The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01
THE ARCHIPELAGO DE HARD
A Lovely Garden Spot in the Straits
of Fuca.
Unsurpassed for Fruit and Agriculture
Thrifty and Happy Popula-
tiou-The Towns.
EAST Sousp. Wash. Dec. 81 1880.

EAST SOUND, WASH, Dec. 81, 1880.
In the near future no tourist will con-
| slider that he has seen the Northwest I'M
| less he has spent a portion of his time
| among the thousand islands which stretch
| from southeast to northwest through the
| waters of Puget sound, Washington sound
| and the Gulf of Georgia, from Skagit
| Head to Nanaimo. And the islands which
! viii gain the greatest prominence for
| variety of scenery, and the thousand and
one charms and surprises of an ever-shift-
| ing scene and new effect. as well as for ease
of access from all the Sound cities, are
| those islands which lie in the waters of the
Archipelago de Haro commonly called, in
postoffice parlance, San Juan county. The
newcomers also, who are of more i'm
portance than tourists, the settlers, are be-
| ginning to turn their attention more and
more to the advantages and desirability of
this group for farmers, fruit-growers and
raisers of thoroughbred stock, as well as
for merchants. And there is third class
of almost equal importance to the settler,
the summer visitor, who has his house
built in some beautiful natural spot, where
he brings his family for the summer
months, and where he turns with eager
aspect every Saturday to spend his we'll
earned Sunday.
/ The largest of this group of islands are
| Orcas, San Juan and Lopez, in the order
given. The most prominent, on account
| of population, wealth and earliest settle
ment, is San Juan. San Juan is the island
which forms the southwest boundary of
the group. 1t was partially settled prior
to the joint occupation by the American
and English governments in the early
| 70's; but when the two armies had taken
up their headquarters, the English on the
northwest shore, the Americans on the
| southeast, then considerable population
came in and bought out the older settlers
or took up land previously unoccupied
| From that day to this the island
has prospered, and with good
reason. 1t contains some of the
finest agricultural land in West
ern Washington. The population is
about ,250. The county seat is on this
island is situate on q beautiful landlocked
harbor with entrances separated by an
island about leo acres in extent. As the
steamer crosses the harbor, large and sub
stantial docks are seen at the end of the
street which composes the principal part
of Friday harbor; and the vista of ware
| houses, stores and other substantial build
ings give evidence of large internal pros
perity. The county paper, the San Juan
Graphic is published here Mr. Baum be-
ing the proprietor and editor. There are
two large grocery, a hardware and several
other stores, two hotels, a large courthouse,
and large number of private dwellings,
The Methodists are building a church, and
an oatmeal and grist mill is being fitted up
The greatest attraction to this place,
| though probably lies in the enterprises
of Messrs. Carter, briggs, Bowman
and Nichols. These citizens and
others have demonstrated what Friday
harber can do in raising small fruits, and
their fruit gardens are always a sight well
worth the seeing, especially in blossoming
and fruiting seasons. The amount of
| Strawberries and blackberries shipped is
very large, amounting to thousands of
| boxes. Messrs. briggs and Carter have
small orchards coming on, chiefly of
| prunes, with some peaches, apples and
pears, with which they hope to demon
strate in the near future the capabilities of
Friday harbor as a good fruit section.
| There is small but valuable hop field
north of the village which has proved a
very paying investment. Immediately
| south there is, in little nook at the lower
| end of the harbor, the house of the Hon.
| orable L. ID. Warbasse, seen setting among
| the trees. Mr.. WarbaSse, with Messrs. J.
| Sweeney, ]. Fl. Bowman and ]. Kats, has
| been one of the prominent builders-up
| OF the county seat, making posi-
bic the present work and growth
! helped on by newer blood. One and
| half miles south lies the hamlet of Argyle.
| where is situate the principal oatmeal mill
| on Puget sound. Mr.. Tucker is the post
master, and means TO build up large vii
| lage here if possible. There is a beautiful
harbor, and the landing is within one mile
! OF the rich San Juan valley Starting ont
| from Friday harbor by the Whatcom road
I the traveller passes through about a four
/ mile belt of timber, with here and there a
| house and clearing, and an occasional
| natural prairie, TO emerge suddenly on
piece of open country, and the two prin-
| cipal churches of San Juan island, the
| Roman Catholic and the PRESBYTERIAN.
| The pastor of the latter church. the Rev.
| Mr.. Weekes, is one of the pioneers, having
| commenced his work over eighteen wears
! since Passing by these churches, with
their well-kept graveyards, placed as they
| should be. around the churches, to the
brow of the hill. suddenly there appears
! one of the most beautiful rural scenes in
| western W ashlh4tons the san J uan valley,
| with its numerous homesteads and WELL
| titled fields. Prosperity is seen TO reign
| everywhere, and III the fall of the wear,
! when the grain is ripe, the scene is well
/ worth visit. On the uplands bordering
this valley the best oatmeal oats are grown,
| with a range of weight from a. 10 IS
| pounds. The road TO the southeast leads
| to the American camp, the road to the