The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-20
SUCH IS LIFE IN THE FAR WEST.
What Pittsburg Man Saw in seattle
and Elsewhere In Washington.

ouO elsewhere III w 8SnlDStOHs
George A. Madden in Pittsburg Dispatch
The newest state on the Pacific coast Is Wash
ington. But it is rapidly growing old in spots.
Its resources are varied. In the south. rich
wheat and hop fields yield bountifully. Along
the Sound fruits-prunes, cherries, apples OF the
fnest-grow luscious and in plenty.
In and around Seattle and in the north
west corner large deposits OF iron,
coal and limestone invite capital. In the
Okanogan and Cascade districts gold and silver
development is progressing. To some OF the de-
posits Eastern capital is pushing expensive
railroads Along its swift streams, in its loamy-
soiled valleys, wey up to the snow line on its
picturesque and high mountains giant spruce,
fir and cedar forests stand ripe for the axe and
saw. So its resources are varied and invit-
ing. In some sections-notably the Skagit
valley-the natural advantages and topog-
raphy clearly resemble those which have made
Western Pennsylvania what 1t is today. The
future OF the new state should be rosy. Just
now the dregs OF a real estate fever that a short
time ago was epidemic handicap and hamper
But the young state is convalescing, and its
pushing people, proiting by the lessons of the
past. talk less real estate and take more pleasure
in sounding the praises OF the places where
judiciOus investment, careful research and
patient toll will some day be rewarded.
The new state has soma promising and grow
ing centers of population. In the Paleuse and
Walla Walla wheat countries the natural high
ways lead to Walla Walla. Spokane is the me-
tropolis and the gateway to the said-to-be
rich galena, silver and gold deposits lying south
of the wedge-shaped granite walls of the mag
nihcent Cascade range. Over on the Sound are
the rival cities OF Seattle and Tacoma These
now do battle for the coastwise commerce of
the Northern Pacific, even scOrning the longer
standing claims of Portland, now handicapped
by the troublesome sand barrier at the mouth
OF its magnificent Columbia Tacoma's very
soul is mortgaged to the railroads. Some day it
will fall victim to corporation consumption.
native even acknowledged that the signs were
serious. Still IL enjoys the commerce and the
tourist business that is thrown into its lap by
the Northern Pacific and its feeders, aud the
crumbs thus scattered are not crusty by any
means.
Seattle, to my mind. is the largest little city
in the land On the ashes of the late cotlflagra-
ton metropolitan-like structures thoroughly
modern In architecture and convenience have
been substantially reared. Its hotel aceommo-
dations are ample and good, its people self-de-
pendent and hopeful, its situation highly pict-
uresQue Attic base Of its populated pns-dotted
hills Puget sound sleeps deeply and silently. Up
the steep sides of its street-marked slopes cable
and electric roads climb with an agility that
demonstrates the feasibility OF a line up the face
of our own Mount Washington. Up ana down,
down and up, well freighted with contented-
along to inland fresh water lake rimmed by
forest grand, spruce-scented, sublime: on
higher uplifts and through stumpy, uncleared
lots for sale to Ballard, site of infant iron
industry-a suburb that will some day be
smoky, sooty, buster far than now. Beyond
few miles by rail up the Sound is the I'M
painted town of Everett railroad backed
and boastful. Here the townsiter is stpl in his
glory. Here he will tell you, lies the pulse of
the great new state. Here, he says, viii its to-
be-developed mines of iron, coal, silver ana
gold send their raw products to be span and
cooked and smelted and sent forth to the peoples
OF the Pacific, even unto China, Japan, India
and Australia. ] know that goodly number OF
Pittsburgers have confidence in Everetts flu
ture. Seattles success is assured. They are
pulling together there.
On up the sound there's Auacortes, Fairhaven
and lesser communities, all the work OF the real
estate boomer and his little plat and prospectus.
Some of them, notably those designed in the
heart o! the forest, seen to have died a-borning
l found myself train,bouud in places where
nait-dotted, newish, painless frame structures
stood with long stretches OF stump-land between.
Some occupied corners of well-detiued squares,
bordered by board walks that seemed t. end in
the timber. Electric light wires with carbonless
lamps formed rather striking contra3. to the
aching yoids and tenantiess storerooms. They
had contemplated water works and rar.id tran
Sit. They told me these improvements had been
deferred. But believe these surveyed forest
cities will ere long be busting aud cheerful.
First, however lot holders must let 20 and peo-
pie must be coaxed there by manufactures of
some sort. The pace has nearly but not quite
killed
saw q cedar stumpin one OF these toy that
measured fifteen fee, in diameter.
One town official told me that some trees
felled had yielded lso, 900 feet of lumber. The
average is from 9,00o to 1900 feet.
~
ranch.
'spuds" 10 the proper way to designate pota.
toes.
saw short-tine paper calling for interest at
the rate of y, Is and "A per cent.
tramp IS "scullion" out there
sQusw man with wet eyes told native who
was with me how he had been afflicted in the
loss OF his housekeeper. and the blaes eyed.
red-cheeked. raven haired little group IF half
breeds that heard his lamentatoa LOGGED sor-
rowtui. Ny companion brought sniis TO his
sad face ly telling him 10 buy another siwash
helpma;c.
They are making splendid coke at Fals haven
Much OF the coal in Washington is kfgnous.
and many deposits were crushed in <he up
heavsl
In one spot in the skagit valley sag a vast
vein OF splendid iron ore outcroppin.r about
100 feet away from several large veins af good
coal.
There's a mountain OF marble and a vast
ridge OF limestone nesr by.
Inc people OF Seattle can go TO ch.rch on
sunday morning, see baseball game in the
afternoon. listen to military band before sun
per anG enjoy the thea;er a dance prior 10
retiring. And they don't seem 20 be m5ch the
worse OH for these diversions either.
The Northern Pacific railroad aYor!s ur-
equalied advantages for a quick, safe a,>i com
toftaole journey To ali points East soueh and
southeast Trans run through to Chicago