, 1872-04-04
Puget Sound Country.

The following interrogatories are CO.
pied from one of many like letters, of
which we are in receipt by almost every
mail; the one under immediate consid-
Grafton being dated at Pleasanton, Kan
sas, and ostensibly written in behalf Of
"a number of business men who are
thinking of sour New Northwest in
view of permanent settlement" The re-
plies to these inquiries must necessarily
be brief, but shall be candid and free
from exaggeration and unbiased by in
terested motives:
1. At what point on the Sound does
the N. P. r. r. terminate?
AS we had occasion to remark in
another article in this issue of the paper,
tie terminus has not yet been decided.
With map before him, our correspon-
dent will have as good means of judging
Of the probabilities as we have here.
2. What is the population of your
town, and its prospects for the future?
The population of Seattle, according
to the census of 1870, was then about
1,500, and at the present time not less
than 1900. Its prospects for the future
are superior to those of any other town
upon the Sound. Its position, as the
eastern extremity of the navigable wa
tiers of the Sound, and consequently the
nearest point Of connection of ocean
commerce with the N. P. Railroad; its
magnificent harbor, at all seasons and
in all weather perfectly secure to ship
ping; its unsurpassed beauty and health
fulness of location; its immediate sur
rcundings, including inexhaustable coal
fields and the richest agricultural lands
in the world; all combine to make it the
present commercial metropolis of the
Sound with reasonable prospect of
maintaining its supremacy in all future
time until it becomes the chief CONNER
cial city on the Pacific coast. This an
ticipation, however, is in degree sub
iect to the action of the n. 2. Railroad
Company in the final location of their
terminal depot. If that should be else
where it would deprive Seattle of the
advantages of the great commercial CEN
tre for the foreign and overland trade,
but no artificial advantages can ever de-
tract from the natural resources which
t'commands, suff .ient to make a large
and fourishing city. In addition to the
inexhaustable supplies Of coal which
now enter largely into commerce, i'm
mediately in the r7ar Of the town, and
within less than two miles from the bay,
is a deep. clear fresh water lake, twenty
miles in length and ten in width, which
is pronounced by nayigators as the best
place for naval station in the world
A survey was made by order of the Gov
ernment last year, for ship canal uni
ting the waters of the lake with the bay,
and favorable report made thereon by
Gen. Alexander, United States Engineer.
There is very little doubt that the work
will be accomplished in q few years.
The mercantile trade of Seattle during
the past year, aside from coal, lumber
and agricultural products, amounted to
about $1,000,000. The improvements in
the town are very great this season, Civ
ing remunerative employment to every
available mechanic and all who choose
to labor.
3. What are the present railroad fa-
cilities
About 25 miles of railroad has been
completed from Kalama,- OH the Colum-
bia river, towards the Sound, and it is
intended to complete the road to Olym-
lda, in all about so miles, by the lst of
November next, or earlier.
4. What is the character of the coun-
try along the coast.
Probably unlike any thing which our
correspondent has ever seen, and we
know of nothing with which to compare
it. To person accustomed to the natu-
raj lawns and parks of the old North
vest, its aspect at first view is exceed
ingly forbidding, and the superficial OBJ
server usually concludes at once that
but a small portion of it, if any, away
from the navigable waters, is habitable
to civilized MN. 1t is generally hilly.
and to a considerable extent mountain
Gus; the uplands are nearly all covered
with the timbers of commerce-fr, pine
and cedar-of growth SO immense as
to shock the credulity of those who have
never seen them to mention the average
dimensions of the trees; among these
trees, whose tops intermingle so rs al
most to exclude the sun S rays, is dense,
rank undgerrowth forming almost im-
penetrable thichets. showing the rich
nature of the soil. Springs and streams
of pure water abound everywhere, even
upon the tops of the highest hills. The
valleys, Of which there are many and
some of considerable extent, are gener-
ally covered with thickets of vines and
Towering shrubs, with scattering cedars,
cotton woods of gigantic proportions
with ceosiona1 maDles oaks and Othel