The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-07-14
Getting Acquainted With
The Big Islander Family

| The Big Islander Family
The editor of the Islander has
footed it, over the greater portion
| of Orcas Island during the past
week. Many of the members of the
big Islander family have been met
for the first time. Many new men,
bers have been added to the family
circle. The Islander goes into nearly
every home in San Juan county.
The few neighbors who do not take
it probably borrow and read it. Ar
rangements are being made for
complete list Of correspondents
covering every community in the
county. This valued feature, of the
paper will be made as interesting as
possible. Starting in at East Sound.
the oldest and mos. popular sumn'er
resort in the county, we found the
busy season in full swing. The Mt.
Constitution Inn was we'll filled with
guests among them a party Of scien-
fists who were that day pursuing
their studies on Turtleback noun
tain. On the road to North Beach
are the big fruit farms of the
Sutherlands, the farms of M. S.
Donahue, 1. S. Waldrip and the
Bellingham colony planted in the
wilderness by the indefatigable
Billy Benson. M. S Donahue's is
famous boarding place for city folk
who enjoy life on the farm. At
North Beach found an old friend
who has served his time behind the
counter and has now retired to
little farm. His name is Jacob
Straus. He has everything to make
home desirable except a wife. He
is lonesome and wants the wife, but
has had no experience in the ways
of getting one.
Taking the road again toward
West Sound pretty bit Of water
front is seen. where j. c. Myers has
plated some lots and sold them for
summer homes. Geo. Candy the
ubiquitous real estate man has Sc
cured site here for new summer
home. Ben Harrison was making
hay on his big farm. The well kept
farms of VIM. HamDly. Thos. Ere
chette and others in the Grow valley
indicate great fertility and abun-
dant crops are promised. Near
West Sound is the pretty home of A.
M. Chalmers, taking in about half
the townsite. Joe Verrier has
large farm Of 270 acres close to
town. He is selling off his sheep
and going into dairying extensively.
West Sound is pretty place. and
would undoubtedly have many sum-
mer homes if the water front were
available. The West Sound mill
has been doing capacity business
under the efficient management of
Mr.. Armstrong.
The West Sound House is now un-
der new management. Miss jose
phine Fernette formerly of Waldron
island is the new proprietor. The
house has good reputation and is
not likely to lose any of its populari-
ty under the management of Miss
Fernette.
1t is delightful walk of only
| three miles from West Sound to Or
cas-. Over wooded hills and good
roads into Pear valley, a wonderland
of fruit and study in the scientific
cultivation of pears and apples.-
Myers, the Pear King, was thinn-
ing the apples on his tees and the
percentage of apples that he was
taking off would surprise anyone
but the orchardist of experience.
Fully three fourths of the crop was
on the ground. He says this is
necessary in order to have perfect
fruit. He has a fairly good crop
of Burre d'Anjou pears, about 100
boxes Mr.. Hogen also has good
crop Of pears.
Reaching Orcas we find the extern
sive domain Of the pioneer merchant
/ w. E. Sutherland. He grew up
with the islands and was keeping
store when the Indians were his
only customers. Beyond Orcas is
/ the beau tiful home of DR.. Powers.
at the head Of little cove is the
cozy home Of Mrs. Curry She is
the most enthusiastic booster for the
islands to be found. Mr.. Curry and
her SON Jack are homesteading some
/ land in British Columbia but the
home they look forward to for the
future is at Orcas. If you want to