Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-10-18
ESPECIAL coRnEsPoNpxNcr.l

ScoheEy- ana business OPP
portunities.
ESPECIAL coRREsPoNDENcK.l
PoRT TOWNSEND. Wash. Ter Oct. 10, 1888.
For many centuries the Strait OF Gibraltar
was the western boundary OF the old world.
All eyes turned to the East. Every dream
OF empire. every thought Of power. every
OF glory or OF fame shaped its way to the
| Orient. The gold and precious stones OF
India were in the East, the learning OF
Arabia and the mysteries OF Egypt were I'm
the East. Eastward the crusaders swarmed
| TO take the Holy City, and even Columbus
was seeking the East when he discovered
the West. and turned the finger OF destiny
to the Occident.
For four hundred years now the sweep OF
! progress has been 10 the West. In the
Western world has grown up the greatest
nation In the worlds history, and there
seem no bounds to the possibilities OF the
future. So long as the natural increase OF
the earth exceeds the decrease so long will
the steady current from the East to the
West continue; the old world will continue
to pour its surplus into the new and the
East into the West. seeking equilibrium.
| The Atlantic region will become dense with
| people. the Mississippi Valley will be filed,
and the Pacific coast grow rich and popu-
lons. Here and there great trade centers
! will adjust themselves in an evenly bal
anced continent. Near the point where the
Strait OF Fuca merges into that superb
| stretch OF sea water known as Puget Sound,
nature has marked the site for city. where
| one as large as New York can stand.
| Port Townsend already has place on the
map and q recognition among men and in
trade circles. Nowhere do coming events
cast their shadows before in clearer outline
| than In this little city Of the Strait and
| Sound. These are some Of its advantages:
1t is the first American mainland touch
ing point by water with Alaska. Australia,
T.. H.. l.. -
hand it is the last house of call FOR out going
traffic. and whether it is the flow Of growth
coming in or the ebb OF products going out.
| Port Townsend. like the larded measure Of
Cassim, in the Arabian tale, retains share.
1t is the port Of entry for the Puget Sound
collection district. and all vessels must stop
both coming and going. The Government
has already expended $100 900 for a custom
house. and $4,000 has been appropriated
by Congress to make needed additions.
Here Is the seat OF the foreign Consulates;
the United States Marine Hospital is here,
and revenue cutter sails In and out of the
| port. doing police duty for Uncle Sam. A
military post is near by, and half-million
dollars Is given to build Notifications near
the lighthouse, in an appropriation bill
now before Congress. More American ton
mage Is registered in Port Townsend than
in any other port except New York. 1t is
the Pacific watch-tower; the future Gibral-
tar Of the Pacific Northwest.
1t has harbor capable of sheltering the
| largest fleets, the only harbor in the North
! west to which ships can sail to anchorage.
saving expensive towage fees. The largest
! ship can sail into IL without ever hitting up
| on unseen shoals and hidden rocks, and n
vessel can lay its broadside sheer up against
the shore almost anywhere, with no other
| danger than that OF abrasion when lifted or
Is feet The harbor is three miles by six in
size, with depth Of from five to fifteen
fathoms, better anchorage than up-Sound
ports, and 81 900 will cover damage to ship
| ping in thirty-flve years OF common use.
1t is nearest to the coming fisheries OF the
! North Pacific coast which must become an
| inexhaustible source Of wealth. New En-
gland fishermen have already made this
their headquarters. Salmon, cod. trout and
! other food fish abound, and the finest hall
but in the world are taken along the shore
for a thousand miles to Alaska. A schooner
recently caught 10000 pounds Of halibut in
day. another took 5000 worth OF seal
| skins in "a short trip.
1t has at its door the only iron smelling
furnace in Washington Territory. with
capacity of fifty tons n day, to which is be-
ing added "a rolling-mill plant costing over
one million dollars, for the manufacture Of
steel rails and plates for ship-bulding. and
with iron marble. building stone. coal and
lumber within reach. who will say the pc
ninsula city cannot be made great work
shop. Its immense timber resources arc
barely touched. Trees are OF many kinds
and can be put to many uses. The Douglas
FIR or Oregon pine is the acme Of fine tim
| ber. In the tree it is tall, bften 800 feet
high, and straight. and C. single tree has
been known to cut $4,000 feet. 1t can be put
through the paner green, and come out as
smooth as Eastern or Southern pine that
has been in pile for year.
1t has a picturesque location. Look which
way you will an enhancing view OF wood.
| mountain and water meets the gaze. To
the east Mount Baker is seen. monarch Of
the Cascades. whose snOw-white summit
.t,- 1H Il rfw.ka
jagged line of snow-pcaks leading of a
hundred miles TO another sentinel-Rainier
while to the west the Olympic range
throws its white caps against the sky which
the evening tints with a charm beyond our
pen to describe. To the north. across the
waters Of the Straits of Fuca, the blue
mountains of Vancouver Island-far be-
yond Victoria. the sleepy old capital of Brit
ish Columbia-fade away on the horizon. AT
our feet the busy town and wharves with
here and there along the shores columns of
rising smoke tell us of saw mills, fish can
neries and other industries.
To the south and west there Is wide
range of land capable OF producing all OF
the crops OF the north temperate zone. an
area which, when brought under cultiva-
tion, will support thousands OF families.
Washington Territory already leads the
country in the yield per acre OF potatoes and
wheat. and ~ enumernte what is possible
in the way OF cereals, fruits. and vegetables
would be to reprint seed catalogue. The
conditions are most favorable to fruit-grow-
ing; the trees begin to bear early. and there
are no destructive insects. Cattle, horses
and sheep are easily cared for; dairy farm
ing. poultry raising-nearly every feature
OF agriculture-are possible near Port Town
send. For men who are willing to work and
assist nature. this section certainly offers q
diversity OF opportunities.
The visitor will find Port Townsend NO
mushroom place. no rough frontier or mere
seafaring community. but. on the contrary
q well-built and orderly city Of some 5.0Ot
people, with churches. schools. banks. free
reading-rooms and library. two daily pa
pers. the Argus, morning, and the Call
evening. publications.. substantial brick and
stone business blocks. well-stocked stores
} good hotels. fine residences, electric lights
telephone, telegraphs, water works. board
Of trade, q number of manufacturing estab-
lishments. and hospltable. intelligent and
enterprising people. The business part Il
on a level with the wharves. while the resi-
dence portion is on n wide plateau reached
by stops and easy roads. in which sectior
there is no call for expensive street grades
or sidewalks strung along on the top o
, telegraph poles. IL Is n healthy place: nc
typhoid fever or diphtheria has ever originat
cd here. and fever and ague from loca
causes has never existed, nor has epidemic
ever prevailed. In time this will become
health resort, for which it has advantages
unequaled on any coast in America
Port Townsend has more than one strinl
to her bow. but we do not wish to mislea'
. the reader with tho idea that everyone cal
catch on: that there Is fortune or even al
J opening for men without regard to capacit
or calling. Good wages await trained me
chanics. laborers and domestics, but thor
Is no great demand for professional men
u.