The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-04-12
The Epic of WashingtOn.

The enlarged interest felt in the east
in the west, and particularly Washing
ton state, is exhibited in the publica.
ton in the April number of the Atlantic
Monthly of an article on the state of
Washington. 1t is not particularly
acute in it's characterization OF social
conditions and of population. But the
writer is fully alive to the material facts
of the situation. Indeed, be goes to the
full limit reached by local home magma
ton and local confidence. Following are
some extracts from the article:
With respect to the productive ca
pacity OF Washington, accounts so
glowing as to excite incredulity have
sometimes found their way into eastern
press. Yet, in truth, the "frOzen facts"
are more and more enlisting the interest
and the industry of shrewd and far-see-
ing men. The state is not a paradise,
and it has it's drawbacks; but the con
sensus OF opinion of capable observers is
that 1t Is conspicuous among American
states for ability to supply all the needs
of civilized man. The great fact il the
variety OF it's resources. Substantially
every industry possible to a temperate
climate is represented here, either actu-
ally or potentially. LAUNDERING, ship
building, fishing, dairying, mining of
every sort, agriculture, horticulture,
fruit raising, stock raising Of all kinds,
manufacturing OF every manner of fab
RIGS, utensils and structures-all these
industries not only have every natural
facility, but exist in such relation to
each other as to give the utmost variety
and fullness of development.
But great as is the sum of the com
MERGE already reached here, it sinks into
insignificance compared with the pros
pective transcOntinental and oceanic
business that is heading for Puget
sound. Consult the map again and
note the position that this body of
water occupies with respect to the
world. 1t sounds extravaganza now, but
sober and cOOl-headed business men,
familiar with the facts, believe that
Washington holds the key to the future
commerce of the world. She stands at
the crossroads OF the nations, at the
confluence of the commodities of the
four quarters of the globe. She is the
successor of Phoenicia, Carthage, Italy
and England, as the natural exchange
point of all lands. Europe and the
United States are at her back, Alaska
and British Columbia at her right hand,
| the tropics at her left, and the orient,
with half the population of the world, in
front. Formerly California was sup
posed to be the natural center of our
| western frontage We cannot discredit
the magnificent location and resources
of that state, but it is true that Wash
ington is gaining on California by leaps
and bounds. This is due to three causes;
first, Washington has five transcOnti-
mental railways in reach, California is
| under the despOtism of one; second, the
vast developments of Alaska and Brit
ish Columbia have made Puget sound
the hub of Pacific coast trade; third and
most important, the route to the orient,
owing to the rOtundity of the earth, is
materially shorter by Puget sound than
by the Golden Gate.
The epic of Washington is going to
involve the nations of the earth. The
great fact of the twentieth century will
undoubtedly be the commerce OF the Pa
citic ocean and the disposition of the
orient. And at what point is that
mighty commerce first to touch the
American continent?
student of maps, history and con-
temporary trade cap hardly doubt that
Puget sound is to be the place of des-
tiny, the great wharf line of the CONT
nent. And not alone are occident and
orient about to clasp hands over the
Mediterranean of the Pacific" but
Alaska rises from her boreal mists to
join with tropic islands in a grasp of
this handle of the worlds trade. Lati-
tudes and longitudes are merging along
these fair archipelagoes which the
mythical old Greek pilot of Cephalonia,
Juan de Fuca, imagined 60 link Atlantic
and Pacific. The genius OF this railway
age has created substitute for the
tabled Strait of Anian. The dream of
the older navigators has been realized,
though it lies between lines of steel in
stead of headlands of the sea.
There is one queer thing to those on
the outside OF the chosen ring, The