The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-02-07

bottom lands about Lake Cushman,
lying beyond the plateau and first
range Of foothills, through which
the north fork OF the Skokomish
river passes, abont ten miles back
of the canal. There is here a
small colony Of young men, col
lece graduates, some OF them of
weIl-known families Of the East,
whose courage in penetrating into
these wild eoIitudes will certainly
he rewarded. The unusually rich
agricultural land here is covered
with dense timber, the stumpage
of some sections having been es-
timated by experts at 100000
feet.
The value OF the timber prodnct
tha+ viii reach the worlds market
through Hoods canal is vast be-
yond computation. The dense
forest covering the plateau and val
leys, covering the foothills and
slopes Of the Olympic mountains
to the timber lines on the south
ern and western slopes Of the
range, is all tributary to the canal.
In addition to the common fir and
cedar, there are large bodies Of
magnificent yellow cedar, the
most valuable timber we have. At
present the logging camps com,
prise nearly the entire population
Of the canal. There were during
the past season about fifteen camps.
their cat being about 10000, 900.
Logging along the canal has been
carried 90 for over thirty years,
yet only a narrow strip along the
shore, extending no farther back
than as an OK team can penetrate,
has been cut. The great body of
timber, heavier as it extends back
from the canal. still remains I'M
touched. The most extensive log
glng works Oh the canal are Oper-
ated by the Puget Mill Company
at Clifton. They have from that
point constructed standard gauge
railroad, known as the Union Riv-
err railway, which was begun in
1885. 1t has been extended until
now constructed within three miles
Of Port Orchard. This camp en-
plovs about 100 men. Another
large camp IS known as the Noun
tain camp, onerated by the Wash
ington Mill Company. This camp
did its seasons cutting near Black
point, few milea above Seabeck.
Seaback was formerly the port of
the Washington Mill Company,
which, upon the destruction of its
plant by fire, about four years ago,
moved to lIadiock. The company
still! has store there, which is the
trading point for the loggers of the
vicinity. The only sawmill on the
canal at present is at Port Gamble.
SIX miles above the mouth of the
canal, on its eastern side. At this
point the Puget Mill Com papv
have two large mills.
Since the construction of the
Port Townsend Southern Railway
along the canal in the near future
i!as become an assured fact, this re-
gion has oegun to attract the at
tention Of capitalists and ettlers
and already there are indications
that it will soon be making tre-
mendous strides toward its future
greatness.
The Port Townsend So.,thern
will first touch the canal at Union
City, a point on the southern
shore about one mile east of the
mouth Of the Skokomish river
Just above the angle near its head.
This is Of the oldest postofices on
the upper canal, and has long been
the trading point of the logging
camps Of that vicinity. It is
known as Skokomish postoffice,
but it is expected that the name
of the postoffice will soon be
changed to Union City. There
was a store started there in 1859
by E. A. Wilson, which was
bought by F. G. Purdy in 1867.
a year later he sold half inter.
est to the Hon. John McReavy.
who since 1872 has conducted the
business alone. Mr.. McReavy is a
member of the House of Repre.
sentatives of the present legisla-
ture.
Union City has an excellent
iand-locked larbor and many other
II atural advantages by which it ex-
poets to become the chief port of
this important waterway. It is
situated upon the canal very much
as Duluth is upon Lake Superior.
1t has no competitor on the upper
canal, and it now seems to be the
heir apparent to the greatness
that the development of this vast
region tributary to the canal will
bestow upon its metropolis. The
Skokomish river IS the largest and
ITS valley the widest an most fer.
tie OF the rivers Of the canal
In the broad, fertile bottom land at