The Alaska daily empire., 1915-10-25
ANOTHER WASHINGTON srArE DEVELOPMENT

The announcement last week of the connection by rail oI Port Angeles and Port Townsend the two lead ing towns of che Olympic peninsula in the State of Washington means that the first step looking toward Che linking up of chat resoureefa section of great State with the railroad systems the Nation. and that the time at hand when the country that lies between Puget sound and the Pacific ocean will be developed In like manner as other portions Of Che State have been
 There was a time-n the long ago before the be- ginning o railroad construction in the Norhwestthat he Olympic peninsula was among the leading sections ol the Puget Sound country It settled early and two counHes-Ciaiam and Jeffersou-were created by The first Territorial Legislature in he early 5os Later other counties followed until there were five For many years prior to 1875 Port Townsend was Of Che leading towns og Washington Territory in com mercia way As shipping port it continued to lead for ten years more I was the sole port of entry for Washington Territory and there the old "windiam- mers" paid of their crews and shipped ones. The city was always nned with sailors and money was plentiful
 Port Angeles. also. had interesting history At one time In the early 60a rivaiel Port Townsend. Lying on tue Strait o Juan de Fuca. with harbor pro- tected by Edz book forming natural breakwater. 1t is admirably situated for commerce. On the recommen- dalton Victor smith who had just been appointed col ecor customs for the Puget Sound district at the solicitation Of his personal friend Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P Chase it was set apart as gov ernmen townste in 1865 and designated the port Of entry fer the Puget Sound country by President Lin con For several years the customs house was located there and Che utte city thrivee Then Victor Smith was drowned and a flood resulting from the breaking of jam that had damned up one Of the several creeks
 
 house The port of entry was again transferred Port Townsend, and Port Angeles went into decline Twen- U years later about the time the actual development of the Puget sound country began Port Angeles was revived and for time bid fair be of the large towns Of che country.
 But the ,ranscontnental railroads confined their ac vty to the east side of Puget sound and the Olympic peninsula was left at the post" During the years that followed the growth of Claam and Jefferson counties was siow-when there was growth at al Many rail- road companies were organized to connect the section with che transcontinenta systems. and there were booms that nckered for a brief spell now and again only to be snniied out with che failure of the various railroad promoters to finance their proposals.
 1t was not untn the Milwaukee began pushing feed CTS out into the umbered sections of Washington State in search Of tonnage for ts newly constructed trans continental line about two years ago. that an as- sarance was given that Che hour Of the Olympic penn- sua had struck People began pouring into the coun- try sawmns shinsie mills and other industries have been established. ciaiam county issued hundreds of thousands bonds and used the proceeds on her pub lie road system and improvements Of an kinds public and private have followed
 The outlook for the continued growth of Port Ange- les and Port Townsend is now excellent though thus far Port Angeles has proftted most from the develop that is in ful swing and easily takes first place in population and activity.