The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-26
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
A Richly STORED Fortress Awaiting
Attack by Capital.


Nothing in Europe can excel the pic
torial grandeurs OF this American Medi-
terranean, the Sound, writes IS. p. g." in
the New York Evening Post. From end
10 end IL Is one majestic procession Of
towering, snow-clad crags, the Cascades
10 the east and the Olympics to the west.
You pass them in review over the deepest
body OF inland water in the world. Many
town sites have had to be abandoned be-
cause no bottom. no anchorage could be
found stones throw from the shore. So
cold are the depths that oysters are dwarf
ed TO the size of ones thumbnail, but are
delicious in favor. During the past six
months an increase of trade with the ORR
snt and New Zealand and Australia has
inspired some courage in the hearts of the
Sound people. but they are still bemoan-
ing the disastrous consequences OF that
ill-starred boom Of ten years ago. II was
so badly overworked by unprincipled
jackals, and so many rattlebrained invest
ors al the East were nipped that the peo-
pie still find II hard to lure Eastern cap
ital from its lair.
But It will be found impossible to long
keep down a country with such boundless
sources Of wealth. Washington has timber
enough to supply the world for a hundred
years coal IN untold quantities. salmon in
countless profusion. mountains full of iron.
silver and gold. To the east of the Cas-
the kootenay country. Il lies on both
sides ~ the boundary line. just south OF
the SeIkirks. and fifty mines there are now
turning out loo tons OF silver day. In
dications of unlimited mineral wealth have
been discovered In the vast Okanogan
tract TO the northwest OF Spokane. In the
agricultural regions TO the south of Spo-
kane the land yields from sixty 10 even
no bushels OF wheat TO the acre. Vast
stretches of Washington. between Spokane
and Lake Chelsn. have neyer been really
explored, and what harvest Of wealth
may there be found some day can only be
ina gined by the few minerslogists who
have scratched parts OF It's surface. The
entire region around the deep blue bowl
of CheIan is inexpressibiy wild and grand.
and should be set aside, like the Yellow
stone. for a national park.
Lake Revelstoke. in Eastern Washing
ton. and the gold and silver belt may be
said 10 begin at that point, and spread
out thence in the shape OF fan. embrac-
ing all the northeast section OF the state.
Canadian surveys already made, have
covered very large area, and the Cana
dian Pacific has all the profiles and COM
plete mars. A large portion or the min
eral wealth lies on their side Of the line,
and they are fully aware OF its richness
IL has been estimated by competent au-
thoritiss that 100000 tons of silver ore
walton. All through that country there
are stretches of agricultural and grazing
land which, together with it's minerals
will make II ineomparably valuable. The
greater portion of the ore theirs. is I'm sui
phurets ralena and chlorides. combina-
ton which nature evidently intended. IN
order that Il might be reduced at mini
mum cost.
Prof Herbert Bartlett. the well-known
geoloSist. he's given IL as his opinion that
when the state OF Washington is devel-
crsd, "the most wonderful mineral coun-
try in the world viii become known"
The same prodigai gifts appear all over
rs surface. lie SAYS that the Upper
skagf region lying along the Cascades
for forty miles, r. q continuous belt OF. sill
bearing ore. Between the Sound and
the Cascades wherever agricultural land
IL found, they don't bother TO plow; Just
toss the seed on the ground and M ;u5s
Will do the rest. The Puyallup and White
river valleys which he in this belt. are
more productive than any other part of
the Pacific coast not excepting even ths
far-famed Santa Clara valley OF CsIifor-
MA
one point. too. OF great interest to
science has lust been settled by the dis
covery Of a mammoth CIR tree among the
densely wooded sides OF the Cascades IL
lowered 20 a height o. tE feet. and was
g feet II inches In circumference at the
base Its rings indicated a. age Of sss
years. showing that the monarch was a
sRpIirg Of eighty years when Columbus
landed az San Salvador. This tree clearly
proves. 80 the man OF science declare.
THAI 10 material change % the earth's
surface in this great Northwestern do
main has taken place in SO years Capt
tai car dream over the commercial spoiis
when a mining ard industrial assault
with all modern improvements. Is made
on this richly stored fortress