, 1880-10-22
PUGET SOUND ARGUS.
LETTER FROM ciAtAM.

~ is one of the small tributaries to
the natural, wealth CT Jefferson
county, it ought to be represented
occasionally in your paper; and as ]
am one Of the few vino have. its in
terests at heart, Ewill advise you OF
what is going on. We don't pre-
tend TO be a literary class, yet once
in q while some uncultivated cus'
may want 10 tell what he thinks, and
often you may end a few items OF
common sense which you can eplarg'
on and perhaps benefit this long for
saken country by so doing. H|
The Immigrant Association OF Port
Townsend las given very lucid
description Of this part of the terri
tory, yet Where are many things.
which, neglected which ought 70
be explained Clalam county, By,
its geographical position, is almost
out Of the way Of the casusl visitor
Of Puget Sound, andralmost isolated
from the more Aourisbing counties,
the reasons for which Twill endeavor
to explain in this article.
The first drawback dated from '63,
when Victor Smith, for reasons best
known to himself and others who
are now living Washington, made
grand reserve for the government
of all the water front except atown
site (which was sold in lots and have
long since been absorbed by taxes
in this harbor, which is acknowl-
edged by all who have seen tito b'
the best harbor north of San Fran
cisco, and only so miles from Cap'
Flattery. Saw mills and other in
dustries would have been hero long
ago if that red mark of the govern
ment was removed. N.5y'
Next in order is that fraud o
Neeah Bay, BY the Indian Depart
ment which l3cks up over 20 miles
Of coast line including a good har-
Dor. with over 1000 acres of good
agricultural land, for no other pur,
pose than to isolate the Indian from
that civilization which they pretend
to spend millions Of dollars Of the
peoples money to advance, yearly.
Neeah Bay, by right, belongs to
commerce, and this county ought to
secure some benefits from los .agri.
cultural wealth and tho wealth Of its
adjacent waters where the product
is immense if properly conducted,
and belongs by right to ali industri.
GUS citizens who may wish 10 devsli
up II. Il would, il frse from the
obstructions Of the Indian depart,
ment, be foprishing town of hardy
fishermen and their families, and
would eventually absorb all the ia
dustrious Indians and make them
self-sustaining. b. &. Z :.
1t appears the pclicy Of the Indian
department and their agents TO keep
the Indians forever from all the in.
fiuences Of civilization and chances
Of improvement, only as they may
dictate. We viii give their agents
full credit for their able reports
about bad white men and their in
fuence on tbs Indian, yet we must
protest against all white men being
considered bad as they invariably
are in these reports. II some Of
their reports could be published and
read by the people living near the
reservation some of the agents
would be treated to a cheap suit of
tar and feathers, II nothing worse.
There arc serious drawbacks to
the future welfare Of this. county.
The greater portion OF it is under
jurisdiction Of designing men who
care no more for the county or its
welfare than our cousins Of Victoria.
White men are tabooed from putting
a foot on the soil for over thirty
miles OF coast line without permis.
sion Of the government or an Indian
agent; and, according to the recent
decision of JndOe Graana