Missouri Valley times., 1901-08-15
So. TACOMA, Wash, Aug. 5, 1901.

DAILY T1MEs, Missouri Valley,
Iowa: Since / have promised you
a line, now take pleasure in do
ing so. We arrived here on the
l4th of July, without accident or
any special incident enroute.
Will say that this trip across the
country was the most pleasant of
any yet in the three times that 1
have made the road between
Omaha and the Pacific slope.
As for crops conditions in
Minnesota and Dakota, they were
good at the time we came over.
ALI along this line (the Northern
Pacific) the wheat was in excel
lent condition. Even for mid
summer the grass on the great
grazing country as green as May
in many localities. will not go
into full description of the country
parsed through but what will
have to say will be in regard to
this wonderful Washington. /
might also add that the crop of
wheat in the ten wheat producing
counties is good. 1t is estimated
at something like 25,000,000
bushels.
1t is with feeling of sympathy
that we note the torrid state of
the weather throughout the east,
knowing what it means. The peo-
pie here think that they would all
die if there. Yesterday and to-
day (Sunday and Monday) were
about average days for heat so /
went across the street and con-
suited a thermometer. Yesterday
at 2 p. m. in the shade, or in the
house it was 82a. Today at l p.
m. 78 in the shade. Now this is
about the temperature since we
have been here.
will say that if there is any
better on the globe to sleep in,
you have got to show me. I have
not slept a night without about
three good heavy quilts over me
and get up feeling like I had been
in bed. AS for people wearing
full dress of evenings, it is not
for the looks of the coat but for
the real comfort Of 1t.
This town is beautifully located
on the vest bank of the Sound,
or an arm Of it; not at all as l had
it pictured out. The harbor fronts
to the northeast. The town is
pretty rough, cut up by some
pretty deep canons and hills.
Down in the business districts
where the streets run parallel
with the Sound they are built on
series Of terraces back up the
hill or bluff. just about the width
of good block between them,
the business houses fronting on
two streets.
The shipping here is something
worthy of note. They claim the
largest wheat ware house here on
the docks in the world. Wheat
and lumber are the chief exports.
For seven months just closed the
exports from this port we're some-
thing like sl2,s00,O00. This port
will or can accommodate anything
that floats the seas. l saw steel
steamship in port on the 28th
from Liverpool 485 feet long by
So foot beam, drawing 27 feet of
water. This lumber is shipped
to all parts of the globe. The
smelter here treats q great deal
of ore from the Klondike country.
The population of Tacoma is
$4,000. We are seven miles from
center of town out here but have
reasonably good street car service.
Forty miles to Seattle, thirty
miles to Olympia the capitol and
$50 miles to Portland. About
thirty-fve miles to Port Orchard.
The o. s. navy yards are here;
said to be the best location on the
Pacific coast, with fair prospect
of the government moving all its
equipments from Mare island,
San Francisco, here. The battle
ships Iowa, Oregon and Wiscon.
sin are all now in port going
through q general over-hauling.
They attract a host of people
thither every Sunday. Was out
Sunday on q short tour of the hop