Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-11-01

The following is specimen contri-
button of the average letter written
by strangers in these parts to news
papers 10 the East, and while there is
some truth in il it is at least one-half
false, particularly in those parts re-
lating to farming here, while the es-
innate Of 500. 900 feet per acre is too
crazy for further remark:
The real resources of the Sound
region are its wonderful wealth OF
timber, and the extensive deposits OF
coal just beginning to be developed
ia the foothills CT the Cascade range.
OF farming, as have said. one sees
almost nothing, and even if one takes
into account all the prairie and val
ley farms out of sight in the back
country beyond the forest walls, the
total product of agriculture falls far
short of the needs Of the lumber
camps and saw-mill villages. Future
generations may attempt the hercu-
lean task Of clearing the broad pia-
teaus, fronting upon the water OF
their dense growth, of mighty frs
and their masses OF fallen trunks for
the sake Of raising grain and potatos.
but that is matter which concerns
the next century rather than this.
For the present the Puget Sound farm
is a mere isolated notch in the woods
made by the lumberman, and its &C
cupant is content to till a few acres
among the stumps and to open q few
more for q cattle range by killing the
trees and underground with the help
OF fire. Lumbermen will tell you
that the best lumber is already cut
off the shores of the Sound. They
are like the cattle men in Montana
who want to monopolize the country
! for themselves and try to keep out
newcomers by tales Of the ranges
being overstocked. The lumber re-
sources of the Sound have scarcely
been scratched by 80 years of active
numbering operations. 1t is true that
the best trees COZ :enient to the water
have been cut of frtin large portion
of the shore line, but the loggers
here make no account of trees which
for thickness and height would be
thought first-rate in Michigan pi-
merry; nor have they begun to work
far back from the water. They have
merely culled the forest trunks from
the shore; and even on the water
front there are many thousands OF
acres OF untouched forest held in re-
serve by the mill owners, whose pol
icy it is to buy logs. keep their own
lands for future operations and as a
check on high prices. The value of
this magnificent timber field, which
sends spars to New York and Liver
pool and building material to Austria
Tia and Chill, can hardly be exagger-
ated. 1t may be necessary soon to
go farther back from the shores, and
better methods for transit for logs
must perhaps be adopted-here
would seem to be an opportunity for
utilizing the recent English invention
of steam truck laying its own rail
way track as it goes and picking it
up behind it but there is. land
enough, bearing from ESQ, 900 to 500,.
600 feet of first-rate lamber to the
acre, to supply the needs of the lnui-
bering operations of at least century
to come. As population increases
upon the Pacific Coast the market for
lumber will improve, and there will
be no lack of opportunity for capital
and enterprise to establish new mills
upon the Sound.