Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-08-28
We left for Port Angeles, Friday

| VIC iSiO lOI EOTO AuReleS, Tludy
night by the Steamer City of Seattle
A short stop was made at Port Town
send, at one time the prize boom town
of the Sound country, but today a
busted bubble. Port Angeles is the
point of interest, being the city where
Uncle Sam established harbor in the
days Of Lincoln. This town enjoyed
great boom, and still has bright
future, Notwithstanding the terrible
effect of the last panic. The harbor
at Port Angeles is magnificent
natural port for ships. 1t was last
season and this spring visited by the
Pacific squadron of gun boats, in
Guiding the Oregon, Philadelphia,
Monadnock, Monterey, Alert, Ben
nington ard others, and Admiral
Beardslee, who is in charge of the
Squadron, said unreservedly that this
is the finest harbor in the world. This
seems like remarkable statement,
but after a little investigation il
seems quite probable even TO land
lubber. Port Angeles is directly op-
posite Victoria, on the straits of San
Juan de Fuca, about fifty miles from
the Pacific ocean, at the head OF the
Olympia mountains in Northern
Washington. The bay is sever !
miles long, and protected by sand
spit, or strip of land nearly four
miles long, forming front or pro-
lection to the crescent-shaped bay,
thus making a natural land locked
harbor.
The harbor is about nine and one
half miles in area, as shown on naviga-
tion charts. 1t is formed by a re-
markable work of nature, being be-
hind large spit which extends from
the mainland and the strait, and is
reliable breakwater against the
oceans waves. (Six million dollars
were spent by the United States gov
ernment in building an imitation of
it at Galveston, Tex
The town is built in the form of an
amphitheatre, being semi.circle, the
ground rising on regular grade, thus
giving a perfect view of the strait
from any point. A fine lighthouse is
maintained by the government on the
end of the spit about three miles out
from the wharfs of the city.
Many Salem people own town lots
here, and while they don't consider
their property valuable now, they will
no doubt realize on it some day. A
bonus of S75, 900 has just been raised
here for mammoth steel plant to be
built by Pennsylvania capitalists.
This is giving the place new life, and
the fact that condition OF the bonus
will require the employment of 400 tol
700 people shows some evidence OF
good faith. Good beds of both iron
aud coal are to be had at various
points on the Sound, which with the
other wonderful resouces of the coun-
try promise great results for all this
country.
OF course things are and have been
dull, and the people have been living
OF hope and confidence, but the fu-
ture is surely brighter. l notice that
Port Angeles people have the same
story of an unusual year" to tell to
all visitors. just as Salem operators.
1t is an unusual year" everywhere
except at Seattle, where all comers
are led to believe that the present
KlondIke boom is regular thing.
There is wonderful fishing here, in
the Sound, lakes, rivers and creeks. l
was out trout fishing several days,
and found plenty, but somehow
couldn't catch them. 1t is undoubt-
edly fact that where they have the
biggest fish there are liars ir proper
tion, and it is an undisputable fact