Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-07
A NEW SOUND CITY.
Shelton, a Thriving Washington Town
Only Two Years Of Age,
LOCATED In A FAVORED REGION
The Riches and Beauty Of Lofty, Majestic
Old Mt. Baker,
ONE OF THE NORTHERN WONDERS
1coRREspoNDENcr OF THE D1spArcH.1

SHELTON, w AS6., NAY OU.-mOTe L0dH
30 years ago young man from the East, by
name David Shelton, emigrated to that wild
Western country which is now called WASH
ington, and located donation claim of $40
acres, one of the western arms of Puget
Sound This claim was 25 miles north of
the spot called Olympia. In this bleak, but
picturesque, corner of the world, Mr.. Shell
ton lived alone with his family, no neighbor
within many miles of him, until the year
1883. Strange to say, he lived contentedly
and prospered. His three stalwart boys
grew up into fine, healthy men and aided
their father in agriculture and stock raising.
This sort of life must have been especially
suited to the tasks of the Shelton family, for
they were perfectly happy in their isolation,
that is. as human happiness goes.
I wonder what the poet Cowper would
have thought OF their seclusion, for he as
sures US that nothing is livelier than to
"peep through the loophole of retreat"
But then we know that Cooper was little
ultra in some of his ideas.
A Two-YEAR-oLD TOWN.
In 1883, some other people wandering
about like stray sheep, from the house of Is
rael, struck this locality. Other people see
ing them come, sheeplike, concluded to fol-
low. In very few months many more
came, until in less than year, the inhabi-
tants of the spot had accumulated, like spec
tators around a fire. Two years ago the
town was plated, named in honor Of its en-
terprising settler, David Shelton, and now
is one of the prettiest little Western cities of
q. 500 inhabitants in existence. The city
p1 ho1f nd
about three-quarters wide, within which the
assessed value of property is about $50, 900.
Nature has implanted in every human
soul an innate love for the beautiful. The
harmony of color, form and sound has
power to attract and charm even the savage.
The majesty of scenery surrounding the
town of Shelton has had much to do with its
growth. The great Northwest challenges
the world and with reason, for a rivalry in
scenic wonder, most successfully. From the
Court House in Shelton rises panorama
we'll nigh unequalled. Afar looms Mount
Baker,
A TITAN IN STRENGTH
and power. Seen from this eminence, more
than hundred miles away, the jagged out
lines of his imperial rotundity are tempered
with delicacy and yelled with vaporous
charm. Who looking at this montanic won-
der, wrapped in the gossamer OF the cloud,
could fancy that on a near approach, when
atmospheric conditions are favorable, the
mountain and its surroundings would pre-
sent a scene of desolation, OF fierce upheaval
and titanic fssure, and that he would see
upon its breast the scars of frequent and
seismic convulsion?
Mount Baker deserves consideration as
something more than the fountain head of
fertilizing and tire refic-centering streams.
1t is the central point around which unfold,
like even opening scrolls, magnificent and
indescribable panoramas, in which all that
is overpowering in earth, wave and sky is
met and becomes transfgured, Here the
atmosphere with subtitle skill no artist
can hope to initiate, lays bare its mighty
power and inspired by the ardent sun,
throws with transcendent touch, here, a
shadow; there, gold-real
beam; now sprays the mountains brow with
liquid fire and then lays a dash Of violet
upon Its shoulder.
A GRAND MOUNTAIN.
In order to appreciate Mount Baker
you must see it from the town of Shelton or
some place equally distant. Too near at
hand 1t cannot fail to lose its charm. 1t
grows common place, coarse, and like the
when it becomes to-day. Seen from the
place from which I write, the mountain be-
comes idealized and the high light flung on
crag and fanking buttress brings into broad
relief the whole majestic picture. Mount
Baker is indeed one OF the wonders of the
Northwest, and its overpowering charm will
fully justify the praise which may seem
to him who has not gazed and
paid due reverence.
But grand as is Mount Baker in scenic
power, vivid and versatile as it appears in
the crespuscular light of morn-in the full
born spiendor of noon and the shadowy
close of day-it is chiefly for its usefulness
to Northern Washington that it should be
considered. We are taught that usefulness
ranks higher than beauty-doubtless then,
prosaism should take precedence over
poetry, and we should view Mount Baker
with eyes that see no charm in metric
measure.
A FAVORED REGION.
From the mountains unfsiling reservoir
aow the innumerable rivers, which at
ength find their outlet in that broad inland
sea known as Puget Sound. These spark
ling and erratie streams which thread the
in every direction, diversity and
make verdant the glad Northwest. Upon
he basalts and GRANTEES and metamorphic
strata of the region are brought to bear the
,osmic forces of frost, hail and rain. In
laboratory, for centuries, have
streams bear downward through the plant,
he silt, which is the result of their
This silt is the fertilizer,
exhaustless, which is brought to
bench, table and tide land, becoming the
ervant to mans requirements and luxury.
Mount Baker, must, of necessity, when
yiewed simply from a material standpoint,
,e accounted factor most valuable in the |
uccess and financial growth of the vast
egion, which comes within the circle of its
As this is an age in which physical ad- |
'antages are strongly appreciated, we can
lot help yielding to Mount Baker the hon. !
ge which is its jus: right, as powerful aid |
N the promotion of the well being of the |
esidents of Washington.
MT. BAKERS TRADITIONS.
What Mount Hood is to Portland and
Mount Tacoma to the Southern cities of the
Puget Sound country, Mount Baker is TO
he town of Shelton and neighboring cities.
Hood and Rainier, Jefferson, Adams,
shasta and the Three Sisters are mountains,
which, each and all have some grand legend
oneerning them, created in the minds of
he red men Of the OccideLt, but Mount
Baker, wrapped in Its garb of eternal SHOWS,
night we'll typify the Mountain of Silence.
For it, was reserved the honor of becoming
he Pantheon of the wildwood to the UNTIL
ored children of the forest. A whole book
n ethnology lies written on the face of this
1onarch OF the wood.
Familiar races long dwelt in its weird
icinage and rounded out their errant lives
nder the bows OF the gigantic trees that
kirt its borders. Many claim shat Mount