The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-08-29
What he Says Of Seattle.

The Rev. 4. C. Ednurdson. who
lately made Al extended visit 70 this
place and afforded himself ample op-
por.unitle, TO know whereof be speaks.
has. in long letter 10 the oregoni a.,
the following TO say in reference 20
Seattle and its immediate surroundings
By steamer from Tacoma 20 SEATTLE.
| found an en,srprising town of 5000
or 1000 inha bitants. The town is near
the bead Of the nAyigAble waters OF .
bay, four miles In width and some six
miles in depth. extending eastward
from the main waters Of the Sound.
The harbor affords . fine anchorage,
but the city itself is not on IS desirable
site IS might D. desired. although j,
commands beautiful and picturesque
view Of the waters of the bay and sound,
extending TO the pine covered hills on
the west. twenty miles distant Seattle
Is really the only live town on the
Sound. enterprises aud improvement BE-
ing everywhere the order Of the day.
But they have made the same mistake
that WAS made by Portlsnd. and . few
other towns III America-that Of max
ing stree. Improvements by special tax
alton upon adjoining property. instead
Of general taxation. They will find
this error to work great injury TO the
future prosperity of the city. speak
FROM experience and know whereof |
affirm. Another failure noticed, and
Ia 9th which
afflicted. The press is the great civiliz-
er Of the world. but it is doubtful whe,h-
er four little daily advertising sheets ia
q town Of three thousand inha bitants, is
a mark Of either wisdom or ecouemy.
Let the people concentrate their pat
ronage upon one paper, with . manage
ment that Is alive to the interests of the
place. A dull. sleepy and indifferent
journal casts shade of gloom over the
entire community, while thrift. enter
prise and life. imparts its boon Of bless
ings to all. a word TO the wise is suf-
ticicnt
Twelve miles back Of Seattle is To-
Gated the famous Seattle coal mine.
The coal of this section is really mar
vel. The coal strata lie at an angle Of
80 degrees, and are from four to thirty
feet in thickness. This section of the
country seems 10 abound in the coal
strata, some of them from one hundred
To four hundred feet apart only. l Wis
tied one of the tunnels, and travelled its
dark chamber for over mile back un.
der the everlasting hills. 4 thousand
years cannot exhaust the supply of this
essential TO our civilization. Lake
Washington, three miles back of Seat
tie. is a beautiful sheet of water, aver
aging some three miles in width, and
thirty five miles in length
The entire country bordering on Sc
attic is heavily timbered, which in fact
may be said Of the entire Sound coun-
try. Coal aud timber will ever remain
the great staples Of commerce, and fifty
years will see it multiplied into one Of
the few marvels Of the world And
another enterprise already cropping out
n considerable proportions. will be car
ried to an unknown degree Of success
during the next generation. | refer to
ship-building The 6r for all purposes
cannot DC equaled by any other timber
for strength aud dura bility. Oak
corrodes ana ruSts ss~- s--A--
ings; fir preserves from rust and
holds with an irresistible force.
The Eliza Anderson, built some %. years
ago. is IS sound in every part rs she
was the day she left the ways. But
there is no use Of eulogizing the future.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, We are
about fifty years too soon to see the glo>
ry of this portion Of our land, destined
TO become the wonder of the world"