Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-10-06
Beauties of the Great Northwest.
A Letter from Rev. Frank Mcdaniel.


protracted conversation with Senator
Thomas II. Carter, of Montana. The
Senator was quite insistent that should
give an opinion of this great northwest
ern country.
He said that the provincialism of the
people of the far East Influenced them
to have an unequal conception of the far
West, the magnitude of its resources and
the ability of its population. l agreed
with him in all those statements and
confessed that, judging from myself and
all had heard in my native section, |
believed the vision of our section was SO
narrow that the great West with all its
worth was overlooked. And especially
do believe this is true particularly in
respect to our common judgment of the
manhood OF the far Northwest.
When it is said that person lives In
Oregon, Washington or Montana, there
is tendency to discount his culture, his
educational qualifications and his man
hood.
But after weeks of travel in all cor
ners of the great West and Northwest,
| wish to state that in no portion OF this
land mot excepting cultured Boston,
have | met a manhood more noble,
generosity less curtaied, an intelligence
greater, or chivalry more courteous
than in the far-off northwest Pacific
coast. The above statement is made
after mature reflection and after careful
investigation and comparison Of the va
rious portions of this great country.
must confess that | was hardly pre-
pared for the impression the far North
west made upon me, especially the cities
of Portland, Ore, and Tacoma and Seat
tie. Wash. The cities compare favor
ably with any have visited in this tour.
The first named is the metropolis of
the northwest Pacific coast and decid-
edly impreSseS the visitor with its thrift
and energy. Portland is situated at the
confluence Of the Willimette and Co
lumbia rivers, and has large and prof
liable shipping. Large ocean liners can
always be found at the piers and the
traffic of the various railroads centering
at this point is prodigious.
The city has population in the
neighborhood of one hundred thousand
and enjoys every modern facility and
improvement
The residences of the city are very at
tractive and some districts equal any
seen in other cities.
No one should visit Portland and omit
trip up the beautiful Columbia river
to the Cascade Locks and the Dalles.
The river at this point, which is about
one hundred miles from its mouth, is
noble stream, perhaps mile wide. The
scenery Of this portion of the Columbia
is much celebrated. Along its banks
can be seen beautiful falls. and majestic
cragS.
But the thing which is of largest in
terest to the traveller is the salmon in
dustry. All along the stream can be seen
the large fish wheels and canneries used
in the industry. The stories which are
told YOU about the catches these wheels
make seem incredulouS, and yet | am
assured they are entirely trustworthy.
These wheels, which are made of
strong timber, are from fifteen to TWEEN
ty-five feet in diameter.
They are located in shallow water and
the schools of salmon are guided into
the mouth of the wheel. The weight of
the struggling mass keeps the great
wheel in revolution. The number caught
is only limited by the capacity of the
canning and packing house.
A man told me that he had seen one
hundred and twenty thousand caught IN
ten hours. An outfit for salmon fishing
costs from five hundred to one thousand
dollars, Just the same as the cost OF "a
Klondike outfit, and with infinitely bet
ter chances of profit from the invest
ment
Another large industry OF the section
is that Of prune raising. Portland is en-
vironed with prune orchards. visited
a large orchard and dryer and received
much valuable information. An orchard
by the time it has reached the age of
bearing, costs about five hundred dollars
an acre. At the time of my visit the
harvest was at its height and | plucked
from the trees of the orchard prunes
much larger than the ordinary lemon.
They were very sweet and were most
delightful to the taste.
1t is ride of six hours from Portland,
Ore, to Tacoma, Wash This town is
most picturesquely situated, and is much
admired by all who visit it. Tacoma is
located on Puget Sound and has larger
custom collection than any city in the
Northwest.
The residential portion Of the town
occupies the bluffs above the sound. If
the skies are clear, the scenery around
the town is most picturesque. 1t has been
fecetiouSly said concerning Tacoma that,
while 1.-THE clouds do not rain, they
reign"
DAnd it is true. For days at a time
the inhabitants are unable to see that
most stately and majestic of mountains,
Rainier, or Tacoma, although it is but
short distance and rises to a height OF
over $4,000 feet.
1t was my great fortune on the even
ing | left for Yellowstone Park to secure
an unobstructed hours view of that sub
lime, snow-capped peak.
Seemingly the appearance of the
mountain changed every few moments.
1t appeared to me as golden and pur-
pie and violet. Competent critics pro-
nounce Tacoma. or Rainier, TO be the no
bleSt mountain in the United States, out
side of Alaska. Having seen all the cele-
brated peaks in our country, my humble
opinion heartily comedies with that de-
cisiOn.
The distance of the mountain is very
deceiving. A fellow passenger asked me
how far Judged it to be from the train.
Ny answer was influenced by the follow
ing story: When in Colorado, | was told
of traveller who was seen by a small
stream, making the necessary prepare
tions to wade across. A native, who hap
pened by, asked him why he took such
unnecessary trouble to cross so narrow
a stream. The traveller replied that he
had several times been so miserably de-
ceived on distances that he did not in
tend to take any chances of that stream.
1t looked narrow enough, but when he
started across, without doubt, he would
find it to be river. When in the West
and asked by a native to give an esti-
mate of any distance ii is always best to
take an honest measurement and then
dOuble it,