, 1853-05-28
From our sieilacoOm correspondent.


MrssEs. McEIRoY y BEEuE:
A few plain f,cts relative to the natural
advantages Of this place and the improve
,rents tbai are being made, and those LIKE
u;ss tat arc under contemplation, may
,os,ibly possess some little interest for you
Ind The MANY readers Of the Columbian y
and as have a spare hour this morning,
cannot do better think than to devote it 10
A simple relation OF them. Everybody
knows that there is such place as Stella
COON, but there are bu; few, very few, who
have any idea whatever Of tn, geographical
position Of it, or the great importance that 1t
must certainly as ume and maintain amongst
the hourishing towns Of Washington Terri
tory. In a "commcrcial point Of view"
Steiacoom possesses more coNvENIENcEs
than any other place upon the Sound with
which | am acquainted. It's harbor, cN-
tending from Steilacoom river to Chapman's
Point, is safe and odPacious, and affords an
chorage for vessels Of any and every class,
in any depth of water that may he desired.
The bottom is Of blue clay, and extremely
tenacious, and when once a ships anchor
gets "good hold " in it, there need be no
fears whatever Of her dragging. The
average "rise and fall of the tide" here, is
about 10 feet, 30 that vessels Of a large class
can be easily A" bcachcd," their bottoms
thoroughly examined, and all necessary re-
pairs made, quite as well as if they were on
dWays." This is a convenience seldom
found, for il needs a remarkably smooth and
even beach to aground ship of 800 tons
upon, for the slightest inequality of the sur
face might suffice TO strain, or even 10
"hog" her. The ship" Persia" Of some
400 tons, was taken upon the beach yestcr-
day 10 examine her copper, &c, and so
very fair was the spot chosen, that verify
believe every inch Of the keel +" rested
with equal weight upon the ground. That
you may form some idea of the very cheer
ful and busness-lke aspect" that the
harbor of Steilacoom sometimes wears, |
will state that we have had at anchor here
within the last few days, the ships " Rowe
ma and Persia" brig "Gco. Emery"
schooners "Damariscove" and "Cynosure,"
and sloops S A. Shepherd " and " Nose"
The view from here is probably as beau
liful and grand as from any point upon Pu-
gel Sound, and no true lover of the beaut-
ful in nature can sojourn here for one hour.
on one Of the clear and beautiful days in our
delightful summers, without having his at
tention attracted by the lovely sheet of wa
ter that lies spread out like map immedi-
siely before him-the green and fertile
islands that dot the bay, and which are fast
being taken up by respectable, hard-work-
ing Farmers and Mechanics-and in the
distance, the Coast or Olympic range Of
mountains with their cloud-piercing sum-
miis, and mantles Of eternal snow
The town Of SclacOom City, claimed by
JoHN M. CHAPMAN, Esq, was " laid of"
some eighteen months since, believe, and
can now boast Of two stores, in successful
operation, large fine hotel, kept by ABNER
MARTIN, Esq.,-than whom venture 10
assert, there is not in Washington Territory
a landlord who knows better how 10 cater
for the public taste,-some four or five
dwelling houses, and large building intend
ed for a store and warehouse, land which
will also have a large hall in the second
story, so feet By 80, in which the young
ladies and gentlemen of Steilacoom, on our
long winter evenings, will meet to move
upon the " light fantastic toe " in the excl
ting ".waliz or charming ''polka," 10 tho
enlivening anddolicious music Of the violin,
which is in process of erection and will soon
be completed, by PnILir KEAcH.
Upon Capt. BALon's claim town has
Just been surveyed and plated, which is
called simply Stcilacoom, and is, in my
Judgment, far better name than the many
iar.iclchcd and high sounding ones so prcva- |
lent in Oregon. At this place there are
several houses now going up," in addi-
ton to the four that are already built and
occupied There are several persons who
seriously contemplate building in Stella
COON, and ! have no doubt whatever, that
some half dozen houses, at least, will be
built in the next three months Energetic
business men have determined TO Z" take
hold " here, and the place is " bound to 90
ahead" Almost excellent route for a coun-
y road, fiom Balch's " Landing" " to the
Muck settlement, has just been viewed
and surveyed, which, when il is completed,
land that will be right soon) will enable the
thriving farmers upon our extensive plains
to transact easily and quickly their business
with the people upon the Sound. In my
Lext communication | shall make few re-
marks upon the nature of the country back
Of US. b