The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-10-15
Washington Attracting Attention.

o VIM VIII pass tilIOuSH Iuc Stdt'
on their journey to Alaska during th,
coming year.
Many of them will want to know
mare about this country with a view
Of making it their home when forum,
shall have smiled upon them in the
gold diggings.
Many people will seek a change
from the rigorous winter climate O.
the eastern states and they will wan
to know something of the meterolog
ical conditions here.
Climatic conditions are always g
consideration to the Immigrant. II
Is IN the contrast between the terrific
and fatal heated terms of the eastern
states with their appalling conse-
| quences, and the agreeable weather oi
the Puget sound country that the glo-
RES Of this climate are fully brought
out. The uniformity of the tempera-
ture is the crowning glory of the eli
mate here. Ice is rarely seen, sleigh
ing is a novelty, billiards are un-
known, while the summer heat is nev-
er excessive and the c2untry enjoys
perfect freedom from thunder storms
and cyclones.
What of the winter and the rainy
season? How many have found their
erroneous impressions corrected after
living few years on the coast!
While the equinoctial storms are no
more severe here than in the east it
may also be said that the transforms
OF the winter are no more frequent
than snowstorms are in the northern
states east Of the Rock mountains,
while the summer Is simply reign Of
sunshine interrupted possibly by one
or two welcome showers during July
or August. Washington is as large as
all New England, with Delaware in
cluded more than three -fourths as
large as combined New York and
Pennsylvania, or about the equal in
size of both Ohio and Indiana.
The surface OF the state is separated
into two great natural divisions by the
Cascade range of mountains, extend
ing from north to south, placing about
two-thirds of the area of the state in
eastern division, which may be term
ed the valley of the Columbia, for the
entire surface of the eastern division is
drained by the Columbia river and its
numerous tributaries.
The Big Bend country, the Kittitas
valley, the Yakima country, the Wal
Ia Walla country, the Palouse country
are all noted farming sections Of east
ern Washington. A natural division
OF western Washington may be made
near the head (south) of Puget sound,
deep, salt sea, inland, with numer-
Gus islands.
The mainland bordering this sea is
made up of mountain spurs, table
lands, river valleys, and fresh water,
and tide-water marshes and deltas.
Great forests abound here, chiefly of
fir, spruce and cedar, interspersed with
punches of hemlock, cottonwood, ma
pie and cedar.
The value of Washington timber is
greatly enhanced by the wide range of
market that it commands. From the
large mills on Puget sound and from
the ports on Grays harbor and Willapa
harbor, large fleet is continually en-
ployed carrying timber to Australia,
i South America, China, Japan, Great
Britain, and continental Europe, Cen
trail and South America, Mexico and
California. And yet the lumber in
dustry of Washington is but in its in
fancy. New markets are continually
being developed.
The extent and variety of the food
fishes of the Washington waters are
very great, and leading them all is the
salmon. The product of the salmon
canneres this year it is estimated will
reach $5,000000. In addition TO sal
mon there are sturgeon, smelt, shad
halibut, cod, herring, carp, salmon
trout and brook trout. Several varie-
ties of shell fish abound in the waters,
including crabs, Holsters, oysters,
C lams and mussels.
All root crops in the state make q
phenomenal growth. Thus it would
seem that the heavy clay loan of the
Palouse country, and the light, sandy
loans of Nebraska, California and
other sections are essentially the same
in their relation to the production ol
root crops. In Western Washington
the soils are in the main the results oil
glacial action and sedimentation
| From chemical standpoint it is as
serted that Washington soils are
abundantly able to produce good crops
of beets.
Dairying requires for its highest de-
velopment a climate that is rather