, 1889-01-24
PORT TOWNSEND.
THE KEY CITY OF PUGET SOUND
its Past, Present. and Future.
Nts.NIETCEST EE.sEIZ 2TION. ~
CELt.ED ONLY BS GLORE-
as pROSPEgTs.
"Let Facts nc Submitted 10 Il can
did " orid.'

location for the same Is Of suprcap-t
Importance. Cities are hut c0IIec-
tions Of individuals for convenience
Of barter and trade, social advantages
and common glory.
When Pettygroye and Hastings
and Plummer and Briggs and Cling
er, and others Of the early pioneers
pitched their tents on the shore of
Port Townsend Bay. declaring their
purpose to abide III this goodIy land
and erect here 4 city, they knew it
was no idle dream nor feetiug whim
they were indulging Wonderfully
favored in geographical position. en-
joying the advantages of an unrival-
ed harbor, three miles wide by six
miles long, Port Townsend has 4 sol
id and promising basis upon which
to build for future commercial pros
perity. Quimper peninsula. lying
between Port Discovery bay nine
miles long, on the west, and Port
Townsend bay and Admiralty Inlet
on the east, and forming the shore
line of the Straits of Fuca on the
north, contains about sixty square
miles and constitutes site upon
which New York might find ample
room. Point Wilson. the extreme
northeast point of the peninsula, Is
the sight of a government light house
standing sentry over the already vast
commerce of Puget Sound as it pass
es and repasses through the channel
four miles wide between the peninsu-
la on the west and WILDLY island on
the east.
Midway between Cape Flattery at
the Pacific ocean on the west and
Olympia, the head of navigation on
the south-marking the dividing line
between Fuca strait proper and Pu-
get Sound proper, Point Wilson
forms an elbow where these great in
land waters blend at right angle.
At Point Wilson is an extensive gov
ernment reserve of land intended as
site for future rtifcations-cor-
responding with similar reserve at
Point Partridge on the opposite side
of the channel Three miles inland
from Point Wilson is the mouth of
Port Townsend bay, marked by Point
Hudson on one side and Marrowstone
Point on the other.
This bay rejoices in a geograph-
ical location, as to the surrounding
country, and in fact the whole of
Western Washington, that gives it
prominence not to be overlooked by
anyone who seriously calculates as to
the future cities of Puget Sound. A
recent writer says: "As San Francis
co sits proudly behind the Golden
Gate to California, Port Townsend
holds the key to the great Puget
Sound with all its commercial ad-
vantages, vast undevelopeG resour-
ees and splendid prospect of future
development. Point Wilson, situat-
ed 80 miles east OF Cape Flattery, at
the junction of the Straits of Fuca
with Admiralty Inlet, has been of
tciaily designated by the General of
the American armies and recon-
mended by several lesser authorities
as undoubtedly the proper location
for military Notifications to guard
the entrance to Puget Sound. The
channel here is but about seven
miles across, and can be easily and
securely fortified against invasion bv
batteries On Point Wilson on the
mainland and upon Point PARTRIDGE
on the WILDLY Island shore. Three
miles inside of Point Wilson the
channel or roadstead, where the
largest vessels can anchor, opens in
to the magnificent harbor known as
Port Townsend Bay. 1t has a width
OF three miles and a length of six
miles, with depth of water varying
from three to twenty fathoms, and is
entirely free from sRnken reefs, bars
shoals, dangerous currents and other
obstructions to free navigation. On
its placid bosom could ride in safety
the combined navies of the world.
and along its shores there is wharf
age room for London, Paris and New
York combined. At the mouth of
the bay. where its waters blend with
those of the channel is Point Hud,
son, formed by triangular sand
spit containing thirty or forty acres
of land. Upon this sand-spit Is To-
Gated the principal business portion
of the city"
In relation to commerce, Port
Townsend, the port OF entry of the
Puget Sound customs district, occu-
pies place of considerable impor-
tance. Its location is such that all
vessels from the sea to any and all
ports on HuSet Bound must pass
said port. Its harbor is easy of ac-
cess at all times.
A NATURAL CENTER.
Port Townsend is a natural center
of trade and travel. 1t is headquar-
teIs on Puget Sound for all the San
Francisco vessels, steam and sail,
connecting with this part of the
world. The Alaska steamers make
Port Townsend the southern termin-
US of their routes. We have tri-
weekly connection by steamer direct |
with the termin0s Of the Canadian |