, 1880-04-01
jefferson County

JeIIcrSOu COuuty
This county occupies u long. narrow strip.
ItjNn, rhc southern and eastern bound
aries ot CIallaM and extends from the
Pacific ocean to Puget Sound. 1t n1as-
ures about 81 miles east aud west aud
abont 20 miles .orth and sourh-equal to
1880 square miles-and has Il population
of about $500. About one-tour:h OF its
surface Is occupied by tile Olympic Range
oil Mountains and .leir foot hills, which
extend diagonally across 1t from SE. to
NV. practically dividing the county, 10y
reason OF their great highth and impassable
nature. into two isolated parts. The main
peak. oi these lnon tains are from 1000
100000 feet high aud never bare OF snow.
Upon their
EASTERN SLOPE,
near the Borders of the Sound and upon
the creek bottoms, all settlement In the
c,.luty are,at present confined. From the
Sun,ait TO the waters Of the Sound the
di-t.Gcc varies from about ten to forty
mics. awing 80 the large bays that ildent
The shores. The eastern slope. consisting
orioolhilis, mp lands, creek bottoms and
small valleys, il not an extensive agricnl-
tNrhl country, although what agricultural
land there Is Is OF the very best quality and
very productive.
the creek bottoms. valleys and marsh
lands are thought by settlers TO be the
hes b.cluSe richer soil and more easily
brought undtr cultivation. and are conse-
qlently the first sought after aud first set
tied. These bottoms and valleys however,
ARE all small. aWl marsh laadS are found
ouly IN small bodies or patches here and
thrrc Nearly every claim taken is COM
posed partly of upland aud partly Of marsh
or bottom because of The scarcity OF the
litter. The general face Of the country
between the foothills and the Sound Ia u
broken or rolling heavily tmbcred up
lani valleys, marshes, and creek bottoms
being the exception.
cOlIs'
The soil Ofthe nplanhs varies from sand
and gravel ridges. which arc considered
worthless. to clay loan benches which 1t
Is believed will prove to be good agricul-
tiral lands. especially for small grain,
fvuit and pasture. The uplands have not.
however. been thoroughly tested yet, and
probably will not be until all OF the bot
toms, valleys and marshes have been. taken;
but as far rs tried the results have been
favorable. Many are Of the opinion that
upland for general farming will be pre-
terred to lowland, for the reason that crops
in the latter are sometimes delayed in
planting or drowned out by the late rains,
while those on the former thrive luxliri-
anlly and obtain such rank growth that
an unusually dry summer would not ma
terially affect them and they mature
earlier.
The principal streams in this county
emptying into the Sound are: the Port
Discovery creek, Chimacum creek, Little
Qullcine river, Big Qulicine river, Doce-
vallops rivers, Dokaboos river and Hama
hanna creek.
PoKT DISCOVERY cREEK
empEies into Port Discovery Bay, about
ten miles from the city Of Port Townsend,
and Ia about six miles long. Near Its
mouth are few salt marsh claims which
have all been raken. The creek has two
main branches, one leading towards Quill
cine Bay; through a valley OF about
quarter of mile wide, to lake Hooker;
the other directly into the hills. There
are now only tour settlers above the
mouth of the creek, all OF whom are In the
vicinity Of the lake. They are natives OF
Muine and Illinois, and three have families.
They settled here two years ago and yet
have no school or church privileges. A
county road has been surveyed and partly
opened, leading from Port Discovery