, 1877-12-07
FRIDAY. DECEMBER :. 1877.
THE NEAH BAY MAIL CONTRACT.

We publish elsewhere a CORES
rnudruce from" Rustler," to which
We invite tie attention OF the public.
The subject matter ol the article is
We worthy OF consideration bv those
who desire to see the progress of the
lower Sound commensurate with its
possibilities.
Not many mo tbs hence the con.
tract for carrying the mail from this
place to Neah Bay will he let. The
r,uui tip, 10 be male each week, on
the route as it is at present extends
over distance OF about geo miles.
ln ,l,e course cf this distance there
aret~o way post otlices-Dungeness
ard Port Angeles-to be served on
the dawn as we'll as the return trip.
Besides this, it is altogether proba
bir Jiat one or two new post offices
wa he created on the route within
tn next wear or two; as instance the
c.>t."t Iischt river, locality which
gra,iy has fifteen or twenty &C.
,.,,i settlers, also Crescent and
F;rshvater bays; the latter two,
ll"rcyrr. being not widely separated,
~ : suffice with one office for a few
,-srS, We, in thsir vicinity a Dumber
-. s.ttlers have for years been alto
g''hrr denied mail privileges.
We NAV adj lat the entire popu-
la,iun of ClalIam County is served
W 'h mail accommodations over this
ssnlle mail route, receiving OF send
in- away letters or papers bu; once
Il week, and in the winter season
sO.a"Times not that often.
The mail has been carried hereto
fore in a sailing vessel, usually a
small schooner about fifteen tons
burthen, though sometimes iu little
plunger and even in a row-boat.
Along the entire line of travel there
are settlers whc depend largely upon
the mail boa, to travel npon when
going away or returning, or to trans
port articles OF produce TO market.
Ia the summer season, when nearly
industries are most active, the
sl lug vessel Is frequently unable on
account Of calm weather, to make
her regular trips anyway near on
Il ne, thereby often causing serious
disappOintnenis in rsceiVing letters
otimpOrtanee and attending 10 other
urgent matters. AID ih<se are not
the least Of the impoTtzst Interests of
the people. that are necessarily
worked againsG bg lbs presens ar
raagements. There Is ru,onz "a. zaany
places thrOughout tie crgzntry Tor
new settlers; there are EinaraIs. Iuu1-
Der, hsh, coal, aud other ralazbEe re-
sources which will Eeves Be properly
developed until enough immigrants
pour IN TO take hold and develoD
them. II is argued, and rery lastly
600, that Of the new eomers Who
would visit the section named If
steam communication were e.tab-
Used, nOs one in ten will as matters
are at Present-simply because Of the
uncertainty and poor accommoda.
tIons for passengers. Aside from ali
the reasons named, the fact remains
indisputable that there is = popula.
ton in the county sufficient 20 de.
mnnd a mail carried by steam, at
least once a week.
We are pleased to hear of the pro-
posed petitions to the Postmaster
General, asking for an increased
mail service for this long neglected
region. They should be freely cir.
culated and should receive the sane.
ton and hearty cooperation of all.
The people Of Port Townsend are as
directly aRd deeply interested in this
matter as are any others, and we
bespeak for the laudable effort, Of
Our neighbors hearty and universal
assistance from this place. ANY
suggesticns or communications pom
tins subject will receive due atten.
ton at our hands. The people of
ClSllam are at last beginning to wake
up 10 the knnWledge that If they
eontlnue outside the limits Of steam.
boat travel, they will likewise con-
tnge On the " ragged edge Of civil.
z2tlon-" a few old foasi!s may still