The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-21
Destruction Island, AS Little
Known Of It As of
Alaska.
location of the Island and Nature of Sur
rounding Countrywide Indian Natives
and How They Exist.

Sam c. Price, of the Wilson mine at Horse
shoe, who has recently taken charge of that
property, has been engaged for several
years in what might be termed the ''farest
Far West,'' having lived for number of
years in the employ of the government at
Destruction island. There are few, indeed.
but who have heard of Destruction island
light house, but few indeed know of the
country lying adjacent to it. In fact, there
is probably no more remote or less known
corner Of the United States, outside of
Alaska, than that portion of the new state
of Washington lying between the Olympic
range and the Pacific ocean, says the Her
ald-Democrat, of Leadville.
The section is known as the Quillayute
country, the nearest postofiice to Destruc-
ton island being Tapash, at the mouth of
the Quillayute river, thirty five miles south
of the island. 1t is located on small bay
that is partly sheltered by projecting reef
rocks and islands.
1.-THE QuilIayute river,'' Mr.. Price said
formerly entered into the north side Of
the bay, near large rock islands, which pre-
mouth and small schooners could safely
enter the river. About sixteen years ago,
during freshet, the river made new out
let through the beach, one mile north, and
\ the old one was soon closed up. The pres
emit mouth is shifting and obstructed by
sand bars. The former outlet was about II
feet deep at low tide, of good width and
also permanent. The expense of turning
the river into its outlet would be compare
lively small, the improvement would re-
store a much-needed harbor for small craft
and materially assist III the development of
the country.
.sThe last year I was on Destruction
Island great many new people went into
the Quillayute valley. and all the open
land and most of that along the river and
large bodies of fine timber lands situated
near the river, and that which has been sur
veyed is being rapidly taken up. Nearly
the whole region is thickly covered with
open prairies, scattered about like
GASES in desert. While Indians have pre-
dominated, it will no doubt be great sur
prise to most people to know that white
settlers have lived along this valley for up
wards of sixteen years.
"Although the soil is very good, more at
tention is paid to raising cattle and sheep,
as thew are more marketable than vegeta-
BILE products. The only direct means of
communication with the outside world is
over a rough wagon road to Pysht, on the
Straits of Fuca. a distance OF forty miles.
sat Tapush is a store with general
stock, the gOOQS Delny DrOuRuG dFOuuu 1EOul
Seattle in schooner, and landed by means
of large canoes. Tapush is the principal
village of the Quillayutae Indians, although
the land was purchased from them by the
government many years ago, and opened
for settlement. These Indians are much
more progressive than those found else
where. They have had good school fol
several years, and have made considerable
improvement in ways of living and in gen
eral conditions. There are about 300 of
them The majority of them live in mod
ern frame houses, and have all the COM
forts usually found III a dwelling.
''In the village of Tapush there are very
few white settlers. The Indians make their
living principally by catching seal and
whale, and by the annual trip to the Upper
Sound country to pick hops. The sealing
season commences about April l, and lasts
several months. They go out in 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 500 to 1900 in a season. Whales are
secured by spearing them with strong,
barbed spears, attached to poles which
have fastened to them several large blad-
ders or skins filled with air. When enough
of these are fastened to whale, they
prevent him 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 bet Reen Gray's harbor and the Straits
of Fuca, each of separate tribe and
speaking different language. Nearly all
fish for living,