The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-09-01
A LETTER FROM ]. O. McGREW


W. ~ 81
Nanimo. Vancouvor's IsIuni, this il the last
and this being in the British possessions. We
arrived here last evening about 8 o'clock thi.
being II GOaling station for steamships sailing
for Alaska, China and down the coast of Cal
aiOrnia. Before giving you Il description OF
this wonderful place, | will start back 10
where | left you in my last letter at Portland
Oregon. We found Portland II nice city, WI
had IA car rlage drive through the city. and up
onto the mountains, through their park where
we had II fine view of the city, we had Our
grip sacks with us SO M not to return TO OuI
hotel, but drivo right to the Northern Pacific
railroad depot we stopped on the way at IL fruit
stand and made n pur Jhnse of Il basket full OF
their fine fruit (penches AZ fne as ever grew
Pears, Prunes fresh OIL the trees, Plums and
grapes) and all sell very cheap. yegetableI
also grow very large and fine here. the eli
mate being u little hot in the middle of the day
In the sun, but very pleasant in tho shade,
and the cool, so much so that we slsep under
blankets, we arrived at the Northern Pacific
depot ut 10 40; u. NJ, check our trunk to Taco.
ma, and promptly at IL O'Clock on Saturday
our train pulls out for n days ride, we ride
along down the Willamette river. soon we
leave It and come to tho COlumbia river,
where ut Kalama. Washington Territory, we
enjoy the novelty of our full train pulling on
to the transfer boat. and while crossing (being
forty five minutes in crOssing) we are told
thirty minutes for dinner, this being the reg
ular eating stations on board the transfer boat
we of cOu-ee get out Of the cars into the din
ing I'd enjoy a good dinner, fright
here, l Of pkaY my wife and myself are quite
as ehRei~ tteat, rs to sig ht zee, as We make Il
a point to never. no never. miss any sight
seeing or IA meal,) after Dime wa take u
promenade out to the boat, and enjoy the
ride, then soon across we pull W to the sta
ton, where we stop for live minutes, aud
while here an old grey headed. and long grey
bearded man, looking about 70 years old,
puts down his basket of fruit, and cOmmen-
ces to yell out "hpples, Pears, Grapes, DO"
and while some OF the passengers are buying
his fruit, he again hOllows, come on b0Yy, come
on boys, we soon discOver the old man in
drunk. now our train Is OIL again, nothing
especial Is reached until Mount Tacoma shows
himseli all white, covered with snow, this
mountain beng $4,000 feet high, hence the
snow stays on 1t all the time. q 30; p. IN.
comes and we arrive at Tacoma, are driven
10 the Hotel Tacoma (by the way It il the
unGSL HOtSl vi LuC cOhsL. DelDR
really an elegant hotel) after a hearty six
o'clock dinner, we pass out from the dining
room. when we are met by Messrs. Tom B.
and Hugh G.. Wallace who heartily welcome
us to the Pacific coast, and to their great city
Of Tacoma, we sOon part to meet again in she
morning., after a gOOu nights rest and break
fast they again call at our hotel, and they in
vite III to II carriage drive over their city,
which we gladly accept, in driving out wa
pass umbers of fine residences, and soon
come TO where they and their good mother
and kind sister (MIss Nettie) live. We lay
aside fOrmality. and stop and see the ladies'
Well, they were glad to see us, and we were
glad to zoe them, we soon part with the I'M
d~erstanding they are to call at three this Sun
day evening, we are driven through their
city up one long avenue. down another. and
another, Tom showing his lot to Us where he
Is going to build his mother and sister u beau
tilul and handsome home at once, the lot Il n
nice location, overlooking the bay, and at the
junction Of several streets. being INT of The
most desirable Locations Tor q residence there
Is in the city, such Il son thy mother, or sis
ter can feel proud Of; Tom Is cashier OF the
principal bank In the city, and owner of n
large T. act Of land layed off In town lots Of
which a great many have been sold, said tract
being called "Wallaces addition" Tom has
made lots Of money out here, and Is still max
ing 1t, and Ii well thought OF by every citizen
OF Tacoma; he 10 enthusiastic for his city,
well he may be, as II Is no doubt the coming
city OF this cOast, after an enjoy able drive we
return to our hotel and lunch, after which
Mrs. Wallace and the family call on hs, we
enjoy their visit 40 much. and IN the best OF
friends must part, we bid each other good bye
and after IA nights sleep, We board our steam
or the Geo. W. Elder for IA seventeen days
voyage 10 Alaska, we soon get our trunks
aboard go 10 our state rooms have our
small steamer runk t'ken TO the room
and as we are now al home for awhile, we
take 4 look over our ship and soon our whis-
tie blows, and now We are off. After a three
hours ride on the briGy waters we arrive Vt
Seattlo and stay here until Tomorrow at IL
o'clock. At Seattle we find Il pushing. GO
ahead e ty, but not SO much Sc rs Tacoma.
Sells Rros'. circus Is giving u street parade
here as we arrive, and my wife becomes SO
excited at seeing IL | bave To take her 10 the
show. So, after lunch, we take in the circus:
we pay one dollar each, ad~iniltance. and fifty
cents extra, each, for reserved seats. She
begged me to stay TO the concert, but, owing
TO the great cost OF seeing the circus, We leave
off the concert and side-shows. From Seat
tie wo 90 To Victoria, on Vancouver's Island.
arriving there at . u. m. We take q stroll OF
about two or three miles, up into Victoria,
where we enjoy tho beautiful flowers that are
to be seen In every yard, and I'm returning to
our boat d lady from one Of the yards gives
my wife beautiful bouquet Victoria IL q
city Of importance and large wealth, aud the
commercial center OF Vancouver's Island.
Here we take on our last passengers for tho
trip, some forty or fifty coming on board
here, while others wanted 10 come. but all
the rooms being taken we leave some behind
At eleven O'Clock Wednesday morning VIC
leave Victoria, and after II pleasant sail until
3 o'clock that evening we arrive here at Mani
amO. In coming from Victoria to this place
we behold beautiful scenery, high snow
covered mountains, narrow channels and into
thu broad nArUtan Row anil tua . a nnNu oaFa
ly anchored TO the coal docks. taking on $50
tons OF coal. We will be here all day to-day,
and until Friday morning.
Now for y description of this wonderful
place, IL IN owned by n MIR. Dunsmire and
his two sons. Soon after tieIng up here !
made the acquaintance of The elder son, who
has charge OF tho coal mines. On letting hin
know | WAS a coal man he gladly treated me
with very great courtesy. We talked tOgeth-
er for two hours, last night, and although he
was to leave this morning he arranged for
my wife and self to have u ride out TO his coal
mines, at Wellington, A miles inland, and up
to the mountain, and AT . O'Clock This morn
Ing we aYailed ourselves OF The opportunity.
We got INTO the cab OF his little narrow guage
Locomotive and off we went. The little road
in connected with the mines and the ocean,
where the coal cars are run onto the docks,
and there the cual Is dumped into n chute and
runs Into the hull OF our ship, whore II il
stored away. They dump IA railroad car of
coal ut Il time-a car holding about four tons
At tho mines there are five well equipped
shafts. from 800 feet deep and less. White
miners are on, 'lOyed. and all the top hands
are Chinese. The coal vein IL from 3 to 10
feet thick, and the finest quality Of soft coal l
ever saw. They pay 40 cents per ton for
minimizing, and sell IL for from 80 TO o. per
ton faster than they can get II out, only clear
Ing 80 per ton profit. and IN they are now
producing 800 tons daily. you can see they are
clearing tho modest sum OF %, 900 per day,
and the business only vet In its infancy. MIR.
Dunsmire told me that his father came hero
twenty years ago a poor ScOtchman. lIo ac-
cidentally discovered the coal and commence
ed TO work II and make money, and soon the
Canadian government gave him a land grant
20 miles wide and $3.50 900 in money II he, or
else, would build the Island railroad
from Victoria up through Vancouver Island,
TO miles IN length. Mr.. Dunsmire built the
railroad and now own 1.-THE and Croker Il
OF CalifOrnia-and now they own
oil the coal land yet discovered on this island.
He has not only the richest, best paying coal
probably In the world OF its production,
but it is q gold mine. | predict IL his coal
veins are rs extensive AZ he says they are, In
q few years he will exc cd In riches any OF
our ~milliOnaires, he now being a man OF
| have not written this on what
he said to me, but upon close investigation at
the mines myself. seeing for myself. Verify
these are wonderful coal mines. Where Il
ship il now lying the tide from the Pacific
ocean GIBBS and flows with II variation OF
eighteen feet; that il, in the morning
the water In Is feet lower than in the even
ing We cannot mail YOU anything until our
return, this being the lsat mailing station. so
we will bud you farewell until some 10 days
from now. Yours, etc, }. g. MOGREw.
Spectacles.
The very best lenses in gold, silver and
stanl framns Mc can suit yOur ewes. Gall