The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-07-14
A. J. Wright.
from Gene Gould

Rooney CdllCO OPOl NV oON"~J'
the intention, so he stated. of asking
my opinion as to who pays the taxes.
He opened the conversation by ask
ing me "Hav yez lived in Friday
Harbor long. me Bye? ''Nearly Is
years Rooney" l replied. "Then
can yez explain about this prevailin
inershy of business generally what
ever the Divil that may be-and
what's the matter with Friday Har-
bor"?
"Well what is the matter with
Friday Harbor, Rooney" said l..
"We have a sawmill running full
time, paying it's, men promptly and
turning out a sufficient amount of
lumber and shingles to more than
supply the local demand; fruit
cannery which will probably begin
operations early in the fall; a first
class creamery doing business every
day: one of the finest and best
equipped salmon. canneries on Pug. t
Sound preparing to handle the larg-
est salmon pack ever put up in Fri
day Harbor; the State University
summer school of Biology, with over
so nonresident students enrolled,
besides large corps of instructors
and employees, over 100 all told; six
stores carrying we'll assorted stocks
of general merchandise; one hard
ware store. one millinery store, one
shoe and mems furnishing store,
one ladies' furnishing store, one
paint and harness store, one drug
store, one meat market, one barber
shop, one music store, one jewelry
store, two pool rooms, two ice cream
and confectionery stores, four room
ing houses and hotels, two good
restaurants; two livery barns; one
modern and we'll equipped hospital;
one bank; two newspapers; United
States Customs House; station of
the Revenue Marine Service; four
church societies, of which three own
their own houses Of worship; eight
or ten strong .fraternal organiza-
tions; a first class public school en-
ploying four teachers;a wireless tele-
graph station; good local and long
distance telephone system ;one empty
Jail and no poor house; one Of the
largest and most fertile valleys in
the State of Washington. Immediate
ly tributary to the town, with every
indication pointing to good crops
and good prices. A large majority
of residents of the town are home
owners and home lovers. There are
fewer implanted. uncared for look
ing buildings than in any town of it's
size on Puget Sound. There are no
idle men and no so-called floating
class" Our people are above
the average in honesty contentment
and prosperity. We have the best
Of prospects for first class high
school. We have a fine public float,
public watering trough, public
drinking fountain, more new side
walks, better graded streets cleaner,
better kept streets and highways,
better fire protection given us under
the able and progressive administra-
tion of Mayor Murray, with the
cordial and harmonious cooperation
of the the substantial body Of men
composing the city council. We
have harbor surprising those of
Seattle. Everett, Anacortes or Bell
ingham, and the finest scenery and
the best climate of any part of
Puget Sound For these and vari-
Gus other reasons let me ask,
Rooney. Is ANYTHING the matter
with Friday Harbor?
Go down to the dock at about half
past seven any morning when the
Resale comes in from Seattle and
stay until she leaves at nine o'clock.
Are the deck hands sitting around
smoking cigarettes and taking life
easy. Rooney? They are not, they
are hustling freight for an hour and
half or two hours, for the business
men Of Friday Harbor. Hang
around some day when the Islander
is in and see the same thing. Look
over the merchants ads in our pa
pers Rooney, and see if you can find
any Receivers Sale, Going out of
Business, Creditors Sale, One
quarter off Sale. or Foreclosure Of
Mortgage Sale,' advertised; instead
you find our merchants advertising
fresh stocks, new goods and more
coming. Count the launches that
tie every day to our public float and
the private wharves, and the teams
hitched to our public hitching racks;
talk to the Postmaster about his in.
creased business; note the steadily
increasing volume Of business for
the past few years and then tell me.
rs there ANYTHING the matter
with Friday Harbor. Rooney?