Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-21

direct communication. At one time there was
a conversation by wire directly between Port
land, Me-, and Portland, Greg, both talking
with the operator in the hall and with each
other.
After the formal speech-making refreshments
we're bounteously served in the ball below.
THE PUGET SOUND COUNTRY.
Business Appears to BE Overdone-Labor .
Drug and Living High.
Correspondence of The Evening Star
| LOWELL, WASH, August Is, 1891.
1t is about a month since We started from
Washington for the city Of Tacoma. In Mary
land they were threshing wheat, but in Indiana,
Illinois and Wisconsin it was harvested but not
stacked. In Minnesota the crops were not
gathered, but the promise of a good yield was
unsurpassed. Dakota also had an unusual
crop. At every station there was lot of new
reapers, showing that the people were getting
ready for the work. In Montana we saw but
few grain fields. otherwise than oats. In Cross
ing the state of Washington we were disap-
pointed at the barren appearance of the coun-
try. Near Spokane there was few oats, which
was all the grain we saw. The country seemed
to be suffering from drouth. West of Spokane
We spent six hours in crossing desert where
| alkali soil and sage brush were all that we could
see. The dust sifted into the cars in binding
| sitting clouds and the heat very trying
About the middle of the afternoon we entered
| a region OF grassland, which was a refreshing
| sight after passing through the desert
| That night we reached Tacoma which is a
| fine city. We noticed a great number of bank
ing houses in our strolls about town. The
Northern Pacific railroad has fits terminal offices
at this point. The city is built on bluffs rising
sharply from Puget Sound. Loaded teams find
it difficult to ascend these hills and it is not in
| frequent to see these lacking" from one side
| OF the street to the other. A great many fine
residences adOrn the summit of the hills and
more exquisite roses We never saw, the color
was 80 vivid and the plants were very iuxuriant
| THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
! Three hours Of delightful boat riding brought
us to Seattle, which did not seem to us equal to
Tacoma in the quality Of its buildings. How
ever, it appeared that business more brisk.
| and there was certainly a considerable number
CT buildings in progress Of construction. This
| city. like Tacoma, contains a great number of
street railways, both electric and cable lines.
Horses could not pull the cars up the grades,
which are very steep. A number Of fine hotels
are located here and in the of the city is the
beautiful Lake Washington from which Seattle
derives Its water supply. This lake Is quite
| summer resort, where boating, bathing, fishing
and similar recreations are INDUCED. 1t is Gus
tomary to cut timber here from six to ten feet
above the ground. 80 that when tree is felled
there Is tail stump remaining which lasts
many years, and these unsshtly reminders of
former times are thickly strewR over the vacant
lots In the suburbs of Seattle and elsewhere 1t
makes Land clearing extremely difficult, for we
have seen many stumps which are said to have
been In the present condition for twenty years
| or more and are still sound.
Business is said to be overdone in this coun-
| try, and judging from the appearance of the
| stores think this statement is correct. 1t is
easy to form reason for this commercial de-
preston and We think it exists in the fact that
| the trade OF the country is not sufficient to
| furnish prosperity to so many ports as have
sprung up on Puget Sound.
Labor which formerly was in high demand is
now a drug. 1t is not unusual to see ten or
twenty men at a time tramping from point to
| point in search of work. Prices of living are
high. which, renders this condition of affairs
peculiarly distressing to those Of small means
who are dependent upon their daily work for
bread. We continually meet those who inyeigh
loudly against newspapers which publish fcti-
| tious reports Of the prosperity Of the country
and the Inducements offered to men Of limited
means. The consequence is that men are en-
ployed daily at small wages while the cost OF liv.
Ing, as before stated Is high.
| PROJECTED CITY.
From Seattle We went north to o town site
Of which great things are promised. 1t is said
| that wealthy New York capitalists will make this
point great city, and at the present time there
are several large manufactures building. The
railroad is graded and the boats Of the sound
| stop here. Land in the vicinity has advanced
| within a year from $40 per acre to $3.50 and
| 1900. One choice acre SOLD recently at e. 400
| Brick yards are starting up, the saw mill is
| running on full time, and large forces of men
are employed in clearing up the fallen timber,
| saving down stumps and grading. 1t costs
from $40 to go per acre to clear it Of useless
timber, and the parties who undertook the job
are not making fair day wages, the task is 30
heavy and difficult. The saloons and gam
biers are already well represented. Numerous
| arrivals OF gentlemen from the east interested
| in the venture occur daily. We are at q loss to
see why city should be built at this special
point. There are no mines. there is no good
| harbor, and the best of the timber has been
| cut down and sawed up. The cost of clearing
the land is high, and we have not been able to
| ascertain that it is valuable for agricultural
purposes otherwise than for growing crops Of
oats, hay and potatoes. Corn and wheat do
| not thrive here.
There are good many grouse in the woods
1t Is not uncommon to kill several on starting
covey as the birds take to trees for protection,
| and several shots may be fired without dis
| turbing those unlurt. Deer are scarce, but
| black bears are said to be quite numerous. The
| salmon are taken in nets in great number
The catch hear here YESTERDAY is estimated at
5000, and these delicious fish were sold as low
as half a cent per pound. Later in the season
| salmon are caught by trolling, which is u
| favorite method of capture among the Indians
who still IN diminished numbers remain in the
vicinity The Indians have degenerated physi-
caily and are Snail in stature. Their canoes
| continue to skin. the waters OF the sound, how
ever, and they make living by fishing, hunt
ing and picking hops.
We think the scenery here is the finest we
| have seen. The snow-capped submits of the
| Cascade range of the Rocky mountains are
plainly visible. Mount Baker is always clad in
| u white mantle. The land descending abruptly
to the waters of Puget sound is covered with u
| dense growth of spruce, fir and alder. The
| dark green forests, clear waters of the bay and
| mighty mountains combine to make a view as
| remarkable as it is sublImely beautiful.
great many distinguished people have WISH
| ted the Puget sound country this year and more
come each season. Among the recent arrivals
are noted that Of Chief Justice Fuller of the
Supreme Bench.
A more delightful summer climate than this
it would be difficult to lind, the air is so cool
| and inyigorating. HBA
Variations In Stature.
| From the New York Journal of Commerce
A person is taller in the morning than Mt
night. The reason is that he is pressed down
during the day by the weight of the atmos-
l phere md nv the ,ressnra of <ba ,,,,.-..