, 1877-08-18
LOCAL AGENTS.
SATURDAY .....AUGUST IS, lS1,
Ayi.it TO vvhitibey Island.

Leaving Ccntrevilc a week ago last
Wednesday morning, we pulled our boat
10 Harry MaIshall's place on Whldbcy
Island then leaving the boat there, and
walking over the hills, along the trail
we arrived at Col. Larrabee's farm just
before noon. His home is one ot tie
pleasantests in the Territory, is situated
about one mile from Millcr's Point, and
only short distance back from the shore
of Crescent lIarbor. He is too well known
professionally all over the Sound to
need describing as q lawyer or man.
Reaching that time of life when men OF
his taste naturally desire to withdraw
themselves from the continuous press of
business and the cares incident to it,
he purchased what was known as the
old Busby place, and although he still
attends to practice at Seattle, with the
firm OF LarraLee, Hall and Andrews, yet
he spends most OF his time at the farm
attending to his fine orchard, and trying
10 grow large enough orchard Of prunes
go that it will be speciality with him
to prepare them for market. The old
orchard of apples, pears, plums, etc, is
one of the best on the Island. He set
out his prune trees since purchasing the
place, and they absorb large share of
his attention.
At the fsrm the Col. tries to drop the
professional man, and become in reality
an excellent specimen of the typical gen,
tleman farmer. With his books and
pictures in doors, and his stock and fruit
without, his mind is so contented with
his surroundings that he declares he Is
never happy save when at the farm.
From this place, we passed on to Capt
Barrington's at Oak lIarbor, stopping at
several places.
Oak Harbor is the natural outlet for
all tue northeastern part of Widbey Is
land. Its harbor is easy OF access for
all steamers or sailing vessels visiting the
lower Sound east of Whidbey Island. The
trade and produce from Crescent Harhor
as well as Duguala Bay naturally come
here, besides the immediate trade of the
Oak Harbor settlement.
The large farms Of Oak and Crescent
Harbors, nearly all have southwark ex-
posure, and many of them are especially
adapted to the raising of carly market
produce, perhaps the earliest on
the Sound. They have also excellent
orchards of fruit besides the hay and
grain they raise to sell.
There are not over one or two points on
the lower Sound, where greater amount
otireight could be secured at any one point
than at Oak Harbor, provided steamer
would stop there regularly and make it
u part OF their regular route.
The steamer Libby goes by there from
Penn's cove to Utsalady; it would be
only between one and two hours delay
for her to stop there both in going and
returning, on her route to Bellingham
Bay, except those times when she would
loose tide in getting through Swinomish
Slough. The only dtferece in this respect
the tide through the slough would make
is this, that when the tide is favorable
she is able to go through Swinomish
Slough on Monday evening arriving ut
Whatcom early next morning while if
she stopped at Oak Harbor, she cold
never 60 any farther than Utsalndy or
at The tarthest La Conner, on Monday
evening, stopping at one of those places
tor the night, when she could always be