The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-02
OLYMPIC FOREST RESERVE.
SCPE1vIsoR HAN RETURNS TRoM
IxsPECTIHG II.
DDeeulatsPs There Duying UD the
Patented ClaAns. with . View -
Exchanging Then Unaer the New

Special Dispatch TO the Pos,-fnte.ligencer-
TACOMA. July I-w. III. Ham. super
visor OF the Olympic forest reserve, came
In today 10 confer with l.. b. Shellar.
superintendent; OF forest reserves in this
state. after being cut for thirty days,
during which he made complete eircaiz
OF the three sides OF the reserve
Il started n at MaSioek. in Gason coan-
~. said he. and came out at Quilcens.
where left my horse to come over here
All Of the way. with the exception of a
small desour in the Humptuiips country,
where the trail goes outside the limits. ]
was In the reserve Much OF the way the
trails have never been Travelled by horse
and In some places are a bi, difficult.
On the trail from the Wishkaw 10 the
Humptul4ps / led my horse over a log
bridge which is used By the settlers, and
tn the only crossing without going down
the Humptulips. making detour of thir-
~ miles. The bridge is but single log
which spans the gorge more than seventy
nve feet above the jagged rocks below.
AT Quinauit lake / met a we'll known
Seattle man. George Parks. who used to
live at Gilman. in King county. He is
postmaster at Quinauli lake. and set me
over the lake four miles on a log raft,
which they use there for q ferry.
"On the other side OF the lake l struck
the Queets trail There Is more good
valley land on the Queets than In any Of
the streams that empty into the Pacific
ocean There are . good many claims
there. though many OF the settlers are
away at work.
Two postoffices have been established,
one at Queets, the other Evergreen. ]
should say there were about thirty set
tiers. The land generally on the west
side OF the mountains is low and level and
OF better character than one would natu-
rally expect to find there. On the QueetS
the settlements extend up as far as thirty
I'VE miles from the mouth OF the stream
Clearwater is the next settlement.
has good claim. He is well known in
Seattle. where he taught school for seven
years.
Beyond the Clearwater or Raft river is
the Hoe river, which carries down the
largest volume Of water OF any stream on
the west side At the poin. where ! cross.
was wide and deep and had to strip my
horse clean and swim him across.
The Bogachiei Is the next river. and
though at present they are away at work
only two OF the claims being occupied.
OEe thing that ought 10 be looked after
section. The old trails in the Vicinity 81
the Queets and Hoe look as though large
bands Of cattle were constantly tramping
over them. There are also a good many
The timber In all the country to the
south and southwest OF the mountains is
the finest ever saw. West as far as the
Humptulips II is largely mr.: beyond the
Humptulips white spruce and cedar The
trees are giants. tall and straight. and
standing thick together. From the time l
left Mailock until came out at Quileene
I was in the woods all the time except
two or three days. North OF the Queets
the timber is smaller. but still good
There Is great land excitement over In
"A tnkS k,xne
Benson 4 Co.. OF California. have been In
the Held for the paat fortnight. buying up
settlers claims They had secured 100
cain nas IN u ,h county when was there
claim within the limits, who has secured
patent for his land. may exchange the
same Tor an equal number OF acres OF gov
eminent land anywhere in the United
states, and Benson & Co are buying these
claims 10 exchange for desert land In Cal
tfornia. suitable for irrigation.
land in Clallam and Jefferson counties.
which will all 20 into thu reserve and leave
the few settlers who retain their patents TO
pay all the taxes, as tne government land Is
not subject TO taxation.
Commissioner Herman. OF the land Of
flee. recommended q modification of this
t feature OF the law ou. It failed to take
present shape the law is a fraud on the
county and on the people who do not sci.
their claims.
claims while I was there. Jesse Maxfield,
son OF the wen known newspaper man, be-
Ing one OF them They were paying 500
per claim, good or had. but the last week
Seattle company entered the field and
their agents are paying $40, Mr.. Whittier.
former Seattle man, now al Forks. Is the
agent OF the Seattle company.
We have eight forest ranges IN the
reserve and a fairly good system OF trails
by which the territory can be patrolied and
protected az much as possible from forest
fires
Mr.. Ham will return 10 Qullcene and in
spect the country where the line OF the
Port Angeles 4 Eastern railway Is being
siashed and cleared.
IL IL reported In political circles that
Ham is liable 10 get the AK During hts
absence i'm The wslds Of the Olymnics Si,-
pervisor Fred c. Matthewson has been
appointed for the Olyrnrics and Is now over
In Mason county the work
The story r. that Ham. who is said 10 BE-
n mos; competent man for the JOB was
slated 20 remain, but when George Mccoy.
OF Naparine, was appointed by Super intend
ent Shelter as supervisor of the Rainier
Matthewson had friends In Ohio and Penn
sylvania and was able To hold his Job. in
spite Of the reported necessity for making
"A place for Mccoy, who was a strong Fox-
ter man during the senatorial campaign.
Wien 10 was found inexpefient to dis
pense with Mr.. Matthewson he was trans
ferreti 10 the oiympscs. Now the only way
Washington reserve where Supervisor E.u-
gene Hyde Is said 30 sre willing - irop cut
Neither Mr.. Ham nor Mr.. Shelter will
talk on the subject. and II is supposed they
ara waiting Until Senator Fosters return.
from his Alaska trip.