Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-06-24
AMONG THE ISLANDS OF PUGET
SOUND.

The following interesting article is taken
from advance sheets of the forthcoming
work, "Oregon and Washington" by
Newton FL. Chittenden:
The San Juan group of islands, some
thirty in number, composing the county
of San Juan, w. T., contain an aggregate
area of about $50 square miles. They
are situated between the waters of the
Gulf of Georgia ard the Straits OF Juan
de Fuca, the island of Vancouver, British
Columbia and Whatcom county, WASH
ington Territory. They have an average
elevation of about $50 feet, not including
Mount Dallas. of San Juan, with an alti>
,ude of 1880 feet, and Mount Constltu-
tion, which rises $500 feet a5ove the sea
level from the island of Orcas. A thick
growth of fir, cedar and spruce covers
their surface, extending down to the bluff
and rocky shores. Though better adapt
ed to grazing than agriculture, they COM
prise considerable areas IF good farming
lands. The soil of the uplands is gener-
ally light sandy or gravelly loan, peat
and black loan, with clayey upsoil pre-
vailing on the bottoms. All the cereals
and roots commonly grown in the terri
tory west of the Cascade range flourish
finely. Apples, plums, cherries, straw
berries, and other small fruits of excel
lent quality are raised in abundance. The
climate is moist, mild, equable and health
iul; the summers too cool Tor corn, toma-
toes, melons, peaches and grapes, though
the former are grown in few sheltered
warm places. Water of good quality is
obtained everywhere. The forests abound
with deer, otter and mink, and the sur
rounding waters with salmon, halibut.
and other excellent fish. There arc no
beasts of prey or poisonous reptiles, and
but few mosquitoes. Of these islands are
settled San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Blakely,
Decatur, Waldron, Shaw's, Stewart, Spei-
den, Guemes and Fidalgo, with a popu-
lation of $50 people. of many national
itics, chiefly Americans, English, Canadians,
Irish and Scandiuavians. A few Indians
still inhabit these shores, but are peacea-
bly, inclined. An examination of the
county records, through the kindness of
Judge Sherer, the county auditor, shows
AZ, ,s96 acres of improved lands, property
assessed at $1s1,162, including 10000
sheep, 5000 head of horned cattle and
1000 head Of horses. Those portions
best suited to agriculture, are already oc-
cupied, though much available timber
land is still open to settlement under
homestead and pre- emption laws. I'm
proved farms are valued at from $5 to
$40 an acre. San Jaun island. the
largest OF the group, and containing
about half the population of the county,
is about 13 miles long, with an average
width of four miles. 1t became famous
in history from its joint occupation by
the American and English forces, from
1858 to 1878, during the pendency of the
San Juan boundary dispute. The princl-
pal buildings Of both American and Brit
ish camps are still stan,ling, the former on
the northeast and the latter on the south-
west shore. Sheep raising, mixed farms
ing, and the manufacture of lime are the
chief industries of the people. 1t sup
ports 5000 sheep. in pretty good condi-
ton, throughout the year, without feed
ing, except in severe seasons The aver
age wool clip is about three pounds each.
The limestone deposits are among the
most extensive and purest in the world.