The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-23


Minneapolis and Puget sound. Its prom-
Esed an extension OF the Manitoba o. Great
Northern railroad. in the near future. IL
will make connection through the Spokane
Falls Il Northern railway with the Cans
dian Pacific next summer. is wateg power
Is equal 10 any in the country. This force
Is now used 70 operate the electric plant of
the city, the water works. the electric rail-
way system. the cable railway system, ard
all the Touring and sawmiils OF the place.
AT this point found trains OF cars loaded
with -four from spokanes great mills,
ready 20 be started direct for chicago.
spokane Pals, making Ill due allowance
for the exaggerated claims that are heard
in its behalf, is certain TO become one OF
the foremost cities OF the Northwest
THE roEr or EsTEY.
Port Townsend is located on the west
ern side of Puget sound. and Is the port OF
entry for the entire Puget sound district.
The population Is about Z 900. During the
last year the real estate market there hAs
been particularly active, ard the sales OF
property for the last four months OF the
rear averaged ss0,0u0 per day. while the
total sales o. 1883 amounted to S. SOC, 90.
During the year more than 500 600 was ex-
pended in street improvements. and Q
large number of buildings for residence
and commercial purposes were erected at .
cost of not less than 81 90 ,0oG. A custom
house and postofice building Is being erec-
ted, for which $250, 900 has been sppro-
priated by congress. Port Townsend has
number Of manufactures, such as foun-
dries. iron works, machine shops, sawmiils
and ice works. The Puget Sound Iron
Works, located a. Irondals. near the head
OF Port Townsend bay. is. | think. the only
concern for the manufacture OF pig-iron in
the state of Washington. Several hundred
men are employed in these works, and
about $3.50 600 worth of iron. ii is claimed,
was manufactured during 1889. Port
Townsend Is in many respects one of the
best located towns / have visited. The
bay is the finest on the sound, and is capa-
bic of accommodating thousands OF sea-
going vessels. This thriving town, strange
to say, Is as yet without railroad connec-
tons. but the people are eager for the
Union Pacific TO come in, and have offered
100 acres OF fine terminal facilities and
subsidy Of sioo. 600 in cash for the construc-
ton of line there which would give them
connection with the East.
THE PUGET SOUND BASIN.
THE few facts which have collected in
regard TO these cities are sufficient to show
the vast amount OF money capital which
Is operating In this section, the activity
and energy OF the people, and the great
value to a transcontinental line of the rap
idly-increasing freight and passenger traffic
which il produces.
THE Puget sound basin embraces very
large piece of country, extending south
from the Straits Of Juan de Fuca and be-
tween the Cascade Mountains and Coast
range. in all nearly 1900 square miles.
The climate Is moist and warm, being free
from the excessive extremes of both winter
and summer. The principal products OF
the basin are lumber and coal, but it con-
tains numerous rich agricultural valleys,
which will in future support large popu-
lation and furnish a vast amount of BUSH
ness. The development OF the Puget
sound country as q whole has been very
rapid. In the two years following the COM
pietion Of the Northern Pacific road to the
Sound IL is estimated that the population
of that portion OF the territory was increas-
ed by 5000 people. The Sound has an ex-
tensive foreign commerce. wheat and can
ned fish being shipped to Europe and lum-
Der TO all points ON the Pacific coast and
ocean. A large portion of the coal consum-
ed in San Francisco and other California
cities is brought from Puget sound. Ocean
steamers ply regularly between San Fran
cisco. Por tland. and the large Puget sound
cities. The entrances and clearances for
the fiscal year reached q total of about
l.00o, 900 tons. The value of imports from
the Sound district for the same year
amounted to about s., 100000.
THRIVING TOWNS.
THE extensive business that emanates
from the Puget sound basin now will be
quadrupied within decade. Certainly it
is in the interest of the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company and its stockholders and
creditors that it should be free to push its
extensions forward so as to tap this fruit
full field, and it should be enabled to do so
before some competing line or lines have
taken advantage of the inducements held
out and have occupied the field, perhaps to
the exclusion OF this company.
Il have not the time, much as have the
disposition, to speak in detail of some
thriving towns and young cities of the
Pacific Northwest which deserve special
mention, such as Dallas with its popula-
ton of 5000, Pendleson with its 5000. La
Grande with its $500. Walla Walia with its
1900. Colfax with its 5000, Dayton with its
$500, and the numerous smaller but equal
ly prosperous communities of Oregon and
Washington, all on the lines of the Union
Pacific railroad. But there is one city that
| connot be sighted and overlooked, for it is
making such Roadway as must command
attention from all quarters within the next
| few years. / aiiade. Of course, to Spokane
| Falls.
| DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE.
''The development of Washington prom
| Uses 10 be widespread and rapid. The last
| governor OF the territory. referring TO a
/ table presented in his report for isS9. SAYS
| The study of this table Is instructive as
| affording an illustration of the slow erowth
/ in population prior 10 the completion oi
| the transcontinental line and the rapid in.
crease thereafter. This tells the story in
| q nutshell. Two years after the compile.
/ ton of the Northern Pacific to Puget
| sound there was an increase in the nopu.
| lation OF the territory of over io0.ooe. OF
more than was added during the preceding
fourteen years. The population of Wash.
I ington today is not tar from $50. 90. and
| immigrants continue 10 pour in. The new
state. however, is bat sparsely populated
! containing Is il does an area OF 69asl
square miles. il has scarcely more
I than four souls To- the square mile
! al the present time. but Ii will soon
/ Mi up. The advantages offered al
/ clssses Of people are SO numerous that i'm
/ migration Is bound a. 20 unchecked fol