The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-03-29
From Down Sound.

Ed. INTELLIGENCER Having lately
travelled over the greater portion of this
county, herewith transmit to you the
impression that q stranger is most
likely to be struck with in "these
parts of the great nor west.
Arriving at La Conner we found two
stores. blacksmith shop, two hotels,
a saloon, school house, church, boot and
shoe shops, drug store and several pro
fessiona1 offices. The evening follow
ing our arrival we spent in listening to
the local debating society, and the next
morning we started across the flats.
Here we met Mr.. Fl. Brewster, who can
safely be called the most successful
farmer on the Swinomish. To show
what man can do when put to it, we
will state that Mr.. Brewster commenced
farming on these flats some two years
since, ten thousand dollars in debt.
Last year he had some GAO acres of
dyke land in cultivation. and produced
one hundred bushels of oats TO the acre,
and completely cleared himself of debt.
Having instanced this example of go
aheaditiveness, we will attempt de-
scription of these now celebrated flats.
Lying, as they do, between the mouth
of the Samish and Skagit rivers, they
are the result of the sedimentary de-
posits of those rivers. Unlike a great
many similar deposits, they have no
peaty covering. but present to the eye
sort of drab-colored loan. These
flats contain about thirty square miles
of arabic land. At its eastern end we
came to the ranch of Mr. r. f. Whit
ney. This gentleman owns some $40
acres, and his dykes are by all odds the
most substantial of any hereabouts,
some of which are fourteen feet in
thickness at the base, and some seven
feet in height. Mr.. Whitney also has
Is store at Padilla, the post office town
of the upper flats. Frem here we en-
barked in sail boat for the Summit
Flats. Here we found several flourish
ing farms, among which are the Miller,
Osborne. Dale, Dawson, McElroy, Legg
and McTsggart places. The settlers
en- these tlats claim that these lands lie
twenty inches higher than those of the
Swinomish, and that the soil is every
whit as good as that ofthe latter named
place.
Among the logging camps that lie
back of the Samish we found McElroy
II Dinsmore and Dan Dingwall. We
should Judge that there is about six
million feet of logs laying in the streams
hereabouts. Crossing the Chuckanut
slough, we went over to Samish Post
office, on the way passing Dingwalrs
store and ranch. At the post office,
where we found the store and wind
saw-mill of Mr.. Dean, we took the
Libby for Sehome.
A mile from Sehome, on Bellingham
Bay, lies far-tamed Whatcom. a place
that In the Frazer river excitement OF
SO contained over ten thousand inhab-
itants. Owing to the cupidity of the
land owners, the steamship companies
could not obtain land enough to build
their warehouses and wharves, except
at enormous figures, and consequently
they accepted the inducements held out
by Victoria, and went thither with
their traffic. At this place there is a
stream which runs three miles back to
Whatcom Lake, and which has fall in
said three miles Of over three hundred
feet. thus making the finest. never
ceasing water power on the Pacific
coast. A good hotel is the Whatcom
House, and as the trout fishing is
suberb In the stream not hundred
yards from the house, many avail them
selves of the facilities offered for fine
sport. A finer picnic ground could not
be conceived of.
From Whatcom we went to Semiah'
moo. via Trudder on the Nootsack. At
the last mentioned place. we found the
store of Messrs. +. A. Rogers s. Co.
Mr.. Rogers has settled in the heart OF
the largest farming area on Puget
Sound, and being an energetic man
will doubtless be- of great assistance In
the settlement of this part of the coun-
try. While at Trudder, We were pres
ent at meeting of some fifty settlers,
convened for the purpose of offering in-
ducements to Messrs. Pitchfsrd and
West. TO erect saw and grist mill.
Since then we have learned that the
meeting was successful. and that the
mill will be erected forthwith in the
immediate vicinity of that place. From
Trudder 10 Semiahmoo we found splen-
did sites for farms. aud many ranches
that hetokened hard work as we'll as
comfortable homes.