The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-01
Written for The Tribune.

In our last letter we parted with our
readers rather abruptly. while yet on
Puget Sound. admiring the natural
wonders of Gods universe, and perhaps
detained you too long; but the half has
not been told of the boundless resources
of this Evergreen State"-called the
great treasure house of the Creator
nor Puget Sound. the worlds harbor on
the greatest of Oceans. The far-seeing
statesman, William II. Seward. during
the negotiations for the purchase of
Alaska. said: The greatest triumphs
Iof mankind will be won on the greatest
of oceans" Nowhere on this great
ocean Pacific). or even on this conti-
nent do you find harbor equal to Puget
Sound. which will eventually get the
bulk of the commerce of the Pacific
coast. The geographical position of
both Tacoma and Seattle is such that
their future must be closely identified
with the development of the commerce
in the Pacific ocean. especially Seattle,
which is destined to be the greatest
shipping point In the world.
Seattle is nearer the great markets
of Asia and Australia than the. other
Pacific coast ports, and the commerce
L
and st. Petersburg to Russia. will soon
go direct from Puget Sound and mainly
from the seaport of Seattle. which is the
'fextreme western terminus of the four
Itrans-continental railroad systems.
SeattIc's Magnificent Future.
When the great Russian railroad, the
trans-Siberian railway from Vladivoc-
took. a Pacific seaport of Siberia, to
Moscow Is built, Seattle will be natur-
ally the greatest shipping point for that
continent. Russia intends to have that
road completed in two or three years.
and at the rate of its present construc-
Y ton it would be considered rapid work
even in this country. 1t means the
| opening to commerce and colonization
within that time of a region fully
twice as large as the United States, and
containing natural resources of prob
fably equal value and variety a region
1 including not Siberia alone, but also
the vast Chinese empire.
| At present vessels leave Puget
Sound ports for Guatemala, Chill,
China, japan, England, Hong-Kong,
| Australia and British India. The
trade of China alone Is $150,000,0O0 an
nually. While San Francisco has a
| good harbor, the city is not located so
that it can command the trade of the
interior. 1t is the same. with Port
land, which Is a hundred miles inland
and over way which is often dan
gerous for even large vessels. l re-
peat. no where on this continent do we
find a harbor equal to Puget Sound.
Our eastern friends do not realize that
Il l.. hon Gal % tha
northwest the region of the setting
sun, Is really along the shores of this,
the finest body Of water In the world,
If real. natural beauty be the standard.
Do not charge me with being an en-
thusiast. Once come here in summer
and sail over these placid waters, and I
venture to affirm that your summer
Outings will henceforth be arranged for
| the far west of our, own native land,
| and not for Europe. Nature has ap-
parently designed the state of Seattle
| to be the entrepot Of a vast ocean COM
merce The land locked harbOr already
commodious and safe, will, when the
! vast improvements now begun are
| complete, be without any question, the
finest harbor in America.
Another reason may be given that
has made Seattle what she Is as sea-
port. She naturally has the trade of
| all this upper sound country even into
| the British possessions and Alaska,
| and will hold it through her unrivaled
resources and shipping facilities. The
well-nigh boundless resources of this
wonderful region are just beginning to
be understood and developed. Coal,
| iron, timber and soil "richer than all
the gold mines of the globe" and a
mild climate that rejoices the hearts of
| shivering mortals who come hither
| from colder climes and a glorious
| fruit country. all conspire to make the
seat of empire.
=. Scattic's Beautiful Environs.
r. One says: "There Is n land of pure
delight, and it is not far. from Puget
Sound, and the campers in that land
are the saints who dwell In the cities of
Tacoma and Seattle" Having visited
and studied thoroughly the former city
and enjoyed its attractions. Of course
the latter must be visited also Those
who come from the east are quite as
topished at the grandeur of the scenery
and the framework of ocean, lake and
mountains encircling Seattle as a city.
Rome is known as the city of the
Seven Hills" Seattle may be spoken of
as the city Of seven times seven hills.
The mountains and seashore are here
in combination. The snow-capped
Olympia and Cascades encrcle the city
and harbor, which gives it the name of
THE Young Giant of Puget Sound"
1t matters not whether the tourist en-
ters the city by daylight. when the de.
nf mir
clearest. or at night. when the electric
lights OF the entire city CLEAN across the
bay. the effect. In either case. is most
pleasing and impressive. This favor
able impression Is strengthened when
the city is explored in detail and its
public buildings and tasteful residences
are admired. In either instance it Is a
beautiful picture.
,SuppOsing the whole world and the
rest of mankind" to be as much inter-
estcd in Seattle as we are. we will tell
you something of what we see in this
young, enterprfsing and matchless city.
to begin with Seattle is delightfully."- sit
uated on the shores of Elliott Bay,
an arm of Puget Sound. twenty-five
miles from Tacoma, its formidable
rival. The sight on approaching the
city from the steamer Is of a city built
on a hill side. like Duluth, Vicksburg.
etc, every large building standing out
by itself and affording the best pos
sible view of a large part of the city's
area. There is a continuous range of
buildings, from Smiths Cove, on the
north. to the head Of the harbor on
the south. distance of five or six
miles. At night the scene from the
harbor is strongly remindful Of San
Francisco. and the crescent, shaped
harbor. to that of the Mississippi river