The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-09-27

lag TO tAe koSAs~
Mr.. Gsrsre w Hosehkiss. EDITOR o. ane
T.snss-r TrsSe JawrracI OF Chicago, having
frs. resurzea fron n Alaskan TIP on INC
steamer Elder. in the course o. An iAssi
vsex yesterday, said.
-sSo ALASKA vii never be available icr
timber s,rrly. 1t contains little oa.
srrgahsv s-srucs. herniock and cestsr- :
srsflef rsysslf cf every possible orPoFst-
nisv for forming = correct Judgment pom
.his point. both By personal sxasiainasich
and by inquiry, the result OF when CON
vInceS re fhG. although st clrsory glance
the country appears 70 De one vast iosss',
the great Easss al tie timber E-oStn = psac-
tleaIiy worthless. anu for COMMERCIAL bsaA-
poses wholly 20.
s.s,f course steamers deck II poor
rfaee 10 Iadze OF the timber resources OF
a eoEnfvv. but enough could oe seen 10 Ell
abe an sxper. to form fairly correct opin-
son when continued with such personal e1-
Gnlsns.ion as i possible by going INTO the
woods at The various landings.
< g.. aIasost universal fact the country
stands on end. the mountains risiDg from
sae water edge rrecip.toasiy. In ca' lev
instances are there 10 be seen any 10"
lands. and these are seldom more than from
a fsw rods 10 a Isa.le before the steep ascent
as a hivh mountain j. encountered. Tie
vast usls,,her o. small dead trees sSrinklsc
through the green .oIi2ge oetosen tlan
l:siitaeSs ei sol over sae rocks. which Ell
feesaa.iy forbade the Inca vi any very large
AID mature growth while tie rocky prom
ontay.ss OF nearly every ail.-Slope we're sui
feient 10 convince any iGmosriaan that II
woaId be impossible 10 use teams among
tie timber. ii valuable timber colld DC
found.
after leaving Seymour narrows. 81 the
iteAc Of the 6ulI os Georgia, there was Sut
lite app snee indicative oI timber oi
coaamerciai vGise. My attention vas
ca.!ed AZ several points - what the iah2o-
isAafs called 'arst-ciass timber sus must
confess 10 ny disappointment n saying
tia; did not see hrst-ciass tree during
my journey alter leaving the head OF Van
coaver island. At Hrsngel | saw what
was considered first-class spruce IN the
yard CT new mill there building, but II
was not the frs;-class oi Psget sound or OF
tie East. Ii the world Of The future Is 70
depend upon Alaska for lis timber supply,
il must rest csnient with gTads of timber
which Is not nov considered Understandable
IL average lumber markets. That there
are few good trees scattered among the
scrubs cannot he doubted, but eouid learn
nowhere OF any claim that there Was more
than a few hundred acres in a place of
what the inhabitants call good timber
Nj Ho,chkiss reports having had
highly enjoyable trip, the weather proving
pleasant during the entire run north I'M
I'll Pyramid haroor was reached on the
return voyage, from which time 1t rained
nearly every day. The fisheries have
proved very successful this season, and
Mr. Hotchkiss esteenls this, together with
the mining interests about juneau and
Douglas island, the most notable industry
for which Alaska is likely 10 prove valu-
able. AS a national park il is the most val
liable possession of the nation, and will
ever prove most attractive resort for the
tourist bent on sightseeing or seeking re-
cuperaton and rest.