The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-20
HOMES FOR SOLDIERS.
On the Federal TOwnsite Re-
serve at Port Angeles.
ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST COLONY.
v.ur Hundred Families From Bleak
Michigan TO Take Up Their Resi-
dsnce on Puget Sound.

poxr AveELEs, Sept 19-Ispeciai 1.-The first
.,sin of old soldier colonists from Michigan
coached here Yesterday on the steamer Garland.
They were met At the dock by an immense
crowd Every one was in gaia Dress The band
- on hand and welcomed the newcomers
-i,h .IIaii Columbia" The colonists were re.
eeiyed BY ths local Grand Army post and
sresch OF welcome was delivered by Mayor
smith procession was formed and the entire
earty vas served with a sumptuous dinner,
sftsr which they were distributed among the
A,nercut residents for the night Today they
vsag in q body to that portion of the reserve
hed for them, TO select their lots They are
iruuenseiy pleased with their reception ana
nth the general outlook. Mr.. Ashmun, their
sreut came with this train, but will return in
! few days to prepare the second train. He ex.
pects to bring out about 500 in the next install.
nspt The second train of colonists will start
October L, and this ia TO be followed by third
train about the last of November. All of these
usins are specials and will be pIacarded &C. A.
Coionists from Michigan, Bound for Port An.
eeies Wash" The entire 400 families CON-
prising the colony, ii 10 expected, will be here
and settled In their own homes upon the forty
L.ocks reserved for them by January /, 1893
Their accession will add from 1900 to 1000
yeople to the population OF Port Angeles. One
excellent feature OF the movement il that the
colony Ia self-supporting of the old soldiers
being pensioners. Among those who will come
With the colony will be O number of men with
surplus means, ranging all the way from 81 900
% 10000. and they will come prepared to estab-
iish industries here, fish canneries shingie mills
s snd working establishments. They are coming
here TO get into q kinder climate than the one In
& which they have been living and selected Port
Angeles a. their future home after thoroughly
investigating its attractions and advantages
Learning OF our government tow Iisite reserve.
and that they could get practically Free two lots
In the heart OF a rapidly growing seaport city
without sacrificing their right to secure both
homestead aud timber claims, and that they
here ENJOY life in one OF the finest climates
Imaginable and in one Of the most beautiful
end healthy spots on the Pacific coast, they con.
Guided to come here and make this place their
home.
Maj. K r. Harding, q prominent Grand Army
man of this city, aud candidate for county treas
urer ON the Republican ticket, is in Michigan
assisting In getting the colonists under way.
special rates have been obtained from the
Onion Pacific railway and everything has been
reduced TO practical business basis.
The Grand Army post of this city has inter.
ated itself heartily in this movement and hav.
Ing extended to their old comrades of Michigan
swarm invitation TO come to Port Angeles, will
S zee TO IL that they are handsomely welcomed on
Eeles is interested in making this old soldier
movement q success. for all recognize its i'm.
portance in its relation to the growth and vel.
fare OF the city, and everything will be done by
our people to make the reception that will DO
extended to the old soldiers on their arrival
here one that they can never forget-one that
they will always remember with pleasure.
Al this movement 10 of faY.reaching magni-
tude short sketch of its rise ana growth and of
the Port Angeles Townsite Reserve upon which
the colonists, with thousands OF Others, will
establish their homes, can scarcely fail to prove
interesting to the readers OF the Posr-INrxLLI-
eENcER In 1862, through the efforts OF Mr.. Victor
einith, who was the collector of customs for this
district, the Port Angeles Townsite Reserve was
established by President Lincoln under the pro-
visions OF the law OF 1868, providing for the
reservation OF townstes on the public domain.
1T was chosen As the most fitting site for the
location OF q city after a very thorough iuspec-
uoa Of various other points along this coast had
been made-the magnificent harbor here having
been conceded TO be of the finest in the
world aud upon the shores OF which n city must
arise. President Lincoln's idea in reserving this
sownsite was to provide tree home for the
people at point where there was a legitimate
reason for people congregatIng To build city
on this coast The wisdom of his selection has
since been abundantly demonstrated.
tract OF land OF over five square miles, ex-
back along the plateau, overlooking the broad
waters OF the straits of San Juan de Fuca, was
included In this townsite reserve, and y certain
portion OF IL was plated into blocks and lots
ard sold at the United States land office shortly
alter the work was completed, leaving some 1900
acres nnsurveyed, which area is now known
the Reservation" For long period thereafter
but little was done here in the way Of settle
ment or clearing until Port Angeles began to as
anne some considerable prominence, and then
his government reserve began to attract attcn-
Ton aud 10 invite those who were looking for
Desirable home sites In the month of June,
iso, a rush wa, made for lots and since that
time the settlers have been constsntly going
upon the reserve, until now its populat
teaches fully 900. IL is q very surprising and
remarkable sight TO ascend the plateau from the
lower business portion of the city and to see
opened o1t n magnificent expanse of cleared
land, as level almost a floor, and to find
everywhere hundreds of coy homes, with .
score or more OF new buildings being erected
upon every side and with the work of clearing
and improving going ahead vigorously in every
direction.
10 1880 congress voted an appropriation OF
Nuo 10 complete the survey and sppraisement
Oh The land aud extended the right of purchase
70 any settler who had occupied any two regu-
ishon lots each 5oxiio feet ''prior TO January /.
isa This latter provision was . most eyre
tSHs cftuf, NJ no PERSON. uau ibcatcu upon tuS
reservation before that date. The law should
nave read "s!nce June 30, 1890" However, the
iast congress enacted an amendatory law which
gives the right of purchase 10 every one who
makes settlement upon two regulation lots up
70 the time OF the approval by the interior de-
ratiment of the report of tho board of appraisers
who will be sent here TO place valuations upon
this property
The contrset for the completion of the survey
o. the reservation was let 10 Deputy Surveyor
Ashley. OF Spokane, IN the summer of 1891, and
as field work was completed during the past
winter. The sum available for prosecuting this
YORK was insufficient for surveying into town
e's al OF the land still included in the reserve,
pat the greater portion OF it was 40 surveyed,
= and the remainder. which is located q: the
western end of the reserve, was thrown into
va acre blocks. which VIII be offered at public
sie along with such single lots, II any, as have
Boz been settled upon.
FOR scius unsccouutshls reason Mr.. Ashley
vas very slow IN writing mp his notes aud th .
oesy thus oecasioned has been very vexatious
- we settlers. This period of delay and unoer-
@iats is now happily az an end, however, rs the
eflsnded letters frum Surveyor Ien. Amos y.
sAsw to tae secretary of the Board of Trade
make very plain:
oLYxPrs. Wash. Sept 10, 1892
aoats OF the sfa inst To hand Mr.. Ashley
ssae Dis final report about the 10Th OF August
Fra.- u fsa..s haA