, 1883-10-11
Communicated.


FRIDAY, Oct. g, 1888.
DEAR ARGUs:-On the PROV of the
good ship Mountain Queen, having just
partaken of sumptuous repast, English
man-!ike, l feel good; and, while in a
good humor for Englishmen have bad
habit of growing pretty often) thought
it best to drop you line.
When l left you Thursday morning
last it was very dismal on the Sound
and beyond chat with Mr.. Jas. Epler,
about gas and water for the future king
City of tie Northwest there was moth
ing to record. / may say that in talking
on the water works question 1 informed
Mr.. Epler of the source of income to lie
derived from steamers filling their tanks,
Nc, and he seems favorabiy impressed
With the idea that large reservoir could
be built on the hill and water pumped
up from its base, which would supply
our requirements for few years, and
then go in for large speculation. With
gas and water our city will increase at a
still more rapid rate than during the last
year-wcnderful as that has been. L
promised to send Mr.. Epler a sample bot
tie from the base of the hill, and he will
have it tested so as to speak with full
confidence to the capitalists he repre-
sentS.
Spent pleasurable evening with my
brother David in Seattle. Saw our Dr.
Minor, who in SO short time has earned
good name in the Queen City," not
only within the pale of his profession
but as a gent eman of general business
although we are well aware
he was rot altogether unknown before he
removed from Port Townsend. One
thing that struck me most unfavorably
at Seattle was the abominable stencil
rising from the neighborhood of the
flats near the principal wharves; to say
that / was nearly knocked down by it is
no great eXaggeration. IL money is not
paid out speedily to remedy this, both
life and treasure must be laid down by
and by. OF course the changes taking
place are wonderful, and ON every visit
L am struck with some fine new build
ings of real architectural style and solidi-
ty of character. [ was informed that
many people, especially clerks, are un-
able to find employment just now, but
no doubt this will not long continue.
All l had time TO see IN New Tacoma
was Blackwells hotel-and then on by
the railroad along the pleasant and fer
tile Puyallup and Chehalis valleys which
are filing up quite rapidly. AtChehalis
l met Rev. L. Brouillette (Presbyterian)
WIZ. Will SOilS pFlUo pointed out the
neat little Presbyterian church now near
ing completion, and also the number of
new dwellings and other signs of pros
perity. l expected on reaching Kalama
we would be taken across the river "bag
and baggage" cars and 'puffer," to the
rail track on the other side, but it seems
that is not yet the order of the day; so
was pleasantly disappointed, ,for, although
1t may not be nice thing to cross the
Columbia bar, it Is pleasant to steam
along its picturesque shores, to gaze upon
Its majestic mountain scenes and watch
the progress of its thriving towns. As
sit here on the "fo-castle," a bracing
southeast breeze is blowing, causingsthe
blood to tingle thro' the veins of the
healthful, and sensation not unlike the
early spring tide feeling. Dark banks of
clouds float here and there across the
sky, through which CLEANS of sunshine
steal, striking upon the autumn attired
trees, clothing them in still more gor-
geous array. But sunset is coming; al
ready the glory is fading, the sky is "dark-
ling" and the beautiful city at present
the great Queen of the North and West
heaVes in sight. Good night. Yours,
BUSTLER.