Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-04-03

The Amateurs Negative Brings Out an
Interesting View Of John Bulls Thrift
tiness and Foresight on Our Extreme
Northwestern Border.
VANCOUVER British COLUMBIA.
March 90 1896
There are two direct routes from Seattle to this
city, one being by steam via Victoria, the other
by the Great Northern railroad over which
came, that follows close by the shore OF Puget
sound for quite distance, passing the rev town
of Everett, one Of the termin of the above men
toned railroad, where extensive mills are being
erected TO. the manufacture of wood hnishings
DOORS blinds, etc The lands for several miles be.
yond are under cultivation, with forests of fir
and cedar following, with an occasional clearing
showing strong black soil now covered with a
fresh growth Of grass and other vegetation. Sub,
stquenty we crossed two ambitious rivers, sepa.
rated only by several inhabited farms, each try
ing, with good prospect of success, to drown the
isolated inhabitants. Florence, conspicuous for
its shingle mills, Is now reached; IA pleasantly
situated little village near the sound, where the
spires of quartet OF modest churches give evil
dence of a variety of religious thought, and a
prominent school building, where the pabulum of
liberty and patriotism Is dispensed, graces the
highest hill in the background,
Our motive power having having received a
fresh diet of coal and water we move on sur.
rounded by the debris left behind by the ravisher
Of forests, and after an hours ride In quiet con.
general and tree killers in particular, we arrive
at Wooley where several short lines of railroad
converge or diverge as circumstances require.
few passengers debark, several fresh arrivals
are added to our list, the locomotive gives us the
regulation short signals and we puff on toward the
northwest, with Puget at distance on the left
aud Lake Whatcom on the right Fair Haven be-
ing quickly passed the aspiring city Of New
Whatcom is soon reached, 100 miles from Seattle
The conventional ten minutes are here given for
refreshments, when wi h less company and open
brakes, we dart away from the hum OF machine
~, passing mountains of saw dust and endless
streets and alleys fianked by stacks of planks and
boards, out among the stumpy envi Ons of the
town, crossing Nausauk river, on whose western
bank nestles the town of FeIndae.
Our next stop is at Blaine which is the last
town in Washington its northern six miles of
boundary being in touch with her majesty's do
minion, etc. The unseen 49tn parallel is passed,
SO are Cloverdale and Sapperton, and we roll into
New Westminster an old town in a new dress
with 10000 up to date inhabitants Customs
guardians having gone through with their per.
functory evolutions, accepting cigar for their
urbanity of manner, your correspondent feels
free to give three cheers for The Phoenix and take
a good Look at Mount Baker, 30 miles eastward,
the northern sentinel Of the republic From
Westminster 10 this city, which can be reached
by trolley, is only II miles, but my course being
by steam the distance is somewhat longer. Van
couver, your re- 4ders are aware, is the western
terminus OF the Canadian Pacific railway. Ten
years ago next May the first blow was struck In
the then unbroken forest, where now stands this
imposing city Of 5000 inhabitants The city
frouts on Coal harbor, which is an inlet from the
strait of Georgia, these waters being the north
ern part of Puget sound. Its situation is pictur.
esque aud admirably adapted for drainage, with
good foundation for building large structures,
many such being now finished or in process or
erection This town controls all the commerce OF
the Fraser river in fact 1t is the centre Of hnan.
cial operations for the whole Of the great terrific
~ OF British Columbia.
Directly across the strait Of Georgia lies the
great island OF Var couver. II extends northward
from latitude 4so 30 300 miles. Is 80 miles in
width. containing IS 900 square miles The sur
face Is generally mountainous, but covered with
a growth OF valuable timber, while numerous val
leys along the rivers are susceptible OF supporting
a large agricultural population Victoria, the
capital Of British Columbia, is situated at the eN
tremt southern end Of the island, which Is the
northern shoe of the strait of Juan de FucA,
practically commanding all ingress and egress to
the waters OF Puget sound and the strait OF
Georgia / beg the readers Of The Phoenix to
particularly note the following description of this
part of British Columbia, and the relation which
IL bears TO the future condition of the cities and
towns lying on the shores Of Puget sound within
! the jurisdiction of the United States.