The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1878-03-02

PIopoiotou w Tvs popuidViou. hn ave.
age Of three deep sea ships enter and
depart from the ports of the Sound daily
engaged, in the coasting and foreign
trade. Their loading is principally
lumber, round and hewn timber, coal
and agricultural products. The tonnage
of these ships is over 1000 tons each.
We get our sugar directly from the
San lwicb Islands, our tea directly from
China, and our coffee directly from the
ports of South America. No middle
men increase the price of these articles
by their labors or extortions.
Again: The explorations Of late years
have fully demonstrated that the eastern
portion Of what is known as the Puget
Sound basin is an immense coal-6eld.
The coal is already known to extend
over an area one hundred and fifty
miles in length, by at least thirty in
width. 1t is an excellent quality of
bituminous coal. But little of pure
anthracite has yet been found. In si1
years the amount taken out of our mines
has increased from one thousand to over
one hundred and fifty thousand tons
annually, and still the demand is much
greater than the present supply. In
the time mentioned above three railroads
have been built from the ,und to tie
coal-6elds; the North Pacific Coal road,
thirty-one miles in length, completed
last summer; the Seattle aud Walla
Walla Railroad, twenty-five miles Iin
length, also completed to the coal-6elds
last summer; also the Newcastle rod,
which has been in operation in conn c-
ton with steamboat line for about i've
years. This last line is about twenty
miles in length. The coal delivered in
bunkers on the Sound is worth four dol.
lars gold coin per ton. Coal outside of
Washington Territory is not abundant
on the Pacific coast. There is little
in Oregon, also in California, but it is
limited in quantity and inferior in quail
ity. We supply California, and especi-
ally the Central Pacific Railroad and
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
large quantities annually. Thus it will
be seen this industry is but in its in-
fancy; that it has grown to large pro-
portions within the last six years; that
it will soon equal in volume the lumber
trade, and afterwards become the lead
ing industry in Western Washington.
In this regard my Territory is the
Pennsylvania of the Pacific coast With
iron ore in the greatest abundance and
of superior quality, contiguous to the
coal-felds, and with forests such as can
not be found elsewhere on this CONT
nent, wealth, with rapidly increasing
population with all the elements of per-
manency, are assured.
l regret to say that I have not at
hand the data which would enable me
to speak with the accuracy I could de-
sire concerning the extent and present
value of the fishing interests of the Co.
lumbia river, ShoaLwater Bay, Pug Jet
Sound. But it is alreadya considera-
BILE interest, has steadily increased in
Voiune from year TO year since It's es-
and will continue to do so
until the supply of canned and sailed
salmon shall equal the demand.
The value of the canned and sailed
salmon of the Columbia and Puget
Sound put up the last year is estimated
at one million and quarter gold coir.
About one half of this ought to be cred
tied to the territory, the other halt to
Oregon. The oyster beds of Shoal-w.t-
er Bay yield their owners over $780,
900 annually. Oysters and CLANS ire
abundant on the Sound, but as yet but
limited quantity has been exported
/ have now stated the natural re-
sources, with the extent of their present
developement which peculiarly belong
to the western portion of the Territory.
'Nh srsv L. IL