, 1883-02-15


The great bulk of her coal export Of
2lO,5j6 tons, valued at S1l3,l4I, is
shipped to San Francisco.
Leaving Victoria on the 29th inst,
via Puget Sound. Twas surprised at
the growth of the towns along the
route since my northward journey,
six months ago, Port Townsend has
just completed large saw mill, and
company Of cGpitalists--the Puget
Sound Iron Company having pur-
chased the near iron mines, and the
iron island of Texada, British Co
lumbia, are erecting quite extensive
smelling works at Irondale, within
sight across the harbor. No less
than 400 vessels, with an aggregate
capacity of 25O,OOO tons, laden with
exports OF lumber, coal, wheat and
other home products, valued at ST.
435, l5,cleared from this modest little
port during the year 1882. The great
lumber manufacturing establish
ments of the Sound were found run,
ming up to their full capacity Of about
100000 feet every twenty four hours
to supply the enormous demand.
SEATTLE
continues to hold the foremost posi-
tion among the places struggling to
become the commercial center Of the
northwest coast. During the year
she has added 1900 to her population,
recorded 2l99 deeds of real estate
valued at 81, 100000, built $50 residen
ces, 80 business houses and public
buildings, churches, mills and facto-
ries, at an outlay of $l0OO,0OO, and is
now erecting a magnificent public
school cditice at cost Of $50, ,OOO and
a palatial hotel, the Occidental, upon
which $l4O,OOO will be expended. Her
marine numbers not less than 50 yes
sells, and her coal expectations alone
amounted to l5l, AIS tons for the year
1882 The city now containing Il
population of 1000 people, has reach
ed the summit of the harbor sloping
hills, and is still extending it's limits
ambitiously toward the beautiful
shores of Lake Washington. Walk
ing over the three miles of rolling,
lightly timbered pine lands to the
lake, l found parties of men digging
and burning out the great stumps of
the forest trees, upon lots three quar-
ters of a mile from the city front,
which they said We're selling at from
$3.50 to $1,000 each. A railroad is in
course of construction from Seattle
southwark to Tacoma, and another
projected northward, skirting the
eastern shores of the Sound, through
the rich and rapidly developing Sno-
homish, Stilaguamish, Skagit, What
com and Nooksack country, crossing
the Fraser river at New Westminster,
b. G., and connecting with the Cana
dian Pacific railway at Port Moody,
Burrard Inlet, six miles beyond.
She also expects to become the Pa
citic terminus of the Oregon Short
Line, and the principal shipping port
Of the great country east Of the Cas-
cade mountains.
NEW TACOMA
Is keeping well abreast Of her north
ern rival, and through the combined
advantages Of her commanding com
mercial position, and the certain util-
ization of her great resources of coal,
lumber, lime and agriculture has good
grounds for expecting to always rank
among the principal cities of the coast.
Within the last twelve months this
rapidly rising city has expended $780,
00Oin car shops, coal bunkers, wharves
and warehouses: $l25,000 in $50 resi-
dences; $4,000 in "a stores: $4,000
in churches; $4,000 in banking
houses and printing offices; $l5,00O
in hotels; $4,000 in court house;
$4,000 in a furniture factory;
$1,000 in sawmill improvements, and
$1,000 in sidewalks--a total of near
ly a round million Of dollars. Her
coal mines are producing about G,O00
tons month, and the little valley of
Puyallup close at hand, is a perfect
hop bonanza, producing over $780,
900 worth the last year. During my
recent travels in British Columbia,
met an old man nearly seventy years
of age, who told me that he cleared
about $4,000 this year from his little
hop yard in this valley, doing all his
own work except picking. Whatever
may be the future of Tacoma's pros
perity, nothing can ever rob her of
the matchless glory of her mountain
view. Looking at the snow crowned
summit of mount Rainier, through q
good glass on the bright cold morn
ing OF the Sd inst, cloud of vapor
,rns snnn risintr from IL Soon after [