Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-07-18

hortn anu south through the State
divide 1t into two sections, Eastern
and Western Washington. The latter
Is about III llf as large rs the former.
The slopes from the peaks of the Cas-
cade to sea level is quite abrupt com.
pared with the eastern slope. The
coast is very forbidding TO seamen,
there being only two good harbors,
Gray's and Willapa. Washington has
more coast-line than any other State
in the Union. 1t amounts to one
thousand nine hundred and ninety
two miles, of which nine. .tenths fol-
lows the intricate lines OF Puget Sound
and adjoining waters.
The most important part of West.
ern Washington is the Puget Sound
basin which has an area of two thous.
and square miles. Its bays, inlets
and harbors are OF the finest and jetty.
ing, dyking and blasting are not re.
quired.
Seattle is the great city of the
Sound. 1t is placed in an almost
perfect situation. 1t has large,
beautiful bay in front, and two superb
fresh water lakes, Washington and
Union, in the rear. Coal, copper,
lumber and gypsum are found very
near and it has abundant railway con.
nection with all parts OF the country.
In the last decade it has increased its
population seven hundred per cent.
/ Puget Sound contains many islands.
Two counties are formed entirely OF
them.
There are several beautiful lakes in
Washington. The most important
one in the western part is Lake Wash
ington, which is fifteen miles long and
three. wide; and that OF the eastern
part, Lake Chelan, seventy miles long
and three wide.
Washington has one of the most
equable and healthful climates among
the States of the Union. The average
annual temperature is fifty degrees.
The rainfall on the coast Is very
heavy compared with that OF the re.
gion on the east Of the Cascade range.
This is because the stormy western
winds bring moisture from the sea and
when the clouds bearing the moisture
strike the mountains it is precipitated
on that si'le aud only small amount
is carried beyond the mountains east
wards.
The soils Of Washington are CLASH
fled in two general groups. namely, the
in situ" and the removed Soils"
The best example of the ain situ'
soils is the great lava plains of south
eastern Washington. Some of the re.
moved soils were brought long agoby
the glaciers in the glacial period.
These soils are remarkable for their
capacity for keeping rain. Twelve
inches only are sufficient to raise a
crop of wheat while the soils OF the
States farther east need eighteen to
twenty inches OF rainfall.
Ii Hung Chang said when he passed
through Washington TIA, il the Chi.
nese lived here they would pour the
Columbia over the plains along that
river. This is because the Chinese de-
pend chiefly on irrigation in their
farming and he saw at once the re-
markable producing power of the
plain.
There are several large, fertile val
leys in the eastern part. One of these,
the Skagit, was characterized by the
United States geographical survey as
the most fertile in the Union.
The principal developed industry OF
the State is numbering and it is safe TO
say that it will be the main source of
wealth for fifty years to come.
The peculiarly favorable climate and
the wide range of climate due to the
difference of altitude and rainfall
adapt the State to almost all classes OF
crops grown outside Of the tropics.
Thus far in the history OF the North.
west, agriculture has been the chief in.
dustry. There are three conditions
for successful farming-climate, soil
and market. These are all OF the best.
Washington leads all other States in
the average yield of wheat. Wheat
grows to its greatest perfection in the
Northwest and three-fourths OF the
area of Washington is devoted to its
culture. All the western methods,
from the sowing of the seed to the
harvesting of the crops, are different
from those OF the East.
The fishing industry is third in i'm
portance. 1t must be considered as
one of the principal resources. Puget
Sound can boast of the largest cannery
in the world.
The principal food fish is the sal.
mon, OF which there are several valu.
able kinds. Besides the salmon, many
other kinds and classes OF fish and
shell fish are taken and preserved by
curing or canning.
The advantages Washington fur
nishes for shipbuilding is good rea-
SON for believing that this industry
will, in a few years, rival that of the
East.
The principal article manufactured
in Eastern Washington is -four, mills
being located at Spokane, Dayton,
Walla Walla and other cities.