Year: 1878




being kept at the store.


The old wharf was about 20 feet long
they have extended it so 1t now is over
200 feet, and will build on still another
100 feet before July.


BY that date, they will build plank
walk from the end of the wharf to deep
water, and fasten it so it will not float
with the tide. ut deep water scow
will he anchored, into which freight can
be put by the steamer at any stage of the
tide. All these things will be somplctcb
by July 1st At II cost of about $4,000 to
the community. They are all there
working together tremendously to do
these things and there can be but little
doubt that they will be accomplished.


Oak lIarbor by this means would be.
come the centre for all OF the eastern
and northern part of WILDLY Island,
Among the prominent citizens of this Sec
,ion may he named Capt. Darlington,
Col. Larrabee, G. w. Morse, and John
Gould.


When men like these pledge their
names to any enterprise, it is apt to bc
completed on time.


The steamer Libby was built in 1863
at Utsalrdy, and has been in constant
service ever since, netting more profit
to her owners than perhaps any other
Puget Sound boat; but now she is too
small to do the trade and to slow to stop
at nll the points designated in the sched-
ule on the route.


A larger and faster boat is Il necessity.
1t is understood that Capt Britain in
tends forthwith to buy or build q large
stern wheeler for the route, and that he
is now ever on the Columbia negotiating
for the purchase of such boat


If unsuccessful hc will return and
build this simmer.


Capt. Brannon bus been so long in
command of the Libby, that he seems MS
ii he was the necessary man required to
successfully navigate boat on this route.


He is not only very skilful, careful
| pilot, but one OF the most accommodate
ing gentlemen found any where, although
he at present SO dislikes to stop at Oak
Harbo4, yet with faster boat and with
the improvements tU be made ut that
place, he Will have no further objections
toward stepping there,


At present the steamer stops irregular
ly, and most of the time at low water, as
she must have high water to go through
the SwinOmish. 1t is so inconvenient
to handle freight at low water, that
most of it IL sent and received by
schooner.


Full statistics are promised OF the
leading industries of that settlement for
publication so that the partial estimates
on hand will not at present he gievn.


With the completion of the lighter and
wharf and walk to deep water freight
will be 80 easily handled at any stage of
the tide that the amount shipped by
steamer will be increased many fold.
The statistics promised if received will
enable any one to Judge very closely the
amount of freight to ship each season by
steamer as well as by sailing vessels.


The Granger" Cabt. Cooms, and the
Mary Parker, both make Oak Harbor
their home port, when not away from
port, they find the wharf, as expected,
very convenient place to moor their
vessels to, as they each can have u side
to themselves.


For the past tive weeks farmers have
been very busy sheep shearing. Col.
Larrabce lett the bay before his house
was visited, for the purpose of attending
the Constitutional Convention ut Walla-
Walla. He had draft Ota State con-
stitution full written out, and had en-
ployed great amount OF time in re-
visng and rewriting it, 50 that if he
does not make his influence felt IN I'll.
cnvention, and il the constitution franz
cd and adopted there is not largely his
work, it will not he his fault. lie has
read it to II number OF his neighbours who
speak in excellent terms OF its provisions


Many OF lis provisions are original 10
character aud some are designed Ia CON.
trol monopolIcs, and restrain land grab.
bing Dy limiting the amount of land tl,at