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

Midway between Puget sound and the
Columbia river. and extending from the
Cascade mountains on the east % the
Coast range on the west, 5 Lewis county.
II IS 100 miles in length and twenty-s.x
miles in width. Its resources and IN
dustr.es are as varied and diversified as
those of any other county in Washington.
IL contains more agricultural land tlan
any county IN the western part OF the
STATE: = has coal mines that are prod0e-
i've and many more that are promising !;
gold and silver mines are being opened in
the eastern portion; IN extent and quality
of it's timber resources x ranks with the
first counties OF The state. IT'S populaN-on
is about II 500 About one-half or its peo-
PIE live in the towns of Cnehaiis. Gem
tuaGa, winlock. Toledo. Fee and Dryad;
che renag nder on farms.
THE topography OF the county - rough
and uneven. Along the southern border
extends tire Cowlhz valley. The Newau-
KUN and ChehaNs valleys. converg.ng at
Chehahs. extend fer several miles re-
specive.y 10 the southwest and southeast
Centralia, five miles north. is the converg-
ing point of several smaller valleys. These
valleys and numerous natural praAr.es
form for the most part the agricultufaA
pore.ons OF the county. The main nne or
the Northern Pacific railroad passes
through the county from north 10 south,
and there IS a branch of the same road
from Chehalis to South Bend. on Willapa
harbor. IS miles in length.
Farming "a source of Wealth
The man source of wealth of the county
at the present time is its farms. The soil
everywhere IS very productive. Many OF
the farms in the Valleys were taken up
from Is to 40 years ago. and are in a high
state Of cultivation. Their owners, gem
Grady speaking. are class or suostaTeiai'
well-,o-do people.
Farmers say that IN the course of time
this should be the seat OF a considerable
hop-ra sing industry. couple OF years
ago there were about 1000 acres or hops
under cultivation within a few miles or
,helsaws. but the reverses which the hop
men have met lately had a dampen-ng er-
feet here Many acres OF yards were
plowed up. Nevertheless, hop growing
viii again flourish. The soil and climate
are especially adapted 10 hops. The crop
usually averages from 1900 TO 1900 pounds
TO the acre, and 3 OF very fine quality.
Those hop growers who have remained IN
the ness have done very well chs
wear Hop-growing, although on a more
conservative scale than heretofore, VII
probably remain one of the county's chief
industries.
Recently farmers have turned their at
tentaon TO dairying. Several farmers have
barge scale and the Cheha.is valley cream
cry was started. The propr.etors have
splendIdiy equipped plant, and are men
Of experience Although they have been
operaeng only a short time, they have
demonst rated to the farmers that X pays
TO do business with them. one cheese rae
tory has been n operation near Chehal.s
for. several years. and another started
dhis summer. The men engaged IN these
erterprlses say that they consider this an
ideal dairy country. The cost OF keeping
COWS Is very light and good markets are
convenient.
There IRE mines OF good coal convenient
30 both Centraka and Chehaits. These
supply she home demand besides furnish
ing considerable for shipment.
In the eastern pou,lon of the county. IN
the ST. Heiens district. are newly d.scov-
cred gold prospects that have attracted
much attention Two companies, with
ample capital behind them are now oper-
ar,ng there. as well as number of andi-
vaduals.
Many Lumber Mills.
There are perhaps twenty or twenty-five
sawmgls located at various points IN tho
county. Those at CcHthaLa, Chehalls
NapaVne, Winlock and Ainsae do a large
business. The A.nslle mil ships TO Ka-
lama by raj. where u loads vessels for
the Chinese trade. The single mis- are
numerous. INeTe are SeNeFdE VtneF u1EE3
ln the County. manufacturing wooden
goods. Chief among them is the Doern-
becher furniture mil a. Chehalls which
= the largest on the coast. Its product
which has varted from seoco 10 $4,000 a
month. mas found ready sale In California,
Oregon, Washington. Montana, Idaho and
Utah.
The assessed valuation OF the county -
g Httae over $1,000, 900. The people are
among the most enterprsng and progress
sfve n tho state. They take especial pride
N their roads and schools, and have taxed
themselves literally IN the last few years
for these two purposes. The result IS that
now their Schools are beginning 10 take
rank with the best In the state. and every
where n the well-seet4ed sect ons there
are 6rst-class roads. over which the farm
ens travel as easily n the winter as In
the summer.
LEWIS county needs more people. There
- plenty Of room for them. Land ls cheap
and abundant. ard there are numerous
opportunities 90 engage In manufacturing
ag4terpr aeas. People coming here from the
East wlu fird themselves among neigh
yof1s as emf E.aened and as highly c.v1.-
Yea as those they ieft n the older states.
W. ". ROBERTSON.