The Van Buren press., 1898-01-01
From Far-Off Washington.
DAYTON. Wash. Dec. %, 1897.
IlI1Icc

DAYTON, wash. Dec. 20, 1871.
VAN BUREN Press.
Mr.. EDIToR:-My Arkansas friends
sometimes want me to give them brief
sketch of the Evergreen State.
Washington lies in the extreme north
western part of the United States. Its
average length east and west is about
$50 miles north and south about 220
miles. The state has a total area of
SO, ts0 square miles. Of this about
2300 square miles are water. The
greatest natural feature of the state is
Puget Sound, one of the most beautiful
inland seas in the world. 1t has an
area of about 1000 square miles and a
shore line of nearly 1900 miles long,
and has some of the finest harbors in
the world. On the southwest coast is
Gray's harbor, the largest on the
Pacific coast, and was discovered in
1893. The Cascade mountains divide
the state into two great natural
divisions, widely different in climate
and soil. A large portion of western
Washington is densely timbered. The
Columbia river forms the great natural
feature of eastern Washington. 1t
forms 800 miles of the boundry between
Washington and Oregon. The climate
of western Washington is relatively
warm in winter and cool in summer,
and the rainfall heavy. This section
has two seasons-the dry and rainy.
The winters in eastern Washington are
colder and the summers hotter than
west of the Cascades the rainfall is less
and in some parts irrigation is necessary
for agriculture. In eastern Washington
wheat, oats and barley are the principal
crops. The valleys produce large crops
of fruit and vegetables. Stock raising
and wool growing are important among
the agricultural industries. The great
forests of the state form one of its chief
sources of wealth. The leading
varieties are fir, cedar, spruce, larch,
pine, hemlock and tamarack. Its
shingle factories are the largest in the
world. The salmon fisheries form one
of the greatest industries of the state.
Gold and silver are mined in paying
quantities. The state has extensive
coal deposits. 1t has good facilities for
commerce. It has miles of waterways
and about 5000 miles of railroad.
Olympia, the capital, has Il beautiful
situation at the head of Puget Sound.
Seattle, the metropolis or chief city,
had population in 1890 of 42, 837. The
state is composed of thirty four
counties.
Perhaps some of the pedagogues
would like to know something of our
public school system. We have state
superintendent and four others ap-
pointed by the governor, who form the
state board of education. Allapplicants
must be over II years old and must have
attended an institute, and must pass in
reading, writing, orthography, written
and mental arithmetic, geography,
English grammar, physiology and
hygiene, history and the constitution of
the U. S. school law and constitution
of the state of Washington, and theory
and art of teaching, but no person can
receive a first grade certificate who
does not pass satisfactory examination
in physics, English literature and
algebra, and must have taught one
school year of nine months Examin
ations are conducted by county
superintendent and written answers
are forwarded to the state superintend
ent. who issues the certificates, First
grade is good for years, I'd grade
. years and third grade l year The
state has two normal schools, one
university and one agricultural college,
which are all in good running order,
The Hanna wave of prosperity has
not struck this country very forcibly,
but since we have relieved the Repub-
lican party of their reign for many
years expenses have been reduced and
state warrants have been brought above
par. Although the Republicans said it
would ruin the country for the Peoples
Party to get in power, but like to see
country ruined that way.
Success to THE PRESS and all good
free silver papers. T, B. HICKS.