, 1888-10-25
Views of an old Traveller.

lIOul luS peu VI d SeHGleLldu "BOSS
actual experience is all he claims for
it. 1t is majestic tribute to our
city,
PoRT TOWNSEND, W. T., Oct. 1S., 'SS.
There is no one better to ask for
information than one who knows
from experience. Experience in
travelling is grand teacher, and
such experience gives man knowl-
edge that he cannot gain by any
other means. However the public at
large may be benefited to a certain
extent by the experience of the prac
ticed eye of one individual. l am
wholly uninterested in this grand
peninsula, but having been request>
ed by many of the good people of
Port Townsend, W. T., to give my
opinion of the prospects of the city,
L haye been obliged to make these
remarks: q will first say that the
request has been made from the
knowledge that l have just arrived
here from tour of the world, hav-
ing visited every city of importance
in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia,
| North and South America and have
| bSCL y COL . Ou VIC L uS
geography of this city or the penin.
sula is well known to every person
in the Territory and by many in 9th
er parts of the United States, but
there are many who have no concep-
ton of what this Port Townsend is.
Situated as it is upon this neck of
land, jutting out from the Olympian
range of mountains, backed by many
fertile valleys, and crowned with ell
evations in which iron, copper, coal,
lead, tin and perhaps gold can be
found Upon either of Its shores can
be found depth of water for the
largest ship that has ever been
built or that will ever be built to
navigate any waters of the world;
combined with this is a perfect har-
Dor for the shipment of its products.
that has no equal in any seaport of
the world. There are many persons
that are acquainted with the harbors
of Naples, Treest, Alexandria, Rio
de Janeir, Bombay, Hong Kong, Yo-
kanama, Sydney. Melbourne, San
Francisco and New York, among
which there is not one that presents
the many advantages that Port
Townsend has, viz: 1st. Free from
all dangers except its two shores.
End. A sufficient depth of water, and
not too much-namely, from to IL
fathoms. 3rd. A point that can be
gained from sea whenever a wind is
blowing on shore that would endan-
ger ship. 4th. The entrance to the
port via. the Straits of Juan de Fuca
and Admiralty Inlet, sin all about
80 miles," without a single hidden
danger. 5th. There are no laws here
that are not in favor of shipping and
all charges are very moderate. 9th.
There are no trusts, and no
combinations that hamper the ship
owner with any heavy outlay. 7th.
The town site is splendidly located,
giving one of the best sewerage
systems in the world (when put in
force) 9Th. There is no malaria here,
and no swamps or sloughs to breed
malaria. 9Th. Fevers brought here
are the only onesthat the people ever
knew. (very few) 10th. The climate
is the most perfect of any place in
the world for the same latitude AS
degrees North), its max temperature
being so and its minim. 10 above.
Flowers bloom all through the wins
ter and grass remains green-a fea-
ture unknown to any point On the
face of the globe except this penin,
sula, ga distance of 40 miles from
here up the Sound making q great
difference in the climate
There is not another place in this
latitude that cannot get natursi ice
to store away for summer nse. Its
agriculture is luxuriant and the soil
gives large yields in cereals and sue
ulent vegetation. I will not name
the amount of yield per acre. Ut is
very, very large) I have the assur.
ance that I can depend upon the
statement, as the product is there to
be seen and tape line can soon tell
the number of acres. I will say,
however, that at no point within 500
miles OF any sea coast of the world
has such results been obtained as
can be shown on this, peninsula and
adjoining lands which are within 8
miles of Port Townsend wharyes; and
to conclude this article, | see but one
thing to prevent this very city from
becoming one of the greatest com-
mercial centers on the Pacific Coast
of North America. / hesitate to
name it for fear of hurting the feel
ings of some citizens. However, to
keep the thread of my article, 1 must
1t is selishness in few! And that
few are large property owners. Il
time that they opened their eyes /
the fact that il they give away 70
acres out OF 200 for the purpose of
manufactures; they are enhancing
the value of the remaining $50 acres
3 or fold. How can the people of
this or any other place expect growth
unless it comes from the outside?
How can the people improve the
property without manufactures?
Do the people expect that capital is
to come here and fetch with it the
plant for giving employment to
skilled labor and improve this part of
the world, without a grant Of land
from its property owners, when in
many other places, although not so
good, they can get property given
them! Cannot every intelligent man
see that the introduction of any In
dustry that will employ 500 men
makes this place richer by the least,
S250.000, to say nothing about the
increase Of property!
do not want to set my opinion up
as guiding star, but 1 speak from
experience, an experience of many
years that has been distributed over
every part of this commercial globe,
and any one that cares to profit by it
in this, the finest site for city on
the tace of the globe, ('even New
York and San Francisco cannot COM
pare'O give it and, believe me.
though disinterested, wish you all
the prosperity that you will allow
yourself to have, and may my child
rem say, in not many years to come