Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1889-12-08
VISIT 70 wnATCoM.
Ed. Posr-IxrxLLroxscKs |:

u VISIT ~ " oABOO1s
Ed. PosT-IxrKLLIoKscKs:
Having returned from trip TO What
com, append a few items that may be
of interes. to the readers of your paper.
Hound the once populous city prepar-
ing for another era OF prosperity this
time 70 be permanent A colony from
Kansas has entered into . contract with
the original town propristors, which, II
fulfilled. will b the means Of throwing
upon the market ons-half Of the town
site. The terms Of the saTssmsnt are
that the colony shall erect saw,
Touring and planning mills and twenty
five hoases. When this IL done they
shall have trAnaaerred 70 them every al
Msss- Kosdsr, UssE. Edridss and the
Peabody heirs.
There Is Q splsudid water power
which the colony has purchased for the
sum Of 5000. The superintendent told
mo thsy ooald cell it nov for 1lo.Oo.
They have the framework OF the saw
and planning mill Effected and the saw
mill machinery 10 all there sxceUt the
head blocks which are icing made here,
and they expect the mill - be running
next week. Several members OF the
colony are getting out logs, and started
their first boom down tbs Nootssck nv
er last Saturday, The sawmill would
be running now were It not that the
machine shops Of Seattle arc so crowd
cd with work as TO render it impossible
TO ill the orders Of the colony immedi-
ately.
interviewed the Secretary and Sup
erintendent OF the colony, and they SILL
they would have twenty i've buildings
put up within three months. and nave
all the mills running by next spring,
when they would come INTO possession
Of this real estate.
They have single mill in operation
and will run it nigh. and day as soon a.
a roof ID on the building, which will not
be done until the sawmiil furnishes the
lumber. A number Of other buildings,
including a school house, will be erected
a. soon as tho sawmill can supply the
material.
Ihs town needs q blacksmith, tin
smith, shoemaker, barber, butcher and
other tradesmen. A cabinet maker Is
expected to start factory shortly.
found the town site, which once had
been cleared, now covered over with
forest growth. A few new buildings
were to be seen, but the rest are very
old structures, and some OF the build
lnps are IN ruins.
The vessels land passengers at 80
home, which is about half u mile south
Of Whatcom, a. the water II very shall
low near the latter place. Sshome IL
owned by tho coal company, whose
works are abandoned, and the town Is
also In dilapidated condition, mum
Der of the houses tumbiing down, and
some have been moved to WhatcOin.
was in the company's store, and quite a
large stock Of goods 10 still on the
shelves for sale, but no goods have been
purchased since work was stopped In the
mine. Except where the coal CON-
pany's property Is located, the shore
line Of Sehons is high bank.
heard that Mr.. Harris has been In
Seattle, and has made arrangements IL
lay out q town site about two miles
south Of Sehoms. near the point, on
which steam sawmill will probably b.
built next summer. went out one day
to see the LOCALITY, and the place seems
TO be good location. as the ground Is
comparatively level. and vessels can
come close tn the shore, and be protected
from the prevailing winds, which come
from the southeast, thus atfording q
good harbor. Near there saw large
hotel, which had been built by two East
ern men, ut a oost of probably $SOUO OF
! 900, Int has never been finished. II
was pus up when the first railroad sur
vsy was made. and it was expected the
terminus would be at that point.
The county officials told me that tax
o. had not been paid on 0ne-tenth Of
tue town property for number of years
past, and that tho property could net be
sold, as a clear title could not be had.
Had it not been for this state of affairs
Whato0m today would have been a
thriving place, ~ il il the ne rest har-
Dor on the Sound 70 the Pacific Ocean,
and has good agricultural country
back Of it.
A new hotel has just been opened in
Whatcom by Messrs. Leckie 4 User,
and found them to be the most cour-
teous and obliging landlords it has ever
been my lot 70 sojourn with.
found the climate much more agree
able there than in Seattle, being almost
AS warm as in summer. / went to
Whatcom on the Idaho, and returned
ON the City Of Quincy. and was surprised
~ see the latter weasel 30 yell patron
lied, AS the Idaho carries passengers for
one half the rates the other weasel
charges. In talking with tho passen-
gers found they were apprehensive
lest the u. Il. and N. Company would
crowd out the opposition, and have u
monopoly. and then put up the fares to
An exorbitant rate; and they travelled
on the City Of Quincy to prevent any
such contingency. ]. Is,
SEATTLE, Dec. y.