The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1890-10-17
DESTRUCTION ISLAND.
Description Of tho Most Remote secti
aaf Ga !.

Description Of tho Most Remote Section
of tho United States.
Sam e. Price, of the Wilson mine. nj
horseshoe, who has recently taken charge
OF that property, hns been engaged for sew
eral years in what might lie termed the
"Farest Far West" having lived for a
numher of Years in the employ Of the gov
ernlnent at Destruction Island There are
lew, indeed, but who hnre heard Of De-
str'iction Island lighthouse, but few in
deed know OF the country lying adj djtccnt to
1t. In fact, there is probably no more re-
mote or les, known corner Of the Unified
States, outside of A...ska, than TINT nor
tlon OF the new state Of Washington living
between the Olympic range and the Pacific
ocean.
Inc sectloh IS known us the Quillayute
country, the nearest postoflice to Destruc-
tlon Island being Tapash, at the mouth of
the Quillayutc river, thirty-fiye miles
south Of Cape Flattcry and eighteen miles
north Of the island 1t is located on a
small bay thatis partly sheltered by pro-
1ecting reef rocks and islands.
The Quillayute river" Mr. Price said,
formerly entered into the north side Of
the bay, near large rock islands, which pre-
vented 'hr forming OF d bar across its
mouth aud small schooners could safely
enter the river. About sixteen years ago.
during il f.cshct, the river made n new out
let through the beach, one mile north, and
the old one was soon closed up. The pres
ent mouth il shifting and obstructed by
sand bars. The former outlet was about
Twelve itct deep at low tide, Of good width
and also pcrmnnent. The expense OF turn
ing the river into its old outlet would be
comparatively small, the improvement
would restore a much needed harbor for
small craft and materially assist In the de-
velopment of the country
"Ihe last year was on Destruction
island great many new people went into
the Quillayutc valley and all tho open land
and most of that along the river and its
branches lad been taken up. There arc
large bodies of the timber lands situated
near the rtsei, and Eth at ss},ief, has 5bee715
surveyed is being rapidly taken up. Near
y the whole region is thickly covered with
heavy, open pfliries, scattered about like
cases il u desert. While Indians nave nrt,-
dominated 1t viii, no doubt, he d great sur
prise To most people to know that white
settlers have lived along this valley for up
ward of sixteen years
Although the soil is very good more at
tentlon is paid to raising cattle and sheep,
as they are more marketable than vegeta-
bic products. The only direct means Of
communication with the outside world is
over Il rough wagon road to Pysft, on the
straits Of Fucca, II distance of forty miles.
At Tnpush is Il store with a general
stock. the goods heing brought around from
Seattle i'll IL schooner and landed by means
of canoes. Tapush is the principal village
OF the Quillayute Indians, although the
land was purchased from them by the gov
ernment many years ago and opened for
settlement. These Indians are much mare
progressive than those found elsewhere.
They have had good school for several
years, and have made considerable i'm
provemcnt in ways Of living and general
conditions. There arc about three hun.
drcd ofthen. The majority of them live
i'll modern frame houses, and have all the
comforts usually found in dwelling.
In the village Of Tapush there are very
few white settlers. The Indians make
their living principally bycatching seal and
whale, and by the annual trip to the Up
per Sound country to pick hops. The seal
ing season commences about April and
lasts several months. They go out iii their
canoes straight off the coast from fifteen
to twenty miles on bright, pleasant days,
and finding the seal floating around asleep
quietly spear them. The catch amounts
to from cighg to fifteen hundred in sea-
son. Whales arc secured by spcurng them
with strong. barbed spears attached to
poles, which have fastened to them several
lurgc bladdcrs or skins filled with air.
When enough Of them are fastened to Il
whale they prevent him from going below,
and he is easily captured, hauled on the
beach in the bay and cut up.
There are six Indian villages along the
coast between Gray's harbor and the
Straights Of Fucc;i, each of Il separate tribe
mad speaking different language Nearly
all fish Cor living ''-Lcadvile Herald
Democrat.