The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-08
GRAND OLD OLYMPICS.
Their Forbidding Aspect Bellies
a Kind Interior.
THE GATEWAY IS WIDE OPEN.
Quiniault Route the Quickest Entrance
Lieutenant schwatka May Finish the
Work Begun by the Gilmaus.

ing from the numDer OF parties which have
announced their intention of penetrating
the unknown" land this season. adven-
turers. prospectors and intending settlers
will iostle against each other in their quest
OF the secrets of the mountains; and it can
not be long before knowledge of the subject
will be complete Lieutenant ONeil and
party have started, and Lord Lonsdale, the
celebrated Arctic explorer. announces an
intention of beginning at Port Townsend
and entering the range from the east SIDE
Many people have gone in from the Skoko-
mish, and settlers are even now very nu-
merous on the various streams that find
their origin far up in the mountains and
traverse fertile valleys to the west and
south to the ocean and Gray's har-
Dor. Mr.. W. A. Kindred, a well
known mineralogist and prospector,
last week startled with prospecting party
for the source of the Humpiulups, and Mr..
S. C. Gilman, who, with his father, Governor
Gilman. achieved considerable fame by
their successful trip up the Quiniault and
then from the Pysht across south to
Gray's harbor. is preparing to seek again
the mountain businesses and add to his
knowledge OF the vast resources of a mighty
country.
LIEUTENANT scHWATKA INTERESTED.
There is a fair prosper, however, that an
explorer and adventurer more famous than
any of these will crown two of the most
successful achievements OF modern explo-
ration by a journey through the Olympics.
He is Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka, late
of the United States army, and widely
known as a geographer, geologist and in
trepid traveller into the Arctic regions,
Alaska and Mexico. Lieutenant Schwatka
is an honorary and corresponding member
of all the great American and foreign geo.
graphical and scientific societies, and his
opinions on regions explored or I'M
explored are entitled to great weight
He passed his youth in Oregon, and was
appointed to West Point from tEat state.
He was for a number of years on the staff
of General Nelson A. Miles, u. s. A., at
Vancouver barracks. General Miles in
tended to send Schwatka in command of
an exploring expedition into the Olympic
mountains five or six years ago. He sent
him instead to Alaska, where he made his
celebrated journey down the great Yukon
river. from its source to its mouth, being
the first white man who ever explored the
mighty river of Alaska. Lieutenant
Schwatka has studied the olympic noun
tains great deal, and has gathered, per-
haps. more information concerning them
than any other man, except Governor Gil
man and son. S. G. Gilman, who lately ex-
plored them in person.
Lieutenant Schwatka holds a different
view of the topography of the Olympic
range from the explorers who have entered
from the east and north sides. Last sum-
mer Colonel w. S. Bracket, the we'll
known traveller and writer of Tacoma, had
an interview with the explorer, and his
views on the subject are contained in the
following memorandum, which Schwatka
made at the request of Colonel Bracket:
believe if the Olympic peninsula ever
develops into populated country, Gray's har-
Dor will be the natural gateway and outlet for
all commerce going to and coming from the
Olympic country. / believe it win be found to
contain large areas of excellent farm land, as
well as magnificent timber, with finer climate
that the Sound country even. From what have
been able to learn of the lay of the Olympic
range, 1t cuts Off the country we may call the
Olympic region from the Sound country-I
mean cuts 1t off in a commercial sense. Puget
Sound ports can never be ports for the Oiym-
pic region, because all massive noun
tain groups are abrupt to the eastward
while sloping more gently toward the west I
have long held the opinion that the Olympic
west where the streams flowing from the Olym-
pic mountains empty their waters into the north
shore of Gray's harb0r. On the east side OF the
Olympics the range is very abrupt and inacces
sible. would like to verify these views By ac-
tual exploration some day. I have held these
views for number of years as a result of study
ing that region at Vancouver barracks. 1t was
the intention to have me explore the
Olympics years ago. but my explora-
tions in Alaska interfered and pre-
vented me carrying out the programme.
IL Gray's harbor ever becomes developed conf
mercially and there is no reason why 1t should
not, / believe the Olympic peninsula will he
found to be valuable adjunct to the Grsy's
harbor region, especially III the precious miner
ais, particularly gold which must exist there.
The geology of the surrounding country. as far
as known, coupled with the well known plu-
tonic formation of the Olympic mountains,
would make it safe in believing that hard coal
can be expected among the first discoveries
there. The general topography OF the region,
so far as known. indicates that the only possible
grade on which roads or railways could be built
is southwesterly from the mountains and prob
ably TO Grsy's harb0r. as indicated by the course
of the streams
Lieutenant Schwatka's desire to explore
the 0lympics may be realized before long.
A proposition is on foot, on Gray's harbor.
to induce him to enter from this side, and
there is good chance that it will be
consummated before the season ends.
GILMAN AGREES WITH scHwATKA.
Mr.. S. G. Gilman. who is yet in Gray's
Harbor was shown Lieutenant Schwatka's
memorandum and asked his opinion about
his views:
They are entirely correct" he said.
II am considerably puzzled to know why
exploring parties almost always enter the
Olympics from the east and north sides.
Experience has taught that they always
encounter great difficulty and hardship in
penetrating the abrupt and almost mac
cessible divide of the mountains; while on
the west no such obstacles are to be met
The way up the streams are easy and nat
urai and lines OF exploration open up on
every hand as the tributary streams flow
into the water-course being followed. The
difficulty with the north side is that sup
plies have to be carried in, with almost in
credible toll, over the high divide, before
point is reached where base of operations
can be established. tangible routes of ex-
pioration taken up. and an intelligent con-
ception of the lay of the country secured.
"A glance at the map" and Mr.. Gilman
unfolded a very fine, and doubtless rea-
sonably accurate drawing of the Olympic
peninsula, shows that the most available
point for exploration is at the forks of the
Quiniault river. or point somewhere
above. From what can learn it took the
Bailey exploring party about four months
10 reach this point. and / believe that
Lieutenant O'Niel. ii he carries q pack
train with him. will be about as long
Now. can take either of these parties