West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-03-17
THE GREAT NORTHWEST.
Interesting and Entertaining Letter
from a Veil Known PrsStODian.
NEW WHATCoM. WASHINGTON, }
March 4. 1898.

~ EN w HAICOM. w ASH NGTON, 7
March 4. 1898.
DEAR BRowN:-t'ime in its fight
makes wODarous changes IN the
affairs Of men. Five years ago to
day you aud / were standing in
trout OF the Capitol building ut
Washington City watching Grover
Cleveland take the oath of office as
a Democratic President. Since that
time Grover has been relegated to
"inocuous desuetude," there to re-
main until his now Republic n
brethren shall drag him forth to
run him for sheriff, constable or
some other minor Office. You are
still doing business at the old stand,
however, and running better
Democratic paper than ever, while
| am within an half hours ride of
being out of the United States
sltogether--but "there's silver
lion rampant in the wild and woolly
West" and We are still betting on
Bryan and Brown.
Well, we have been here now
about five months, and like the
country and tie people very much.
We have churches OF all denomina-
tons, good schools. secret societies
Of all kinds. and the best people
on earth; have electric lights aud
gas, electric street cars and good
water, and the finest climate in the
world. Have a good deal Of rain
during tho Water season, but pre-
fer it to the snow. Flowers of some
kind have been blooming out of
doors all winter. The weather for
the past two weeks has been like
summer and the trees and flowers
are coming ont in leaf. We have
one daily paper. one tri weekly and
several wsokies. The shingle and
lumber business here is immense.
There are about fifty sbingle mills
in the county, and they are all run
ming full time-the largest one
cuts 100000 per day. There is
good demand for shingles at good
prices, aud they are shipped to all
parts Of the world. The canning
OF salmon is also big industry
and alone brought into the county
last year sl,G0o,000 IN Geld cash.
This will probably be doubled this
year, as q number Of new canneries
are now being built.
Real estate has been very low,
but is now advancing in price and
II number of sales are being made.
There is promise Of quite build
ing boom this summer, and work
has already been commenced on
two large brick business blocks.
with more to follow. There is
terminal point for three railroads,
and the largest vessels find 81 fe
anchorage here.
| have had number of letters
from Preston county people in
quirlng about chances for business
openings here. There arc openings
in all lines, but the best business
proposition know Of, and the one
likely to give the largest returns, is
the Wholesale grocery business.
know OF no better location any
where. The nearest wholesale
house is at Seattle, 81 miles from
here. The freight rates to this
point are the same as ut Tacoma
aud Seattle. / would like to have
some OF my Preston county friends
take advantage Of this aud come
here at once. / think building
can be leased at a low rental, thus
saving TIE expense Of putting up
building until the business can be
given trial. IL the gold fields of
ut. Baker prove to be rs valuable
AS predicted by many old miners,
1t will bring millions Of dollars into
this county, and the population Of
this city will more than double
itself in the next year.
l have it from private sources
that Preston county will probably
ego" Republican next fall, and
taking it for granted that this is
true, | have placed in nomination
for the House Of Delegates from
the East Side my good Republican
friend, @. a. Boldcn, Of the Pres
ton Republican, aud would like
very much to have you second the
nomination.
Come ont and see me-you will
find my latch string on the outside.