The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-27

hours run for the Rosie with n good
breeze, and We had it, and were soon
anchored in the harbor of Chiltinum.
The station is located on n Hat of several
acres in extent, which is held by Mrs.
Waller, who has resided there with her
children for sixteen years. Her husband
established the fishing industry at the
point, but one stormy day about seven
years ago he went down with his boat in
Bellingham bay off the point where Fair
haven now stands, and was drowned, and
his wife was left with five children, the
youngest baby of three, to take care of
themselves on the lonely point. Soon she
determined to remain and occupy the
home which they had selected until the
government should give it to her, which it
is about to do in recognition of the fact
that she has fully earned 1t.
Point Roberts was evidently at one
time an island backed on the northwest,
north and east by shoal water, which has
gradually been filled in by drift from the
Fraser river until there is now fiat of
some four hundred square miles rising just
above the level of the low tide, but not
above the high water, which is kept off by
means of dikes, and this forms the garden
spot of British Columbia, upon which are
as fine farms as can be seen anywhere.
At the southern extremity of Point
Roberts the land rises from the surface of
the water $50 feet, but the altitude grad
ually lessons as you go back north until
the high land tapers off into these Fraser
river flats. The international boundary
line crosses the point about midway of the
high land, leaving something over two
thousand acres on the United States
side. Some 800 or 400 acres of the point is
low and level, without timber and covered
with grass. The balance is heavily tim
bered with fir, cedar, alder and maple,
some of the finest specimens Of the latter
to be seen in this country, and though
very rich soil is rather difficult clearing.
About seven families are represented by as
many h Affiliations on the point.
The PosT-INTELIIGENCER man walked
clear around the point, visiting the light
house reserve of 200 acres, at the extreme
western point, near which is the old John
Harris place, the making of one of the most
beautiful farms. Harris was murdered
several years ago by Greek fisherman.
who, for some unexplained reason was
cleared, and is now enjoying the free air
of Puget Sound while Old Johns bones lie
in grave very near the northwest corner
post of Uncle Sans homestead. A family
named Mexican is living on Harris old
farm. Just north of the Harris place
Mr.. Brewster is also living on fine piece
of lowland fronting on the Gulf of Georgia,
and his pastures. fields and meadows re-
semble those of an Illinois or Iowa farm.
How many of these people will be able to
secure the homes they are now occupying
remains to be proven by the sales.
Whatcom parties have had a force of
surveyors at work lately with view to
discovering the desirability of Point
Roberts lands, probably with the inten.
ton of being at the sale and securing GER
tain tracts. These surveyors while here,
it is said, verified the discovery Of Lieu
tenant Jordan, that an error of about half
a mile in the location of the forty-ninth
parallel was made, thus leaving strip of
that width south ofthe boundary which has
created no-man's land across the point
upon which any one may locate, and as
the land is unrecognized by any govern
ment it will be a veritable communist
paradise, with no taxes to pay and no
authorities to be amenable to; at least
that is the theory of some. The strip. as
it is about three miles long, will accom-
modate half dozen families.
On the British side of the line various
parties have already taken steps to make
Point Roberts a summer resort, and
Attorney Corbould, of New Westminster,
has been the pioneer in the movement,
and has built cottage which he occupies
during July and August. The bathing on
the hard sand at Boundary bay is said to
be very fine. Some express the belief that
the whole point will finally be turned into
one grand summer resort, and it has its
advantages for such purpose, but how fish
ing and summer bathing will combine it
is hard to see.
Some have expressed dissatisfaction
that the government has abandoned the
point as a military reserve. but how 1t
could be utilized for such purpose to adj
vantage it would be difficult to satisfac-
torily explain, as it is twelve miles from
any other land belonging to the United
States, and flanked by British territory.
The question also arises often, "Why did
Uncle Sam hang Oh to this little two
thousand acres away off here twelve miles
from any of his other possessions?"
Fishing operations at Chiltinum are
being actively pushed by about thirty
men, who are putting in seven large traps
which are expected to catch fish for the
canneries. A large number of Indians
will also he engaged in fishing. There is
no way to predict the result of the seasons
work at present. The salmon may run in
myriads or they may be far between, and
the catch and pack depends on that. 1t is
expected that three steamers will make
daily trips to the point after the fishing
commences, to carry fish to neighboring
cities.