The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-25
SheltOn---The Metropolis of Mason
County, Washington.

The object of the following pages
and 1t Is perfectly legitimate one
is TO give brief and reliable state
mcnt OF the prospects, advantages
and growth, OF Shelton, and of its
surrounding country as we'll Many
thousands of people will come to,
Washington during this year, and a
due proportion will reach Mason
County, to see for themselves; but this.
pamphlet is for distribution as far as
possible, among the Eastern capitalists
and home seekers, who contemplate
visiting the Sound; and to answer the
frequent calls our citizens have for in
formation. Most people who come to
this coast, have some point in view;
regarding which they have become
posted. through letters, circulars, or
the newspapers.
SHELTON
is an incorporated town of almost
800 inhabitants, the county seat of a
rapidly growing county-=the banner
logging county of the State. 1t is
about Il miles distant from Olympia,
by water, Is miles from Hoods Canal,
and about 40 miles from Montesano,
on the route to Gray's Harbor. The
present town is mainly built in shell
tered valley, about one mile wide and
two miles in length. 1t has Just
enough grade-almost mperceptible-
from the bay to form fair drainage.
On either side the land is higher,
RISING about 100 feet, beyond which
the land Is comparatively level. All
this land is being plated into addi-
eions to accommodate the people who
are coming in rapidly in search of
homes. Shelton's site is unquestion-
ably one OF the prettiest on the Sound
well sheltered, welldrained and
well-Watered, several small clear
Streams passing through the town.
From the higher lands about Shell
ton, which are easily reached, the views
are unsurpassed, and from any point
the little city, the bay with its wharves,
stretch of trestles and large booms of
logs; the wooded shores around, and
the snow clad mountains in the dis
tance form grand and pleasing pic
lure. owe are reminded that such
pictures do not build cities, inaugur-
ate manufactures, and feed working
men, but they help to make life worth
the living)
Founded on the west shore of the
most southwesterly arm of Puget
Sound--~Hammersiey's inlet, or more
famlllarly known as Big Skookum
(strong wateD Bay-it is in direct
communication with all the Sound
cities; and with the prominent cities
OF Gray's Harbor, upon the extension
OF our railroads. Hoods Canal is only
twelve miles distant, so from the adj
vantage of location it is plain to be
seen that Shelton is the COMING CITY
OF this part of Puget Sound and in
Guiding a vast range of country. 1t
dates back about four years, and al
though never "blessed," or cursed
with boom it has grown to be a sui
stantlal town, of more than 900 in
htahitants, with buildings and other
substantial improvements in. proper
ton, all going to show that it's people
believe in Shelton, and are backing up
their belief with good improvements,
so that an intending investor or home
seeker can feel perfectly assured that
no "townsite syndicate" has plated a
big tract of worthless land, Cor spoiled
good land by cutting it up into high
priced town lots,) to clear up a for
tune and then drop out, and leave the
unfortunate investors minus their
cash, but with the deeds to a few
worthless lots in a paper town, !"
which looks fairly we'll on a "blue-
print" with its main points set forth
in highly colored circulars. The
shrewd investor wants something
more than mere "prospects'-unless
they are extra good,-and he looks up
a city where there is substantial
growth to back up the prospects. ...
: AS the County seat of Mason Coun-
ty, the increase of the county in pop
ulation, and consequent property val
aes, is bound to help Shelton, with
out. taking into consideration the
facts OF its individual advantages. The
County buildings are located here and
the County business is transacted
here. Having the advantage of loca-
ton, there is no prospect of the coun-
ty seat ever, being changed. With. the
sverflowing volume of immigration of
people and capital to this country.
pine-tenths of which, it is safe to cal
sulate is here to stay, property va ues
Will always increase and there is not
bhe slightest prospect of property ever
being lower than at this time-unless
it be in some of the "boom towns"
that are making SO many pretensions,
on the strength of prospects,"
RAILROADS AND TIMBER
go together in this section of the
8 Sound, for the railroads are primarily
Tor the purpose of getting out timber
s throughout the length and breadth of
! Mason County the magnificent timber
; Tor which Puget Sound is noted
abounds-and from the Cascade
mountains to the Pacific. ocean if is
q one vast sea of trees. The timber to
the westward of Shelton to the coast
will nearly all be taken out by our rail-
roads and. dumped into our bav a
s large part of the output will be sent
away to supply the big mills of the
Sound, while the balance will be man
utactured at this point, from whence
by the end of this year the product
Sscan be- shipped to any eastern or
southern point, via the Union Pacific.
now building, and our connection with
that road, in the event it does not pass
directly through Shelton, as at pres
ent intimated, on its way to Port
Townsend and the straits. :,
SE Among the woods of Western Wash
lngtOn in common use are following.