Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-11-24
HARBOR
DESCRIBED IN PRINT FORTY-FlVE
YEARS AGO.
James s.. Swan Writes of a Trip to Grays
flarbor and Wiilapa Harbor in 1859. He
Recognized The Value of Those Harbors
as Compared With Many on the Atlantic.


The following description OF Grays
Harbor and Willapa Harbor written in
1859, was recently printed in the South
Bend journal:
The Journal has in its possession a
highly priced copy Of the Pioneer and
Democrat, which was printed in Olym-
pia and dated August 10, 1859. In it is
an interesting article on Southwestern
Washington from which we publish the
portion referring to Wilapa Harbor.
The writer Of the article, Jamer G.
Swan, resided on Bone River for three
years in the early days and is we'll re.
membered by the early settlers. He
removed from here to Port Townsend
and died there some years ago. He was
q finely, educated man, wrote book
entitled, '"Three Years on Shoalwater
Bay" copies OF which are now very
valuable, and he was an authority on
the habits of the seal. The article
follows.
GAS ha, bors, neither Shoalwater Bay
or Gray's Harbor seem to be properly
appreciated in this section of the terri
tory. We are too apt to draw unfavor-
able comparisons between these bays
and the splendid waters of Fuca Straits
and the Sonnd; and those who never
before saw salt water till they crossed
kko elaine 1o,, al 81 ,f
a bay where twice in twenty-four hours
they can see the bottom. But give it
as my judgment, from former resi-
dence Of four years at Shoalwater Bay,
during which time 1 made several ex-
aminations OF Gray's Harbor, that both
these bays are as good harbors as Bos.
4 ton, and better than that OF Philadel-
lphia.
i Boston harbor, in particular, very
much resembles these bays, having ex-
tensive flats bare at low water, traversed
| in VAR s. directions by deep channels,
and yet it appears to be well adapted to
the wants of a great commercial city.
The harbors of Liverpool and Harve,
the great commercial marts of England
and France, are not equal to either
Shoalwater Bay nor Gray's Harbor as
harbors and yet we find persons carp
. ing and denouncing the waters of a
I very impor tant part OF our territory,
because they have in them great flats
which are left bare by the receding tide
and have an unsigntly appearance.
The entrance to both these bays is
good; that Of Shoalwater Bay in partic.
: ular, which has already been surveyed
by the government and shows a depth
OF water at the extreme low tides, Of
( three and a half fathoms on the bar.
, The soundings at Gray's Harbor do not
materially differ from Shoalwater Bay,
but as yet, government, has not caused
. survey to be made, which will pre-.
vent Gray's Harbor at present from
: having much Of commercial growth,
for underwriters will not insure vessels
. into unsurveyed harbors. The rise and
r fall of the tide at the entrance to Gray's
Harbor and Shoalwatel Bay varies from
ten to fifteen feet, giving ample depth oil
water for vessels drawing twenty to
r twenty-five feet. Vessels drawing eigh.
e teen feet of water have loaded in Shoal'
. water Bay during my residence here and
l have never known of any difficulty in
or out either of the bays.
Persons DESTROYS of going from Olym.
pia TO Gray's Harbor, should ride to the
, ferry at the block house, where they can
9 find Indians and canoes at all times to
, carry them either direct to the mouth
3 of the river, or to any point to which
r the steamer may come. The Enterprise
, was expected on the river the day we
left and it is to be hoped is already
making her trips.
9 l have always felt deep interest in
y the development OF the southwestern
{ portion of our territory, believing it des'
| tined to be of vast importance to us in 8
commercial and agricultural point Of
t view, and shall at some other time pre-
sent your readers some of it's induce
ments to settlers, which the limits OF tn,
o present article will not permit.
JAMES G. SWAN.
Only Makes Bad Matter Worse.
!, Perhaps you have never thought of i
= but the fact must be apparent to ever
one that constipation is caused by lacl
Of water in the system, and the use O
drastic cathartics like the old fashioned
c pills only makes bad matter worse
9 Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tab
/. lets are much more mild and gentle il
z their effect, and when the proper dos,
= is taken their action ia so natural tina
Q one can hardly realize it is the effect O
!. medicine. Try 25cent bottle Of them