, 1862-10-02
GRAY's HARBOR, AND THE VALLEY OF
THE CHEH Ais,

GnyS Harbor was discovered on the 9Th Of
May, 1899, by Capt. Robert Gray, Of Boston,
the renowned discoyerer Of the Columbia River,
who named it Bulfnch Harbor, in honor Of one
Of the owners Of his vessel, the Columbia. In
October Of the same year it was surveyed by
Lieut. Whidbey, of vancOuver's expedition, who
gave il the name Of Gray's Harbor, in compliment
to the American navigator. There are two capes
or points at the entrance ol the harbor; the
northern being Point Brown, and the southern
Chehalis Point upon which the town Of Chehalis
City is situate Inside Of these Points, the har.
Dor spreads out into large hcart.shaped bay,
contracting on the east side, at the mouth Of the
Chehalis River, having the base Of the cone to.
wards the entrance from the ocean. A bank
extends across the entrance, having an opening
or passage, about three. .iOurlhs Of mile in width,
carrying from Eve to eleven fathoms Of water.
Outside OF the bank is another narrow bar, with
only some three fathoms Of water. From this
point the depth increases towards the east; the
deepest water being between the points Of en-.
trance.
The bay Is surrounded by mud flats, which
are bare at low water. The mouth Of the Che
halls is pretty near due east from the entrance,
at distance of twelve miles from Point Brown.
The greatest width north and south is some Ct
teen miles; the area Of the bay being about one
hundred and iIty square miles. Gray's Harbor
has been pronounced BY competent Judges to
equal the harbOr Of Boston. The Umtalah. Ho-
kium, and several other small streams, empty
directly into Gray's Harbor. The largest river
snptying into II Is the Chehals, which takes It's
rise In the Cascade Range, near the Columbia
River, flows north q considerable distance, thence
almost due west Il possesses many tributaries,
the principal Of which are the satson. Wvnoo.
ehee, Westican. Johns, Blaek. skoOltum chuel,
and Nswawcum. This valley Is the richest and
most extensive Of the river valleys west Of the
Cascade Mountains; varying in breadth from
iGteen or twenty % iitv miles. In f.ct ws nav
ssy that the whole Of the country from tbe Che
halls 70 The bead Of the Sound and the head Of
Hoods Canal is admirably adapted 70 farming
purposes. Fine os.,sis land "a The es,sr, ~
81, 600 acres wen suited for erssior lies in the
vicinity Of Gray's Harbor; and he ricb river
bottoms Of the Chehalis and i,s tributaries. now
covered with an uDdererov,b of slde,. m,pIs
&C. easily cleared. would furnish f,rst M arms
Sor thousands Of people. Popul,te tbese vaIIevs.
and mart Or smpo,ipm of ,,.d. ,,onla ~ ~
csssi.y spring up on Gmv's II,rbor. or !, ,hs
mouth II The chsbsli. Win ,.sv on,l,, = ~
OCEAN Rsmo,e,e.. rom m.rtet should Do,
deter s,ttlern from occuDvin, ,b... - ,,..,s
Such an extensive bodv u Iertll. baek oountrv
% esp,bl, of sus.,slInS /, ,.r.s ro..l.,ioo mi
soon and a. oulIol--a market for lie prodoce.
A road Is feasible stom ne mouth az tbe s.tsop
river % the head or II. sound no, 40 erered Il
distance thlrty miles And even now. bv ne
ordinarily Travelled roata Ii, distance from Che
halls City % Olympia Is but ninety miles. such
diaHcul,lrs Arc not iusutmount.i,l,--h.rdlv a
Be considered IN 4 nsw coon,rv. Wh,ye 80
The market Ior any Of The seitlemon,n on PUGET
Sound. onlv 4 lsw.rears srof with n, appear.
snc. of population. ,pd IA n,es-Uiisr Al rpeh
obstacles a once vsnish. To ne pion,er uatino
n,w s,,,s ,h,y .n,onst 4 nofi,isg
Atali seasons and s,nrrs Of water. he Che.
halls e nsvirable. for vessels Or lis1t ir,il 10
The Wynsoohoe. and 4, hIah s,se,s ol w.ter q
The mouth Of he sussop. with some improve
ments % ~ channel i6, eiubt months a n.
year SnalI steamer of proper eonu,roe,Io, co.la
cone % skooku.a Chuck, Or even higher up the
ChshaIia. Thew s rood wagon road from
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