The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-11
Written for The Tribune.

through the gigantic pine and cedar
forests from Tacoma to Portland
Oregon. over the Pacific division of
the Northern Pacific railroad. Between
the Cascades and coast range of noun
tains Ii q deep. Irregular basin bor-
dered by the heavily timbered foothills
of either range. extending from the
northernmost shores of Puget sound. u
distance of over two hundred and fifty
miles. to the wide rolling Columbia
river basin This basin is but In fact
the northerly continuation of the Will
lamettc basin in Oregon and is covered
to u great extent with a heavy growth
OF as choice timber as the continent
affords, breaking here and there into
stretches of most beautiful prairie, and
drained by a number of small streams
and rivers. leaving a deep. rich. black
alluvial soil. Through this basin runs
the Pacific Division" of this great road.
which, including the Olympia and other
branches to Portland. covers a distance
Of over two hundred miles.
4 Peculiarly Of Washington Rivers.
Chief among these rivers are Chekalis,
the Wfllapa and the CorOlitz. each hav-
Ing several miles Of navigable waters,
which enter the Pacific through the
commodious ocean harbors of Willapa
and Gray's harbor. westward. and near
Olympia, while the Corolitz. whose
source Is among the eternal SHOWS
Of the Cascades. flows westward
through COrolitz or Matches Pass.
over a rich airie-country. increasing
In volume until 1t unites with the
mighty Columbia near Kalama. 1t is
notica bic that the rivers of Western
Washington and Oregon flow through
natural valleys to reach the sea. while
all the streams east of the Cascade
mountains have cut through deep can
yons. The theory Is that many CEN
turtles ago these eastern valleys were
buried thousands of feet deep under
volcanic scoria. and rs the region went
through its different volcanic epochs
later. a channel was formed through
this remarkable lava bed. thus afford
ing the glacier streams an outlet to the
sea.
After leaving Tacoma our first stop
IL Lake View junction, eight miles south.
Here ia a branch line to Olympia. A
seventies miles further run brings us
to Yelm Prairie and here we have a
revelation Of unsurpassed grandeur in
the nearest railroad view of Mount Ia
coma. which Is about forty miles dis
tant though so distinct is its vast bulk,
that 1T seems much neafer. Here our
ever present companion '''rhe Lunde
uuS SduleTa, Is DIOuSut lito TtQuiSi-
ton enabling us to secure few mega
tives i'm the line Of landscape photo
graphy which we highly prize. At Ten
ino. thirty-nin miles from Tacoma. we
branch off on the olympia and Chehalis
Valley railroad, a narrow gauge line,
fifteen miles long, passing through q
dense forest touching at six small lum-
ber camps to Olympia.
Tho Capital City. Olympia.
Olympia, which is 100 miles from Port
land. ia the capital Of Washington state
and the Oldest town in the country west
OF the Cascades. 1t has an estimat ted
population Of nearly 1000. 1t Is beau
tifully situated at the head of the cres-
cent shaped body Of water, Puget
Sound, as originally named by Van
couver. the English explorer. II has a
magnificent land-locked harbor. easy
of access: also 200 miles of shore line,
within a radius of twenty-five miles.
surrounded by extensive deposits of
iron and coal and the greatest forests
OF the largest timber in the known
world. We were reliably informed that
|. the combined Outpu. of two OF It's saw
mills last year was nearly 10000. 900 feet.
and one shngle mill cut over 1000. 900
shingles Ito be exact. 7,22S0O0). Its
close proximity to the coal fields and
tiC ldCL tIdt IL 10 OIIly i've IIliIcS us.
tant from the Black Hills. which con-
tain iron ore in abundance. forecasts
its future. and also the importance of
Its future great industries of both iron
and coal.
Olympia is an attractive city, with
broad and well shaded streets and an
abundance of fruit trees and flowers.
1t has beautiful residences, elegant
school and public buildings. with all
the modern improvements, and capi-
tol building second to none in the north
west. save Sacramento. Cal. being an
exact counterpart Of the state house OF
Hartford. Conn. Congress endowed the
state with 132. 900 acres Of land for the
erection Of the capitol building. and
this princey grant Is worth over $4,000. :
900 and ia apidly increasing In value In
addition the state appropriations our
ing it's constructions were large, the last
one being S1,000,00O.
An In TO Dntc CITY.
The city contains six churches. col
legiate institute under the auspices OF
the Methodists, st. Peters hospital ana
also a Girls academy maintained by
the Catholic Sisters of Charity, several
public schools. an opera house with u
seating capacity of $50, two daily ana
two weekly newspapers. three banks. a
works and fire department The clim-
ate of Olympia is SO mild. even In sight
Of the snow capped mountains. that
flowers bloom till mid winter and green
fields and verdant lawns are seen every
month in the year.
The city is fast becoming a railroad
and lumber center with prospect OF
future greatness. In word, no city In
the Union Is more proudly named or sit
uated than Olympia. with the blue sea
at it's feet and the mountains its glis-
tenirg crown"
Returning to TeninO, a run Of twelve
miles brings us to the two thriving
towns of Centralia ad Chehalis located
about four miles apart. with popula-
tions. respectively. of 1000 and 1900
They form the center of farming com
munity of great wealth. Here are fruit
gardens Of every descriptions, which
In abundance of yield and size. beauty
and exquisite flavor of its fruit, equal
II not surpass any on the cOast--so un-
like the California fruit and so like the
New England This entire region along
the CorolitZ valley. Is settled by a
thrifty class of Tennesseeans and west
ern North CarOlinans who have found
homes here since 1884. Both Centralia
and Chehalis are largely engaged In the
manufacture Of lumber. shingles, sash,
blinds. doors. etc. Centralia has
lately developed coal mines which
promise to be of great value.
Abundant Coal Deposits.
] might say right here, coal crops ont
over the country everywhere. Ignite in
the west. bituminous in the middle
east and anthracite i'm the remote
mountains. The finger can hardly be
nlpcp6 anywhere nc