Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-05-04
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON

Spokane Falls, Wash, Apr. %, '9I.
Dear Monitor Oftentimes I have
thought that letter concerning the
region of our country in which I am
now living, written by one who until
a short time ago, has lived in your vi
cinity, might prove of interest to the
readers of your paper, even though
no one can do jtstice in one short let
ter to the great state Of Washington.
For years the younger people of the
East have been constantly turning
their steps toward the western portion
of our country, helping to settle the
''border'' towns, wishing to follow the
advice of that wise old man, and go
West to grow up with some of the new
towns that were just springing into
existence. Many of those who did so
are to-day bright examples of that
energy and enterprise which does SO
much toward making the world move;
some have gone onward to that more
remote border toward which we are
all fastening; but they have left his
tory, which proves that that persever-
ance that will be satisfied with nothing
but the best is rarely if ever disap-
pointed.
Only few years ago the Mississippi
marked the border line of our West
ern frontier To-day there is no from
tier, unless it be the Pacific. The
Rockies have been crossed, California
is becoming heavily populated ,and the
great Northwest is the new country
toward which the eyes of the more
adventurous are eagerly turning.
left Portland, Oregon, late at night
and it was morning when we reached
Tacoma, that bright young city which
the Northern Pacific R. R. has done so
much toward making the popular city
of Puget Sound.
l travelled from there to Seattle, less
than three hours ride, by steamboat.
No one ever took a prettier ride than
trip on Puget Sound. So narrow
that either shore can be seen, winding
in and out among the hills with Mount
Rainier in its snow capped majesty on
one side and the Olympic Range on
the other, the waters clear and cool
and deep, the air warm and invigorat-
ing. One can but feel that nature has
been kind to the Northwest to give it
such a beautiful sheet of water with
such picturesque scenery. The best
view to be obtained of Seattle is from
the deck of Puget Sound steamer as
she gides up Elliott Bay A little over
a year ago this young city, which to-
day is such an honor to the great
Northwest, was stricken by a fire
which completely devastated its en-
tire business portion. Since that time
nearly fifteen millions of dollars have
been expended in building, and all
traces of fire have been removed; !;
magnificent blocks have been reared,
such as would do credit to New York
or Chicago. From the top of one of
the hills of the city one can look across
the Sound and as far as the eye can
see a vast expanse of forest meets his
gaze. ON the other side of the bay
are located the largest lumber mills in
the world. Nearly the whole of the
country from the Columbia river on
the south to the British line on the
north is one vast forest of pine, fir and
cedar. Every shipbuilder in every
country would pay tribute to this re-
gion, for nowhere else are gotten out
such perfect masts and spars. The
lumber in this region grows to NAM
moth proportions and is shipped to all
the markets of the world
The Cascade range of mountains di-
vides the state of Washington into
two separate divisions great lum-
ber district, and by reason of its sea
coast, the commercial portion, are on
the west, while the agricultural and
manufacturing portions of he state
are on the east of that scenic range.
Minerals of all kinds are found all over
the state, though the richest deposits
are found in the Okanogan district, in
central Washington, on the east side
of the Cascade range, and in the MANY
districts in the northeastern part OF
Washington and the northern part ot
Idaho, and all tributary to Spokane
These districts excel in richness those
tributary to Denver and have only
Just begun TO be developed.
Ten years ago little was known Of
this country. True the few hardy spir-
its that had ventured here knew thai
the soil was exceedingly fertile and &
few were satisfied to settle down anc
cultivate it, and to-day these same