illness would not affect his mentality. T. B. Pursley a former Oroville resident, is also here and we understand he is to build a large apartment house in West Kelso, but so far we have not had the pleasure of meeting him. This in a big little city, and one might walk the streets many a day and not meet an acquaintance living in a different part of town.