Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-11-18

Hops are dollar a pound in this mar
ket. and are quoted at $l.15 in the New
York market, with an upward tendency
in price. A Chinese labOrer walked into
a commission store the other day and
drew out seven thousand dollars in q
lump. The proceeds of his hop crop on
few acres this year. An American
farmer in one of the interior valleys
sold his hop crop the other day for $4O,
600; he had had that number of pounds.
Oar hop men have "struck it rich" this
year, according to a current phrase.
Some of the rich warm valleys will pro-
duce hops to perfection, But there ID a
great deal Of hard labor in the business.
In Washington Territory and some
parts Of Oregon, Indians are employed.
They earn great deal of money at the
business of picking hops, and game
most of it away. They are cheap labor
ers, however, and quite as satisfactory
az Chinese, who prefer to grow hops for
themselves rather than pick them for
others. II is not at all likely that the
present prices will be maintained. If
half the present prices be realized, one
year with another, on the hop crop, it
would be one the most lucrative of
products in this State. The tide sets in
favor of hops.
The lumbermen have been coming
money on this coast. This is true of the
lumber interests from Monterey Bay to
Puget Sound. Il has been true with
some qualifications for about three years.
The present year has been remark
ably prosperous one for the lumbermen.
The prevailing rates have been from
three to four dollars per thousand feet
above the price which prevailed during
the late depression. Besides the advance
in price there has BEEN the great advan-
tage Of quick sales. No waiting for pur-
chasers. Cargoes have been sold to Ar
rive, and others as soon "a they came
into port. No hunting for purchasers.
There Is great deal Of money in the
country, and great deal Of building is
going on in the interior. The export de-
mand has also been greatly Quickened.
IL looks as though the demand would
not fall OF for some time to come. The
next season promises to be a good one
for the lumber interests. The tide Is in
for the lumbermen.
Just now the whalers arc coming into
port from tho Arctic. The tenor of the
news, 50 far as it has been received, il
favorable. The steam whaler which was
built here and sent into the Arctic early
in the season, will probably return full
that is, with cargo of oil and bone
worth nearly as much as the cost of the
vessel. One whaler, sailing vessel
owned in this port, "a little old square
rigRer," returned the other day full Of
oil and bona, the cargo being worth ter
times a. much as the vessel. 1t Ia trut
that there are great hazards in the bust
ness, and one steam Whaler has beer
crushed in tho ice. But the feet vii
como down from the Arctic with I
pretty good repOrt-at least that 10 tn
prospect nov.
In looking over the whole field of in
dustries, it 10 hard TO find any promi
nent interests which are seen in q Ian
gushing condition. Here and ther,
crops fail on account Of the drouth. 1
ship nov and then has been crushed b,
the ice or lost in . gale. But the it'd
this year he's set in favor of nearly ri
legitimate pursuits on the Pacific coast
Is. +. Bnlixsin.