The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-03


e-s rom foreign ard caassw.se por-s ear-
lrx tbs year 5sst cscssd ard he volume %
their business, sEdes 20 TIRE many tho1-
aanss q dollars Gsrvea from oshe- ave-
nues OF commerce. has brought much real
prosperity 70 ioezf merchants Eelne re
headquarters % feet q etga- Or zen
ocean tazS and q rect @ other vessels.
STEAM ard san. Po-< Townsend has ce--
fzlnlv derived from thsSe resources rot
lees than en- anna trade ~ So go Eatea
does rot trcsu8e TIRE business sTnzrafirg
frcn ocean sailing vessels cai,irg a his
port. TIE barks H. particalar have expert
erce3 tne 1MSh OF rex hgs re@S from ocean
shipping and have every reason 70 believe
that x VII eoatlnle.
The Customs Offices.
Pert Townsend vas the headquarters q
The Puget sound customs district At area
embracing tire whole state OF Washington.
a feet o. revenue marine cutters and
launches vas stationed here READY FOR n
ssant duty a. sea or on the Sound. Each
o. the cutters had crew cf about ffty
rne- ard their monthly salaries have usn-
aisy been paid IN this city. which. together
with the salaries 6ixbursed a. the custom
house. amount 20 a monthly circulation OF
about $500.
The government has appropriated suffi-
Gent nnorey 70 commence the construction
OF fortihcstiouz on Points MarTowstone.
Wilson ard Admiralty. which are on either
side and directly n front Of Port Towns
end bay. The sites have been surveyed
and IN a recent proclamation President
Cleveland ordered that the lands ne with
drawn from pubic sale and turned over 70
the navy department for fertilization pflr-
poses. The first work vii be the building
OF q military road from Point Wilson
around the head ot Port Townsend bay via
l. fFr@a Of
tweuty-seven niles. Then work on the
forffAcati0ns VIII be begun The plans
have been prepared ard accepted BY the
government and the construction viii be
commenced IN the early spring.
The forts are 70 be built on the most
modern pans known 20 the science OF war.
10 keep pace with what is claimed 70 be the
almost tmpregnable fortress az Esquimalt.
a few mites from Victoria. overlooking the
Straits from the British side. TIE English
have spent and are spending millions OF
dollars 10 protect their island and main
land from invading foes and at the same
time practically attempting 20 control the
waterways 10 Puget sound. II is 20 pro-
tect such points az Seattle. Tacoma and tho
cities OF the interior that the government
Is now proposing TO build Notifications OF
the most substantial character at the door
OF Port Townsend.
II is impossible TO compute the benefits 70
be derived from this great undertaking. II
VIII not only assist in building up Port
Townsend. but will afford the city trans
continental railroad connection with the
East. Scarcely city on the Coast has as
bright future as the Key City OF Puget
sound.
Riches I'm Sea and Land.
The total acreage Of Jefferson county Is
i.i0i .020 acres. OF which about one-ffth has
been surveyed by the government. About
500 acres are under cultivation. and there
are over y. 600 acres Of additional land that
Is suitable for all kinds Of northern fruits.
Some OF the finest tracts OF timber land In
the state are situated In jefferson county.
II was only in late years that these lands
were thoroughly cruised and prospected.
and timbermen were surprised at the vast
amount OF fine timber TO he found on the
slopes OF the olympic mountains. which
run through the county from north TO
south. At present there are from eight TO
fifteen logging camps continually In opera
ton. employing 200 or 800 men and supply
ing the big lumber mills Of the Sound with
something Ike 900 eoa feet OF fir and cedar
timber each day. The logging camps NAV
run for years at the present ratio and still
there VIII he vast quantities OF timber
standing and ready for the woodsmen's
axes
The state has reserved for its own use
f.2}5 acres OF tide lands for the cultivation
OF oysters. These reservations are situat-
ed along Hood canal, and as Western
Washington develops and becomes more
thlckly populated the business OF cultivat-
ing oysters will become one OF the great
Industries OF Puget sound. On both sides
OF the olympic mountains are scores OF
rich. fertile and weli-watered valleys OF
fine. iourishing farms. The soil Is very
deep. rich and especially adapted for the
cultivation OF cereals. Further up In the
mountains adventurous prospectors have
found innumerable Indications OF minerals.
Several splendid groupings OF coal lie ex-
posed on the surface. Quartz. richly preg-
uant with gold silver. copper and other
minerals. have been found in vast quanti-
ties The only obstacle TO the develop
uent Of the prospects IS the lack OF good
roads.
where the Elk Bands Roam.
On the slopes and over the tops Of the
Picturesque range Of the snow-tipped
Oivnrics roam vast herds Of mountain
elk. the haunts OF many OF which have
never been disturbed by the tread Of white
man. Deer and other wild game is found
n abundance. Innumerable streams dash
ing from the snowy heights OF the mount
aims are filled with spirited speckled trout.
Some Of the most beautiful lakes in the
country are located in the mountains. II
IL a Vcrtta bic paradise for sports
men. Every year hunting parties pene-
trate the Oympics from Quilcene or along
Hood canal and are amply repaid by the
good sport they meet with everywhere.
BESIDES the lumber mills there are many
other Important Industries in Jefferson
county. one being 4 cooperative colony NJ
Qufcere which gets SIS supply OF milk
from 90 or $40 cows. Then again, bee cul-
tt:re. although in rs Infancy has by prac-
ticai demonstration been found 20 be a
most profitable business here. IN Port
Townsend there are nail works ma
chine shops. sash and door factory. marble
works. brass foundry. shipwrights yard.
and now plans have been accepted and a
site secured FOR the construction ~ Sc,
OF marine ways capable OF hauling ont
vessels Of 90 tons. where all kinds Of ship
rersirlnr can be dore
Not g city north 81 san Francisco has as
many or as substantial government and
county buildings as Port Townsend The
customs ard nostoffice building cost nearly
500 Heo The marine hospital built las.
spring IL capable ~ accomm odating 40 IA
TENTS. The courthouse cost sfaa 30 the
various aChoclhcUses another $50 no and
the city hall something over So Aaa Ruil:
On a substantial basis, populated Nv con-
sentative class OF peop,e. Port Townsend
ans Jefferson county have a bright COM
merciai future.
WILLIAM J. JONES