The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-04
POLE Y&rYYyNA
A HARBOR AT 0UILLAYUrK.
IL Would Cost o25 200, and Would
Probably Be Opposed by Bennett

A HARBOR AT OUILLAYUTE.
IL Would Cost 5000, and Would
Probably Be Opposed by Bennett.
The resources of the large body of agri-
cultural land lying west of the Olympic
range are by no means known to the peo-
pie throughout the state of Washington.
The country from the Gray's harbor basin
and north to Cape Flattery, along the
Pacific coast and back into the Olympic
range, containing an area of about $780,
600 acres of land, is undoubtedly the finest
body of agricultural land to be found
in the state of Washington, and would, if
the country spoken of had an outlet or
connection with the outside world, give
homes for thousands of families and home
seekers. But, for lack of an outlet to q
market for farming produce, the largest
part Of the country lying west of the
Olympic mountains is a mere wilderness
and of no value to the people.
Those inconvenience could easily be
overcome, as harbor at the mouth of the
Quillayute river could be made at a small
expenditure, and it would give the people
an outlet to q market for their farming
produce.
A harbor at the mouth of the Quillayute
river would be the means of developing
the large body of both timber and .agri-
cultural land that lies west Of the Olympic
range.
This harbor could be made by turning
the river back to the old channel, where it
used to run out to the ocean twenty years
ago. At that time the river turned its
course, and today runs out to the ocean
over rocky shoals that make it impossible
for vessels to enter the fresh water bay at
the mouth of the Quillayute river. hitch is
deep and large enough to accommodate
vessels of considerable draft. In former
days when the river went out to the ocean
on the old channel, the pioneer settlers on
Quillayute prairie, Dan Tuilen and Frank
Balch, had a schooner to bring in their
needed supplies, and their vessel found
protection in the fresh water bay at the
mouth. By turning the river back to its
old outlet the same harbor could be had
today and the rich natural resources of the
country tributary to the Quillayute valley
would then be developed to state of USE
fulness to the people in general, and in
particular to those that are poor and not
in possession of financial means to buy
land. They could then go out to that
country and take homestead on Uncle
Sans domain, and by so doing establish
their homes in one of the finest agricul-
tural districts to be found on the Pacific
coast.
Beside the agricultural land the value of
the timber stands equally high, as the
country has the finest quality of timber,
consisting of fir, spruce, cedar and hem
lock. With harbor at the mouth Of the
Quillayute river. lumber could be manu-
featured to better advantage than at any
Il L. 49, e
The Quiilayute river is large body of
water, and has four branches. One is the
Dickey, the second the Salduck the third
the Calawa, the fourth the Bocacheil. The
total length OF these streams OF water is
200 miles. and logs can be fioated down
those streams all that distance, and as the
banks of these rivers are covered with the
finest quality Of fir and spruce, logging
would be very convenient and profitable.
One other advantage for the lumber
manufacturer at the mouth of the Quiila-
yute river - that he would have shorter
distance to the San Francisco market than
the lumber manufacturer on Puget sound.
The difference will amount to from $50 to
200 miles. As vessels have to be towed
in and out by tugs on Puget sound, all
those expenses are saved for the manu-
facturer at the Quillayute river, and conse-
quently he could sell lumber to q better
profit.
A harbor AT the mouth of the QuilIayute
river would be benefit for coast payiga-
ton. 1t must be remembered that when
vessel leaves Port Angeles harbor for San
Francisco not a single harbor or place of
safety except Gray's harbor and Willapa
harbor is to be found on the Pacific coast
in that distance, and several vessels have
been lost on Destruction island, eighteen
miles south of the Quiliayute river. With
q harbor at that place, vessels would have
g he.
harbor at the mouth of the Quiliayute
river would not only be Of q local charac-
ter, but of national benefit. As it is the
duty of our common government to do
everything in its power TO provide safety
and protection to the American seanen, it
becomes the duty Of the government to
undertake this needed improvement:
The first and oldest settlement IN Quilla-
yute valley is Quillayute prairie. The Pull
lens and the Balches settled on the prairie
about twenty-three years ago Forks
prairie, lying six miles east OF Quiliayute
prairie, was settled some years afterward.
The soil OF both prairies is of good quail
ity, and all sorts of vegetables and small
fruits grow exceiientiy, hay, oats and bar
ley yielding heavily.
The hops produced on Forks prairie are
OF splendid quality. The land ON the
river bottoms of the Quillayute. Diekey,
Salduck, Calawa and Bocachiel is of first
class quality. Other settlements in the
,Quiilayute valley are Shuwah, Beaver,
Salduck, East Dickey, Diekey, Norman
and Ozeth lake. Ozeth lake has water
front OF forty miles, and lies thirteen
miles south OF Neah bay. The length of
| the lake from north to south Is twelve
miles, and from the south end OF the lake
| TO the Quiliayute river nine miles, and
| from the west side of the lake TO the ocean
| about three miles. About 100 claims are
/ taken up around Ozeth lake. Including
| the settlements on the CHALET river and
| also the Quesets river. nearly 80 claims
| are taken up in the Quillayute country.
| But this large tract of land could provide
| homes for thousands of families ii the
| federal government would undertake To
| build harbor at the mouth of the Qnlila-
yute river. and by so doing open the
! country for settlers and homesteaders.
| A harbor at the place spoken OF would
! be the salvation of the country lying west
| of the Olympic range. The people In the
| Quilaynte valley want the government To
| undertake this important work, and 70
| that effect petition, vas sent 10 the fed
| eral government from Qgiliayute post
! Office January 7. Said petition was signed
| by 3g7 settlers in the Quiiiavute valley. ii
IL not only the settlers in Qaillaynte who
ask for the needed harbor and improve
| ments, bat the people all over tiallau