The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-01-26
Investigating Resources of the Canal.

SEATTLE, Jan. 16.-John E. Tapley
of Minneapolis, who has been maxim
an investigation into the resources O
the country, north and west of Hoods
port, on Hoods canal, to Lake Cush
man, has returned to Seattle, afte
spending two weeks in that region
1t is understood that Mr.. Tapley is il
the employ of a railroad and lumbe
syndicate of Minneapolis and St
Paul. Mr.. Tapley is practical lum
herman, and his report on the re
sources of the country he examined
has been sent to Minneapolis. Tn,
deep SHOWS in the Olympics prevented
him from making as complete an ex
animation as he wished, and he will
return next spring to continue his ex
ploratlons. 1t was also his intention
to pass through the Olympic noun
talns and strike the coast, but the
snow also prevented the carrying oul
OF this plan. During his trip he
struck the trail followed by Lieuten
ant O'Nelll and his party five year.
ago. This trail starts from Lake
Cushman and runs west through the
Olymplcs. A party that went through
the mountains to the coast last sum.
mer reported that they were unable
to find the O'Neill trail. This trail
says Mr.. Tapley, follows the North
fork of the Skokomish, and the ex-
plorers of last year followed the south
fork. A mountain range intervenes
and thence their inability to locate it.
In reference to the general character
OF the country Mr.. Tapley says
travelling west and north of Lake
Cushman from Hoodsport, through
townships % and % north, ranges 4
and west, l found growth of small
flr such as is used in this country for
plllng. The land is not adapted for
farming purposes, the soil and subsoil
being gravel. Much of the land in
township % has been taken up for its
timber, and some of it disposed of to
lumber companies, but there still re-
mains large amount of timber held
by the settlers, which is offered for
sale at low price. Township %,
range ., is still unsurveyed, but ap-
pllcation for a survey has recently
been made. A number of squatters
have settled on it. This township
contains some very good farming land
and there are also indications of gold,
silver, iron and galena. 1t is noun
famous and rocky on the south and
west sides. The Skokomish river with
its numerous tributaries, flows south
east through the township and empt-
les into Hoods Canal at the Skoko-
mlsh Indian reservation, where some
of the finest land in the state is to be
found.
"Lake Cushman, near the foothills
of the Olympic range, is very pretty
sheet of water two miles long and
half mile wide. Lake Cushman is
an expansion of the Skokomish river
which rises far up in the mountains
to the northwest. On the west shore
of the lake there has recently been
built neat hotel, which is principal
ly used as a resort for sportsmen. The
lake is very deep, the waters clear and
abound with various kinds of trout
and salmon.
"Township %, range has recently
been surveyed and accepted, but no
filings have yet been made, from the
TACT that the plats have not yet been
returned. The claims which are
already settled upon hereabouts are
occupied by thrifty class of settlers.
They have good Improvements, horses,
cattle and sheep. The soil on the
bottom lands is good, being of a dark
loan, with clay subscil. The timber
resources are also good and very ex-
tensive. There are large bodies of
timber east of these townships owned
by various Puget sound milling con-
Germs. The only practical way this
timber can be logged to any advan-
tage is by railroads, as the river is not
suitable for driving logs and long TIM
her any distance, as they flow, in
many instances, through rough can
yons, which would cost more to i'm
prove than the timber, at present,
could be sold for.
"There is an unoccupied land close
to the sound that is good for anything.
In section 10, township %, range 5,
are found excellent indications of
iron ore of "a good quality. These
mines are about to be operated by a
stock company"
Mr.. Tapley is particularly impress
ed with the vast quantity of excellent
timber which he found, and the cheap
ness of the manufactured article on
Puget Sound.-Ledger.