, 1883-05-17
PUGET SOUND ARGUS.
ALLEN WEIR, Editorand Proprietor
THURSDAY. MAY II, 1883.
Editorial Pickings,

Drizzlc, drizzlc California far
Iucrs are not 50 much afraid ot
drought and famine now as they were
six weeks ago. On the contrary there
i talk about Il second flood. Ou
trip was not rendered particularly
pleasant by strong head winds aIlthc
way, that seemed to pile up great
waves especially to give the good
ship Oregon the fun of climbing over
them. AT Portland we found bust
Less running in even grooves. lndlca-
tive of general prosperity. The n
=. r. II. Co. is making vast improve
mcnts just below, and by the time
its new hotel is completed there will
be a large amount of money put in cir
cuiation, to say nothing about the
improved facilities for the travelling
public. Our steamship leaves so soon
that we have not time for extended
observation. We wait short time
at Astoria to take on board a large
lot of canned salmon. Astoria's
"great expectations" in connection
with railroad prospects have not been
diminished within the past few
months. Indeed, if the "best laid
plans ofmice and men" do not "gang
aft aglee" in this case. Astoria will
add materially to her proportions and
Importance within the next few years.
Over the bar, out upon the bound
ing billow. The usual experience
an alarming scarcity of passengers at
meal time; decks almost deserted. A
great fat fellow comes numbering out
OF the cabin, trying to look as if moth
ing had happened; his most frantic
efforts, however, produce nothing
worry different from the small boys ex
ptession of countenance after his first
cigar. AS we enter the Golden Gate
Saturday afternoon, however, every
body gets out on deck, and you have
great difficulty in finding anyone that
has been sick at all.
San Francisco is dismally light
ed city at night. It's streets look
quite forbidding in many places, sug-
gestive Of sandbag robberies and sue
cessful escapes from the vigilant po,
lice. We enquire about this matter
and find that the city is so badly in
debt that the expense for street light
ing has been cut of, It seems like
rather poor economy. Better abolish
some expense more easily dispensed
with and keep the lights. There is
an element in every city, especially
numerous here, bent upon reform of
some kind. According to their news
papers (the Truth, for instance) the
country generally is on therapid road
to the "demnition bow vows" Wheth-
er San Francisco's present govern
ment will succeed in bringing
about more satisfactory state of af-
fairs than formerly existed, or not,
has hardly been made apparent, as
yet.
Senator Edmunds, the Vermont
statesman, is at the Palace, but de-
clines to be interviewed by newspa-
per men, so we must be content with
an occasional glimpse at his com
manding figure. We hear frequent
comments upon recent funeral of the
late Hon. III. A. Webster, which was
largely attended-especially by mem
bers of the Pioneers.
Most of the immigration passing
through here is bound northward-
to Puget Sound and British Colum-
bia. Much has been written about
the latter, and in connection with the
Canadian Pacific railway, the public
has been kept pretty well posted as
to its advantages. A monthly publ
cation, just started in Victoria, called
the Resources Of British Columbia,
promises an effective career. As to
Puget Sound, very little is known ex-
cept that it is somewhere near a city
called Seattle. A few, of course, have
heard that there is such a place as
Tacoma. Printers ink is the all po-
tent factor that has accomplished
this wonderful result The Immi,
. n