The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-09-07
Pacific Northwest.

Investor, edited by Lional Stagge, at
Portland, Or, is the following on the
development of the Pacific Northwest
One of the best examples of mod
ern progress is the rapid development
of the Pacific Northwest, the country
comprehended in the Columbian
basin and the basin of Puget Sound.
Ten years ago most of the cities had
but a beginning, and some OF them
were yet unheard Of Miles upon
miles of arabic land, now covered with
farms and yielding millions of bushels
OF grain and producing bountiful
crops of various kinds, were then
wild, unoccupied and much of it
deemed worthless.
New counties have been formed,
new towns built, irrigation bitches
constructed and a wilderness trans
formed into region of productive
farms. Within that period net
work of railroads has been construct
ed connecting the producing sections
with tide-water shipping points, aggre-
eating some 5000 miles in length and
costing some millions of dollars.
The city of Portland has grown
from % 600 to 10000 population,
Seattle from 10000 to 10000, Tacoma
from 5000 to $4,000, Spokane from
1000 to 10000, and other centres of
population in like proportion. Two
Territories have been made States and
the Congressional representation has
been increased from three to eleven.
Manufactures have been increased IA
thousand per cent and exports still
greater.
Notwithstanding the tremendous
traffic of five distinct transcontinen-
tai lines of railway, ocean commerce
has largely increased. Mines of gold
and silver have been developed and
lines of railway constructed to them
in places where the human foot had
scarcely trod before. In all this de-
velopment the school house, college
and church have been in the fore
ground.
The school system is excellent and
the school buildings large, substantial
and of modern construction. Col
leges and universities have been es-
tablished and churches of stone and
brick and imposing architecture have
been built, electric and cable street
railway lines constructed, great water
systems built, and electric light and
telephone systems introduced.
Great as has been this development
it is but promise of the future.
Scarcely a tenth of the arabic land
has been rendered productive. It's
great wealth of coal, iron, timber,
precious metals and numerous other
natural products have been but par
TALLY developed. Its great water power
is practically unused. Its commerce
is but in its infancy. It's industries
have but begun. 1t contains within
itself the potency to support 10 per-
sons for every one now living within
its limits.
Great as has been its progress it
promises to develop more rapidly and
substantially in the future than any
other section of the United States Its
possibilities are practically unlimited.
wholly ignored, neither themselves
nor their organizations securing a sin
gle first class postmaster appointed in
their respective counties. These facts
and figures speak for themselves and
do not require any comment"
Chairman Wilson, of the House
Ways Means Committee, proposes
starting for Europe early next week
and the tonges of rumor says that he
expects to bring back big campaign
fund to be spent in trying to get him
self reelected to the House. Wheth-
er this rumor is true or false | will
not to say, but, as Mr.. Wilson was in
strumental in getting tariff legislation
through Congress that is going to put
lots of money into European pockets
at the expense of American working
men, it is not unreasonable to suppose
that some of the benefited European
manufacturers may be grateful enough
to put up some money to be used in
trying to keep Mr. Wilson in Congress.
Both he and Mr. Cleveland have prom
ised to give more for favors European
manufactures if Congress continues
to be democratic.
! Congress will adjourn tomorrow,
and it's democratic members will have
an opportunity to learn just what
their constituents think of the blum
dering incapacity which has marked
everything they have undertaken.
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