National Republican., 1883-06-19
THE FAR NORTHWEST.
The Scenery About Puget SOund-SOme Ex'
Cellent Farm Lands.
Rich Mines and ImPcnetrablo Forests
The Terminus OF the. North Pacific.
Snccinl Lencr.

cDcctdt iscWCT.
PUGET SOUND, June 3.-Betweon the Olym-
pia mountains and the Cascade range is q
valley, the depression Of which is very great,
and into which depression the waters Of the
Pacific reach, being connected by the Straits
of Fuca. Puget sound has shore line Of 1,S00
miles, so numerous and extensive are the in
dentations, arms, inlets, channels, and harbors.
1t is more like a great river than an inland
sea, protected by high, bold Shores and that
surmounted by tall forests of fir, and but
short distance from the mountains on either
side. IL is seldom very much agtated, yet
occasionally, when the wind is in the right
direction, severe storm occurs. Usually
the waters arc as smooth as those OF the Ohio,
Potomac, or Hudson. And while the largest
vessels Of the world como here for coal and
lumber, taking the latter to every portion of
the globe where timber is needed, yet the great
majority of permanent vessels arc small
stern wheel steamboats, that navigate IL with
perfect safety, going from one end of the
sound to the other and ascending the numer-
Gus small rivers that flow into the sound.
Booms or RATS Of logs are towed by these
small boats from distant points on the sound
to the various saw mile Ships are towed,
but usually by more powerful tugs and cities
are connected by them carrying passengers
and freight. There are many fno side wheel
steamers plying between Victoria, b. c., and
Uls
and other towns.
The Indian families arc migratory, travers-
ing the entire sound with frail canoes, their
entire household with them, going to the
hop yards at picking time, to the rivers in
fishing season, and to the logging camps when
their labor is in demand, traversing the
sound from the Puyallup river TO British Co.
lumbia.
There are so many fine harbors bays, and
lea shores that any steamboat can, in case
storm arises, reach q harbor in twenty min
utes.
Throughout the sound tho shores are densely
lined with timber of greater or less value.
Close by the shore IL is of less value than ut
short distance inland, as much of tho finest
timber there has been taken away, but yet
scarce showing has been made in the way of
clearing
In the northern portion, east of Vancouver
island, which projects more than degree
south of the 49th parallel, is the archipelago,
comprising Island and San Juan counties
The passages among these islands are very
picturesque, the scenery is constantly varied;
now bold projecting rock, out of whose per-
pendicular sides few cedars are trying to
secure q foothold, and anon We see a grassy
slope with numerous sheep grazing thereon;
while next may be low, barren island of
rock and sand, followed by an irregular
mountain mass with dense fir forests.
These islands are occupied as pastures for
sheep, while q few of them are excellent agri-
cultural lands, raising potatoes, FOOT crops,
hay, &c. Lime of excellent quality is mado
on San Juan and 0rcss islands. None of them
are very densely populated, nor are they cal
culated to contain large population, but
rather by pastoral and fishing pursuits they
may support a limited number Of families.
The large island called Whidby's, on tho
contrary, is an excellent agricultural country,
level or slightly rolling partly prairie, quite
fertile and well peopled.
The principal occupation on the sound is
milling and logging Several very large mills
of great capacity and employing u large force
of men, are constantly employed, while nu-
merous ships are loading lumber for South
America, Sandwich Islands, China, Japan,
and American ports. This gives employment
to other industries, large numbers of men be-
ing required to cut and haul these logs form
them into RATS, manage the steamboats, that
do the towing, and the ships that carry this
lumber. These men must all be fed, and there
are not q tenth part of the farmers there
should be to furnish them provisions, hence
large quantities must be imported from Cali
forna.
The coal mines arc of great extent and a
fleet of vessels are now at the "bunkers,"
where the cars deposit the coal in chutes from
which it falls into the hold OF the vessels.
Fish are abundant in all these waters, yet
they are not utilized as food to the extent
they should be. The salmon canneries will
require separate letter.
Iron, in unlimited quantities, in mountain
masses, within half mile of great coal de-
posts, has been lately discovered, while at
Port Townsend the rolling mills and iron
works are being enlarged and new works con-
structed.
1t is matter of considerable speculation
where tho terminus of the Northern Pacific
railway will be on the sound.
IacOma is now the terminus Seattle eX-
poets soon to be, and is now having boom"
of the largest kind on its prospective termi-
nus.
Anacartes, a printing office and two houses
on lonely island, has every confidence in be-
ing tho terminus, with also connections with
the Canada Pacific road.
Whatcom, on Bellingham bay, is attracting
very great attention. and naturally expects
to be the terminus, but think they are all
wrong, MS the terminus will be New York
city. The Canadian Pacific, North, Central,
aud South Pacific will all be connected by
a shore line reaching all these points,
forming belt, completing the circuit, and
ending in New York city.
Each steamer arriving from San Francisco
brings from 600 to 200 people, making nearly
1900 week as many more come by over
land, and all so far seem to be satisfied
There is work for all that want work, land
for all that seek farms, and timber for every
and mechanics are in constant demand.
The Indians are far in advance of the cast
ern tribes in many respects. They will all
work, and many of them are the best laborers
to be had
The North Pacific railway is doing great
work for this region, building roads through
distant points, building cities, giving employ
ment to an army of men, and making it pos
sible to settle up n region until now beyond
the reach of civilization What Washington
territory is and will be, and what it would be
without this railway is easily seen. Tho for
ests are impenetrable, the mountains ex-
tremely so, and the territory so extensive,
separated by high ranges of mountains, it
never could be settled without the aid of this
road In fact, it could not we'll have been
explored but for the numerous surveying par
ties kept in the field by this company, aud it
is hoped that by August the line will be com
pleted. j. =. b.
The Accumulation
of odd pants thrown on our bargain counter.
You can buy them at half price, Eiseman