Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-09-01

the P0ST-lNTEllIcENcER PUB. CO.
Seattle. June 10. 1883.
vAsHON ISLAND.
Ies History. Location. Charactertslics.
Productions. Eic.-How IL Il Settling
10 p-New Roads and New Enterprises
Tacoma News.
Vaston Island was named for an En-
glish navy captain who never saw
Americi I, 30 far IA we know, and who
never did aught for which Americans
should imrn0rtalize him. Was he one
Of those foreigners to whom England
gave commissions in her navy and army
at a time when she had no Sons capable
Of occupying snch places? Were Rainier,
Vancouv.r, Vashon and others of thar
cinssf This island is thirteen miIes
long, BY one and half to four and a
half miles wide, containing, together
With Maury Island, with which il is con-
nected by an istlmus, about twenty one
thousand acre3. IL lies wholly in King
County, but its central point ia equi-dis-
tant from Seattle and New Tacoma. Ii
contains two sivulets, two lakes and a
good III tny creeks. Its soil consists of
all grades, from aliuyiM creek bottsms
70 rocky and gravelsy ridges, producing
grasses In abundance on the former
and clover on much of the latter
Some prtions of IL are barren aud
worthless, but the greater part of it is
we'll adapted to the growth Of orchards
and the clovers.
A large part of the surface OF the ial-
and was, many years ago. burned over
BY fire so intense as to destroy the
heavy growth Of fr, cedar and hsmlOck
timber which covered IL. From the
southern end Of the island in township
e north, rapge2 east. section 35, and
Parts of sections Sc, "a, %, rs, rs, IA, IL,
u, and 2, are almost entirely denuded
Of the original growths, aud covered
sithsr with impenetrable fir thickets or
boae eand and gravel, according to the
epGxns and extent OF more recent fires.
klao In township % north, ranges 2 and
0eaat. fractional sections 35 and 81, aud
sections 81 and 36 (both school sections
sxoept 10 acres) the timber is almost
entire!y gone, as IL is also in portions of
sos sections adjoining both north and
south. here are other considerable
tEacts on which tho timber IL killed and
1e land comparatively easily cleared.
The shores of the island are mostly
bold, in some places very steep, but at
the mouths OF the streams low, and
usually, over limited area, very fertile.
The surface of most OF the land Ia high,
averaging perhaps nearly 300 feet. Good
landing places, at whic1 our average
6oundateamers can approach the beach
within 100 yards at low water, and from
which practicable roads to the interior
can be constructed, are not numerous.
Generally the beach slopes out long
distance, and the bluffs are too high and
too steep at the Immediate point to
make a landing practicable. One
natural landing place, to which the
water is deep within less than a hun
dred yards, and the land slopes very
gradually for mile back, and to which
county road is to DO viewed within a
few days. Is owned by non-residents,
Who bold il merely as q speculation,
thereby keeping the settlers, who are
struggling against heavy odds for
home, ont Of their Just rights and dues.
wish these gentlemen could hear some
Of the compliments paid them some
ttmes-they might see visions and dream
dreams. At any rate they would realize
that standing in the way Of the needs
Of community is not looked upon gen.
orally ~ Christian act.
Another landing place, to which deep
water approaches within the before
laentioned distance, but to which the
hnd comes more abruptly, and to
Whioh also o county road is to be
viewed soon, Ia in sections - and 81,
oovnship q north, range 5 east. Near
this point Messrs. Herriott and Lives
~ are manufacturing very superior
esiok. There ID probably no clay on
eoshores Of the Sound superior TO that
mad on this ialAnd, and n. and l.. are
nylnG the foundations for an extensive
end lucrative buaineos.
4 half mile north Of this brick yard
samo Phinney has q logging camp,
Employing from twelve to twenty meu
end twelve oxen, which will this year
enish quitting about the last OF the
osoilAole timber on the east aide Of the
and. The steamer Zephyr nov iands
3 hts doat three times week regularly
tof toe oonvonicnce OF tns camp ana
n eseelsfs Reneraiiy:
On the west side OF the is!and there
afe NOS yes many setuets' ana eeuesa,Iy
@e land. exoeps near the mouths o. sne
sHie oreexs. . more gIsses!y ana -
antanR 20 nome-makes snAn - soe
etn e1ore. Inere ~ n0weveI,
nS camp on tnas sue % tns mouse
Nossn risuict, anu lev oaA,n4 ot
s1 Mno. nnouio snc sestieInens now
ssnG IN hitsap county concoustase
~ Senness Interests as tne mouth OK
u 49, ofeek. sseamen VIZ run roRuiaIly
s polnt' ana 10 MAKE ircquSnt ano
- Ssmmunication Tor the innaolsants
-. 49, saosee OF Cotvos TAssaGe: An
sssot road VIII oe extended IRON
ss susef OF section !, townsn'p =
, range east. westward ana soutn-
,.,,s. 'lso section =, ana dowa . % StSex
..sy 20 q landing. opPosite Olales
sssi..ton tns wi ,h gave I'VE the 1sd nrS So s