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

Though not sf1s most westerly county
IN me United States, Wnatcorn IL me
most northwesteriy. r. Is approxima7ey
100 miles ia length ard twenty-five IN
width. and Cts superficial area - only
a trIns less than $500 square miles,
rnalelng u slxth in point OF size among
are shirty-four counties OF The state.
Tn, eastern pof-flon. from the SUBMITS
81 III. Cascades TO the headwRters or
ne several streams which unite 10 form
the Nooksack river. is an almost tracklesa
wilderness OF mountains ara forests
mountains which are believed 20 De Flch
in precious metals and forests whoss
wealth OF timber reaches 10 the ans VA
perpetual snow.
The western half. or probably less tnah
rail- fs altogether different IL is q broha
area OF charrningiy varied topography. ara
resources or vast extent ard unusual VAR
ETY.. II is splendtdly drained by the soain
Fork river and its numerous trinutaFifs
and ~ noted for q number or large ara
beautiful lakes. The population, engaged
nrsncspatlv IN commercial. agricultural,
numbering sna mining pursuits. Il approx
,rnateiy 2n go. shout equally divided DO
tween the Nottingham bay citses and conn~
try settlements.
For General Farming
Two hundred and thirty thousand acres
q probably a fair estimate or The toth
amount OF land IN the county really suit
able for cultivation when cleared. This -
a little less than one-stxth OF the totai srsa
ard a Vttle more than one-third or the ror-
ton OF the county lying vest OF the foot
hills Of the Baker-shuksan range. TITS
.a.af number of arres now on the assess
,.snt ro1ls f. 20 4es The county Gssessor
reports the number of acres now under ae'
,siaf cultivation a. 2. go, and IN MS JUG
ment this - about oae-tenta CT me total
arabic area.
psr4,lt raising. stock raising ard dairying
are now and probably always will hs thf
yroet proatable sources OF income for ~
farmers The farms az a rule ara far
ven stocked and some % them exception
allv 80. Expressed IN round numbers,
there are altogether IN The county 49,
g,a~sns eco cattle, so sheep ana lse5
ho~~. The total property assessment ~
81 in eqD IRIS fnciufes egaty-usne miles
~ railroad twelve miles % street railway.
sfsf,sv-six mites Of telegraph and thirty
Four miles az ts1sphone tines.
no other county in Western Washington
- =. ~geff ~ff-rflef ~fth publ, highways
ara none affords better facilities for long
gfs.arce transportation ~ rail ard water
Nearly $40 On has been expended 10 th>
construction 81 roads and bridges during
the past five years.
Million Paid in Wages.
There are nov affy-rvs lumber and shln-
F3@ Frrllls In the county. ard the output OF
lumber asst year, when some % tie largest
mills were dls portion Of the tina was
approximately 4o.fsa 90 feet and fhs oat-
put Of reia- Shingles was nearly go 90 20.
T'he agErezat@ daily capacity - The seven
teen szv-Tnl1Ss IL safe % BE ssA9s feet, ard
or ths eorty-f0ur SgingBs nils about AM
100 shtrriss
A careful e~fgTrsf. TnaAs for ne what
carn Board 81 Trade pAsesa ths amount
ps&s out annually for isoSgr ascns employed
in ths ifrufer Industry 81 the county e.
u~a~iv go o01. and that surn = also ths p
-rcvtrrats vatga ~ ths sniTwis product.
yvav~. rsafa in other avenues % labor. IN
e9s,e4nw aeasries railroads. Shipping and
mining. swell shs total pay roll % the
r~ou1tv 20 over s1,01.ooo, exclusive OF all
farm labor.
sge.ezs srhools have long bsen recognized
n VVasfeaTn ccBnty as the foundation %.
good citizenship. There are ssveuty-tyo
districts In ths county, employing III
teachers ard having an aggregate enroll
.sssut OF over 100 pgg.la OF -honn about
!. 30 are erreI!s6 in IA New whatcorn Aad
Falrhaveu alstrscts. There are eighty
sohoos buildings. and the estimated vaius
Of al school property Is approx lznatsly
80 80. T1s axaouK; paid teaeherz 2nzss-