laurel.html

The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., March 7, 1911, page 1

LAUREL TOWNSITE PLATTED
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Peek Bros. Will Build Town -- New Hotel Planned --
Creamery and Mill to be Installed

The townsite of Laurel has been surveyed and platted for Peek Brothers, owners, by Homer Thacker, civil engineer of Husum, who has had a crew of assistants on the work the past week. Mr. Thacker also made a survey for a pipe line from a large spring on the property, which will furnish the best quality of clear, cold water to every lot.
The townsite of 160 acres is a fine tract of pine and fir timber land and has been subdivided into large level lots. As the timber is cut the stumps will be removed and streets graded. Selection of trees will be made which will be allowed to stand, thus preserving the sylvan beauty of the tract and providing shaded thoroughfares. Lots will be sold with a restriction that the trees so selected shall be protected. No more beautiful site for a town can be found in this section of the country and the Peek's intend that its natural beauty features shall be conserved in all their pristine glory.
A hotel building at a cost of $3,500 will be erected at once, plans now being drawn to provide for a beautiful and commodious edifice of a style in keeping with the landscape. The hostelry will be named "The Laurel Inn." Negotiations are already under way with experienced parties in Portland to undertake the management of the house, which will provide a popular resort and a paying investment from the start. The hotel will be equipped with every modern convenience, including election light and steam bath.
A blacksmith and wheel wrights shop is to be erected near the mill site this spring and the artisian will arrive as soon as the building is ready for occupancy.
A.E. Peek, manager of the Laurel Mill Co., announced that he will probably put the snow machinery in place as early this spring as the roads will permit of the transportation of the heavy machinery.
The co-operative creamery project is assuming shape and promises to be a success from the start, judging from the way the subscription to the capital stock are coming in. The plan is to make it a co-operative concern and install butter making machinery as soon as the requisite number of contracts are signed to insure all-the-year-round operation of the plant. Peek Brothers donate the use of a building and free ice for the first year and power light and steam will be furnished from the sawmill plant.
Some considerable disappointment was manifested, especially by the younger set, when it was learned that Mr. Peek had offered the building now being used as a hall for the creamery. Mr. Peek plans, however, before the creamery can be in running shape, to have a much larger hall built that will supply every need for public uses, and insure Laurel as the community center of Laurel precinct.
Other plans are under consideration the details of which cannot be given to the public at this time, but which of brought to a successful head mean much for the future Laurel city.

WILL GO IT ALONE

At the regular monthly meeting of the Laurel Development Club Friday, Feb. 3, overtures were made by a delegation from the Glenwood Club looking to consolidation of the Laurel Club and the Fulda Club with the Glenwood Club, and making one big organization with the name "Camas Prairie Development Club." After listening to speeches along that line by the delegates, Messrs. Sorensen, Wheeler, Kuhnhausen and Bartholomew, the secretary of the Laurel Club explained the constitutional limitations of his club as to membership, and also stated that the Laurel Club has already arranged for a campaign of publicity, membership in the Southwest Washington Development Association and in the State league of Good Roads Club. It seemed that the Glenwood people were of the opinion that the Laurel club was trying to foist the name "Laurel" on the entire Camas prairie, and claiming all of the Camas as part of Laurel district. On the contrary it was explained to the Glenwood delegation that the Laurel district comprises about fifty square miles of territory of which less that thirteen square miles are included on the so-call Camas prairie. In view of the fact that the work of the Laurel club is well and satisfactorily under way, it was decided by the executive committee to decline the offer of the Glenwood club with thanks and the assurance that, in any and every effort made by the Glenwood or Fulda clubs for the benefit of these sections of western Klickitat county they would have the hearty co-operation and moral support of the Laurel Club. A vote of thanks was extended to the delegations their interesting visit, and they were invited to come again. A resolution to the effort that the Laurel Club would maintain its separate existence was unanimously passed.