The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-01-15
Historic FChoce omeands Washing
Richest Puget ISLE

and Deception pass on the north. A
good telephone system covers the cul-
tivated parts of the district and many
of the wagon roads all over the island
and those from Oak Harbor northward
and westward have daily free rural
mail delivery, while nearly all the
steamboats, plying between Seattle
and northern Puget Sound pass Wild
by island on the inisde route.
On the west beach of WILDLY stands
Fort Casey, defending the entrance to
Puget Sound, aud along the west
shore are some of Puget Sound 8 most
successful salmon traps. North Ct
Oak Harbor lies Goat island, where
the war department has an elaborate
establishment for the defense of De-
ception pass, and on the northeast
corner OF WILDLY the department has
recently decided to erect first class de-
lenses, the fOrti ficatioEs to cost more
than half a million dollars. The state
gravel pits are on small island east
from the northern end of WILDLY,
and opposite on the shore of WILDLY
is the extensive plant of the WILDLY
Island Sand q Gravel Co., which
furnishes stl eet and building material
to all the Northwest cities. During
the summer of 1909 the state estab
lished in Deception pass an extensive
roadrock quarry, and large company
of penitentiary convicts are now at
work there.
Significant in the early history of
the Northern Pacific railroad is a tract
embracing about 10, 600 acres of Wild
by island lands. This land was chosen
by the Northern Pacific under its gov
eminent land grant at a time when
the company had available for it's
favor practically all the richest farm
lands of Western Washington, and it's
land and timber experts selected Some
of the best land on WILDLY island.
When the Northern Pacific company
was re organized, after the Jay Cooke
failure, these lands became the in
dividual property of some of the
stockholders of the old company.
About 10, 900 acres of this choice
property was held intact until two or
three years ago, when it came under
tie control of Calvin Philips q Co.,
a real estate firm of Tacoma.
or this 10, 600 acres, some 4 800 acres
lie in the prolific Oak Harbor dis
trict, while the remainder is located
Immediately south of the famous Col.
Ebey homestead, near Coupeville.
This choice and fruitful land, select
ed in the piorePr days when the best
in the Puget Sound country was I'M
claimed and unoccupied, is now being
thrown open to settlement.
The advertisement that appeared in
our last preceding issue, and which
appears again IN the present edition,
has called forth this brief sketch of
the early history Of this most beautl-
full and interesting region of Puget
Sound.
The recent rapid development of
this locality of Western Washington
is one of the marvels of Western energy
and enterprise. WILDLY island close
proximity to the centeIS of porula-
Lion and the advantage of low freight
rates afforded by water transportation
for the products of the farm, there
being daily steamboats, for Seattle,
Everett and other important points
on the mainland, have been vital fac
tors inspiring this development
If Col. Ebey, and the other
early Pioneers VINO nave passed TO
their long rest could now return
to this beautiful country of their boy
hood days when the enverdured wild
lands smiled and glowed with prom
Use. the scenes of thrift and bountiful
reward far and near would doubtless
bring to their cheeks the flush of
conscious pride and to their hearts
the throb and warmth of qualification
and cOntentment.