, 1883-08-30
Weekly Argus.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 50, 1883.
Gen. Sherman On Puget Sound,

At Seattle, Wednesday. General
Sherman was rendered 4 grand ova-
ton to which he responded in u
speech, from which the following is
taken:
Thirty-six years ago l remember
having ridden into the town of San
Francisco. 1t was a little place of
about 400 inhabitants, most of whom
We're Mexicans and Indians. l could
not get pound of oats to feed my
mule, and as TO getting him shod,
that was entirely out of the ques-
ton. You all know what San Fran
cisco Is to day, and the great change
goes to show what thirty six years of
American enterprise will accomplish.
American enterprise, just such as eX-
lists in Seattle today, has in tins short
space of time converted the little
town of thirty-six years ago into
live, bustling city of 250,OOO inhabi-
tants, where immense and powerful
engines and large steamships are
built by master mechanics. The
great Northern Pacific railroad Is
practically completed, and in a few
days the New World will be opened
TO the Northwest | have visited
Puget Sound on several previous oc-
c8sions. and have always believed
that on its shores a great commercial
city would spring up to rival San
Francisco. l have seen IN the past,
and l see now, no reason why that
city, should not be Seattle. l have
looked the ground over thoroughly,
hence am capable of judging. APP
plsuss True, you have as rivals
Victoria and Port Townsend on the
North and Tacoma and Olympia on
the South, but Seattle has long
start in the race, and in her citizens L
see men who will take care that she
keeps in the lead of all competitors.
*<* am traveller. Have been
across the continent several times,
and have passed back and forth by
every known route. The present IS
my second trip over the Northern
Pacific. We came as far as Spokane
Falls, and then crossed over to Fort
Hope on horseback, and travelled
over a considerable portion of Brit
ish Columbia. We. need not envy
England that country. We have the
beautiful Cascade range of noun
tains, which in clear weather, pre-
sents beautiful picture. Between
the Sound and the mountains is the
finest belt of timber land in the world.
Those forests, with stately pines
towering three hundred feet into the
the air, and as straight as an arrow,
are the greatest visible evidences of
wealth. And here let me state that
your people, and the Territorial Leg
islature, should use every possible eff
fort to protect those vast sources of
wealth from destruction by fire.
You also have country rich in min
erals. I don't place much impor-
tance on gold, but your coal, iron,
copper, lead and other minerals,
when developed will be worth untold
millions. Another thing have no
ticed, and that is your beautiful,
clear, sparkling water. When the
railroad is completed think I'll i'm
port my water to st. Louis from
Western Washington. Healthful
ness is another great item in your
favor. On my travels through the
Territory I have universally found
bright. healthy children, and vigor-
ous old men. You are certainly a
favored people, and have many
things to be thankful for. The rail
road is practically finished. and if the
people who arrive here settle down to
work and become citizens, ! don't know
but Washington will become state
before we reach home. Applause.
However, that is q matter that will
adjust itself in time. You are
American citizens In the fullest sense
OF the term, and any one OF you is
Just as free as President Arthur
The whole world feels an interest in
our nation, and the freedom that it
bestows upon all its citizens.
Gen. Sherman's opinions upon the
future prospects of Puget Sound are
worthy of careful perusal. He has
travelled much, and always had his
eyes open. He is shrewd reasoner,
and tsrsely expresses his views. As
to the rivalry existing between diff
ferent points on the Sound, there
seems to be as much speculative
talk as there was ten years ago.
The General justly felt honored at
the ovation rendered him by Seattle,
and naturally wanted to speak as
good word for that place as pos
sible. Had he been given a worthy
reception here, as should have been
gotten up, his remarks would doubt
less have been complimentary of
our many advantages.