The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-01-17

an altitude of about 5000 feet above the sea
level. A magnificent game preserve, where
the lordly elk, deer, bear and other wild
animals roam, seldom fretted by the lead
Of the huntsman or the encroachments of
civilization! This mountain range displays
the most gorgeous scenery that ever in
spired poets dream or tempted an art
lists brush. Their mineral and other treas
ures are almost wholly unknown and unex-
plored. Certain it is however, that they
contain gold, silver, copper, coal, slate
rock, sandstone and many other ind
ments for the miners pick or the manufac-
turers machinery.
The climate of the Olympic peninsula, SIT
uated as it is right in the track of the warm
chinook winds that sweep northward from
the south land, its ocean front being laVed
by the Japan current, afford practically but
two seasons, the wet and the dry Its an
nual rainfall is for the most part enormous,
and herein lies the secret of the amazing
fertility of it's soil. It's distinction from
Texas, concerning which Gen. Sherman
made an odious comparison as to its only
lack, that is, water and good society, by
saving that these were all that hades la OK
ed, is marked by the fact that our peninsula
at least does not lack the water, either from
the clouds in rain and dew or from its sur
roundings for the purposes of navigation
and commerce.
said in detail in a fifteen-minute paper.
Clallam contains 1900 square miles, has
about 120 miles of shore line and popula-
ton of about 5000. 1t is one of the richest
counties in all our state in natural resources
and one of the least developed. Jefferson
with 5000 population and 1900 square miles
of area, boasts of her beautiful, safe and
commodious harbors, bays and inlets, her
soil, timber and products. Her principal
city, Port Townsend, commands the mar
row entrance of the inland waters OF Puget
sound, where Uncle Sam must erect sub
stantial Notifications before he will be justi-
fed in talking too saucy to Great Britain.
The bays al Port Angeles and Port Towns
end, county seats of these counties, may be
safely pointed out in challenge for the
world to beat them as harbors.
About the time a locomotive whistle
wakes the echoes in the Qu:llayute valley
new county will be organized out of the
western end of Clallam and Jefferson, and
bv that time the taxable wealth of these
counties VIII have been doubled. Kitsap
county. with an area of 400 square miles and
a population of 5000 or more, is almost en-
tirely surrounded by the waters of Hoods
canal and of the Sound proper with their
numerous indentations The government
dry dock at Port Orchard, the prospective
government army post at Magnolia bluff,
and the immense numbering establishments
",
points, mark her progress to future great
ness.
Mason county, covering 900 square miles
and including a population of upwards of
45O0. is perhaps the leading county on the
neninsula in the magnitude of its logging
enterprises now in operation. Its harbors,
tonography, soil and natural wealth are
varied and form sure basis of indefinite
development Chehalis county, with 10000
non1lation. 2062 square miles of area and
her vast milling, fishing and agricultural
interests tributary to an ocean outlet at
Grav's harbor clamoring vigorously and
nronerly lust now for national appropri-
atoms. is a county with future whose inn
nortance is amply foreshadowed by her past
and present.
Pacific county population 5000, area SIS
square miles, has thirty-f1ve miles Of
ocean shore line. Her ShoalWater bay, sug-
eestiye of oyster and fishing industries,
spreads out to greet ocean commerce. This
county is especially attractive for the home
seeker. Wahkiakum county, the smallest,
With a population of 5000 and an area Of
974 square miles, skirting the north side of
the Columbia river, is a center Of fishing,
numbering and farming industries.
Lewis county, having population of 49,
nn0 or more and covering $500 square miles,
;s nartly on the peninsula. To enumerate
one-haIf of it's elements of wealth and adj
vantages would require a separate paper
devoted to that subject alone. Her princi-
nal towns. Chehalis, Centralia and Winlock,
are all prosperous. Thurston county, with
her 13. 900 people and her 700 square miles of
area. lying partly upon the peninsula, COM
manding and including as she does the head
of navigation on Puget sound, her county