The Laclede blade. (Laclede, Mo.) 1890-1945, 1904-04-02
FROM THE PUGET.SOUND.
Another Interesting Letter From a Former
Citizen of LacIede.

DEAR BLADE:-
Spring is unusually backward here.
The rainy season is still very much in
evidence. More wind storms, says
the oldest inhabitant, than was ever
known on this coast. February was
the most disagreeable month we have
passed. Much rain, occasional furries
of snow and chilling air has been
the order. Last year we had but one
rainy day in February. The man
from Seattle, who, when asked by a
farmer back east what they raised out
here replied, umbrellas mostly"
must have been here in a season like
this. Yet other places on the coast
have greater annual of rain fall than
Seattle. The base ball team of Port
land is called the "Webb-footers.''
Much moisture with favorable soil
are probably the conditions that make
this north west the greatest lumber
region on the globe. A person from
prairie states is filled with wonder by
the immense forests, the large, tall
and closely standing trees that greet
his view as he passes enroute through
the mountainous regions Of the west,
especially the Cascade range and their
western slope. 1t becomes easy to be-
lieve that the lumber industry stands
first in Importance here, while fishing
aud mining come next in order. The
largest sawmills, and the largest
shingle mills in the world are here on
Puget-sound. Sawlogs are brought
in immense RATS from points along
the coasts, train loads come daily
from near inland districts. I have
seen on the North Pacific tracks piles
120 #. long, and sawlogs 7 #. in
diameter and 80 it. long. A section
of a log of fir, IS #. in diameter pass
ed through the city, recently, on the
way to the great exposition at St.
Louis. A photo of a home of a
pioneer with wife and children impro-
vised out of huge hollow cedar
stump is found in some of the Seattle
souvenirs. The man who proposed to
create domicile for his use at the fare
by following out cedar log, the
same to consist of four rooms, has
not reported yet, but he possibly may
carry out his design.
Recently, the largest tree known in
existence, has been discovered some
where in Oregon. It is 63 #. in cir
cumference which would give it about
21 #. diameter. 1t is spruce. The
timber that is to make Washington
famous is the fir. Government tests
pronounce it 6rst-class in strength.
1t also furnishes fine grade finishing
lumber. The battle ship Nebraska,
being built here by Mormon Bros,
now we'll advanced, and to be finished
by Nov. 1st has for the most part in
its construction the Washington fir.
We have here very singular and
a very beautiful tree, an evergreen,
the Madrona. 1t is often crooked
and struggling in shape, but the
foliage is fine. The leaves are thick
and heavy, of a dark glossy green
color, somewhat like the winter green,
and of similar shape, oblong, but as
large as the leaf of the pear tree. It
sheds its bark every year, the color of
which varies from shade of green to
yellow. It has a beautiful white
bloom in close cluster, and produces
a dry yellow berry about the size of
the Mountain ash. 1t is found scat
tered through the forests along the
bluffs of the sound and lakes. 1t is
indeed beauty.
d. L. SLINGERLAND.
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