Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-08-23
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fairfield Ledger. JuIv al

ID the afternoon Of June 18Th va
took North Pacific train for T.eo.
ma, Seztlle and the country Of Puget
sound, Our route bears dowa he
" hiamette river 20 KAisma. rs junc.
t'on with the Columbia. and through
some excellent farming country
Some magnificent berries and cher
res are shown IS products of the
country. and they are cheaDer and
OF nner flavor than any We have vet
seen. There are no bridges across
the Columbia, and at Kalsma our en-
tire train OF l3 cars, with two engines
1 run onto one of the largest ferry
boats in the world for transfer across
the stream and there is We, room 10
spare on the huge craft.
Soon after crossing the river We
are IN the midst of heavy growths Of
timber, about which we learn more
10 the day or two succeeding. Very
little OF the land is fit for agriculture
even when il IS cleared of the huge
stumps, q work which of itself
would pay for farm Ia Iowa. Here
and there are small openings or parks
IN the great forests, and through one
OF these we catch our FIRST glimpse of
hi Rainier, that greatest of the great
mountains Of the Cascade range. Its
elevation is Il, 900 feet, and its peak
Is continually covered with masses of
snow and ice. A most interesting
story was told US of its glaciers, and
the ascent OF the mountain, by Mr..
Tyler, manager of the Tacoma Hotel.
and It was that gentleman. we under
stand, who furnished much of the
material for the readable magazine
articles recently written about Mt
Rainier, OF. as the Tacoma people
want it called, Mt. Tacoma.
We arrive at Tacoma late in the
evening, and without seeing anything
of the town are hurried aboard q
steamer sent to meet us, and taken
that night up Puget Sound to Seattle,
the largest town in Washington Ter.
ritory. 1t is long past midnight
when We cast anchor in the hsrbor,
but the entire city is illuminated in
our honor, and under the direction
OF the committee which met US half
way in our journey we are escorted
to various hotels and laid away for
the night. When morning comes a
bOuntiful breakfast is provided, and
we are then given carriages to spend
an hour or more In riding about the
town. Seattle, however, lacks drives
more than any one thing else. She is
the largest city in the Territory, hav
ing 10, 900 to $4,000 people, has the
best harbor on the Sound, the most
hospitable people in the world, but
her hills almost prohibit the use of
wheeled vehicles. The harbor, too,
is a scene of unusual hustle and activ.
ity. Vessels of all sizes and from
almost every country on earth lie at
anchor Coal is taken from the huge
bunkers here to Australia, China,
Mexico and South America, and
vessels from all over the world come
here for their masts and spars. Iron
and other minerals are found in King
county, and fruits of all the kinds
common TO the temperate zone can
be grown, while barley, oats and
other grains and vegetables of all
kinds flourish. The climate is mild,
the extremes of heat and cold being
very slight, and very healthful. We,
as did many others of our party, fell
i'll love with Seattle and her people,
and only regret that we can say so
little about her and her vast resources.
One of the most unique entertain
menis given the party on its entire
journey we thank the people of
Seattle for. After they had done all
for US almost that could be done In
their beautiful city, we were escorted
To one of the wharves, boarded two
steamers that had been provided for
US and started for Port Blakely,
across the Sound Here we were
given an opportunity to visit the
large saw mills or the shipyards, or
wander along the beach or through
the beautiful groves as suited our
pleasure. When dinner time came
se were treated to the luxuries of a !
genuine seashore clam bake, such as
our Maine and Connecticut people In
Iowa have so often told US about. In
a huge hole in the beach so bushels
Of CLANS had been cooked by the
heated stones, and smothered with
seawood had retained all their delic- |
iOus flavor. Huge kettles of chow |
der stood near by, aud the aroma of |
hot coffee was pleasing to ones
nostrils. With these newer dainties,
and sandwiches, bread, butter and
various beverages, we made a meal |
which was q fit feast for the gods. |
The clans which we ate were small,
but this species Of shell fish grows to
the prodigious weight of 40 pounds
on the Sound. and many specimens
were showed US which weighed 5 OF
8 pounds, aud when protruded from
the shell looked like huge beef |
tongues. These shelltish are said to
nave finer flavor than those Of the
Atlantic, and while we were on the |
Sound the fish Commissioner of
Massachusetts, was loading car with
CLANS 10 be taken to that State for |
seed The oysters are not so fine. |
We ate some at Portland, They are
scarcely larger than ones thumbnail,
aud have a very coppery flavor.
The natives acknowledge TO liking
them in the raw state, but we doubt
it; stewed they are not a bGd dish.
When dinner was finished we boarded
the steamer, and bid sad farewell TO
the hospitable people Of Seattle who
had done 90 much for US. Our voy-
age on the Sound to Tacoma was
rather an uneventful one. although
we were all the time in the midst Of
the most beautiful scenery-por-
poises and other large fish were seen
near the vessel, and 3 seal occasion
ally hohh..d N >, for onr entertainments