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diff --git a/40132-0.txt b/40132-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..171e9a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/40132-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6541 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40132 *** + +TRANSCRIBER NOTES: + + Words contained within underscores indicate that they were italized + in the original. Example: _First_. + + Additional notes can be found at the end of this project. + + Some of the tables have been modified to fit in the space allowed. + + + + + [Illustration: UPPER SNOQUALMIE FALLS, 120 FEET HIGH.] + + + + + A REPORT ON WASHINGTON + TERRITORY + + BY + W. H. RUFFNER, LL.D. + + ILLUSTRATED + + [Illustration] + + NEW YORK + SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY + 1889 + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1889 + BY SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY + + + PRESS OF + FLEMING · BREWSTER & ALLEY · NEW YORK + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The matter of this Report on Washington Territory is so arranged that +the reader, by referring to the table of contents, can turn at once to +any particular topic. The report is divided into six chapters, to wit: + +_First_, Itinerary, which mentions briefly the places I visited, and the +dates. + +_Second_, A General Account of Washington Territory, which includes +something of its History, its Location, and its great Pacific Market. +Under the last of these heads is given a large body of facts which will +surprise any one who has not studied the peculiar commercial advantages +of our Pacific States, and above all, of Puget Sound. There is also +given some account of the topography, climate, soils and natural +vegetation, with special stress upon the great forests of the Puget +Sound basin. The lumber industry is next described, followed by a +somewhat full account of agricultural products, especially those of the +Great Plain of the Columbia River. Finally, in this division, something +is said of the available labor of the country. + +_Third_, Geology of Washington Territory. In one division I endeavor to +give the Historical and Structural Geology of the Territory, and in +another division I give the Economic Geology. In the latter I describe +the beds of coal, iron ore, granite, limestone and marble, and also the +ores of the precious and base metals as they have been discovered in all +parts of the Territory. + +_Fourth_, the special interests of the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern +Railway are discussed. I begin with Seattle, to show its advantages as a +terminus. I then say something of the terminal property owned by this +Company, and of the suburban interests of many kinds, such as +residences, parks, gardens and industrial works which are likely to grow +up along the first twenty miles of this railway. I then take up the +great timber interest along the line, which, in its magnitude and value, +will give this road pre-eminence over all others. The agricultural +products along the line are next spoken of. I then take up the great +coal interest which will minister so largely to the road--an interest +whose magnitude can be readily inferred from the fact that this railway +will pass through, or near, five and perhaps six distinct coal fields +between Puget Sound and the Columbia River. I next show the advantages +which this road will have in the development of the great magnetic +iron-ore beds on both sides of the Cascade Mountains, and also the +remarkable juxtaposition of ore, flux and fuel, which are found in the +Snoqualmie Valley. Attention is also called to the business which is +likely to arise from the limestones, marble and granite for building and +monumental purposes. Finally, I call attention to the great advantage +which this road will have, or, at least, may have, in controlling the +large and increasing business connected with the mines of precious and +base metals, which are being opened north and east of this line. + +_Fifth_, Cities and Towns are briefly noticed which will, or may, bear +an important relation to the Seattle Road. + +_Sixth_, a supplementary chapter, giving latest information. + + W. H. RUFFNER. + + LEXINGTON, VA. + + + + +INDEX. + + + PAGE + +ITINERARY 17 + + Great Plain, 17--Cascade Mountains, 17--Hop Ranch, + 17--Snoqualmie Pass, 18--Guye Mines, 18--Mt. Logan, + 18--Denny Mines, 19--Salal Prairie, 19--Moss Bay Co., + 19--Raging River, 20--Gilman Mines, 20--Blakeley Mills, + 20--Wilkeson Mines, 20--Kirke's Coal Mines, 21--Portland, + 23--Spokane Falls, 23--Good weather, 25. + + +GENERAL ACCOUNT OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY 26 + + HISTORICAL 26 + + Denny, of Denny Mines, 26--Causes of delay in settlement, + 26--Population of Washington Territory, 27. + + LOCATION AND MARKET 27 + + Majority of the human race in the countries of the + Pacific, 28--Change in the currents of trade, 28--The + China trade, 29--The trade of the Amoor River, Japan, + etc., 31--The new railroad across Siberia to St. + Petersburg, 32--The American Pacific States have decisive + advantages over all others in controlling the Pacific + trade, 33--Advantages in distances, 34. + + ROUGH ESTIMATES OF DISTANCES 34 + + Advantage in productions, 36--Coastwise trade, 36--South + American trade, 36--Large existing trade, 37. + + TABLE--Ports of the Pacific showing total value of Exports of + Domestic Merchandise for year ending June 30, 1885, June + 30, 1887, and total value of Imports of Merchandise for + year ending June 30, 1885, June 30, 1887. + 38 + +PRINCIPAL EXPORTS OF DOMESTIC MERCHANDISE, YEAR ENDING +JUNE 30, 1885 39 + + APPENDIX--List of Exports of Domestic Merchandise, year ending + June 30, 1885. Exported from the seven Customs Districts + of the Pacific, 39--List of Imports of Merchandise, year + ending June 30, 1885. Imported into the seven Customs + Districts of the Pacific 41 + + APPROXIMATE POPULATION IN THE YEAR 1887 OF THE WORLD 42 + + TOPOGRAPHY OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY 43 + + Puget Sound, 44--Lake Washington, 44--West Washington and + East Washington, 45--Coeur d'Alene Mountains, 46--The + Great Plateau, 47--Coulées, 47--Columbia and Snake Rivers, + 48. + + ALTITUDES IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY 49 + + CLIMATE 49 + + The climate of Washington Territory, 49--Mild and equable, + 51--Rainfall, 51--No blizzards or cyclones, + 53--Differences between East and West Washington, + 53--Chinook wind, 55. + + SOILS 55 + + Soils all fertile, 55. + + TABLE SHOWING THE MEANS OF THE DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM + TEMPERATURES IN DEGREES FAHRENHEIT 56 + + TABLE SHOWING THE AVERAGE PRECIPITATION AT STATIONS OF THE + SIGNAL SERVICE 57 + + A remarkable soil, 60. + + NATURAL VEGETATION 61 + + Vast vegetation, 61--Deciduous trees, 62--Larch, + 62--Extraordinary evergreen forests, 63--Douglas fir, or + Oregon pine, 63--The best of ship timber, 64--White cedar, + 65--Beautiful house lumber, 65--Hemlock spruce, + 65--Tanners wanted, 66--White pine, 66--Balsam fir, + 66--Large supply of Canada Balsam, 67--The yew, 67--The + superior timber of Snoqualmie Valley, 67--Range for horses + and cattle, 69. + + LUMBERING 69 + + Magnitude of the lumber business, 70--Vast extent of the + lumber market, 70--The great saw-mills, 71--Profits and + prices, 73. + + AGRICULTURE 73 + + Clearing the land, 73--Demand for agricultural products, + 74--Large crops, 74--Hop-growing on a large scale, 74--The + changed agricultural conditions of East Washington, + 75--Irrigation in the Yakima Valley, 75--Varied crops, + 77--The Great Plain, 77--Boundaries, 78--Early history, + 78--Area and population, 79--Amazing wheat crops: + surpassing all other States, 79--Railroads overwhelmed + with freight, 80--Price of wheat and cost of production, + 81--Also barley and oats, 83--The soil a natural + fertilizer, 84--Quality of the wheat, 84--The market in + England, China, and other Asiatic ports, 85--Astonishing + growth of vegetables, 85--Crops without rain, 86--West + (not East) Washington to be the great cattle country, + 86--Tree-planting, 87. + + LABOR 88 + + Good supply of labor, but more wanted, 88--Wages, 88. + + +THE GEOLOGY OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY 90 + + HISTORICAL AND STRUCTURAL 90 + + The Western Coast regions younger than the Rocky Mountains + and Appalachians, 91--An outlying Continent, 91--The rise + of the West Coast, 92--The rocks and minerals of the + Cascade Mountains, 93--The metamorphic rocks of doubtful + origin, 93--The coal beds, 94--The volcanic mountains and + their great activity, 95--The wonderful cañon of the + Columbia River, 96--The great sheets of basalt, 96--Origin + of the rich soil of East Washington, 97--The volcanoes not + wholly extinct, 98--Glacial drift, 98. + + ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 99 + + I. Coal 99 + + Thickness of the Coal Measures, 99--Fifteen workable + seams, 100--Different kinds of coal described, 100--The + chemical changes in coal beds, 101--Deficient + nomenclature, 102--Lignite an unsuitable name for the + coals of Washington Territory, 103--The coking quality not + general in these coals, but found in some, 104--Analyses + of Washington Territory coals, 106. + + THE COLLIERIES 106 + + Authorities, 106. + + ANALYSES OF REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY + COALS AND LIGNITES 107 + + The different mines, 108. + + _a._ Carbon River Group 108 + + Anthracite, coking and gas coals, 108. + + _b._ The Green River Group 110 + The Common Point, equidistant between Tacoma and Seattle, + 111--Franklin and Black Diamond mines, 112--The Kirke or + Moss Bay Company (English) mines, 112. + + _c._ The Cedar River Group 117 + + Cedar River mines, 117--Talbot and Renton mines, + 118--Newcastle Mine, 118--Cost of mining, 119--Large + production, 119--Misrepresentation, 120--Correction by Mr. + Whitworth, 122. + + _d._ The Squak Creek, Raging River, and Snoqualmie Group 125 + + Gilman Mines, 125--Structure of Squak Mountain, + 125--Peculiar advantages for mining possessed by the + Gilman Mines, 127--Seattle Coal and Iron Company, + 127--Seven seams, 128--Details, 128--Good coal, + 128--Another good coal seam, 128--And another, 129--Large + body of valuable coal, 131--Washington Mines, 132--Raging + River coals, 132--Details, 134--Snoqualmie Mountain Coal + Group, 136--Details, 136--Good coking coal, 136--Also good + coking coal, 138--Large and valuable bed, 138--Another + good bed, 139--Geological relations, 139--This the bottom + group, 140. + + _e._ The Yakima and Wenatchie Group 140 + + Yakima or Roslyn coal field, 140--Coal on the Wenatchie, + 141--Coal under the Great Bend country, 142. + + _f._ Bellingham Bay, Skagit River, and other Coal Fields 142 + + The first mining on Bellingham Bay, 142--Coal on Skagit + River, 142--Coal south of Puget Sound, 144--Total + shipments of coal from Washington Territory, 144. + + _g._ Coal Seams in British Columbia 145 + + Coal on Vancouver's Island, 145. + + II. Iron Ore 146 + + The iron ores, 146--The great magnetic ore beds of Cascade + Mountains, 147--Resembles the Cranberry ore deposits, + 147--Guye Mine on Mount Logan, 148--Denny Mine, + 149--Chair Peak, or Kelly Mine, 149--Middle Fork Mines, + 150--All easily reached from Seattle, Lake Shore and + Eastern Railway, 150--Cle-ellum ore beds, 150--Burch's ore + bed, 152--Dudley ore bed, 153--Undoubtedly large beds of + steel ores, 153--Of superior quality, 153. + + ANALYSES OF SNOQUALMIE IRON ORES 154 + + Proved by analysis to be unsurpassed, if equaled, 155. + + COMPARATIVE ANALYSES OF STEEL ORES 155 + + Improved processes, 156. + + III. Granite, Limestone and Marble 157 + + Granite, 157--Marble and Limestone, 158. + + IV. The Precious and Base Metals 159 + + Precious metals on Cascade Mountains, 159--On Cle-ellum + River, 160--Large copper vein in Stevens County, + 161--Precious metals on Methow River, 161--The rich mines + of Okanogan, 162--The mines in the Colville region, + 164--The Old Dominion Mine, 165--The Daisy Mine, + 165--Young America Company, 166--The Little Dalles, + 166--Coeur d'Alene Mines, 167--The large tonnage from + and to the mines, 169. + +SPECIAL REMARKS ON THE COUNTRY AND ITS RESOURCES ALONG THE LINE OF THE +SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY 171 + + SEATTLE 171 + + Commercial and manufacturing advantages, 171--Good + climate, 171--Good population, 172--High civilization, + 172--Railroad lines, 173--The chief ship-building centre, + 174--Seattle better located than San Francisco, 174. + + THE TERMINAL PROPERTY OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE + AND EASTERN RAILWAY 175 + + Unrivalled terminal property, 175. + + SUBURBAN INTERESTS 175 + + But two entrances by land, 175--Superiority of the + northern suburbs, 175--Factories of the future, 176--Ship + canal, 176. + + TIMBER 176 + + Superiority of the timber on the Seattle, Lake Shore and + Eastern Railway, 177--The forests described, 178--Forests + of Raging River, 178--Forests near Hop Ranch, + 179--Superior to the Long Leaf forests of the Southern + States and of the Mississippi Bottom, 180--Trees ten feet + in diameter, 180--Average nearly five feet in diameter and + 250 feet high, 181--Lumber product per acre, 181. + + AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS 183 + + Agricultural freights, 183--Produce of Hop Ranch, + 183--Farming, fruit and grazing lands, 185--Hops, barley + and beer, 186--The two great railroads, 187--The Great + Bend country, 187--Douglas County, 188--Lincoln County, + 189--Spokane County, 189--Price of farming lands, + 189--Tonnage, 190. + + COAL 191 + + The Seattle railway passes five coal fields, 191--Largest + shipments from the Gilman Mines, 192--Superior mining + advantages of the Gilman Mines, 193--Mr. Whitworth's + testimony, 193--Cost of mining coal, 196--Cost at Gilman + Mines, 197--Prices of coal, 197. + + IRON ORE 199 + + Handling the iron ores, 199--Furnace sites, 199--Salal + Prairie, 200--Charcoal cheaply produced, 200--Quantity of + charcoal to the ton of iron, 201--Bessemer ores commonly + distant from fuel, 202--High cost of Lake Superior ores, + 203--Cost of producing ore in Pennsylvania, 203--Cost of + Bessemer-pig in Snoqualmie Valley, 203--Large market for + steel rails, 204. + + THE OTHER MINERALS 204 + + Limestone, 204--Marble, granite, sandstones, slates, + 204--Precious and base metals, 205--Okanogan, Colville and + Kootenai, 205--Coeur d'Alene, 206--Transportation lines + to the mining regions, 206. + + +CITIES AND TOWNS 209 + + The only competition is between Tacoma and Seattle, + 209--Advantages of Seattle, 210--Towns of East Washington, + 210--Spokane Falls and its fine prospects, 211--Mr. Paul + F. Mohr's article, 211--Sprague, Colfax, and Lewiston, + 215--Notes on the Colfax country, 216--Lewiston, + 217--Walla Walla, 217. + + BRANCHES AND ROUTES FOR THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE + AND EASTERN RAILWAY 218 + + Railroad branches, 218--The Palouse country, + 219--Arguments for the Palouse branch, 220--Manitoba + railroad, 220. + + +SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER, GIVING LATEST INFORMATION 222 + + Rapid growth of Seattle and Spokane Falls, 222--Change in + the location of the railroad, 222. + + REPORT FROM F. H. WHITWORTH, ESQ., CIVIL AND MINING ENGINEER + ON SEATTLE, ETC. 223 + + Population of Seattle, 224--New manufacturing + establishments, 224--New steamers, 224--The iron company + at work, 225--Coking coals, 225--New discoveries of iron + ore, 227--Lumber business growing, 228--Population and + freights increasing, 228--Labor strike at Gilman Mine, + 228--Gilman coal seams, 229--Progress of the West Coast + Railroad, 229--Resources of the country along the new line + across Cady's Pass, 230--Progress in building the road, + 231--Cable Railway in Seattle, 231--Southern Pacific + Railroad supposed to be coming to Seattle Harbor, 231. + + REPORT FROM E. A. ROUTHE, ESQ., CONCERNING SPOKANE + FALLS, ETC. 232 + + Growth of Spokane Falls, 232--Prodigious development of + the mining interest, 233. + + REPORT FROM PAUL F. MOHR, ESQ., CONCERNING THE + CADY'S PASS AND WENATCHIE ROUTE 234 + + I. ENGINEERING FEATURES 234 + + Engineering details of the new route, 234. + + II. RESOURCES 236 + + Mr. Mohr's account of the resources of the new route, 236 + + III. SCENERY 238 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + UPPER SNOQUALMIE FALLS. FRONTISPIECE. + + LAKE WASHINGTON--SHOWING MOUNT RANIER IN + THE DISTANCE. FACING PAGE 44. + + A VIEW OF THE FOREST. FACING PAGE 62. + + INDIANS GATHERING HOPS. FACING PAGE 74. + + BRIDGE OVER THE SPOKANE RIVER. FACING PAGE 88. + + LOWER SNOQUALMIE FALLS. FACING PAGE 92. + + ENTRANCE TO GILMAN COAL MINE. FACING PAGE 106. + + COAL-BUNKERS ON SEATTLE HARBOR. FACING PAGE 128. + + A TRAIN-LOAD OF LOGS. FACING PAGE 176. + + HAY-MAKING IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY. FACING PAGE 184. + + VIEW OF THE CITY OF SPOKANE FALLS. FACING PAGE 210. + + VIEW OF SEATTLE AND THE HARBOR. FACING PAGE 222. + + + + +LIST OF MAPS. + + + MAP OF ASIA AND PACIFIC OCEAN. FACING PAGE 27. + + MAP OF WILKESON COALFIELD. FACING PAGE 109. + + MAP OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE. FACING PAGE 170. + + MAP OF SPOKANE FALLS. FACING PAGE 232. + + MAP OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY. IN POCKET, INSIDE BACK COVER. + + MAP OF UNITED STATES. IN POCKET, INSIDE BACK COVER. + + + + +ITINERARY. + + + [Sidenote: Great Plain.] + + [Sidenote: Cascade Mountains.] + + [Sidenote: Hop Ranch.] + +I entered Washington Territory, by way of the Northern Pacific Railroad, +on the morning of October 27, 1887, coming first to the valley of the +Spokane River, and spending the entire day in traversing the plains of +Eastern Washington, reaching Pasco Junction a little after nightfall. I +crossed the Cascade Mountains on the Switchback, and arrived at Tacoma +about noon of the 28th, at which point I took a Puget Sound steamer, and +landed at Seattle about four P.M. the same day. The next morning, +accompanied by Mr. F. H. Whitworth, engineer, and Mr. F. M. Guye, I went +out on the Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad to the end of the road, +near Newcastle, where we took horses, and reached Hop Ranch, on the +Snoqualmie River, the same night. + +October 30.--Proceeded up the south fork of the Snoqualmie River, and +reached the engineers' camp near the top of Cascade Mountain, at +Snoqualmie Pass. Distances by rail and by wagon road: Seattle to Coal +Creek, near Newcastle, twenty miles; Coal Creek to Squak Valley, five +miles; Squak to Falls City, ten miles; Falls City to Hop Ranch (or +Snoqualmie) six miles; Hop Ranch to Engineers' Camp, twenty-six miles; +Camp to Summit, five miles. + + [Sidenote: Snoqualmie Pass.] + +The railroad on which I left Seattle is a narrow-gauge coal road. +Between its terminus and Squak Valley is a high mountain spur. The +proportion of cleared land along this whole line is not large in +comparison with the forests of evergreen timber, but there are many +farms of great fertility, some of them large. The timber increases in +quantity and size nearly to the top of the mountain. On these points I +shall speak fully hereafter. My object in thus hastening to the Cascade +Mountains was to make my observations first at the point where I was +most likely to be interrupted by bad weather. I found the engineers, +headed by Mr. Thompson, busily engaged in making the location of the +railroad, beginning at Snoqualmie Pass (the summit), and working +westward and downward, so as to connect with their finished work in the +neighborhood of Hop Ranch. + + [Sidenote: Guye Mines.] + + [Sidenote: Mt. Logan.] + +Spending the night of October 30 at the camp, I went next morning to the +Guye Iron Mines, which were one mile from the line of the railroad. The +outcrops of ore and limestone lie high on a mountain, which I named +Mount Logan, in honor of General T. M. Logan, who seems to have been +among the first of the Eastern men to put faith in the resources of this +remarkable region. I returned in the evening to the engineers' camp. + + [Sidenote: Denny Mine.] + +The next day, November 1, I spent visiting the Denny Mine, two miles +from the railroad line, and also high on a mountain, and again returned +to camp. The Chair Peak Mine (also called the Kelley Mine), thirteen +miles distant from the railroad, and Guye's Mine on Middle Fork +Mountain, six miles distant, I did not visit, owing to want of time. + + [Sidenote: Salal Prairie.] + + [Sidenote: Moss Bay Co.] + +November 2.--First rain. We returned down the mountain, and stopped for +an hour at Salal Prairie, where we found a large camp occupied by the +employees of the Moss Bay Iron and Steel Company, of England, who +expected to build iron furnaces on this admirable location.[A] This +night we spent at Hop Ranch, a description of which is given hereafter. + + [A] This wealthy company has since determined to establish its works + on Lake Washington, at Kirkland. + +November 3.--Spent the most of this day in examining the coking coal +beds on Snoqualmie Mountain, three miles from Hop Ranch, and reached +Falls City that night, pausing by the way to look upon that wonderful +sight, the Snoqualmie River Falls, 267 feet high. + + [Sidenote: Raging River.] + +November 4.--Left the line of the railroad and went up Raging River ten +miles, where I visited the coal openings, and spent the night at the +miners' camp. The Raging River valley and mountain-sides are covered +with large timber. + + [Sidenote: Gilman Mines.] + +November 5.--Descended Raging River valley six miles to the line of the +railroad, which we followed to the Gilman Coal Mines, on Squak, passing +a bed of ochreous earth, which might have value for paint, and may lead +to a bed of iron-ore. + +At Camp Gilman I looked at all the openings which were accessible, and +observed the preparations making for large mining. Spent the night at +Tibbett's in Squak Valley, two miles distant. + +November 6.--Returned to Seattle. + +November 7.--In Seattle. + + [Sidenote: Blakeley Mills.] + +November 8.--Crossed Puget Sound to the great Blakeley Lumber Mills, and +also examined Mrs. Guye's large collection of the minerals of Washington +Territory. + +November 9.--Made short excursions in and around Seattle, including a +trip on the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway, fourteen miles out. + + [Sidenote: Wilkeson Mines.] + +November 10.--Went to the Wilkeson Coal Mines, where I found the only +coke ovens I saw in the Territory. + +November 11.--Returned to Seattle by way of Tacoma, where I met Mr. +Peter Kirke, the partner and agent of the Moss Bay Company, who is +preparing to erect a steel plant; but whether he intended to build at +Salal Prairie or at Cle-ellum, I could not ascertain. In fact, I am not +sure that he had then determined in his own mind. + +November 12.--Excursions around Seattle, especially around the borders +of the lakes. + +November 13.--The first Sunday I have been able to observe like a +Christian. + +November 14 and 15.--Collecting information and constructing maps. + +November 16.--Out on the line of the S. L. S. & E. Railway eighteen +miles. + + [Sidenote: Kirke's Coal Mines.] + +November 17.--To Kirke's Coal Mines on Green River. By rail as far as +the Franklin Coal Mines, passing the Renton, Cedar Mountain and Black +Diamond mines. At Franklin Mines, took horses to the Green River Mines, +seven miles, where we spent the night at Mr. Kirke's camp. + +November 18.--Last evening and to-day, examined all the openings on Mr. +Kirke's property, and one opening on Section 34, Sugar-Loaf Mountain, +owned by Mr. Whitworth and others; and took the Northern Pacific +Railroad cars at the Common Point, and got back to Seattle the same +night. + +November 19.--In Seattle working on maps. + +November 20.--Sunday. + +November 21.--Remained in Seattle. + +November 22.--Went to Portland, Oregon. I will here say that Mr. F. H. +Whitworth accompanied me on all my trips away from Seattle, and +superintended the construction of my large maps, which were made in his +own office. I found him a most obliging gentleman, and exceedingly well +informed about the country. He was untiring also in collecting for me +such information as he did not already possess. Judge Burke, Mr. Leary, +Mr. Mackintosh, Governor Squire, Judge Lewis, Dr. Minor (the Mayor), +etc., were exceedingly attentive, Judge Burke especially so. Other +citizens, such as Chancellor Jones, ex-Governor Ferry, Mr. Arthur A. +Denny (the oldest citizen on Puget Sound), Mr. F. M. Guye, Dr. Cumming, +Mr. Haller, etc., were cordial, and ready to do me any service. Indeed, +the citizens of Seattle, so far as I became acquainted with them, showed +themselves in enthusiastic sympathy with the new railroad enterprise. + + [Sidenote: Portland.] + +November 23.--Spent the day in visiting the Oswego Iron Works, six miles +from Portland, in company with Mr. S. G. Reed, president of the Oregon +Iron and Steel Company. The only point of special interest connected +with these unfinished iron-works, is that Mr. Reed is looking forward +impatiently to the progress of the S. L. S. & E. road, expecting to +receive from it magnetic ore for mixture, also limestone and coke. + +November 24.--Ascended the Columbia River by steamer, with six miles of +portage, to the Dalles, where I took the Northern Pacific train for +Spokane Falls, having daylight from Pasco Junction. + +November 25.--Nothing could be more unjust to the country than the +location of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which runs most of the way to +Spokane Falls in a _coulée_ (or dry river bed), which completely hides +most of the farming land from the traveler. + + [Sidenote: Spokane Falls.] + +November 26.--In Spokane Falls, which I found to be a rapidly growing +city of 7,000 to 8,000 people, who are pressing the interests of the +town with amazing energy. Mr. Routhe, president of the Board of Trade; +Mr. Cannon, president of the Bank of Spokane Falls; Mr. Paul F. Mohr, +Mr. Curtis, Mr. Nash, and quite a number of other prominent citizens, +called upon me, and showed the liveliest interest in the Seattle, Lake +Shore and Eastern Railway. I collected here a mass of valuable +information concerning the agricultural and mineral resources of Eastern +Washington; this being an important centre of trade for farmers and +miners. + +November 27.--Sunday. + +November 28, 29 and 30.--Went out on the Spokane Falls and Palouse +Railroad to the Palouse River country. At Garfield I took the train to +Colfax, which I found to be also a flourishing place, and wide awake in +reference to the Seattle road. The citizens here were also ready to do +all in their power to aid the enterprise. + +December 1.--Arrived at Walla Walla, another of the great wheat centres, +where I found leading citizens well informed as to the new railroad, but +not indulging much hope of its coming within striking distance, except +in the remote contingency of Snake River Valley being selected as the +route of the Manitoba Railroad. + + [Sidenote: Good weather.] + +December 2.--In the afternoon came south fifty miles, to Pendleton, in +Oregon, and on the morning of the 3d started for home by way of the +Oregon Short Line and Union Pacific. By this time the earth was covered +with a light snow; but upon the whole, the weather during my trip was +pleasant--certainly not so much falling weather as I had a right to +expect, and no severe cold. + +Thus I was five weeks and two days in Washington Territory. The entire +trip, from the time I left Lexington until my return, was seven weeks +and two days. Miles traveled, 8,500. + + + + +A GENERAL ACCOUNT OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY. + + +HISTORICAL. + + [Sidenote: Denny, of Denny Mines.] + + [Sidenote: Causes of delay in settlement.] + +The first white man who ever settled near the site of Seattle (Mr. +Arthur A. Denny) now lives in that city, and can scarcely be called an +old man. The country remained unsettled so long, partly because of its +inaccessibility from the East, and partly because it was disputed +territory between the United States and Great Britain. It became a +separate Territory only in 1853. No transcontinental line of railroad +touched any part of Washington Territory until four years ago, when the +Northern Pacific passed across the eastern part of the Territory, and +united with the road along the Columbia River, which had been built by +the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, and which had barely entered +this Territory. Following this line to Portland, Oregon, and then +completing the road from Portland, northward, the railroad reached Puget +Sound at Tacoma by this circuitous route in 1883. + +The Northern Pacific Railroad has, during the present year (1887), +succeeded in reaching Tacoma by a more direct, though still angular, +line, crossing the Cascade Mountains at Stampede Pass. + + [Illustration: MAP OF ASIA AND PACIFIC OCEAN.] + +Whilst thus comparatively unknown and inaccessible, it is not surprising +that population should at first come in slowly. Those who came to +Western Washington were chiefly lumbermen. Since that time farmers have +settled large tracts of country, commerce has become large, and now +every interest is going forward with great rapidity. + + [Sidenote: Population of Washington Territory.] + +The population in 1880 was 67,000. Governor Semple, in his report for +1887, puts the population at 143,669, which shows a gain in seven years +of over 100 per cent. But the Governor himself declares that the +enumerations made since 1880 are unreliable, and it is claimed by +intelligent gentlemen in Seattle that the present population exceeds +175,000. It is increasing rapidly day by day. The fact seems suddenly to +have burst upon the country at large that here, in this neglected +corner, is a wide region offering perhaps the richest inducements to +immigration of any part of the United States. + + +LOCATION AND MARKET. + + (This should be read with a map of Asia and Pacific Ocean.) + +In spite of Oriental exclusiveness, now broken down, the Asiatic trade +has always formed a large element in the commerce of the world, and has +long been sought by the great maritime powers of Europe, especially by +England. For this she conquered India, and seized upon many islands of +the ocean. For this she battered in the gates of China, and established +herself permanently at Hong Kong, at the entrance to the River of +Canton. + + [Sidenote: Majority of the human race in the countries of the Pacific.] + + [Sidenote: Change in the currents of trade.] + +In these countries, and upon these islands, live more than half the +human race, and with all the barbarism of some, and the old-fashioned +civilization of even the best, the large majority of these people are +producers of a multitude of articles wanted by the civilized world. And +of late these peoples have become possessed with a strange desire to +avail themselves of the products of European and American art. This +market will not only grow rapidly in its demands, but the currents of +trade will be diverted from Europe to America. In fact, the settlement +of the west coast of America inaugurated a revolution greater than that +which substituted the voyage around the Cape of Good Hope for the camel +train across the Asiatic continent. It gave America a standpoint from +which she would ultimately wrest the bulk of the vast trade of the +Orient from Europe. The cutting of the Suez Canal mended the hold of +England and other maritime European states on the Oriental market, in +fact secured for them the advantage of a shorter line to the Southern +Asiatic market as far as the Malay Peninsula; but as for the rest of +that great market included in the Pacific Islands, the Chinese Empire, +Japan and Siberia, the revolutionary movement has commenced, whereby the +bulk of that trade will be taken from England and Holland by the +merchants of San Francisco and Puget Sound. + + [Sidenote: The China trade.] + +The trade of China alone has been estimated at $130,000,000 per annum, +the greater part of which is absorbed by England, and the annual value +of the export and import trade of England with the Pacific Islands has +been put at $75,000,000. This already immense market may and will be +enlarged, especially in China, by means of railroad and steamboat +connections, which will bring to the coast the products of the interior +sections. Much of the China trade now goes overland into and through +India, and also through Siberia, to be consumed by the way, or pushed +through to the termini of European railroads and ship-lines which are +reaching to get it. And, as the transportation becomes better, so will +the production increase. Railroad building, until lately forbidden in +China, has now commenced, and will, in the nature of the case, go on +rapidly. The result will be to bring most of the trade to the Pacific +coast, and thus reverse all the interior movements. + +Even the capital of the Empire, the great Peking, and the productive +region around it, have depended largely on the overland trade to Europe, +and especially on the great Russian market opened annually at Novgorod. +It only needs a railroad from the back country, through Peking direct to +the coast, to bring this large trade under American control. Mr. James +G. Swan (Hawaiian Consul) has written a valuable pamphlet on the regions +drained by the Amoor River, in which he shows that there is an immense +trade "now lying dormant in Siberia, Mongolia, Manchooria, Northern +China, Corea and Japan, which will be brought into active life and +diverted to the American shore of the North Pacific Ocean by the great +continental railroads which will have the outlet of their commerce +through the Straits of Fuca." + +He gives the population of these countries as follows: + + Siberia 4,000,000 + Mongolia 12,000,000 + Manchooria 5,000,000 + Japan 36,000,000 + ---------- + Total 57,000,000 + + [Sidenote: The trade of the Amoor River, Japan, etc.] + +The Amoor River, with its great Chinese tributary, the Songaree, +furnishes over 2,600 miles of steamboat navigation (a second +Mississippi), but, owing to a great bend to the south, the Amoor can be +reached by a short line of railroad from the Russian port Vladivostock, +or Poisette Harbor. Japan lies on the way from Puget Sound to the region +referred to. Major Collins, some years ago, said in a letter to +Secretary Marcy concerning this market: "One item, cotton fabrics, might +be introduced to the amount of millions yearly; then there are many +products of these countries that could be received in exchange. This +must be done through the Amoor and its affluents. It can hardly be +estimated what a revolution in trade and commerce can be effected in +this region; and the fondness of the people for luxuries and foreign +merchandise being very great, if the means of procuring them were +facilitated and the prices cheapened, the consumption would be immense, +and in a few years a trade of many millions would be effected." + +Major Collins thought that these people would consume annually five +dollars per head of American goods; Mr. Swan estimates two dollars per +head. These goods would be paid for in silks, tea, rice, furs, skins, +wax, fossil ivory, plumbago, tin, precious stones, naval stores, etc. +It is said that the overland trade of North China to Russia now requires +for its transportation a caravan line of 36,000 camels and bullocks, and +100,000 horses, and that the Siberian trade is as large as that of +China. The tea sold at Novgorod amounts to $5,000,000 each annual fair. +The caravan tea is preferred to the ship tea, which is said to be +injured by the voyage through the tropics; another argument for the +North American route. + + [Sidenote: The new railroad across Siberia to St. Petersburg.] + +Since Mr. Swan's pamphlet, the news comes that the Russian Government is +now actively engaged in building a railroad from St. Petersburg across +Siberia to Vladivostock on the Japan Sea; and the expectation is general +that this imperial power will seize Corea so as to bring the terminus of +her railroad to Ninsen at the south point of Corea. All the great trade +which will thus be developed is in addition to the existing trade of +China and the Islands, and will probably swell the China, Japan and +Russian trade to over $200,000,000, to which is to be added the +Australian and Island trade, which already is, no doubt, over +$100,000,000. + +Now comes the practical question, Who are to handle this vast trade of +$300,000,000 annually? + + [Sidenote: The American Pacific States have decisive advantages over + all others in controlling the Pacific trade.] + +No one nation exclusively, of course. The Dutch and other small powers +will have a little of it; but the only contest will be between England +and the American Pacific Coast. England has the lion's share now, but +this great nation will hereafter labor under too many disadvantages in +its contest with America. America has the needful capital, material, +pluck and energy, and enjoys certain decisive advantages, as, for +example--1. In distance, which of itself would in this case decide the +matter; 2. In the local production of certain staple articles which will +be in great demand, and which England cannot supply so cheaply, if at +all, such as lumber, meats, flour, canned goods, cheap cottons, and +agricultural and other machinery, which, if not cheaper, can be more +readily adapted to the wants of the market; 3. In possessing the back +country of Eastern America, whereby the entire United States become +tributary both ways to the Pacific commerce; to which may be added, 4. +The ever-flowing river in the Pacific Ocean, flowing in a circle from +Japan to the American coast and back--the famous Kuro Shiwo, or Japanese +current; a current which gives a gain to every ship of twenty miles a +day in distance; the current which brings the disabled Japanese junks to +the American coast. + + [Sidenote: Advantage in distances.] + +The half-way point on the Pacific side between America and England is +the Malay Peninsula. This leaves even Australia and all of Oceanica +nearer to us than to England, and all of China, Japan and Siberia +thousands of miles nearer to us. Hong Kong and Canton are the English +headquarters in China, and yet our Pacific coast is 5,000 miles nearer +to these than England is. It is also 6,500 miles nearer to Shanghai, +which is a more important port than Canton, because of its greater +nearness to the rice and tea producing sections. The advantages are +still greater in respect to Peking, Japan, Vladivostock, the terminus of +the projected Russian railway, and the entire country drained by the +Amoor. Our commerce is now within thirty days of the coast of China, and +will be in less than ten days when the fast mail and express and +passenger steamers are launched. I insert a table of distances, which is +full of significance. + + +ROUGH ESTIMATES OF DISTANCES. + + MILES + Puget Sound to mouth of Amoor River 3,900 + " " " Vladivostock 4,700 + " " " Shanghai 5,750 + " " " Canton 6,500 + " " " Singapore 8,100 + " " " S. W. point of Australia 9,550 + San Francisco to Vladivostock 5,200 + " " " Shanghai 6,100 + " " " Canton 6,800 + " " " Singapore 8,400 + " " " S. W. point of Australia 9,500 + " " " St. Petersburg via Vladivostock 9,700 + St. Petersburg to Vladivostock 4,500 + San Francisco to Calcutta 10,200 + Liverpool to mouth of Amoor River 13,550 + " " Vladivostock 12,700 + " " Shanghai 11,750 + " " Canton 10,900 + " " S. W. point of Australia 10,750 + " " Singapore 9,300 + " " Calcutta 8,700 + +Liverpool and Puget Sound are about equally distant from west coast of +the Malay Peninsula. + + MILES + New York to Canton, via Puget Sound 9,500 + " " Shanghai " " " 7,800 to 8,000 + +By this it will be seen that New York, by way of Puget Sound, is 1,400 +miles nearer to Canton than Liverpool is, and nearly 4,000 miles nearer +to Shanghai. Mr. Swan makes the distance from the Pacific coast less +than I have given. It should also be noted that Puget Sound has the +advantage of distance over San Francisco also. + + [Sidenote: Advantage in productions.] + +Puget Sound has also the advantage over all competitors of being able +to produce a large bulk of the materials for commerce in its own +vicinity. In this report there will be a large array of facts concerning +the present and future productions of Washington Territory, which will +amply confirm and illustrate the above statement. The only real +competitor of Puget Sound on the American coast is British Columbia, but +British Columbia cannot vie with Washington Territory in the production +of the materials of commerce, and Canada at large furnishes no such +background as the United States. + + [Sidenote: Coastwise trade.] + +It will, of course, not be overlooked, that in the great coastwise trade +which the Pacific States have and must always have with each other, they +will minister to each other's prosperity. And here it will be shown that +Puget Sound will have the advantage in supplying the wants of others. + + [Sidenote: South American trade.] + +In addition to these is the foreign trade along the coast of British +Columbia, Mexico, Central America, and all the Pacific States of South +America. Chili is a prosperous State. She has nearly doubled the volume +of her trade in ten years. From 1874 to 1883 her exports went up from +$32,000,000 to $73,000,000, and her imports from $35,000,000 to +$50,000,000. The United States imports over $4,000,000 of goods from +the Pacific side of South America, and exports about $8,000,000 to these +states. England, however, gets the most of the West South American +trade, so that here again we must enter the lists with Britannia. +Already the contest has begun, and our Pacific States must bear off the +palm sooner or later. + + [Sidenote: Large existing trade.] + +Thus it is evident that a vast field of commercial enterprise is wide +open to the people of Washington Territory as well as to Oregon and +California. And our commercial statistics show what handsome progress +has already been made. Taking both exports and imports, there is already +a business of $80,000,000 done by the seven Pacific ports of entry. San +Francisco is now far ahead of the others, and this city has nothing to +fear from any other port except Puget Sound, which will gain upon her +rapidly and ultimately surpass her. Washington Territory has all that +California has on which to trade, and a great deal besides; and has the +advantage of position. When our commercial statistics were made up, +Puget Sound had no direct railroad communication with her own back +country east, much less a transcontinental line. A very different story +will be told a few years hence. I here insert a table of summaries +which show that the commercial revolution is now in operation. + + -------------------+-------------------------+------------------------- + | TOTAL VALUE OF | TOTAL VALUE OF + | EXPORTS OF DOMESTIC | IMPORTS OF + PORTS | MERCHANDISE | MERCHANDISE + OF THE PACIFIC. | FOR YEAR ENDING | FOR YEAR ENDING + +------------+------------+------------+------------ + | JUNE 30, | JUNE 30, | JUNE 30, | JUNE 30, + | 1885. | 1887. | 1885. | 1887. + -------------------+------------+------------+------------+------------ + Humboldt, Cal. | $ 201,500 | | $ 1,731 | + Oregon | 1,928,829 | | 161,170 | + Puget Sound, W. T. | 1,877,485 | | 238,036 | + San Diego, Cal. | 65,654 | | 71,106 | + San Francisco, Cal.| 37,082,520 |$32,027,995 | 35,040,350 |$40,707,708 + Willamette, Oregon | 4,142,156 | | 277,386 | + Wilmington, Cal. | 252,673 | | 187,348 | + -------------------+------------+------------+------------+------------ + |$45,550,817 | |$35,977,127 | + -------------------+------------+------------+------------+------------ + +In the latest report to which I have access, San Francisco is the only +one of the Pacific ports mentioned separately. + +Much of the exports above reported to the credit of Oregon really came +down the Columbia River from the eastern part of Washington Territory; +and the great bulk of the exports from San Francisco consists of wheat, +flour, and other breadstuffs, an item in which Washington Territory can +surpass all competitors. The following table shows the principal items +of export from the Pacific ports. + +Let it be noted that in respect to the production of the larger items, +to wit, wheat and flour, wood and its manufactures, animals, iron and +steel and their manufactures, machinery of all sorts, fish, etc., +Washington Territory can surpass all competitors. + + +PRINCIPAL EXPORTS OF DOMESTIC MERCHANDISE, YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1885. + + -------------------+------------+------------------------------------- + PORTS ON THE | APPROXIMATE| + PACIFIC. | VALUES. | + -------------------+------------+------------------------------------- + Humboldt, Cal. | $ 165,000 | Wood, and Manufactures of. + | | + |{ 1,493,600 | Canned Salmon. + Oregon, Oregon |{ 400,000 | Wheat and Flour. + |{ 32,000 | Wood, and Manufactures of. + | | + |{ 830,000 | Wood, and Manufactures of. + Puget Sound, W. T. |{ 240,000 | Wheat and Flour. + |{ 160,000 | Animals. + | | + |{ 58,000 | Animals. + San Diego, Cal. |{ 4,000 | Wood, and Manufactures of. + |{ 1,800 | Machinery. + | | + |{27,226,000 | Wheat, Flour, and other Breadstuffs. + |{ 1,211,000 | Manufactures of Iron and Steel. + |{ 900,000 | Fish. + |{ 745,000 | Ginseng. + San Francisco, Cal.|{ 700,000 | Cotton Manufactures. + |{ 650,000 | Wood, and Manufactures of. + |{ 430,000 | Fruit. + |{ 375,000 | Gunpowder, etc. + |{ 358,000 | Medicines, etc. + | | + |{ 3,339,153 | Wheat. + Willamette, Oregon |{ 704,000 | Flour and Breadstuffs. + |{ 37,000 | Wood, and Manufactures of. + | | + Wilmington, Cal. |{ 211,928 | Wheat. + |{ 33,600 | Honey. + -------------------+------------+------------------------------------- + +NOTE.--Humboldt, Oregon, San Diego, Willamette, and Wilmington have +almost no exports except those included in this list. Puget Sound and +San Francisco have a great variety of exports. + + +APPENDIX. + +LIST OF EXPORTS OF DOMESTIC MERCHANDISE, YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1885. +EXPORTED FROM THE SEVEN CUSTOMS DISTRICTS OF THE PACIFIC. + + Agricultural Implements. + Animals. + Art Works. + Bark, and Extract for Tanning. + Billiard Tables, etc. + Blacking. + Bones, Hoofs, Horns, etc. + Books, Maps, etc. + Brass, and Manufactures of. + Breadstuffs, Wheat, etc. + Bricks. + Broom-corn, Brooms and Brushes. + Candles. + Carriages, and parts of. + Cars, passenger and freight. + Casings for Sausages. + Chemicals, Drugs, Dyes, and Medicines. + Clocks and Watches. + Coal. + Coffee and Cocoa, ground or prepared, and Chocolate. + Copper, and Manufactures of. + Cotton, Manufactures of. + Earthen, Stone, and China Ware. + Eggs. + Fancy Articles. + Fertilizers. + Fish. + Flax, Hemp, Jute, and Manufactures of. + Fruits. + Furs and Fur-skins. + Glass and Glassware. + Glucose, or Grape-Sugar. + Glue. + Grease, and all Soap Stock. + Gunpowder, and other Explosives. + Hair, and Manufactures of. + Hides, and Skins other than Furs. + Hay. + Honey. + Hops. + Ice. + India-rubber and Gutta-percha, and Manufactures of. + Ink. + Instruments and Apparatus for Scientific purposes. + Iron and Steel, and Manufactures of. + Jewelry, and Manufactures of Gold and Silver. + Lamps, etc. + Lead, and Manufactures of. + Leather, and Manufactures of. + Lime and Cement. + Malt Liquors. + Marble and Stone, and Manufactures of. + Matches. + Musical Instruments. + Naval Stores. + Oakum. + Oil-cake and Oil-cake Meal. + Oils. + Ore, Gold and Silver bearing. + Paraffine and Paraffine Wax. + Paints and Painters' Colors. + Paper, and Manufactures of. + Plated Ware. + Provisions (comprising Meat and Dairy Products). + Quicksilver. + Rags. + Rice. + Salt. + Seeds--Timothy, etc. + Silk, and Manufactures of. + Soap. + Spermaceti and Spermaceti Wax. + Spices, ground and prepared. + Spirits, Whisky, etc. + Spirits of Turpentine. + Starch. + Stationery, except Paper. + Stereotype and Electrotype Plates. + Straw and Palm-leaf, and Manufactures of. + Sugar and Molasses. + Tin, Manufactures of. + Tobacco, and Manufactures of. + Trunks, Valises, etc. + Umbrellas, etc. + Varnish. + Vegetables. + Vessels sold to foreigners. + Vinegar. + Wax (Bees'). + Wine. + Wood, and Manufactures of. + Zinc (pigs, bars, plates, and sheets). + + +LIST OF IMPORTS OF MERCHANDISE, YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1885. IMPORTED INTO +THE SEVEN CUSTOMS DISTRICTS OF THE PACIFIC. + + Animals. + Articles, the growth, produce or manufacture of the United States, + returned. + Art Works. + Art Works, the production of American artists. + Books, etc. + Brass, and Manufactures of. + Brushes. + Buttons, some kinds of. + Cement. + Chemicals, Drugs and Dyes. + Clays, etc. + Clocks, and parts of. + Coal, bituminous. + Cocoa, Coffee. + Confectionery. + Copper, and Manufactures of. + Corsets. + Cotton, Manufactures of. + Cotton, unmanufactured. + Dairy Products. + Diamonds, uncut. + Earthen, Stone, and China Ware. + Eggs. + Fancy Articles. + Farinaceous Substances, and preparations of. + Fish, a few. + Flax, Hemp, Jute, etc., and Manufactures of. + Fruits and Nuts, some. + Furs and Fur-skins, undressed. + Furs, dressed, and Manufactures of. + Glass and Glassware. + Household and Personal Effects, Clothing, Tools, etc., of persons + arriving from foreign countries. + Hair, Hats and Bonnets, etc. + India-rubber and Gutta-percha. + Iron, Steel, and Manufactures of. + Jewelry, Manufactures of Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones. + Lead, and Manufactures of. + Leather, and Manufactures of. + Malt Liquors. + Marble and Stone, Manufactures of. + Meats, prepared, of all kinds, and Extracts, etc. + Metals, some. + Musical Instruments, and parts of. + Oil, animal and vegetable. + Opium, and other Medicines. + Paints and Colors. + Paper, and Manufactures of. + Paper Stock, crude. + Plaster-of-Paris, unground. + Rice. + Salt. + Seeds. + Silk, Manufactures of. + Silk, unmanufactured. + Soap. + Some Breadstuffs. + Spices, ground. + Spices, unground. + Spirits, Distilled and Spirituous. + Sponges. + Sugar and Molasses. + Tea. + Tin (bars, blocks, etc.). + Tobacco, and Manufactures of. + Vegetables, some, in natural state, in brine, preserved, etc. + Wines. + Wood, and Manufactures of. + Wood, unmanufactured. + Wools, Hair of the Alpaca goat, etc., and Manufactures of. + Zinc, Spelter or Tutenegue, and Manufactures of. + + +APPROXIMATE POPULATION IN THE YEAR 1887 OF + + The World 1,500,000,000 + Japan, Siberia, Chinese Empire, Anam, Siam, + Oceanica, India 792,500,000 + Mexico, Central America 11,800,000 + U. S. of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, + Chili, Patagonia 11,700,000 + Canada 4,500,000 + ----------- + TOTAL 820,000,000 + + +TOPOGRAPHY OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY. + +Washington Territory will make one of the largest States of the Union. +It is larger than England and Wales combined, as will be seen by the +following table: + + Washington Territory 66,880 square miles. + New York 47,620 " " + Virginia 40,125 " " + England and Wales 58,320 " " + +The shape of the Territory is regular, having the general form of a +parallelogram, with its longer axis running east and west. Its relief is +simple. Along the Pacific coast runs the Coast Range of mountains from +the mouth of the Columbia River to the Straits of Juan de Fuca. In this +range there is only one practicable opening from the interior, which is +the trough of the Chehalis River, which terminates in Gray's Harbor. The +bar here, as at the mouth of Columbia River, forms a serious obstruction +to the entrance of vessels drawing more than twenty feet of water. + +Sixty miles east of the Coast Range, and parallel to it, runs the +Cascade Range, which divides the Territory by a north and south line. It +is a lofty range, presenting a serrated outline, whose lower depressions +are 3,000 to 4,000 feet above tide, while summits of 5,000 to 8,000 +feet are common; and at intervals still higher peaks raise their +snow-covered heads from 8,000 to 14,500 feet. + +Between the Cascade Mountains and the Coast Range lies Puget Sound, with +its outlet through the Strait of Fuca. South of this sound, and on each +side, are wide spaces of flat and rolling country, with numerous and +somewhat disconnected mountains of comparatively small size, though some +of them rise as high as 1,500 feet. These mountains show many natural +terraces, which may be the result of land-slides. + + [Sidenote: Puget Sound.] + + [Illustration: LAKE WASHINGTON--SHOWING MOUNT RANIER IN THE DISTANCE--ON + LINE OF SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + [Sidenote: Lake Washington.] + +The Puget Sound basin is exceedingly well supplied with streams and +lakes; whilst the Sound itself, with its sheltered position, its deep +water, and indented shore-line, is one of the most interesting and +valuable inland bodies of water in the world. It has a broad outlet to +the ocean. Lake Washington is a beautiful and navigable sheet of water. +There are numerous other lakes scattered over the Territory, enlivening +its scenery and often affording convenient waterways. Quite a number of +the rivers emptying into Puget Sound are partially navigable for small +steamers. The rivers and creeks generally have bottom-lands, which are +sometimes narrow, and sometimes wide. Cowlitz River flows south into +the Columbia River. It has fine bottom-lands, and its valley may be +regarded as a prolongation and complement of the Willamette Valley, +Oregon. + + [Sidenote: West Washington and East Washington.] + +All the country lying west of the crest-line of the Cascade Mountains is +known as West Washington, and is quite different in topography, as in +many other respects, from the country known as East Washington, which +name applies to all of the Territory lying east of the Cascade axis. + +East Washington is a rectangular plateau, set in a frame of mountains, +and drained by the Columbia River and its tributaries. The Cascade Range +being the west side of the frame, the north side is formed by irregular +spurs which run out at right angles from the Cascade Mountains along the +Canada border, and connect with the Cabinet Mountains. The east side of +the frame is in Idaho, and consists chiefly of the Coeur d'Alene +Mountains. On the south lie the Blue Mountains, which are partly in +Washington Territory, but chiefly in Oregon. The mountains on the north +have a few peaks 5,000 to 9,000 feet high, and many of the dividing +ridges are high, steep and rugged. Much of the region is described, +however, as high plateau country, dotted over with small, conical +mountains. It abounds in streams of water, generally small. A strip of +arable land runs on the east side of the Columbia River from the mouth +of the Spokane River to the mouth of the Colville River and the valleys +of Colville and the Little Spokane River are highly spoken of as +agricultural regions. The elevation of these river valleys is from 1,200 +to 1,600 feet above tide-water. + + [Sidenote: Coeur d'Alene Mountains.] + +Passing to the east side, we find the plateau country at its north +corner extending to the Idaho line where the foot-hills of the Rocky +Mountains begin, and soon rise into the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, +which--being the local name for part of the Bitter Root Range--is a part +of the western branch of the Rocky Mountains. The Coeur d'Alene River +and Lake belong to the Columbia River basin, and are so naturally +connected in mining and trading interests with Washington Territory, +that in another connection I shall have much to say of the Coeur +d'Alene country, as also of the Colville country, and other parts of the +mountain rim. South of the Coeur d'Alene Lake the plateau country +extends far into Idaho, and gives to that State its best farming lands. + +The Blue Mountains which mark the southern limit of the plateau in +Washington Territory do not extend more than half-way across the plain, +leaving a long projection of the plateau to extend southward into +Oregon. + + [Sidenote: The Great Plateau.] + + [Sidenote: Coulées.] + +The shape of the plateau in Washington Territory is an irregular square +with a diameter each way of about 150 miles. Followed into Idaho and +Oregon, the diameters would reach 200 miles. Its surface is generally +smooth, but there are frequent patches of rock, and sometimes large +areas are roughened by rocky outcrops. The plateau is elevated and +rolling, rising from 1,000 to 3,000 feet above the surface of Columbia +River. Its elevations usually are mere swells, except along the +precipitous edges of coulées. I know of only one mountain upon it, and +that is quite a small one; but it served as a refuge for Lieutenant +Steptoe and his handful of soldiers when attacked by the Indians; and +hence is called Steptoe Butte. The surface of the plain is scarred in a +number of places with coulées, or dry river-beds, which are cut down +twenty to one hundred feet, and sometimes more, and their sides are +usually marked by bluffs, often of rock. These coulées are an advantage, +or a disadvantage, in road-making, according to whether the road goes +with, or across, the coulée. The Northern Pacific Railroad found it +convenient to use one of them for a long distance. The deepest cuts in +the plateau are made by its rivers. Of these the Columbia is chief. This +river, as already intimated, has cut a channel for itself along the +north and west edge of the plain from 1,000 to 2,000 feet below the +general level. The Snake River, which is the largest affluent of the +Columbia, has numerous branches, all cut deep into the basalt which +underlies the plain. + + [Sidenote: Columbia and Snake Rivers.] + +The Columbia and Snake are both steamboat rivers, but navigation is +interrupted by rocky rapids, which prevent through lines of steamers. +The Columbia is one of the largest rivers in the world, and has abundant +water for steamboats from its mouth to a point in Canada, north of +Farwell, where it is crossed by the Canadian Pacific Railway, and +steamboats run at intervals to the most northerly point; and there are +navigable stretches not yet used for boats which will have steamers in +connection with future railroads. The steamers on Snake River are very +useful, and run to Lewiston, in Idaho, and perhaps further. + +This plateau, or Great Plain of the Columbia, as it is called sometimes, +is a most interesting and important region, concerning which I shall +have much to say under subsequent heads. + + +ALTITUDES IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY. + + FEET. + Mount Ranier (Tacoma) 14,444 + Mount Baker 10,827 + Mount Adams 9,570 + Mount St. Helens 9,750 + Natchess Pass 4,900 + Stampede Pass, Summit 3,980 + Tunnel, Stampede Pass 2,885 + Snoqualmie Pass 3,110 + Kechelus Lake 2,388 + Kachess Lake 2,158 + Ellensburg 1,518 + Yakima City 990 + Ainsworth 351 + Palouse Junction 858 + Sprague 1,200 + Spokane Falls 1,910 + Colville 1,917 + Fort Spokane 1,300 + Okinagane Lake 1,163 + Great Plain of Columbia River 1,000 to 3,000 + Snake River, N. P. R. R. 358 + Colfax 1,941 + Dayton 1,360 + Walla Walla 1,000 + Wallula Junction 326 + + +CLIMATE. + + [Sidenote: The Climate of Washington Territory.] + +Climate is a matter of temperature, moisture and atmospheric dynamics. +The general law of temperature is that the farther north the colder the +weather; and yet currents of water and prevailing winds may give to the +country a climate geographically belonging to quite a different +latitude. We know how this is with England, which, judged by latitude, +ought to be colder than Maine, but which, in fact, has one of the +mildest and most equable climates in the world. England is farther north +than Washington Territory, which latter is in the latitude of France; +but it is also in the latitude of Montana, Dakota and Maine, States +remarkable for sudden changes and for terrible cold. But it is well +known that our Pacific States, at least on their western borders, have a +temperature free from extremes in both summer and winter. Taking July +and January as the hottest and coldest months, it will be found that the +average temperature at San Francisco and Puget Sound is from 7° to 14° +cooler than it is in the Rocky Mountains and in New England during the +same months. And on the other hand, taking January as the coldest month, +we find that Bismarck, Denver, New England, etc., are 30° to 40° colder +than the points on the Pacific. In other words, that the range of the +thermometer between extremes averages near 50° more in the East than it +does in the West in the localities named; a very great difference when +we consider comfort, health, cost of living, and opportunity to labor +in the open air. + + [Sidenote: Mild and equable.] + +This greater mildness and equability of temperature on the Pacific Coast +is to be ascribed to the winds and currents of the great ocean. During +the summer the winds come from the northwest, and during the winter from +the southwest and south. Much influence in tempering the cold of winter +is ascribed also to the Japan Current, mentioned under a former head. It +does for the Pacific Coast what the Gulf Stream does for England. + +The same causes regulate also the rainfall on the Pacific Coast. In one +respect there is the same peculiarity along the whole coast, namely, dry +summers and, comparatively, wet winters. There is, however, a gradual +increase in the amount of rainfall northward from San Diego to Sitka; so +that when we reach Washington Territory we do not find the excessive +dryness which characterizes the summer climate of California. + + [Sidenote: Rainfall.] + +The figures of different authorities do not agree exactly as to the +precipitation on the Pacific Coast: for example, in the older volume on +Rain Tables, published by the Smithsonian Institution, the annual +rainfall and melted snow on Puget Sound, measured at Steilacoom, near +Olympia, from 1849 to 1867, amounted to 43.98 inches. Governor Semple, +however, gives from Sergeant McGovern, in charge of the station, a total +of 53.89 inches annually, measured at Olympia from 1878 to 1886. But I +find in the report of the chief signal officer to the War Department for +1884, that the average from July 1, 1877, to December, 1883, for +Olympia, was 62.81 inches. This difference of nine inches is partly +accounted for by the fact that the precipitation in the subsequent years +not included in the report of the Signal Service Bureau, namely, 1884, +1885 and 1886, averaged only 41.88 inches, which would, in great +measure, relieve the discrepancy. It will probably turn out on further +observation that 53 inches is about the total annual rainfall for Puget +Sound. But according to the report of the chief signal officer for 1884, +we have the following annual totals: San Diego, 9.40; San Francisco, +23.32; Portland, Oregon, 54.16; Puget Sound, 62.81; Sitka, Alaska, 97.28 +inches. + +Comparing these with points farther east, we have Bismarck, Dakota, +21.35; Denver, 14.97; Sandusky, Ohio, 41.43; New Haven, Connecticut, +51.55; Norfolk, Virginia, 52.14 inches. + +The value of rainfall depends more on its distribution among the months +than on its annual aggregate. England has but 25 inches rain per annum, +but it comes at such times as makes it most effective. The rains on the +Pacific Coast are not distributed in the most favorable way for +agriculture--the summers being too dry. At San Diego there is less than +one-third of an inch in the three summer months, and still less at San +Francisco. On Puget Sound, for that time, the fall is 2.57. In +Washington Territory the spring rains are as abundant as in the Atlantic +States, and the summer breezes seem laden with moisture. + + [Sidenote: No blizzards or cyclones.] + + [Sidenote: Differences between East and West Washington.] + +In respect to cold waves, winds and storms, Washington Territory is +singularly favored. There is nothing to correspond with the blizzards, +northers, hurricanes and cyclones which trouble some other States. Even +ordinary thunder-storms are rare. The climate of East Washington is +different from that of West Washington, and yet, when compared with that +of Montana and Dakota, it will be seen that it is really transitional +and intermediate between the climates on each side. The range of +thermometer from the heat of July to the cold of January is, at +Bismarck, 65°; at Spokane Falls, 45°, and on Puget Sound, 22°. And, in +like manner, the amount of rain is intermediate between the heavy +rainfall of the Sound and the lighter rains of the Rocky Mountain +country. The explanation of this is, that while the Cascade Range, like +all high mountains, condenses the moisture of the air on the windward +side and changes its temperature, yet this range is not sufficiently +high and cold to have the effect of the Himalayas or the Andes in +depriving the leeward lands of rain. + +The mountain rim of the plateau country has not the moisture which +distinguishes the west side of the Cascade, and it varies in its amount +at different places. + +Some statements have already been made in reference to the dryness and +summer heat of the Yakima Valley on the east flank of the main mountain. +The mountains running along the Canada line have probably a better +summer climate than the east side of the main mountain. I do not know +how it is with the Coeur d'Alene and Blue Mountains, but the climate +of the plateau has no unusual character in the matter of temperature. +Half of the States of the Union have as great or greater extremes; but +the plateau has less than half the precipitation of Puget Sound, as +shown in the tables given on pages 56 and 57. And the rainfall in the +summer is so scant that one would not, _a priori_, expect any form of +vegetation to progress at all. These meteorological phenomena render +almost unaccountable the facts of agriculture, which will be given +hereafter. + + [Sidenote: Chinook wind.] + +The Chinook wind, which springs up in winter and melts the snow on the +plateau, and to some extent in the mountains, is simply a southerly +wind, such as is common in the Mississippi Valley and even on the +Atlantic seaboard. In the Pacific States it does not, from the +descriptions, appear to differ from the breezes of the coast, except in +its greater strength and steadiness. I heard an intelligent gentleman, +residing in Spokane Falls, say that he thought the Chinook was a +disadvantage in winter, as it caused a disagreeable thaw, and so relaxed +the human system as to render it more sensitive to cold; but generally +the Chinook is enjoyed in East Washington. + + +SOILS. + + [Sidenote: Soils all fertile.] + +The arable soils of Washington Territory, so far as I could see, or +otherwise learn, may be classified as follows, to wit: _a._ Humus; _b._ +Alluvium; _c._ Drift; _d._ Loam; _e._ Basalt. + +_a._ HUMUS. In West Washington the whole country is top-dressed with +vegetable mould, derived obviously from the heavy growth which has +covered the surface for ages. Of course there are bare spots, and where +the growth has been light, the top-dressing is thin; but the mountain +sides, the hills, and notably the low grounds, are overlaid from one to +ten inches, and often much more, with this vegetable mould. + + +TABLE SHOWING THE MEANS OF THE DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES IN +DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. + +The Means are obtained by dividing the sum of the daily readings of the +Maximum and Minimum Self-registering Thermometers by the number of days +in the month. + + ====================+=========================================+ + | 1883 | + +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | July. | Aug. | Sept. | + STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | Mean. | Mean. | Mean. | + +------+------+------+------+------+------+ + | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | + --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ + Bismarck, Dak. | 79.5 | 55.8 | 78.6 | 54.8 | 69.4 | 43.7 | + Dayton, W. T. | 87.3 | 53.6 | 85.1 | 53.2 | 77.5 | 45.2 | + Denver, Col. | 82.6 | 58.7 | 83.6 | 58.8 | 74.7 | 50.2 | + Lewiston, Idaho | 90.0 | 59.1 | 87.1 | 57.6 | 76.0 | 47.7 | + New Haven, Conn. | 80.3 | 62.4 | 77.6 | 57.9 | 70.4 | 50.6 | + Norfolk, Virginia. | 87.9 | 71.1 | 82.4 | 68.9 | 76.4 | 63.8 | + Olympia, W. T. | 76.1 | 48.2 | 71.3 | 55.1 | 67.0 | 48.1 | + Portland, Oregon. | 80.0 | 57.0 | 73.8 | 54.2 | 72.3 | 52.6 | + San Diego, Cal. | 75.5 | 64.0 | 75.9 | 63.5 | 78.2 | 62.9 | + Sandusky, Ohio | -- | -- | 77.1 | 62.8 | 69.2 | 55.8 | + San Francisco, Cal. | 64.5 | 55.0 | 64.4 | 53.9 | 69.9 | 56.3 | + Sitka, Alaska | 57.9 | 48.1 | 59.3 | 48.8 | 58.9 | 48.5 | + Spokane Falls, W. T.| 85.0 | 53.4 | 83.2 | 72.5 | 72.4 | 44.2 | + Washington City. | 87.7 | 67.2 | 82.4 | 62.7 | 74.8 | 56.2 | + ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+ + + ====================+=========================================+ + | 1883 | + +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | + STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | Mean. | Mean. | Mean. | + +------+------+------+------+------+------+ + | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | + --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ + Bismarck, Dak. | 48.3 | 33.4 | 38.7 | 15.0 | 25.0 | 4.5 | + Dayton, W. T. | 57.8 | 34.7 | 51.6 | 33.3 | 35.8 | 18.5 | + Denver, Col. | 57.6 | 36.8 | 56.1 | 31.1 | 36.8 | 17.4 | + Lewiston, Idaho | 57.9 | 39.5 | 57.6 | 35.5 | 41.7 | 29.3 | + New Haven, Conn. | 58.4 | 40.4 | 50.5 | 34.1 | 38.3 | 21.5 | + Norfolk, Virginia. | 68.4 | 56.7 | 62.2 | 45.0 | 53.9 | 38.8 | + Olympia, W. T. | 57.3 | 42.9 | 50.2 | 44.9 | 45.9 | 35.4 | + Portland, Oregon. | 58.4 | 45.8 | 52.8 | 72.0 | 49.0 | 36.8 | + San Diego, Cal. | 69.0 | 54.7 | 67.7 | 50.2 | 65.7 | 49.0 | + Sandusky, Ohio | 59.2 | 47.3 | 52.5 | 37.2 | 39.8 | 27.5 | + San Francisco, Cal. | 62.9 | 52.9 | 58.8 | 49.4 | 55.5 | 46.2 | + Sitka, Alaska | 50.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 | 27.3 | 41.6 | 30.5 | + Spokane Falls, W. T.| 53.7 | 35.0 | 46.6 | 32.0 | 35.6 | 22.4 | + Washington City. | 65.5 | 49.3 | 56.2 | 39.4 | 63.1 | 45.3 | + ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+ + + ====================+=========================================+ + | 1884 | + +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | Jan. | Feb. | March. | + STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | Mean. | Mean. | Mean. | + +------+------+------+------+------+------+ + | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | + --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ + Bismarck, Dak. | 14.5 | 7.6 | 8.9 | 9.8 | 29.9 | 10.5 | + Dayton, W. T. | 31.0 | 11.5 | 24.9 | 4.8 | 35.6 | 19.6 | + Denver, Col. | 25.7 | 5.3 | 30.8 | 10.8 | 43.0 | 25.7 | + Lewiston, Idaho | 39.1 | 25.9 | 35.1 | 18.8 | 53.6 | 34.7 | + New Haven, Conn. | 32.6 | 15.8 | 40.8 | 24.3 | 42.4 | 26.6 | + Norfolk, Virginia. | 46.7 | 29.9 | 59.0 | 41.0 | 58.1 | 42.1 | + Olympia, W. T. | 44.7 | 35.2 | 42.1 | 27.5 | 52.5 | 34.4 | + Portland, Oregon. | 46.2 | 33.3 | 44.4 | 29.4 | 55.6 | 37.8 | + San Diego, Cal. | 64.5 | 45.6 | 62.9 | 48.6 | 62.9 | 50.4 | + Sandusky, Ohio | 26.9 | 12.9 | 39.0 | 24.4 | 41.6 | 28.7 | + San Francisco, Cal. | 54.7 | 46.6 | 55.9 | 45.6 | 59.2 | 49.8 | + Sitka, Alaska | 43.8 | 34.2 | 37.8 | 25.8 | 42.5 | 33.3 | + Spokane Falls, W. T.| 32.6 | 17.5 | 30.2 | 12.7 | 46.4 | 27.8 | + Washington City. | 49.7 | 31.8 | 65.6 | 47.0 | 67.8 | 51.6 | + ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+ + + ====================+=========================================+ + | 1884 | + +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | April. | May. | June. | + STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ + | Mean. | Mean. | Mean. | + +------+------+------+------+------+------+ + | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | + --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ + Bismarck, Dak. | 47.6 | 30.2 | 67.1 | 44.1 | 81.2 | 54.8 | + Dayton, W. T. | 43.9 | 29.6 | 59.5 | 40.7 | 73.7 | 51.8 | + Denver, Col. | 58.2 | 39.6 | 71.5 | 50.2 | 81.2 | 61.3 | + Lewiston, Idaho | 66.6 | 42.1 | 79.3 | 48.9 | 80.8 | 57.3 | + New Haven, Conn. | 54.1 | 37.2 | 65.8 | 47.2 | 78.2 | 55.4 | + Norfolk, Virginia. | 61.9 | 47.0 | 76.9 | 58.8 | 81.8 | 64.6 | + Olympia, W. T. | 61.7 | 41.6 | 70.1 | 43.9 | 71.5 | 48.9 | + Portland, Oregon. | 65.1 | 45.3 | 73.6 | 48.7 | 74.9 | 53.7 | + San Diego, Cal. | 64.4 | 51.1 | 67.5 | 56.1 | 72.1 | 58.4 | + Sandusky, Ohio | 52.1 | 39.3 | 68.8 | 51.3 | 77.9 | 62.7 | + San Francisco, Cal. | 61.2 | 50.7 | 65.3 | 53.4 | 65.2 | 55.3 | + Sitka, Alaska | 51.7 | 37.7 | 51.9 | 40.8 | 57.9 | 46.4 | + Spokane Falls, W. T.| 62.2 | 39.0 | 74.5 | 46.0 | 78.7 | 53.9 | + Washington City. | 73.6 | 54.8 | 81.4 | 63.0 | 87.4 | 68.5 | + ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+ + + +TABLE SHOWING THE AVERAGE PRECIPITATION AT STATIONS OF THE SIGNAL +SERVICE, + +COMPUTED FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF OBSERVATIONS AT EACH, TO AND INCLUDING +DECEMBER, 1883. + +TAKEN FROM THE REPORT OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER TO THE WAR DEPARTMENT +FOR 1884. + + ==========================+================+======+======+======+ + STATIONS. | ESTABLISHED. | Jan. | Feb. |March.| + | | | | | + --------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+ + Bismarck, Dak. | Sept. 15, 1874 | 0.57 | 0.66 | 1.21 | + Dayton, Wash. Terr. | July 1, 1879 | 4.11 | 3.64 | 2.04 | + Denver, Colorado | Nov. 19, 1871 | 0.69 | 0.43 | 0.86 | + Lewiston, Idaho | July 1, 1879 | 2.45 | 1.53 | 1.16 | + New Haven, Conn. | Dec. 10, 1872 | 4.20 | 4.22 | 5.29 | + Norfolk, Virginia | Jan. 1, 1871 | 3.89 | 3.85 | 4.35 | + Olympia, Wash. Terr. | July 1, 1877 | 9.36 |10.67 | 6.20 | + Portland, Oregon | Nov. 1, 1871 | 7.34 | 8.11 | 7.27 | + San Diego, Cal. | Nov. 1, 1871 | 1.85 | 2.07 | 0.97 | + Sandusky, Ohio | Aug. 2, 1877 | 2.19 | 3.13 | 2.90 | + San Francisco, Cal. | March 8, 1871 | 5.10 | 3.95 | 2.88 | + Sitka, Alaska | March 30, 1881 | 9.44 |11.64 | 9.76 | + Spokane Falls, Wash. Terr.| Feb. 5, 1881 | 3.34 | 3.02 | 0.85 | + Washington City | Nov. 1, 1870 | 3.16 | 2.85 | 4.04 | + ==========================+================+======+======+======+ + + ==========================+======+======+======+======+======+ + STATIONS. |April.| May. | June.| July.| Aug. | + | | | | | | + --------------------------+----------------+------+------+---+ + Bismarck, Dak. | 2.94 | 3.31 | 3.64 | 2.21 | 2.71 | + Dayton, Wash. Terr. | 3.26 | 2.02 | 0.86 | 0.79 | 0.49 | + Denver, Colorado | 1.71 | 3.05 | 1.60 | 1.89 | 1.54 | + Lewiston, Idaho | 1.28 | 1.12 | 0.94 | 0.76 | 0.36 | + New Haven, Conn. | 4.32 | 3.71 | 3.80 | 4.86 | 5.62 | + Norfolk, Virginia | 4.29 | 3.54 | 4.15 | 5.39 | 6.11 | + Olympia, Wash. Terr. | 4.34 | 2.76 | 0.88 | 0.86 | 0.83 | + Portland, Oregon | 3.48 | 2.44 | 1.82 | 0.71 | 0.81 | + San Diego, Cal. | 0.68 | 0.26 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.23 | + Sandusky, Ohio | 2.79 | 3.34 | 5.06 | 4.06 | 4.27 | + San Francisco, Cal. | 1.80 | 0.71 | 0.16 | 0.01 | 0.01 | + Sitka, Alaska | 4.40 | 3.23 | 3.13 | 5.82 | 5.82 | + Spokane Falls, Wash. Terr.| 1.99 | 1.38 | 1.00 | 1.04 | 0.25 | + Washington City | 3.07 | 2.98 | 4.23 | 4.08 | 4.97 | + ==========================+======+======+======+======+======+ + + ==========================+======+======+======+======+=======+ + STATIONS. | Sept.| Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |TOTAL | + | | | | |INCHES.| + --------------------------+------+------+------+------+-------+ + Bismarck, Dak. | 1.34 | 1.33 | 0.71 | 0.72 | 21.35 | + Dayton, Wash. Terr. | 0.67 | 2.64 | 2.55 | 4.95 | 28.02 | + Denver, Colorado | 0.96 | 0.79 | 0.74 | 0.71 | 14.97 | + Lewiston, Idaho | 0.52 | 1.93 | 1.66 | 3.40 | 17.11 | + New Haven, Conn. | 4.15 | 3.85 | 4.15 | 3.38 | 51.55 | + Norfolk, Virginia | 5.23 | 3.96 | 3.58 | 3.80 | 52.14 | + Olympia, Wash. Terr. | 2.98 | 5.60 | 8.16 |10.17 | 62.81 | + Portland, Oregon | 1.62 | 4.95 | 7.34 | 8.27 | 54.16 | + San Diego, Cal. | 0.05 | 0.40 | 0.70 | 2.12 | 9.40 | + Sandusky, Ohio | 3.54 | 3.50 | 3.68 | 2.97 | 41.43 | + San Francisco, Cal. | 0.15 | 1.13 | 2.70 | 4.72 | 23.32 | + Sitka, Alaska | 9.97 | 9.33 |11.87 |12.87 | 97.28 | + Spokane Falls, Wash. Terr.| 1.14 | 2.90 | 2.22 | 2.06 | 21.19 | + Washington City | 4.42 | 3.00 | 2.84 | 2.92 | 42.56 | + ==========================+======+======+======+======+=======+ + +_b._ ALLUVIUM. This includes the transported matter of the bottom-lands, +the swales, and the tidal flats. Here we have humus, not only as a +top-dressing, but also intermixed, and sometimes constituting a large +proportion of the soil for a considerable depth. No land could be richer +than this, and its relative proportion to the whole is larger than would +be inferred even from the great number of streams, for it includes the +lowlands about Puget Sound and the lakes. The mountain streams have, +with some exceptions, but little alluvial land. There are areas of +swale, or wet bottom-lands, which may be drained to advantage. The tidal +flats along the Sound are peculiarly fertile, because enriched by both +vegetable and animal matter, including calcareous shells and fish bones. +Owing to this great fertility, and the ease with which large areas are +reclaimed by dykes, their convenience to transportation, and, it may be +added, the labor of clearing the forest lands, the work of dyking these +flats has been commenced, especially in Snohomish and Skagit counties, +and it is thought that two hundred thousand acres may thus be redeemed +from the water. Alluvial lands constitute but a small feature in East +Washington. + +_c._ DRIFT. The origin of these gravel soils is given hereafter, under +the head of Geology. They constitute the hill lands, as distinguished +from the bottom lands and Sound flats on the one hand, and the mountain +lands on the other. They are composed of sand, clay, gravel, and some +large boulders. Rarely the gravel predominates so as to render the land +unfit for cultivation. Sometimes there are only clay and sand, and +sometimes chiefly clay. This soil, though not equal to the alluvium, or +to the basaltic land, is much better than glacial precipitate usually +is. It gave all the indications of a fertile soil, resembling the best +hay lands of Massachusetts, which have the same glacial origin. Its +natural growth is luxuriant, and when cleared it inclines to clothe +itself in white clover and the grasses. It is said to be specially +adapted to fruits and vegetables. + +_d._ LOAM. I mean by this a clay soil containing fine-grained sand +enough to make it friable. This is the soil made by the slates and +sandstones of the coal measures, and is generally found on the +highlands above the drift. It is a medium land as to quality, but +valuable for the tendency to grass, which characterizes all the lands of +West Washington. Much of it will make good cropping land. There is a +great deal of it. It is found high on the cretaceous hills and +mountains, often extending to the top. + + [Sidenote: A remarkable soil.] + +_e._ BASALT. This is the magic soil of the Great Plain (or plateau) of +the Columbia. And it is found also in large areas on the Cascade +Mountains. It has an ashy look and texture; sometimes black, but +generally of ashen hue. Rarely it is compact and clayey. There are +perhaps twenty thousand square miles of this basaltic land; enough of +itself to make a medium-sized State. Of course there are inequalities in +the productiveness of this land. The basaltic rock in many places crops +out, as mentioned under the head of Topography, and there are coulées +and galled spots. I cannot say what proportion of the surface is +rendered valueless by these irregularities. The outcropping basalt does +not destroy the value of the land; for the soil spaces between the rocks +may be greater than the rock spaces, and whilst unfit for the plough, +they may be suited to trees, or cattle range. But, judging by all that I +saw and heard, I should think that the smooth land considerably +predominates over the rough. Certainly there is more smooth, +comparatively level, fertile, productive, and easily cultivated land +here in proportion to the whole area than I have ever seen elsewhere. +The great plain of East Colorado is a vast and beautiful stretch of +country, but it is unproductive without irrigation. Taking everything +into consideration, the plateau of East Washington seems to me to be +unequaled in combined extent and productiveness. + +This subject of soils will be incidentally continued in connection with +the next two heads. + + +NATURAL VEGETATION. + + [Sidenote: Vast vegetation.] + +Here the two sides of the Cascade Mountains must again, as under other +heads, be considered separately. The natural vegetation of the west side +is vast rather than varied. Wherever the sun touches the ground, one may +expect to see grass; chiefly white clover and green sward, which seem to +be indigenous to the country. There are, of course, many herbs and +shrubs which need not be mentioned in a report like this. The ferns of +the Snoqualmie bottoms, for size, remind one of the tree ferns of the +carboniferous period, though, of course, not so large. Many of them +were seven feet high, which is five feet higher than I ever saw +elsewhere. The Sal-al is a low shrub, almost herbaceous, and +semi-procumbent, of brown foliage, bearing a berry and belonging to the +wintergreen family, though much larger than the wintergreen of the +Alleghenies. The Sal-al abounds on the little prairie which bears its +name. The mosses are most abundant and luxuriant in the deep, moist +shades of the evergreen forests, and I noticed that the Cayuse ponies +fed upon them as eagerly as reindeer upon the Iceland mosses. + + [Sidenote: Deciduous trees.] + +Deciduous trees are rare, but not wholly wanting. The cottonwood grows +to rather extra size. The alder, which is only a large bush in the +Alleghenies, here becomes a tree, perhaps thirty feet high. I saw some +small maples. It is said that there are groves of oak and maple of +sufficient size to cut for lumber. + + [Illustration: A VIEW OF THE FOREST ON THE LINE OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE + SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + [Sidenote: Larch.] + +The Larch (tamarack) is interspersed among the evergreens on the Cascade +Mountains, and attains good size. The American larch is rather more +slender in habit than the European variety, but it has a heavy, +close-grained wood, and is regarded as specially suited for railroad +ties--an important point in this country. It is also reported to make +durable fence-posts and ground sills. In Europe its bark is valued for +tanning next to oak bark, and the two are used together. The Venice +turpentine comes from the resinous sap of the larch. The older trees are +better than the younger ones for durability. But with regard to this +class of trees, results depend much on incidental circumstances. Larch +is one of the woods used in Europe for making gas. These are the only +deciduous trees I know of in Washington Territory, except fruit trees. + + [Sidenote: Extraordinary evergreen forests.] + +Evergreens constitute the bulk of the great forests, and I shall name +these in the order of their importance: Douglas (or red) fir, white +cedar, hemlock spruce, white pine, balsam (or white) fir and yew. + + [Sidenote: Douglas fir, or Oregon pine.] + + [Sidenote: The best of ship timber.] + +The Douglas Fir constitutes the greater part of the forests, but not so +large a proportion as seven-eighths, as stated in the Census report, but +more than one-third, which is the proportion given in Hough's Forestry +Report. The wood of this tree is yellow when young, and hence some +persons make two varieties out of the same tree. When older, it becomes +an orange color, but not red like the heart of the sweet gum and red +cedar. It is, however, usually called the red fir. The tree yields a +clear yellow resin, which is not at present collected. Its timber is of +the best quality, greatly superior to that of the fir tribe generally, +probably superior to that of any other fir-tree in the world. The firs +shade into each other by an almost insensible gradation, and are much +modified by soil and climate, and names have been multiplied +unnecessarily. The fir, like the larch, must be studied in each locality +in order to determine its value. The firs of Sweden and Norway make good +masts and spars, and soft, light boards; but the boards are apt to split +and are not strong enough for ship-work. But the timber of the Douglas +fir is heavy, strong and firm, and well suited to ship-building, as has +been abundantly demonstrated on Puget Sound. For all ordinary building +purposes this timber has a world-wide reputation. It is often called the +"Oregon Pine." Its growth as a tree is luxuriant on good soil, and often +gigantic. I saw many single specimens which I estimated at 300 feet in +height and 10 to 12 feet in diameter. When disconnected, they have the +usual conical shape of the firs, with limbs branching from the ground, +but it is rare to see such specimens in Washington Territory, as the +forests are so dense there is no room for limbs, except near the top. +The trunks stand as straight and regular as posts set with a plumb-line. +This crowding often prevents the full development of the trunk also, +except on the most moist and fertile lands. The absence of lower +branches insures a great length of lumber free from knots. + + [Sidenote: White cedar.] + + [Sidenote: Beautiful house lumber.] + +The White Cedar is a variety of the well-known arbor vitæ of the Eastern +States, but there is a wonderful difference in the size and habits of +the tree on the two sides of the Continent. On the Atlantic side it may, +under very favorable circumstances, reach fifty feet in height, but +usually it is dwarfish and crooked. But in Washington Territory the +white cedar is the peer of the Douglas fir, and its largest specimens +perhaps exceed the latter somewhat in diameter. It is also next in +abundance and value. Its wood is soft, light and cream-colored. It +splits with remarkable ease and regularity, so that the pioneer with axe +and frow can prepare all the timbers needed for his house. For shingles +it is fully equal to its congener, the cypress; and for house-facings +and some kinds of furniture it is the favorite wood. + + [Sidenote: Hemlock spruce.] + + [Sidenote: Tanners wanted.] + +Hemlock Spruce is not so abundant, but it constitutes a noticeable +element in the Snoqualmie Valley forests. It seems to be exactly the +same tree which so abounds in our Eastern and Northern Lake States, and +is common in the moist valleys all along the Appalachian Mountains. It +is called hemlock in the Northern States, and spruce in the Southern. +Its wood, though unsuited for many purposes, is largely used in the +North for the frames of cheap buildings and also for fencing-plank, and +its bark is in great demand for tanning, especially for making the red +sole leather. It is also used for tanning upper leather and calf-skins, +though its light leather is not so good as that made from the oak barks. +The hemlock bark has not been considered quite equal to the chestnut-oak +(or rock oak) bark for any tanning purposes, but in Virginia the price +is usually the same. It certainly makes good sole leather. The logger in +Washington Territory neglects this tree, and there are no tanneries yet +to call for it, but this will soon be changed, and the hemlock will take +its position, not only as the most beautiful of the evergreens, but as +among the most useful. This tree does not attain as great size as the +two above mentioned, but I observed many specimens ranging from four to +five feet in diameter. + + [Sidenote: White pine.] + +The general character of the White Pine is well known. I saw but a few +of them, and they not specially good. I doubt whether this tree forms an +important feature in these forests. + + [Sidenote: Balsam fir.] + + [Sidenote: Large supply of Canada Balsam.] + +The Balsam (or White) Fir abounds on the higher slopes of the Cascade +Mountains, and it is so balsamic that it will receive attention from +the collectors of "Canada Balsam," which is becoming increasingly +popular for many purposes, especially in mounting specimens for the +microscope. Such forests as lie near the Snoqualmie Pass will not long +remain unnoticed. The wood is white and easily worked, but the trees do +not rank in size or value with those previously mentioned. + + [Sidenote: The yew.] + +The Yew is found sparingly on the mountain heights; but, though +interesting, it seems to have no economic value. + + [Sidenote: The superior timber of Snoqualmie Valley.] + +As to the extent of these evergreen forests, they may be said to cover +West Washington with almost unbroken continuity, though they vary in +density and the size of the trees, some tracts containing little or no +mill-timber. In my travels, which were, of course, quite limited, I saw +no forests which answered the usual unqualified descriptions, except in +the Snoqualmie Valley, and here they far exceeded my expectation, as +will be shown in the detailed description, given hereafter, of the +country lying along the line of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern +Railway. The finest forests lie between Puget Sound and the crest of the +Cascade Mountains, though even in this area there are variations. And +after all the chopping and sawing--of which more will be told +later--the forests as yet show but little diminution. + +East of the Cascade Range the forests are smaller, and confined to the +mountain sides. There are some narrow belts of pine along the northern +edge of the Great Plain of the Columbia, which furnish a little lumber +for local uses; but these will soon be worked out. The mountain rim +lying along the Canada line is said to be covered with forest, some of +it heavy. The Douglas Fir, the Yellow Pine, the White Pine, and the +Larch are all to be found there. There are also skirts of the same +timber along the Spokane River. And, at wide intervals, there are strips +and bunches of scrubby yellow pine on the Great Plain, which is, +however, generally treeless. + +The spurs and ridges of the Blue Mountains are thinly covered with small +pines and larches. There are some areas of mill-timber on the east and +southeast flanks of the Cascade Mountains. + + [Sidenote: Range for horses and cattle.] + +The flora of the great plateau presents a strange appearance to the +traveler. The vegetation is short and scanty, the chief growth being the +"sage-brush," a dwarfish, dead-looking shrub, with a hard, crooked stem, +of no value as forage, but which is sometimes used for fuel when +nothing else is to be had. There are said to be some medicinal, and also +some edible, plants; but the only thing of any value is the dry, thin, +short, bunch grass which furnishes a fattening food for horses and +cattle; though many acres are required to support an animal, and close +grazing is rapidly destroying this resource. Indeed, the tract is so +barren and desert-like in appearance that in the geographies of my +boyhood it was put down as a part of the Great American Desert. And yet, +as will be seen hereafter, this is probably the most productive upland +in America. + + +LUMBERING. + +Lumbering was the first industry of Washington Territory. Even food was +imported for a time. Logging began on Puget Sound, and went up such +streams as afforded transportation and water-power. Steam-power soon +became the chief reliance for sawing, but water-power will be largely +used when the railroads penetrate inland. + +Logging and sawing are separate branches of business, which may or may +not be carried on by the same parties. And so with transportation to the +mill and to market. Large concerns carry on all the branches, even to +the building and owning of ships. + + [Sidenote: Magnitude of the lumber business.] + +Governor Semple gives the capacity of the Washington Territory saw-mills +in 1887 as 645,500,000 feet of lumber per annum, of which the Puget +Sound mills produce 344,500,000 feet. Of this, they (Puget Sound mills) +sent 200,000,000 feet to California; 2,600,000 to Boston, Mass.; 500,000 +feet to other Atlantic ports, and over 100,000,000 feet to foreign +ports. Among foreign ports, London received 551,500 feet, and the rest +went to Mexico, South America, China, Australia, and other Pacific +Islands. + +Mr. Cyrus Walker, of the Puget Mill Company, Port Ludlow, in a letter +which I have from him, says: + + [Sidenote: Vast extent of the lumber market.] + +"It is safe to say that the lumber market of the Sound may be considered +all countries and ports on the Pacific Ocean." + +But it may make a more vivid impression of the Pacific market for me to +give a list of the ports to which shipments have been actually made in +the last year by the lumber dealers of Puget Sound. This list I get not +only from public documents, but directly from the millers and port +officials: + + Melbourne, + Callao, + Sydney, + Guaymas, + Iquique, + Taku, + Hilo, H. I., + San Francisco, + Townsville, + West Coast, + Brisbane, + Sandwich Islands, + New Caledonia, + Mollendo, + Montevideo, + Honolulu, + Valpa, + Suava, Feejee Is., + Kahalui, + Cadera, Chili, + San Diego, + San Pedro, + Hong Kong, + Enseneda, Mex., + Falmouth, + Shanghai, + Autofogasta, + Rio de Janeiro, + Broken Bay, + Adelaide, + Coquimbo. + +This is not a complete list of all the ports visited by the lumber ships +of Puget Sound, and by no means represents the business of the future, +which will increase as fast as the mills can be built to furnish the +lumber. + + [Sidenote: The great saw-mills.] + +No one without seeing it can have an adequate idea of the magnitude of +the operations of one of the great saw-mills of Puget Sound. The Puget +Mill Company, for the first ten months of last year, sawed on an average +290,000 feet every day of ten working hours. I visited the Port Blakely +Mills, just across the Sound from Seattle. There I found a fleet of +ships in the harbor, owned chiefly by the company; also, ships building +on the stocks; railroads going out to the logging camps; a basin for +receiving the logs, and a mill, with four separate tracks, bringing the +logs in at one end, and carrying out the lumber at the other. A high +iron trestle carried off the slabs to an enormous fire which never +ceased to burn, where all this waste was consumed. + +Around the mill was quite a town, in which a large number of races and +nationalities were represented. This mill cut about 59,000,000 feet in +1887. Up to the 10th of November it had shipped as follows: To +California, 32,464,763 feet; to South America, 6,847,427 feet; to +Sandwich Islands, 1,799,891 feet; to Australia, 6,681,668 feet; to +Feejee Islands, 511,815 feet; and used at home for ship-building, +railroads, etc., 2,312,000 feet. + +The Tacoma Mill Company and the Washington Mill Company produced the +following lumber, etc., during 1886 and the first ten months of 1887: + + LUMBER. LATH. PILES. + FEET. NO. LINEAR FT. + Tacoma Mill 103,448,350 28,815,095 642,385 + Washington Mill 42,195,478 8,772,800 266,403 + +There were other large mills whose statistics I was not able to get in +time. Mr. Walker thinks that the cut of all the mills on Puget Sound +averages 1,200,000 feet per day; all of which finds ready sale. + +[Sidenote: Profits and prices.] + +I was not able to ascertain the profits of these mills, but there can +be no doubt that, with proper management, the profits are very good. The +Seattle wholesale prices were as follows: + + Lumber, common, per thousand feet $12 00 + " sized, " " " 14 00 + " Flooring $15 00 to 20 00 + Dressed lumber, per thousand feet 14 00 to 30 00 + Laths 2 00 to 2 25 + Shingles 1 50 to 2 00 + + +AGRICULTURE. + + [Sidenote: Clearing the land.] + + [Sidenote: Demand for agricultural products.] + + [Sidenote: Large crops.] + + [Sidenote: Hop-growing on a large scale.] + +After hearing of the forests in West Washington, one cannot be surprised +to learn that the agricultural interest develops slowly in this part of +the Territory. Even after the logger has taken what he wants, there +remains a heavy mass of vegetation which is expensive to clear away. A +thorough clearing, including the removal of stumps, costs $75 to $100 +per acre; and yet this is sometimes done for hops, hay and vegetables. +But the common way is to "slash and burn," at an expense of ten to +fifteen dollars an acre. This clears off everything but stumps, and such +trees as may be reserved for the mill or other purposes. There are fine +farms in every direction, but I had no means of ascertaining the +proportion of cleared land, or of the agricultural population. The +natural fertility of the soil, the high prices of produce, and the +rapidly growing demand, both foreign and local, will tempt to a wasteful +destruction of timber in order to prepare the ground for crops. There +need be no doubt as to the extraordinary productiveness of the soils, +even beyond that of the same quality of lands elsewhere; because the +climatic conditions are extra favorable for the growth of all crops +suited to the country. There are some crops, such as corn, lima beans +and sweet potatoes, which are contra-indicated. The cool summer nights +check the maturing of these. Wheat, also, is not suited, though produced +to some extent. But for almost everything else the conditions favor +extra production. The conditions could scarcely be better for grass and +hay. The scantiness of the summer rains is more than compensated for by +the long growing seasons in fall and spring. No soil and climate could +be better for oats and potatoes. The reported yield of these three +staples would be called fabulous if not established by good testimony. +Three tons of hay, 100 bushels of oats, and 600 bushels of potatoes per +acre are above the average, but by no means reach the maximum on the +best lands. Most fruits do well. In the production of hops West +Washington has become celebrated as to quality and yield per acre. +This is probably the largest of the agricultural interests in this part +of the Territory, and was at one time enormously profitable. Present +prices are thought to leave some margin, but not much. + + [Illustration: INDIANS GATHERING HOPS, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, ON LINE + OF SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + [Sidenote: The changed agricultural conditions of East Washington.] + + [Sidenote: Irrigation in the Yakima Valley.] + +As heretofore remarked, the agricultural conditions change suddenly on +crossing the Cascade Mountains to the eastward; and this change begins +at the crest line, and is more marked on the mountain side and near its +base than anywhere else. The winters are longer and more severe, and the +summers drier and hotter. There is natural pasturage similar to that of +the plateau country, coming up to the timber line, the lower edge of +which is high on the mountain. Much of this mountain land, though +covered scantily with sage brush and bunch grass, is really fertile, +and, besides supporting cattle, can be made to bring fair crops of wheat +and other things; but the rainfall is so insufficient that irrigation is +necessary for the development of any large agricultural interest. +Fortunately, in the large basin of the Yakima, irrigating streams are +abundant, and its enterprising people are availing themselves of this +happy resource. By reference to a good map it will be seen that the +Yakima River is made up of an unusual number of streams. A group of +these come together near Ellensburg, and another group near the town of +North Yakima; and there are said to be large bodies of land susceptible +of irrigation by these streams. The Ellensburg valley is thirty miles +long, and about ten miles wide; and is the best agricultural section in +Kittitas County. It is claimed that forty bushels of wheat to the acre +can be produced here without irrigation; and that 1,000,000 bushels of +wheat were actually produced in this basin in 1887. Hay, hops, +vegetables, berries and fruits also do well naturally, but with +irrigation the product is uniformly large. There are four irrigating +canals in the valley. The Teanaway Ditch Company has one fifty miles +long which can water 75,000 acres of land. The Ellensburg Ditch Company +has a ditch ten miles long, covering 10,000 acres. Mr. Bull has one six +miles long, and the owners of the new roller mill have two and a half +miles of ditch. + +Next below Kittitas is Yakima County, which contains a number of fertile +valleys, and also good uplands, and is well supplied with irrigating +streams, which have already been brought into use. Two large ditches are +drawn from the Natchess River. Ditches are also taken from the Ahtanum, +which is the principal hop-raising section. A plateau, three by ten +miles, between the Cowiche and Natchess, will all be irrigated. The +Moxee Valley is largely owned by Eastern and other capitalists, who seem +to be expending much money in the improvement of the country. This +company has fourteen miles of ditch. + + [Sidenote: Varied crops.] + +By the help of these ditches the people of Yakima Valley are producing +corn, which under the hot sun of the locality perfects its product. +Tobacco has been tried also with fair results. And the Moxee County will +try the dairy business. There is a disposition also to try improved +breeds of cattle. The spirit of enterprise has resulted largely from the +passage of the Northern Pacific Railroad along the Yakima Valley; but at +the same time the greatest obstacle in the way of irrigation lies in the +ownership of alternate sections by this railroad. The Yakima Indians +have good lands, and Klickatat County is well spoken of. Sweet potatoes, +tomatoes, peaches, grapes, and other things requiring much heat, are +said to thrive in the lower parts of the Yakima Valley. + + [Sidenote: The Great Plain.] + + [Sidenote: Boundaries.] + +We enter now the last grand division of the country, the Great Plain, +or, more strictly, plateau of the Columbia River. In spite of its +unpromising aspect, this is the chief agricultural region of the Pacific +States. To get the exact boundary, find the point (a little below +Wallula Junction) where Washington and Oregon both corner on the +Columbia River. From this point, follow the Columbia up to the mouth of +Spokane River; follow Spokane River up to the Idaho line; follow the +Idaho line south to the Oregon line; follow the Oregon line due-west to +the beginning, and within these lines lies the region which is destined +to be the granary of the Pacific States. + + [Sidenote: Early history.] + +The settlement of this plain began near Walla Walla, where a Christian +mission was established by Whitman, the hero and martyr, who saved this +country to the United States. Hence the most thickly populated part of +the plain is between the Oregon line and Snake River. This region was +supplied with transportation by the Oregon Railway and Navigation +Company. The largest agricultural production is here. + + [Sidenote: Area and population.] + +Immigration next moved north of Snake River into the valley of the +Palouse River, and here we have the next largest area of production. +When the Northern Pacific Railroad came in from the east, the new-comers +entered the Great Bend country, which is the northern half of the +plain. The chief settlement here is in Spokane and Lincoln counties, +which cover nearly half of the Great Bend. Douglas County covers the +remainder, and is beginning to be settled. There are ten counties on the +plateau, with an aggregate area of 20,000 square miles and a population +of 52,000. Of this population, 20,000 is south of the Snake River, +14,000 north of Snake River, and 18,000 in the Great Bend, including +Spokane Falls. + + [Sidenote: Amazing wheat crops: surpassing all other States.] + +The great staple of this country is wheat, though almost every crop is +grown, and most of them with remarkable results. Corn is grown only +south of Snake River, where it yields thirty bushels to the acre. The +average yield of wheat year by year for the entire Territory is put by +Governor Squire at twenty-five bushels, and no one who knows the country +can regard this otherwise than as a moderate estimate. This average +places Washington Territory beyond comparison first among the States of +America, and, so far as I can learn, second only to England among other +nations. England, by the highest manuring, has brought her wheat product +up to thirty bushels, which is double the average of former years. By +the census of 1880, Washington Territory, as a whole, leads all the +other States. The following tables give the average of ten of the chief +wheat-producing States: + + WHEAT, PER ACRE. BUSHELS. + + California 15.8 + Dakota 10.6 + Minnesota 11.3 + New York 15.7 + Ohio 18.0 + Pennsylvania 13.4 + Virginia 8.6 + Washington Territory 23.5 + Oregon 16.8 + Illinois 15.5 + +The year 1886 was the worst wheat year ever known in Washington +Territory: its crop averaged sixteen and a half bushels. + + [Sidenote: Railroads overwhelmed with freight.] + +It is thought that the wheat crop of East Washington for 1887 will +exceed 10,000,000 bushels. It certainly went far beyond the ability of +the railroads to carry it away before winter. The most amazing glut of +freight I have ever seen was along the railroads in Walla Walla County. +Not only were the depots crowded to the roof, but piles of sacks larger +than the depots stood outside. It was a common sight through the whole +Snake River country to see 10,000 sacks of wheat in one pile outside of +the depots. + + [Sidenote: Price of wheat and cost of production.] + +The price of wheat runs from 40 cents to 60 cents a bushel; whilst the +cost of production on good land need not exceed 25 cents a bushel. Mr. +Hamilton, of Colfax, has a farm which he cultivates entirely by hired +labor, and he told me that the cost of his wheat was from 20 cents to 25 +cents, and that his profit was $5 per acre. Good farms about Colfax can +be rented out at $2.50 per acre for the whole farm. Mr. Miles C. Moore, +of Walla Walla, probably the most exact business man of that region, +farms largely by hiring labor. He gave me the following statement of his +own operations: + +WHEAT GROWING AND DELIVERING. + + + _Dr._ Cost of ploughing, per acre $1 50 + Cost of twice harrowing and sowing 1 00 + Seed, 1-1/4 bushel 62 + Thirteen sacks at 8 cents 1 04 + Keeping up fences 10 + Harvesting and hauling five miles to + depot, 17 cents per bushel 4 76 + ------ + $9 02 + + _Cr._ By 28 bushels per acre at 50 cents $14 00 + Cost of production 9 00 + ------ + Profit $5 00 + +This product could not be expected on inferior lands, but with the +working farmer the cost of production is less. The yield of wheat on +the best lands of East Washington is large--almost beyond belief. Mr. +Houghton, attorney for the Spokane Falls and Palouse Railroad, told me +that he had known of 800 bushels of wheat being raised on ten acres; +that it was measured by a committee. Mr. Miles C. Moore has known 1,000 +acres to average fifty bushels. A farmer (apparently honest) told me +that he had raised seventy-five bushels to the acre over his whole wheat +area. His crop was harvested by the acre, and the area measured by the +county surveyor. It was all sold, except seed. Thus he got both area and +product accurately. Many more instances were stated to me on good +authority. But there are different grades of fertility in these lands as +in other lands, and the amount of rainfall makes a difference also. +Wallula has but twelve inches of rain, and is unproductive. There must +be fifteen inches for wheat. Walla Walla has seventeen, and is +productive. Nearer to the Blue Mountains the rainfall is thirty to +thirty-five inches; here are the largest crops. Spokane Falls has +twenty-one inches. Yet where else on the earth can such crops be raised +even occasionally? I have been growing wheat for thirty-five years on +good land in the Valley of Virginia, and I never could reach thirty +bushels to the acre on a single field; and I do not believe that my +neighbors can do better than I do. We count twenty bushels an extra +crop. + + [Sidenote: Also barley and oats.] + +Besides wheat, these lands produce barley of superior quality, weighing +fifty pounds to the bushel, at the rate of fifty to sixty bushels per +acre, and oats weighing thirty-eight pounds to the bushel at the same +rate per acre. The weight of wheat is sixty pounds to the bushel. Barley +sells at 90 cents per 100 pounds, and is largely shipped East to be made +into beer. + +The wheat usually grown is the Little Club, a short, strong white wheat; +but the Little Giant, Red Chaff and Chili Giant are productive. Spring +wheat is generally sown, but winter wheat is probably best. Blue stem +brings five cents extra in Portland. Freight, $5 a ton from Walla Walla +to Portland; thirty-three bushels counted a ton. + +The wheat here has no enemies--no fly, nor rust, nor weeds, nor lodging. + + [Sidenote: The soil a natural fertilizer.] + +Much of the land has been cultivated for sixteen years without rest or +manure, and without diminution of crop; but the best farmers prefer to +rest and cultivate in alternate years. By the latter system the +ploughing is done in the off-year, and the land left a naked fallow. +This is thought to cleanse the land and renew its strength. And in some +cases in which lands have an excess of alkali, their productiveness +increases with cultivation. Sometimes the land contains as much as +eighteen pounds of potash to the cubic yard; which fact, by the way, +suggests the possibility of leaching the land to procure potash and +other alkalies. + + [Sidenote: Quality of the wheat.] + +The wheat of the Pacific coast has 4 per cent. less gluten in it than +the Eastern wheat, and this practically shuts it out of the Eastern +market. Nitrogen in Washington Territory wheat is 22 per cent. to 26 per +cent., whilst in the Eastern it is 34 per cent. to 40 per cent., and +inferior in quality. The true gluten is too brittle. It is better than +the California wheat, however, which has 4 per cent. to 6 per cent. less +nitrogenous matter, and the gluten inferior in quality. But the +California wheat makes a whiter flour than the Washington Territory +wheat, which is an advantage in selling. It should be remarked that the +term nitrogen, when applied technically to wheat, includes true gluten, +the phosphates, and all albuminoids, and excludes starch, sugar and +water, which latter comprise about seventy-two per cent. of the wheat. +Still, the Washington Territory wheat-grower has the advantage in +quantity per acre, which gives him a better profit than is now made in +California or any Eastern State. The price at Spokane Falls varies from +45 cents to 60 cents per bushel, which would give the farmer $10 to +$12.50 per acre for his crop, which is more than the average Eastern +farmer gets, whilst the cost of production ought to be, and ultimately +will be, less. + + [Sidenote: The market in England, China, and other Asiatic ports.] + +Flour is sent to England, by Cape Horn, at a cost of $1.30 per barrel +from Spokane Falls, and in Liverpool brings within 20 cents a barrel as +much as the Minneapolis flour, and it is also shipped to China and other +Asiatic ports, where it seems destined to supersede rice for bread. +China raises wheat, but not nearly enough for home consumption. The +Asiatic and Oceanic market will, ultimately, want all the wheat of our +Pacific States. + + [Sidenote: Astonishing growth of vegetables.] + + [Sidenote: Crops without rain.] + +Besides the cereals, vegetables of nearly all kinds grow to great size +on this plateau. Those requiring a more uniformly warm temperature, such +as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and peanuts, do best in the region +lying south of the Snake River, which is much less elevated than the +country north and east. And this is true also of peaches, grapes, and +other fruits requiring similar conditions. But as regards most +vegetables, especially roots, and also fruits, the plateau generally is +very productive. This is almost unaccountable in view of the fact that +after the first of June there is little or no rain until late in the +fall. Whilst rain seems to be necessary to start the small seeds, large +crops of potatoes are sometimes raised without a drop of rain. The +moisture must come partly from the soil, which has retained the winter +water, and partly from the deposition of moisture by the sea-air which +comes through the gap in the Cascade Mountains and penetrates the deep, +loose soil. Mr. Paul F. Mohr has measured a parsnip four feet long and +eight inches across the top. I saw potatoes in Colfax, thirty of which +filled a bushel measure. + +As before intimated, I doubt whether the plateau can ever become a good +grass and hay country. For long forage, besides straw, the people must +depend upon the cereals mowed in the green state. + + [Sidenote: West (not East) Washington is to be the great cattle + country.] + +For this reason the plateau, as will also be the case with the great +plains eastward, can never carry the number of cattle that can be grazed +in a grass country. A farmer told me it required fifteen acres of bunch +grass to support one horse or steer, whilst in a grass country three +acres are ample, and on the best sods one acre is sufficient. Still, the +bunch grass is, and ought to be, utilized. And the areas of unimproved +land are so vast that the herds of cattle, horses and sheep which range +upon them altogether constitute a large item of wealth. And on these +treeless plains the effort seems to be to train the cattle and horses to +live like buffaloes and wild horses in both summer and winter. + + [Sidenote: Tree-planting.] + +The tree problem will, I think, work out satisfactorily, though, of +course, no such trees can ever be produced there as abound in West +Washington. Walla Walla is embowered in trees of artificial growth. The +Lombardy poplar seems to have been most successful. At various points I +saw plantations of box elder, and was told that this tree is easily +grown. The cottonwood is said to grow readily. Captain John McGowan +reports the successful culture of locust, walnut, maple and catalpa in +Lincoln County. He says, also, that the plum, peach, apricot, apple, +pear and grape succeed: and so with strawberries, raspberries and +blackberries. All these fruits are grown about Spokane Falls, but I +think that the grape and peach sometimes fail to mature. A good many +plantations of trees have been set out under the timber-culture act of +Congress, but it is thought that much imposition has been practised on +the Government by the failure to take proper care of the trees after +they were planted. The truth about the whole matter seems to be that, +with proper care, trees of most varieties may be grown on the plateau, +but that they will grow slowly and not attain large size. I might add +many details concerning the products of this wonderful country, but +these will suffice as illustrations. + + +LABOR. + + [Sidenote: Good supply of labor, but more wanted.] + +Under this head I will merely say that, though the laboring population +of Washington Territory is very mixed and has not the settled character +of labor in the old States, and though many more laborers could find +employment, there does not seem to be any special deficiency of this +class, and the high wages that are paid will, no doubt, bring in more +workmen as they are wanted. + + [Sidenote: Wages.] + +Governor Squire, in his report for 1885, page 41, gives quite a detailed +list of wages, which shows that the rates are at least fifty per cent. +higher than in the Middle States, and double what is paid in the +Southern Atlantic States. Farm laborers get from $25 to $30 a month and +board. Loggers pay from $35 to $40 per month to common hands, and $65 to +$70 to teamsters. Skilled labor receives high wages, and railway +contractors sometimes have to pay $2 to $2.50 per day for common +hands. Servant girls are scarce, and wanted, at $15 a month and board. +Hotel servants get from $20 to $25 a month. Chinamen are extensively +employed for family servants. Many of them are tolerable cooks, and get +$30 a month and board. Indians are working more than formerly. The men +"slash" the forests, pick hops, etc. Squaws always were industrious--had +to be! The Sandwich Islands, as well as China and Japan, furnish some +laborers. The employers are favorable to this class of immigrants, +whilst the white laborers are bitterly opposed to them. Canada will +continue to employ cheap Chinese labor, and thus place our Pacific +States at a disadvantage, if the present policy of excluding Chinese +labor is continued. + + [Illustration: BRIDGE OVER THE SPOKANE RIVER, SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND + EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + + + +THE GEOLOGY OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY. + + +HISTORICAL AND STRUCTURAL. + +I shall not say much about the historical geology of Washington +Territory, because it contains some problems which have never been +adequately studied, and which I had no opportunity to investigate. It is +to be hoped that the regular work of the Government Survey may soon be +extended to this important region. Hitherto it has been neglected. A few +able geologists such as Joseph Le Conte, Pumpelly, Newberry, Bailey +Willis, and some others, have made visits to the country on special +errands; but except the treatise of Bailey Willis in Vol. XV. of the +Census Reports, and some brief allusions to the country in systematic +works on general geology, I had nothing to guide me as to the structure +of the country, or the age of its deposits. For all practical purposes, +however, I had no difficulty in understanding the work I had to do. +[Sidenote: The Western Coast regions younger than the Rocky Mountains +and Appalachians.] + + [Sidenote: An outlying Continent.] + + [Sidenote: The rise of the West Coast.] + +All agree that the country west of the Rocky Mountains proper, and +including nearly all of California, Oregon, and Washington Territory, +is geologically younger than the main range, and younger than the +Appalachian country. At the close of the carboniferous period proper, +the Rocky Mountain range constituted a separate continent, with a sea +covering what is now the main Mississippi Valley, including the wide +plains immediately east of the Rocky Mountains, and connecting, +probably, with the polar sea, whilst the Pacific Ocean washed the +western edge of this Rocky Mountain continent; so that until after that +period there were no Wahsatch and Uintah mountains, no Sierra Nevada and +Cascade Range, no Coast Range, and, of course, none of the intervening +country. It is quite possible, however, that there was a third continent +lying west of the present continent in what is now ocean, from whose +waste the sediments were derived which were afterwards elevated and +became the land now included in the three States bordering the Pacific, +whilst the mother continent, which furnished the sediments, sank beneath +the ocean. If there were such an outlying continent, additional force is +given to the views of Dr. George F. Becker, endorsed by Dr. C. A. White, +and to some extent anticipated by Prof. J. D. Whitney, which render it +probable on other grounds that the two great lines of mountains, viz., +the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range and the Coast Range, began their +upward movement simultaneously during the early ages of the Juro-Trias. +The rise of these mountain lines was gradual and marked by reverse +movements, whereby, after appearing above the surface, they sank and +rose alternately, receiving fresh sediments, which, especially in the +Washington Territory region and part of Oregon and California, when +above water, became clothed with an enormous vegetation which was packed +into coal-beds, layer after layer. In the lapse of time these all came +above the surface. The mountains grew higher and higher, attended by +intense heat in the axes of the ranges, and at different periods, down +almost to the present, exhibiting volcanic action on an enormous scale. +At other periods, a large portion of the region was visited by +ice-floods, succeeded by water-floods, which top-dressed great areas +with a mingled deposit of gravel, sand and mud, and carried away vast +blocks of the rocky substance of the country, and cut deep channels in +all the highlands. + +As Washington Territory is now presented to us, it exhibits a scene of +mountains, lowlands, and elevated plateaus, which are full of interest +and variety. Some general account of its topography has already been +given. + + [Illustration: LOWER SNOQUALMIE FALLS, 268 FEET HIGH, ON LINE OF + SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + + [Sidenote: The rocks and minerals of the Cascade Mountains.] + +The core of these high ranges is chiefly rock originally stratified, +which has been metamorphosed by heat, and perhaps inside of all, with +branches bursting out at various places, are plutonic rocks which have +never been stratified. This is the state of things on the top of the +Cascade Range, near Snoqualmie Pass, as well as on some subordinate +peaks and ranges. On Mount Logan, the Denny Mountain, etc., are large +bodies of syenitic granite whose age I have no means of determining. +Associated with this are quartzites of fine grain, and extremely hard, +porphyries, and serpentinoid and chloritic rocks of different sorts, in +which are imbedded the magnetic iron ores; and also large beds of +crystalline limestone, both fine and coarse grained. Crossing these, at +various angles, are veins containing the precious and base metals. + + [Sidenote: The metamorphic rocks of doubtful origin.] + +Whether these rocks are Palæozoic or Archæan in their origin, or whether +they are simply the metamorphosed strata of the upper Juro-Trias, or the +lower Cretaceous, is a question for future study. These plutonic and +metamorphic rocks are believed to extend through the mountainous region +lying north of the Columbia River; and they are reported also in the +Coeur d'Alene Mountains. It is quite certain that on both flanks of +the Cascade Mountains we find in their natural state Cretaceous +conglomerates, sandstones, and shales bearing coal, at least in their +upper beds. The deposits on the east side of the mountain have been much +grooved and denuded, until we find only small areas of the Cretaceous +strata on the Yakima and the Wenatchie rivers, and the Peshastan ridge +between, with a patch of the coal-bearing rocks on the Yakima, and +another on the Wenatchie. On the west side of the mountain range, the +Cretaceous and coal-bearing areas are much larger. + + [Sidenote: The coal beds.] + +The coal deposits of all the Cretaceous regions of the West are regarded +as belonging to the Laramie period which closed the Cretaceous age, and +constitutes a transition period between the Cretaceous and Tertiary. But +I do not regard this question as settled. The inferior lignites of the +Rocky Mountains, and the semi-lignites which constitute the upper beds +of the Washington Cretaceous coal properly belong to the Laramie period; +but to include the underlying bituminous coals in the same group may be +a matter of question. More will be said in reference to these coal beds +under the next head. The Western coal-bearing rocks begin on outlying +mountains, standing at the west foot of the main Cascade Range. These +outlyers are irregular in size, height and direction; but many of them +are 1,000 to 1,500 feet in height, and they are found in groups, +separated by denuded spaces, from the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific +Ocean, and from the Canada line nearly to the Columbia River. The +largest and most important field, however, lies south of the Snoqualmie +River and between Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. Some of the +coals found in the most southern part of the field, and on the Coast +Range, are referred to the Tertiary period. + +A smaller and wholly undeveloped field lies on the Skagit River, and +another on, and west of Bellingham Bay. Similar beds are found on +Vancouver's Island. Coal-bearing strata are found also on the Chehalis, +Des Chutes, Nisqually and Cowlitz rivers. Whilst some of these southern +and western strata are referred to the Tertiary period, there has been +no systematic study of their geologic relations. + + [Sidenote: The volcanic mountains and their great activity.] + +It seems to be settled, however, that the lofty volcanic mountains which +form conspicuous features in the scenery of the Cascade Range, were +active in the Tertiary period, and not only built their own crests 9,000 +to 15,000 feet high, but inundated much of the surrounding country with +lava to an amazing breadth and depth. In this region, Mount Baker, Mount +Ranier (also called Mount Tacoma), Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams in +Washington Territory, and Mount Hood in Oregon, were the centres of the +grandest operations; and so continued for ages. + + [Sidenote: The wonderful cañon of the Columbia River.] + +We see gigantic results of this activity in the cañon 1,000 to over +3,000 feet deep, which the Columbia River has cut through this volcanic +matter in its passage through the Cascade Mountains. This volcanic +deposit consists of brown basalt, which in cooling crystallized into +vertical, polygonal prisms, or columns, which have been sculptured by +the weather into endlessly varied forms, beautiful, fantastic, and +grand; altogether presenting a scene, or succession of scenes, for +twenty-five miles, such as can nowhere else be equaled on the American +continent, unless it be near by, on a tributary of the Columbia, the Des +Chutes River of Oregon. + + [Sidenote: The great sheets of basalt.] + +This great pile of basalt was built up by a succession of overflows of +lava, the joints of which are plainly visible. The basaltic area, though +perhaps thickest here, continues with a thickness of 1,000 to 1,500 feet +up the Columbia for hundreds of miles; indeed the whole plateau, or +prairie country of East Washington, which is a quadrilateral of some 200 +miles in diameter, is but a continuation of the great lava-sheet seen at +the Cascades and the Dalles. Through it the Columbia and Snake rivers +have cut deep channels; and other, though shallower channels, have been +cut across the surface of the plateau by departed streams. + + [Sidenote: Origin of the rich soil of East Washington.] + +Whether the extremely fertile soil which overlies the basalt in East +Washington is a top-dressing of volcanic ashes, or is decomposed basalt, +cannot readily be determined. It cannot be referred to the Glacial +period, as I observed no appearance of drift anywhere except in the +valley of Spokane River. Such a wide spread of lava is not unexampled in +view of somewhat similar overflows now occurring at intervals in the +Sandwich Islands, where lava runs and spreads itself like water. These +Hawaiian flows are mentioned by Captain C. F. Dutton in his report of +the Zuni Plateau. + +A ledge of sandstone belonging to the Meiocene Tertiary is visible under +the basalt at the lower cascade in the Columbia River; and a stratum of +iron ore and vegetable matter is found on the Willamette at Oswego, +lying horizontally between great masses of basalt, showing a long +interval between overflows. + + [Sidenote: The volcanoes not wholly extinct.] + +These eruptions probably continued with diminishing force until near the +present time. It is reported that Mount Hood has sent out smoke or steam +since the settlement of Oregon. The crater of Mount Ranier was visited +by two gentlemen within a few years, and a night spent in its bottom by +the side of a jet of steam. Such, at least, is the account given by one +of them, Mr. Stevens. + + [Sidenote: Glacial drift.] + +The Quaternary or Drift Period has left abundant, though by no means +universal, traces of its presence. As before intimated, I saw no relics +of it in East Washington, except a deposit of rather small, generally +very small, and well-rounded quartz gravel, thickly strewing, and really +forming, the flats bordering Spokane River. This gravel macadamizes the +streets of the City of Spokane Falls, and the neighboring roads, so as +to make them firm at all seasons. These gravelly bottoms are not +tillable except in a few spots. + +The undulating country north and east of Puget Sound is in many places +deeply covered with drift material which shows the effect of both ice +and water. Blocks of partially rounded granite several feet in diameter +are found on the hills around Seattle. This gravel deposit is not often +found on high points, but there is a ridge in the Cascade Mountains, +near Salal Prairie, which is thickly bestrewed at an elevation of 1,000 +feet. This, however, was quite exceptional, and may be the lateral +moraine of a local glacier. The deposit around Seattle is not only easy +to cultivate (its soil being a light blue loam), but seems fertile. The +bottom lands are free from gravel. + +So much for the general geology. + + +ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. + + NOTE.--The location of the coal-fields and collieries mentioned in + the following pages may be seen on an accompanying map. + + +Under the head of Economic Geology, I shall describe with more detail +the mineral beds which have a commercial value, and in the following +order:--I. Coal; II. Iron Ore; III. Granite, Limestone, and Marble; IV. +Precious and Base Metals. + + [Sidenote: Thickness of the Coal Measures.] + +I. COAL.--The thickness of the Coal Measures of the Puget Sound basin is +estimated by Bailey Willis at something like 14,000 feet, though he +admits the obvious possibility of error in the calculation by reason of +undiscovered faults. We may fairly expect them, however, to be thicker +than the same group in the Rocky Mountains, which measure about 9,000 +feet. As heretofore remarked, the sediments become thinner from west to +east. Of course, the maximum thickness is not to be expected in every +locality. Mr. Willis's estimate was made in the Wilkeson and Green River +fields, and really did not reach the limit of the coal-bearing rocks. +The coal rocks of the Cedar River and Snoqualmie basin have never, so +far as I know, been estimated, but probably this group is equal in +thickness to that of any other part of the field. The difficulty of +measurement arises from the numerous fractures and changes of strike +which exist. + + [Sidenote: Fifteen workable seams.] + +The number of distinct workable seams of coal of three feet and upwards, +belonging to the measures, may safely be put down at not less than +fifteen. + + [Sidenote: Different kinds of coal described.] + +Before considering the quality of these coals, I will, for better +understanding, make some prefatory statements in regard to the character +of coals generally. Charcoal has greater purity than mineral coals +usually have, because there is nothing in the charcoal except what +naturally belongs to the woody matter. Mineral coal, however, having +been buried in water, mud, and sand, must, almost of necessity, have +some mixture of foreign matter, either slate, which is simply hardened +mud; silica, which may have been derived from sand; iron and sulphur, +some of which may have been in the wood, but most of it, probably, +introduced in solutions; to which should be added, unexpelled oxygen, +which is not only useless as fuel, but which combines with a portion of +the contained hydrogen, and forms water in the substance of the coal. + +The proportion of ash in coals of the same class is usually determined +by the amount of slate in the coal, in addition to the mineral matter +which belonged originally to the vegetable material from which the coal +was formed. In the pure state, the proportion of ash increases as the +transformation of woody fibre goes on from peat to anthracite. + + [Sidenote: The chemical changes in coal beds.] + +It is worth while to note what are the changes which take place in the +vegetable matter during the process. It may be described in a word as a +progressive loss of oxygen, and by this loss the coal becomes richer, +for the reason just given. The deoxidizing process is carried on by +means of chemical changes in the substance of the coaly matter. The +oxygen combining with a certain proportion of the carbon, forms carbon +di-oxide, or carbonic acid gas; and a certain other portion, combining +with hydrogen, forms water. Both of these are volatile in their +character, and gradually escape. Another loss is effected by the +combination of hydrogen and carbon, forming marsh gas. We have deadly +proof that these combinations are in progress in all coal mines by the +occurrence of "choke-damp" and "fire-damp," which are the miners' names +for these gases. + + [Sidenote: Deficient nomenclature.] + +Unfortunately, we have no settled nomenclature for the varieties of +coal, excepting the broad names lignite or brown coal, bituminous coal, +and anthracite. Even the term "bituminous" is scientifically inaccurate, +there being, in fact, no bitumen in any coal. But it is applied to such +coals as contain more oxygen and volatile combustible matter and water +than anthracite, and less of these elements than lignite. The term +lignite is made to include a great variety of substances, covering the +lignites of the Juro-Trias of James River (Dutch Gap), which retain not +only the structure, but the appearance of decaying wood; the lignites of +the State of Mississippi, which are of the same geologic age as those of +the Rocky Mountains, but which, owing to their watery and crumbly +character, are unfit for market; the lignites of the Grand and Moreau +rivers of Dakota, which are reported to have no commercial value; the +lignites of Bozeman, Montana, which are really valuable, but soon break +down into chips and grits; the lignites of Green River, Wyoming, which +are firm, bright, lump coals; and the lignites of King County, +Washington Territory, many of which are hard, bright, steam and shipping +coals. And when brought to the laboratory, it is found that chemically +these lignites vary even more than they do optically. + + [Sidenote: Lignite an unsuitable name for the coals of Washington + Territory.] + +This want of a varied nomenclature is to be regretted, because it +sometimes handicaps a good coal with an inferior name. It is only of +late that the Laramie or Cretaceous coals of Washington Territory have +been divided into lignites, bituminous coals, and anthracites. These +grade into each other so insensibly that it would be impossible to +classify them sharply. None of the lignites which I saw were as low in +grade as the typical lignite. The woody structure was quite discernible +in some samples of the Franklin coal, and less in the Newcastle and +Green River; but in respect to the two latter, I could not with the +naked eye discern more of the woody structure than I have seen in some +of the West Virginia coals, which belong to the Carboniferous period. I +sat by fires of Newcastle and neighboring coals for a month, and +observed no unusual amount of smoke, and no peculiar odor. By analysis, +these coals show a larger percentage of oxygen than the typical +bituminous coal, but decidedly less than is found in the brown coal of +Germany, or in some of the lignites of Montana. They need a new name. +Their heating power is not so great as that of the bituminous coals of +the same region. Their streak and powder are less black, and their +fracture more conchoidal, but not decidedly so. + +The bituminous coals have the usual cubical fracture. The Wilkeson +readily breaks down into small cubes. The lignites are black and +lustrous. They come out as lumpy as ordinary coal, and, when exposed to +weather, do not break up into powder and grits like ordinary lignite. +This is true, at least, of the Newcastle coal. + + [Sidenote: The coking quality not general in these coals, but found in + some.] + +The coking quality of these coals cannot be determined by calculating +the proportion between the fixed carbon and the volatile, combustible +matter. I am not sure that Professor Fraser's fuel ratio tables are a +safe guide in any case. So far as now known, only a few of the +Washington Territory coals can be made into good coke. On this point, +however, we have only laboratory and rough field tests, excepting at the +Wilkeson mines, where twenty-five ovens were turning out a superior +quality of coke, as proved by every test save the use of it in high +furnace stacks, in which there had been no opportunity for trial. It is +claimed by many persons that seams on Green River, Skagit, Yakima, and +Snoqualmie will furnish good coking coal. The coal on Snoqualmie +Mountain, near Hop Ranch, has not been studied, but it certainly has the +external characteristics of good coking coal, and Mr. Peter Kirke made a +rough trial of it in an earth-pit with decidedly encouraging results. + +Somewhat similar coal is found on Raging River, but where opened, so +much slate was interleaved with the coal that washing would be necessary +before use. More will be said hereafter with regard to these coals; but +the remark may be repeated here in respect to the entire Puget Sound +basin, that much additional examination is necessary before its coals +will be fully understood. The variations in character of these are not +owing entirely, or even chiefly, to their relative ages, but also to the +conditions to which they have been subjected, especially in respect to +heat. This metamorphic agency has acted not only in the body of the +Cascade Mountains, but all through the coal-fields, where faults, +flexures, and intrusive rocks have occasioned changes in the original +condition of the coal-beds, giving results along the whole scale of +metamorphism from lignite to anthracite. + + [Sidenote: Analyses of Washington Territory coals.] + +I here introduce (on the opposite page) a table of analyses made in +Washington City from representative samples of Washington Territory +coals and lignites selected by Mr. Bailey Willis during the examination +which he made of this field for the Census Bureau, and found in Vol. XV. +of the Census Reports. + + +THE COLLIERIES. + +I will now give some account of the principal coal seams which have been +worked in Washington Territory, namely, those in the field lying east +and southeast of Puget Sound; and in so doing I shall add to my own +knowledge all information from any reliable sources. Unfortunately, the +sources of information are few. + + [Illustration: ENTRANCE TO GILMAN COAL MINE ON THE LINE OF THE SEATTLE, + LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + [Sidenote: Authorities.] + +In the Report of Bailey Willis to Professor Pumpelly for the Census +Bureau, we have the best account extant of the Carbon River and Green +River basins. Mr. Willis spent three years in his examination, assisted +by topographical engineers. He made numerous trial-pits and borings with +diamond drill, and forwarded samples to Washington City for analysis. +Mr. F. H. Whitworth, of Seattle, accompanied me in my excursions, and +prepared maps which are filed herewith. Mr. Whitworth has probably more +practical knowledge of the Puget Sound coal basin than any one else. A +small volume on the Pacific coal field was prepared some years ago by +Mr. W. A. Goodyear. And Governor Squire's lucid and intelligent reports +contain valuable information upon the coal, and all the other interests +of Washington Territory. Governor Semple has also, in his Report for +1887, given us the latest official information. + + +ANALYSES OF REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY COALS AND +LIGNITES. + +Key for Sites: + A Miles City, Dakota. + B Newcastle, Washington Territory. + C Vein (?) G. R. C. + D Vein 33, G. R. C. + E Vein (?), G. R. C. + F Vein xviii. G. R. C. + G Vein ix. G. R. C. + H Vein vi. G. R. C. + I Vein iii. G. R. C. + J Upper Yakima River, Wash'n Ter. + K Carbon Station, Wyoming Territory. + L Rock Springs, Wyoming Territory. + M Wingate Vein, Carbonado. + N Vein cxxiii. W. C. + O Vein xviii. W. C. + P Vein v. W. C. + Q Vein i. W. C. + R Vein lviii. B. B. C. + S Vein xliv. B. B. C. + T Vein _d_, Carbon River, W. C. + U Skagit River, Washington Territory. + V Raton, New Mexico. + W El Moro, New Mexico. + +Abbreviations for final row (Coke): + Wls Worthless + Exc Excellent + B&F Black and Friable + Ra Poor Rather Poor + + ======================+=============================+=================+ + | LIGNITES. | BITUMINOUS | BITUMINOUS | + | | LIGNITES. | COALS. | + +-----+-----+-----------------+-----------------+ + | | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | | + | A | B | J | K | L | U | V | W | + ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + Original Sample No. | 79 | 24 | -- | -- | -- | 76 | -- | -- + ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + Moisture |14.10| 4.16| 0.80| 8.10| 7.00| 1.17| 2.0 | 1.66| + Volatile Hydro-Carbons|36.95|44.84|36.02|34.70|36.81|14.40|37.1 |34.48| + Fixed Carbon |35.76|43.86|28.48|51.65|54.46|64.56|51.6 |60.08| + Ash |13.19| 7.14|28.23| 5.55| 1.73|19.87| 9.3 | 3.78| + F. C.--V. H. C. | 0.97| 0.98| 1.48| 1.48| 1.23| 4.48| 1.39| 1.74| + | | | | | | | | | + Coke | None| None| Fair| ----| ----| Ra | Good| Good| + | | | | | | Poor| | | + ======================+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+ + + ======================+=========================================+ + | LIGNITES. | + +-----+-----+-----------------+-----------+ + | Green River Field, Washington Ter. | + |-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | + | | | | | | | | + | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | + ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + Original Sample No. | 59 | 56 | 50 | 27 | 42 | 43 | 45 | + ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + Moisture | 7.27| 9.98| 8.68| 2.50| 4.82| 3.34| 3.24| + Volatile Hydro-Carbons|36.02|40.63|35.90|45.71|42.02|39.39|39.52| + Fixed Carbon |28.48|41.07|47.07|48.37|37.12|41.49|48.39| + Ash |28.23| 8.32| 8.35| 3.42|16.04|15.78| 9.85| + F. C.--V. H. C. | 0.79| 1.01| 1.31| 1.06| 0.88| 1.05| 1.22| + | | | | | | | | + Coke | None| None| None| Poor| None| None| Wls | + | | | | | [B] | [C] | | + ======================+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+ + + [B] Produced fragile coke in field test. + [C] Produced fragile coke in field test. + + ======================+===============================================+ + | BITUMINOUS COALS. | + +-----------------------------------------------+ + | Wilkeson Field, Washington Territory. | + +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----------+ + | | | | | Altered by| | | + | | | | | Intrusive | | | + | | | | | Rocks. | | | + | | | | +-----+-----+ | | + | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | + ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + Original Sample No. | 12 | 125 | 17 | 64 | 37 | 136 | 135 | 68 | + ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ + Moisture | 1.80| 3.98| 1.33| 1.16| 1.54| 0.61| 0.44| 2.56| + Volatile Hydro-Carbons|42.27|28.64|25.88|29.09|28.17|29.58| 5.84| 8.43| + Fixed Carbon |52.11|54.10|60.67|60.38|59.70|56.18|73.98|83.27| + Ash | 3.82|13.28|12.12| 9.37|10.59|13.63|19.74| 5.74| + F. C.--V. H. C. | 1.23| 1.88| 2.34| 2.07| 2.12| 1.89|12.67| 9.87| + | | | | | | | | | + Coke | Very| None| Exc | Exc | Poor| B&F | None| None| + | good| [D] | | | [E] | | | | + ======================+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+ + + [D] Produced first-class coke in field test. + [E] Produced first-class coke in field test. + + NOTE.--G. R. C.--Green River column. W. C.--Wilkeson column. + B. B. C.--Busy Brook column. + + + [Sidenote: The different mines.] + +In my brief sketches, I shall group the coal-beds as follows: _a_, +Carbon River Group; _b_, the Green River Group; _c_, Cedar River Group; +_d_, the Squak, Raging River, and Snoqualmie Groups; _e_, the Yakima and +Wenatchie Group; _f_, Bellingham Bay, Skagit River, etc.; _g_, British +Columbia Group. + + [Sidenote: Anthracite, coking and gas coals.] + +_a. Carbon River Group._--These beds lie on South Prairie Creek and +Carbon River, tributaries of the Puyallup River. Anthracite coal in thin +beds is reported high up on Carbon River, near the base of Mount Ranier; +the result of metamorphism. Also undeveloped outcrops of soft coal at +numerous points on the same river. There are, however, only three +collieries at work in this group. One is called the Carbonado mines, +which are on the Carbon River. Three miles north, a little east, are +the famous Wilkeson mines; and two miles northwest of Wilkeson, are the +South Prairie mines, on South Prairie Creek. (See Map.) + + [Illustration: MAP OF WILKESON COALFIELD] + +These coal-beds stand at high angles (fifty degrees and upwards), and +dip in different directions. At Carbonado, there are four seams in +pairs, separated by Carbon River, two of which dip to the south, and two +to the north. At the South Prairie mines there are two seams, one of +which dips to the east, and the other to the west. At Wilkeson there are +three seams, all of which dip to the west. Mr. Willis interprets this +coal-field as being a dome-like anticlinal, with compressed and crumpled +sides, whose major axis runs nearly north and south. The Wilkeson and +South Prairie mines are on the line of the major axis, whilst the +Carbonado mines are in a group of subordinate short folds lying south of +the main line. The anticline extends to Nisqually River, and shows two +other coal areas south of Carbon River, the coal of which is said to +resemble the Wilkeson coal. + +The Carbon River coal-field first having been almost engulphed by +volcanic uplifts and overflows, and almost buried by glacial drift, is +now visible only in narrow strips along creeks, and at intervals along +the Carbon River. + +Owing probably to the heating of its beds, we find in this little field +the coal which stands highest in reputation for coking and heating +qualities. There are some differences in the coal at the three mines. +That at South Prairie was sold chiefly for making gas. The best of the +Wilkeson coal is made into coke, and is in demand beyond the supply. The +price is $7.00 a ton at the ovens. The entire product of the Carbonado +mines is said to go to the Central Pacific Railway. It is impossible to +say what may be under the Drift; but, to all appearance, the amount of +coal here is not large, and the beds are sadly faulted, and pitch deep +into the ground. + + [Sidenote: The Common Point, equidistant between Tacoma and Seattle.] + +_b. The Green River Group._--I include in this group the Black Diamond +and Franklin collieries, the Kirke or Moss Bay Company mines, and the +Sugar Loaf Mountain beds. This, as well as the Carbon River field, is +nearly equidistant from Tacoma and Seattle, being about thirty miles in +a right line from each place. The Carbon River basin is geologically +associated with Mount Ranier; the Green River basin with the outliers or +foot ridges of the Cascade Mountains. The latter are much more +approachable than the former. At the east edge of this field, the +Northern Pacific Railroad emerges from the Cascade Mountains, having +come down the cañon of Green River. This point is known as "The Common +Point," because the cities of Tacoma and Seattle are about equally +distant, and the routes afford equally good grades from this point. + +The narrow gauge road from Seattle now comes to the Franklin mines, and +by continuing it a few miles to connect with the Northern Pacific there +would be railroad connection to Seattle as well as to Tacoma. The river +here cuts through the Coal Measures, leaving the less valuable part of +the field on the south side. The area of this field is roughly estimated +at fifty square miles. It contains all, or nearly all, the grades of +coal from lignite to bituminous; the variety of coal depending upon the +degree of local disturbance. As a rule, so long as the coal is not +crushed, the more pitched and flexed the rocks, the better the coal; +which fact indemnifies the miner for extra expense in mining. Here, the +tendency is for the seams to become steeper and more broken from west to +east; _i.e._, as they approach the foot-hills of the Cascade Mountains. +The strata in Lizard Mountain on the south side, however, form an +exception. Here the strata are nearly horizontal. + + [Sidenote: Franklin and Black Diamond mines.] + +The Franklin mines are on the north bank of Green River and at the south +edge of what has been known as the McKay basin, and the Black Diamond +mines are on, or near, the north edge of the same small, oval synclinal +basin. From this basin the dips become steeper toward the mountain, +where Kirke's beds stand at a high angle. On the west edge of the Green +River basin, say a mile west of Franklin, there is an outcrop of +lignite. The coal of the Franklin and Black Diamond mines is bituminous +lignite. The Kirke coal, or at least part of it, as judged by the eye, +may be called bituminous coal, though not so much deoxidized as the +Wilkeson. The coals mined in this basin are firm, black and shiny; they +burn freely, and make but little dust. They have not, however, so far as +tested, the heating power or coking qualities of the Wilkeson coal. Two +seams are worked at Franklin, and three at Black Diamond. All of the +seams worked are above four feet. A number of volcanic dikes and flows +are found in and around this basin. + + [Sidenote: The Kirke or Moss Bay Company (English) mines.] + +The Kirke or Moss Bay Company mines are six miles east of Franklin, and +within a mile of Green River. They lie against the mountain. The strike +of the mountain is northwest. The coal beds dip toward the mountain at +a high angle. There are five seams of from five to fifteen feet in +thickness; one of them (No. 2) may be said to be over forty-seven feet +in thickness, though not all good coal, as the details given below will +show. The top of the outcrops above sea-level are as follows: + + FEET. + No. 1 970 + No. 2 1,160 + No. 3 1,350 + No. 4 1,461 + No. 5 1,513 + +Some places on the outcrop rise much higher. The base of the mountain is +about five hundred feet above sea-level. No shipping has been done from +here. A gang of miners was at work opening the beds, with the special +view of testing their coking qualities in order to be used, if +practicable, by the Moss Bay Company for smelting the steel ores of the +Cascade Mountains. + +The only seam well opened when I was there (Nov. 17th and 18th) was No. +3, which is a large bed and shows an excellent quality of bituminous +coal. The bed shows the side and end (or "tooth") structure. The coal is +very black and moderately lustrous, and breaks readily into small +rectangles of less than an inch. Its coking qualities have not been +tested. Nos. 4 and 5 are said to be softer and more powdery, and may +possibly be better for coke than No. 3. They have an available thickness +of about ten feet each. The details of No. 3 are as follows: + + Roof, Black Shale. FT. INS. + Coal 0 9 + Bone 1 6 + Coal 0 7 + Hard Slate 2 0 + Coal 0 8 + Bone 0 2 + Coal 0 5 + Bone 0 1 + Coal 1 2 + Soft Parting 0 1/2 + Coal 1 0 + Bone and Coal 0 7 + Coal 1 0 + Bone 0 1 + Coal 1 3 + Bone 0 1/4 + Coal 0 5 + Bone 0 1/2 + Coal 0 7 + Bone and Coal 1 8 + Coal 0 4-1/2 + Bone 0 1 + Coal 0 7 + Sandstone bottom. ----------- + Total 15 ft. 3/4 ins. + +There is a natural exposure of No. 2, the "Big Seam," which I saw on the +mountain-side above the miners' camp, and took the following details: + + No. 2, Big Seam, descending. FT. INS. + Coal 1 2 + Bone 0 2-1/2 + Coal 0 5 + Bone 0 4 + Coal 1 4 + Bone 0 1-1/2 + Coal 1 0 + Bone 0 1/4 + Coal 0 8 + Bone 0 1-1/2 + Coal 0 7 + Bone 0 1 + Nigger-head and Coal 0 6 + Bone 0 1-1/2 + Coal 1 8 + Bone 0 1/4 + Coal 2 0 + Bone 0 4 + Coal 1 10 + Bone 0 1 + Coal 0 7 + Bone 0 1-1/2 + Coal 1 0 + Bone 0 1/4 + Coal 1 2 + Bone 0 2-1/2 + Coal 0 6 + Bone 0 1-1/2 + Coal 0 3 + Bone 0 1/4 + Coal 1 3 + Bone 0 1/4 + Coal 1 8 + Shale 0 1-1/2 + Coal 0 6 + Bone 0 4 + Impure Bituminous Matter 21 5-3/4 + Coal, clean and good 5 6 + ----------- + Total 47 ft. 6 ins. + +The Kirke mines are sixteen miles from Salal Prairie, and two miles from +the Northern Pacific Railroad at the Common Point. The route has been +surveyed by the Northern Pacific Railroad. + +Adjoining the Kirke, or Moss Bay Company property, is a section of coal +land (No. 34) on Sugar Loaf Mountain, owned by parties in Seattle, who +offer it at $50,000. There are a number of seams on the property, but I +could examine only one which had been opened near the foot of the +mountain. It is a good seam of bituminous coal, of the same character +with the Kirke coal. I took the following details: + + Sandstone Roof. FT. INS. + Coal 1 6 + Soft Shale 0 1/4 + Coal 0 2 + Soft Clay 0 1/4 + Coal 0 1 + Soft Material, mining. 1 2 + Coal 0 6-1/2 + Slate 0 1/4 + Coal 1 0 + Bone 0 1/2 + Coal 0 10 + Bone 0 1/2 + Coal 0 5 + Bone 0 1/2 + Coal 0 7 + Bone 0 1 + Coal 0 4-1/2 + Bone 0 2-1/2 + Coal 1 4 + Hard Slate Floor. ---------- + Total 8 ft. 5-3/4 ins. + +_c. The Cedar River Group._--This group consists of the Cedar River +mines, nineteen miles from Seattle by rail, the Renton and Talbot mines, +ten miles, and the Newcastle, eighteen miles. These coals are in the +same river basin, and are all high grade lignites. + + [Sidenote: Cedar River mines.] + +The first shipment made from the Cedar River mines was in July, 1884. +There are two good seams here, one of which measures eleven feet. The +outcrop curves from a south to a southwest strike. The dip is 20° toward +the east. + + [Sidenote: Talbot and Renton mines.] + +The Talbot and Renton mines, ten miles from Seattle, are on the same +seam, but, owing to faults and other causes, they have not been worked +of late. The seam is seven to nine feet of good coal, resembling the +Newcastle, but has a bad roof, and soon reaches water. The dip is to the +southeast at the grade of 10° to 25°. The outcrop curves as at Cedar +Mountain. This always bodes trouble. + + [Sidenote: Newcastle Mine.] + +The principal mine in this basin is the Newcastle, from which more coal +by far has been mined than from any other. Its present annual output is +equaled only by the Carbonado mines, which are pressed to their full +capacity by the Central Pacific Railroad. The Newcastle coal is a high +grade lignite, of firm texture, shining black color, and angular +fracture. It is not a coking coal, but has a wide and established +reputation for grate, stove, and boiler uses. It is the typical +"Seattle" coal, and is sold chiefly in Oregon and California. (To-day, +owing to scarcity, it would bring $25 per ton in Los Angeles). It has +not the heating power of bituminous coal, but it is greatly superior to +many of the lignitic coals. Many difficulties have been met with in the +mining at Newcastle, the most of which seem to have been owing to the +necessity for mining on the down grade, or fall of the coal; and the +mines being now 1,000 feet deep. + +I was twice at these mines, but, owing to the just previous destruction +of the hoisting machinery, I could not make an examination. + +An additional difficulty was that the mine had taken fire. + + [Sidenote: Cost of mining.] + +The cost of mining at Newcastle has ranged from 85 cents to $1.50 per +ton, averaging about $1.10. + + [Sidenote: Large production.] + +According to Governor Squire, in 1884, the beds mined at Newcastle were, +beginning at the lowest, 14 feet, 10 feet, and 5 feet in thickness. The +dip is 30° to 40° northward, and the trend north 80° west. Governor +Semple gives the following as the output of the Newcastle mines from +June 30, 1878, to June 30, 1887: + + 1879 127,381 + 1880 128,853 + 1881 149,602 + 1882 158,340 + 1883 218,742 + 1884 149,948 + 1885 149,050 + 1886 85,561 + 1887 140,701 + --------- + Total 1,308,178 + + Average per year 145,353 + +"The great falling off in the output for 1886 is attributable mainly to +the labor troubles of that year, the mine being closed for several +months; also the abandonment of the workings from the No. 4 vein." + +The slope has now been sunk to a depth of 950 feet, and the mine is +being operated entirely from this level. When this lift is finished, it +is thought that several others of equal depth can be sunk as the basin +is likely to be very deep. + + [Sidenote: Misrepresentation.] + +After writing the foregoing, I received a volume issued annually by the +United States Geological Survey on the Mineral Resources of the United +States for 1886; and on page 364 I read with surprise the following +statements in regard to the Newcastle mines of Washington Territory: +"Considerable iron pyrites is present in this coal, which fact, added to +the chaff-like character of the coal for igniting, causes much annoyance +and cost to the mine from fires. Coal, or the mine refuse, piled in +large quantities quickly ignites." + +I knew when I was in the Territory that the mine was on fire, as I have +heretofore stated; but I heard no intimation of spontaneous combustion. +In fact, I was told that it was accidental. + +I wrote at once to Mr. David T. Day, of the Government Survey, who is +the present editor of this valuable work, asking his authority for such +statements concerning this mine as had never, so far as I knew, been +made before; though the mines have been described, or mentioned, in all +the preceding volumes of the same work, and were mentioned with approval +by Bailey Willis, Goodyear, and all other writers on the resources of +Washington Territory. Moreover, that I had spent weeks in the +neighborhood of the mines, and never heard anything of iron pyrites or +spontaneous combustion. + +Mr. Day replied that he had no personal knowledge on the subject; but +that those statements had been furnished him by Mr. James F. Jones, who +is connected with some mining operations along the Northern Pacific +Railway. + +I wrote also to Mr. F. H. Whitworth, of Seattle, calling his attention +to the above statements, and asking what was the truth of the matter. I +received his reply just in time to insert in this Report. I copy below +all that he says on the subject, which puts a different face on the +matter. + + [Sidenote: Correction by Mr. Whitworth.] + + "No, I do not think there is any of any consequence of iron pyrite + in the Newcastle mines. Nor do I consider that the fires in the + mine originated in the decomposition of the pyrites. The fire in + the mine originally started in the 'gob,' close to the furnace used + for ventilation, and where the ashes of the furnace were thrown. + Therefore, I have always believed that the fire was not spontaneous + in its origin. The fire originated in the upper water level 'lift.' + But it was led down into the second and third 'lifts' by carelessly + breaking through the chain pillar, and thus letting the fire down. + Several years before the fire started in the mine, and about + three-quarters of a mile, or a mile, west of the point where it + started, by careless mining and drawing of pillars, there was a + 'squeeze,' and the mine heated; the result, I think, of the crush; + but the mine did not fire. While you were out here the mines were in + danger of firing, and when the cause was not the proximity of the + present fire--but that, too, I think, was brought on by reckless + mining. Running their 'breasts' 75 feet wide and more, and leaving + only skeleton pillars, a 'squeeze,' of course, resulted, and the + crushing produced the heat, and it did finally fire. The crushing + being so great that the top work came down to within five or six + inches of the bottom, you see easily producing crushing sufficient + to cause fire. + + "But the coal does fire outside spontaneously, or rather the slack + does, when it is piled in considerable quantities, and after a year + or more of exposure. The combustion in the slack piles usually + commences in the firing of the shaley cap rock, which is thrown in + with the slack as the rock disintegrates, or as that process goes on + with the 'nigger-heads' thrown into the slack pile. And yet I feel + satisfied that the slack piles fire when there appears to be almost + none of the rock or 'nigger-head' in it. Two conditions, I think, + are required: first, that the slack particles be small, and second, + that large quantities of water be present. And I have supposed the + heat and firing was caused by changing of the conditions; small + particles of slack by disintegration to much smaller particles. + + "And yet it may be possible that there may be sulphur in the form of + pyrite present in sufficient quantity to do its work. Very + semi-occasionally, very seldom, I have seen in the sulphur streaks + some slight indications of pyrite; but generally the sulphur + streaks, or balls, seem to be composed almost entirely of sand, with + very little sulphur, and some coaly matter. + + "The coal never has fired on shipboard. + + "I remember that, several years, ago Mr. Howard, of the O. I. Co., + had collected and stored in his yard in San Francisco, Cal., in one + pile, several thousand tons of Newcastle coal, and was carrying it + for some time in stock, and that he complained that his coal was + heating, and feared fire. Since then they [have not] stowed in such + large piles, nor carried stock so long. + + "No, sir; the sulphur that we rooted [out] at Gilman was not in form + of pyrite, nor have I seen any so far. I do not fear spontaneous + combustion, because in the Newcastle, when it has occurred, it has + resulted from carelessness." + +This statement from Mr. Whitworth is certainly satisfactory on the main +point, namely, that there is nothing in this suggestion which need +diminish the reputation of the Newcastle coal as a stocking and shipping +coal. + +In 1884, Mr. Jones (the same man) made a special report to Governor +Squire on the coals of Washington Territory, in which he describes the +Newcastle coal, speaking of it most highly, and saying nothing of +spontaneous combustion. He uses the following language concerning the +Newcastle coal: "The coal is taken from three beds, and is commercially +known as the 'Seattle lignite,' having a bright lustre and good +fracture. It is a good and choice fuel for steam generating and for +domestic use. The condition of the coal adds much to its value." + + [Sidenote: Gilman Mines.] + +_d. The Squak Creek, Raging River, and Snoqualmie Group._--These are not +all in the same hydrographic basin, but they are considered together +because they are the coals which will be reached by the Seattle, Lake +Shore and Eastern Railroad. A great outcrop of coal seams occurs in the +valley of Squak Creek in the mountain spur which lies between Squak and +the Newcastle mines. These seams are now being opened by the Seattle +Coal and Iron Company, and are known as "The Gilman Mines." + + [Sidenote: Structure of Squak Mountain.] + +The geological structure of the Squak Mountain and its coal seams is +peculiar. With all their local irregularities, the general trend of the +coal-bearing rocks in Washington Territory is north and south; so +determined by the line of the Cascade Mountains, which is the main axis +of elevation, with numerous subordinate and parallel axes. But on Squak +Mountain we find the whole group of rocks and coal seams whirled at +right angles to the general line. In other words, their general +direction is east and west, instead of north and south, and the rocks +lie in regular order against their central axis, dipping northward at a +high angle, and showing no fault, so far as I know, except, possibly, a +vertical fracture somewhere in the mountain, as suggested by a change of +38° in the strike at a point about one mile west of the outcrop on +Squak. If the fracture exists, it does not follow that there is any +serious dislocation. These coal seams are thus carried almost squarely +across the spur from Squak Creek to Coal Creek, or from the Gilman Mines +to the Newcastle Mines. + +The simple explanation is, that, in the upheaval of the country, the +Squak Mountain was made by a cross axis of elevation which runs east and +west, or at right angles with the Cascade Mountains. Its metamorphic +core shows itself along the crest of the mountain. + + [Sidenote: Peculiar advantages for mining possessed by the Gilman + Mines.] + +The part of the mountain which holds the coal seams is a high spur which +puts off at right angles northward from the crest or backbone, and +continues to Lake Washington, a distance of five miles. At the point +where the spur leaves the backbone, it may be 1,000 or 1,200 feet high, +and it declines gradually to the lake, and then makes a bluff +shore-line. On the east side of the spur on Squak Creek it is steep, +whilst on the west side, next Newcastle, it drops off more gradually. +This difference of grade occasions a great difference in the economy of +mining on the two sides. On the east, or Squak Creek side, the ends of +the seams are boldly presented, showing in diagonal parallel lines +extending from the top of the spur to the creek level, an average +exposure of, say, 900 feet in elevation. Here the entries are being +driven in horizontally near the water level, and the future progress of +the mining will be inward and upward instead of downward and sidewise, +as at Newcastle. The entries will all be on the horizontal line crossing +the seams. The extreme distance, 1,300 feet. The length of the seams on +the company's land is about two miles. Depth below water level, +indefinite. + +No shipments have yet been made from Squak Creek, Raging River, or +Snoqualmie Mountain, but active developing work has been in progress +since September last at the Gilman Mines (forty miles from Seattle), and +shipping will begin shortly. A switch of only 600 yards in length is +required from the main line of railway to reach the outcrop of the coal, +and there is every natural advantage for mining. + + [Sidenote: Seattle Coal and Iron Company.] + + [Sidenote: Seven seams.] + + [Sidenote: Details.] + +The Seattle Coal and Iron Company own this property, which consists of +1,300 acres underlaid by seven coal seams, five of which will be mined +ultimately, three in the beginning. I was able to examine three seams +which will be mined at first, and give the following details. + +Top Seam, No. 4, descending: + + Roof, rich Bituminous Black Slate, + containing streaks of-- FT. INS. + Coal 2 3 + Bone 0 1-1/2 + Coal 0 7 + Slate, variable 0 0-1/2 + Coal 0 11 + Clay 0 0-1/2 + Coal 2 0 + Clay, variable 0 1-3/4 + Coal 1 1 + Clay, mining 0 3 + Coal 1 1 + ---------- + Total, good 6 ft. 3-1/4 ins. + + [Sidenote: Good coal.] + +This is a good seam of coal, five feet six inches of which can be +depended on for shipping. The coal is dull-black in color, and easily +mined. The bottom is soft sandstone. Overlying the roof-slate, is +sandstone. The seam here is said to be one foot thicker than it is at +Newcastle. + + [Sidenote: Another good coal seam.] + +Seam No. 2 has been uncovered by the diggings on the railroad, and +happens to be at an + + [Illustration: COAL-BUNKERS OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN + RAILWAY, ON SEATTLE HARBOR.] + + +unfortunate place for showing the coal. A stump, partly silicified, with +part of its bark lignified, had been taken out of the coal bed, and on +each side of it was a tapering band of "Nigger-head," tapering from +eight inches at the stump to nothing at the distance of five feet six +inches from the stump. Selecting an average place, I got the following +section, descending: + + Good roof of Argilaceous Sandstone. FT. INS. + Bone 0 1 + Coal 0 6 + Nigger-head, local 0 5 + Coal 1 10 + Coal, sulphurous 0 3 + Coal 1 3 + Bone 0 0-1/2 + Coal 2 0 + Black slate floor. ---------- + Total 6 ft. 4-1/2 ins. + +Judging from this outcrop, which I suspect does not do full justice to +the bed, at least six feet of merchantable lignitic coal may be depended +on from this seam. + + [Sidenote: And another.] + +Andrew's bed could only be seen at a point 200 feet above the railroad. +It is nearest to the metamorphic axis of the mountain, and hence is the +bottom seam in the group. It is said to be wanting at Newcastle. The +coal is in two benches, descending: + +UPPER BENCH. + + Slate roof: FT. INS. + Coal 0 5 + Bone 0 0-1/16 + Coal 0 4 + Bone 0 3 + Coal 1 8 + Pyrite 0 1-1/2 + Coal 1 2 + Slate 0 5 + Coal 4 4 + ---------- + Total 8 ft. 8-9/16 ins. + +LOWER BENCH. + + FT. INS. + Fire-clay 0 6 + Coal 1 4 + Clay 0 1 + Coal 0 4 + Clay 0 0-1/2 + Coal 1 1 + Bone 0 1 + Coal 1 9 + ---------- + Total 4 ft. 8-1/2 ins. + +The lower bench would probably be neglected for the present, but the +upper bench is worthy of immediate development. The coal is of good +quality. Perhaps on analysis it would be classed with bituminous coals, +although the woody structure is discernible in places. It burns freely. +The outcrop of this bed is visible lower down the creek in a crushed +condition. + + [Sidenote: Large body of valuable coal.] + +My visit was rather premature for a proper study of the group; but there +can be no doubt that there is here a large body of valuable coal. The +quantity is estimated by the mining engineer, Mr. Whitworth, at +10,500,000 tons. I saw no other coal beds in the territory so favorably +situated for mining and loading. Of course, coal standing at an angle of +forty degrees cannot be mined so cheaply as if it were horizontal; but +all the mines in Washington Territory must contend with this +disadvantage, and in all cases coming under my observation, except this +one, the mining had to be done on the down grade, which involved much +hoisting, pumping, bad air, etc., which can be avoided at the Gilman +Mines. + +An incidental advantage, also, is that the Squak Valley furnishes any +amount of timber for building, propping, railroad ties, etc., and when +more generally cultivated, a superabundance of agricultural products. +The experience of Newcastle, and the rapid growth of the market, +indicate that these mines may be enlarged in their operations, almost +without limit. + + [Sidenote: Washington Mines.] + +Washington Mines, on one of the upper branches of Squak Creek, show the +outcroppings of three seams of lignite coal, dipping S. of W. I did not +visit this place, but was informed that a company, known as the +Washington Coal Company, was engaged in cutting these seams; but I am +not informed as to what are their prospects. + + [Sidenote: Raging River coals.] + +The Raging River Coals. Six miles east of Gilman Mines, where the +railroad enters the Raging River Valley, is found another group of coal +seams, older than the Squak coals, and perhaps corresponding in age with +the Franklin and Black Diamond coals, though apparently more bituminous +than they. Raging River is about twelve miles long, and the railroad +first approaches it about midway its length. There are indications of +local metamorphism, if not intrusion, visible in the rocks between Squak +Creek and Raging River, and this is further indicated by an outcrop of +anthracite at the north end of the coal seams, within a mile of the +road. Mr. Whitworth represents this anthracite seam as five feet thick, +but crushed and fragile. Its structure is laminated, and it breaks into +small cubes. He spoke, also, of another seam of anthracite high up on +Raging River, three feet thick, with three inches slate six inches from +the top. He mined in on this for thirty feet without observing any +change. The outcrop of this group of coal seams extends from near the +line of the railroad, up the west side of the valley, parallel with the +river, and about a mile from it, and lying in high hills. This coal +property is also owned by the Seattle Coal and Iron Company. The +principal mining camp is near the head of the valley, ten miles above +Falls City, six miles above the line of railway. Here I saw the coal +seams, which had been uncovered without having been cut into +sufficiently to determine fully their character. One seam is open in a +ravine, half way up the mountain, but most of them near the top, at an +elevation of about 800 feet above the river. There are at least six +seams, and if the one on the mountain side be a different seam, there +are seven. The coal generally is of good quality: bituminous, with +cubical fracture; but its value is greatly diminished by numerous slate +partings, and some of the seams are too thin for profitable mining. The +dip is to the southwest at high angles: about eighty degrees on the +mountain side--less in the top seams. + + [Sidenote: Details.] + +The seam on the mountain side showed a total thickness of seven feet +with sandstone over and under; but of this there was only about 2 feet 8 +inches of good coal in a body, and the rest coal and slate interleaved. +Near the top of the mountain there are six seams open near a rivulet, +and quite near together. Reaching the top of the mountain, I found the +upper opening (geologically the under opening), No. 1, to contain about +two feet of good black coal, with one slate parting of an inch thick. + +No. 2. This seam shows a total thickness of eight feet, but it contains +so many slate partings that I could not estimate the bed highly. + +No. 3. Here I saw fifteen inches of coal, with slate partings. + +No. 4. An irregular bed, four to seven feet in thickness, crushed, and +probably dislocated, and so slaty as to be of doubtful value. + +No. 5. Another crushed and irregular exposure, four to six feet thick. +The coal looks better, and promises to be a good seam when found in its +natural state. + +No. 6. A two-foot seam resembling No. 1. + +Mr. Whitworth furnished me the following details of an opening near the +camp on Raging River, which was not in a condition to be seen during my +visit, but which has since been gone in upon for about fifteen feet. +From bed-rock, ascending: + + FT. INS. + Clay 0 2 + Coal, crushed 0 5 + Black bone 0 1 + Coal, crushed 0 11 + Black bone 0 1 + Coal, hard 0 6 + Sand rock 0 3 + Coal, good 0 10 + Bone 0 2 + Coal, good 0 6 + Bone 0 1-1/2 + Coal, good 0 6 + Bone 0 1 + Coal, crushed 0 36 + Clay and rock (diminishing) 4 6 + Coal, crushed 3 0 + Strike, north, 76-1/2° east. + Dip 22° to south. + +Mr. Whitworth says that the coal improved as he went in, and he is quite +hopeful about this seam. But his record reads to me like the description +of a slide; still it may not be so. + +The show upon the whole, as seen by me, was not satisfactory--and yet +the beds might possibly improve inward; and if the coal should coke +well, it might pay to wash it; as could easily be done at Raging River. + + [Sidenote: Snoqualmie Mountain Coal Group.] + +The Snoqualmie Coal Group outcrops some hundreds of feet up the west +side of Snoqualmie Mountain, and about three miles southwest of Hop +Ranch. The outcrop has been traced perhaps one mile. There are five +seams here running north and south with the strike of the mountain +rocks. The seams dip west at an angle of 45°, _i.e._, away from the axis +of the mountain. + + [Sidenote: Details.] + + [Sidenote: Good coking coal.] + +Seam No. 3 is the third seam from the bottom. A side entry had been +driven in on the coal for 60 feet, but water now barred the entrance and +prevented a thorough scrutiny of the seam. Its thickness was about 3 +feet 6 inches, of which there was a band of lignitic coal of +three-quarters of an inch near the top, and five inches of the same near +the bottom. The weathered outcrop of this, as of the coal-beds of +Washington Territory generally, had a brownish hue, but the fresh +surfaces showed a good black bituminous coal. It lies firm and regular +in its bed. When dug and handled, it goes to small pieces, and may +generally be crushed to powder in the hand; which, of itself, is no bad +sign of a good coking coal. + +Seam No. 4, the second seam from the bottom, descending: + + FT. INS. + Roof, Slate 2 0 + Bone 2 0 + Coal 0 6 + Fine-grained Sandstone, average 2 2 + Natural Coke 0 6 + Bituminous Shale 0 6 + Coal 4 2 + Bottom, Sandstone. + +The coal of this seam is soft, black and lustrous. An entry was driven +in 50 feet, which required much propping, the roof being bad. At the end +of this distance we came squarely against a wall of sandstone, showing a +fault. At this point six inches of the top coal is thrown up vertically, +which showed that the seam thus far had dropped, and that the +continuation was to be looked for at a higher level. Mining upward +through the soft material, the coal had been again struck at an +elevation of 16 feet, but not the full thickness of the seam, and not in +its true position; but after following it upward 4 feet more the seam +was found in its natural state. + +There seems to be no slate in this seam, but occasionally there is found +in it a ball of "nigger-head," or hard sulphurous matter, from the size +of a man's head down. + + [Sidenote: Also good coking coal.] + +An experiment of coking this coal in a small pit at the mouth of this +bank was made by Mr. Kirke and his coal-bank manager, with as +satisfactory results as could be expected from so imperfect a trial. I +found pieces of the coke lying near, and saw better samples which have +been brought from here. While, of course, the coke thus made is not the +best quality, it certainly promises well. + + [Sidenote: Large and valuable bed.] + +Seam No. 2, descending: + + Roof, fine-grained Sandstone, under + which is seven inches Black Slate. FT. INS. + Coal 0 6 + Slate 2 0 + Coal 0 7 + Slate 0 4 + Coal 0 5 + Slate 0 5 + Argillaceous and Ferruginous Rock 1 7 + Coal 0 1-1/2 + Bone 0 5 + Coal (main bench) of good quality 7 0 + Nigger-head 0 2 + Coal 1 0 + Slate 0 1-1/2 + Coal, good 0 6 + Slate and Clay 0 7 + Lignite (brown coal) 2 1 + Bituminous Slate 1 8 + Coal 0 1/2 + Nigger-head 0 4-1/2 + Clay and Bony Slate 0 7 + Coal 0 1 + Nigger-head 0 1-1/2 + Coal 0 1/16 + Bituminous Slate 1 2 + Coal 0 1 + Slate 0 7 + Coal 0 7 + Slate and Sandstone bottom. --------------- + Total 23 ft. 1-9/16 in. + + [Sidenote: Another good bed.] + +Seam No. 1 is only partially exposed, the workings having caved in; but +enough of the seam was visible to show that it was a bright, soft, +friable, bituminous coal, of good quality, containing some slate and +nigger-head. Its fracture would be called _dicey_ by some geologists, +because it breaks readily into small cubes, even smaller than dice. The +seam is probably about five feet in thickness. + + [Sidenote: Geological relations.] + +This group probably corresponds geologically with the Kirke Mines, on +Green River; but, judging by the eye, it is a more bituminous coal and +better suited to coking. The large bed here may correspond with one of +the large beds at the Kirke Mines. + +I fear that faults are numerous in the coal rocks of this group, which, +of course, would add to the expense of mining. But if, as expected, it +furnishes a good smelting coke, the field will be extremely valuable +from its contiguity to the magnetic ores of the Cascade Mountains and +the scarcity of coking coals. + +This property was for sale when I visited it, and would have been sold +but for a claim of ownership set up by the Northern Pacific Railroad, +which, however, in the opinion of good lawyers, had no foundation. + + [Sidenote: This the bottom group.] + +This is the bottom group of the Washington Territory coal field. It will +be seen that, taking the Gilman group, the Raging River group, and the +Snoqualmie group on one line, and the Cedar River, Carbon River, and +Green River group on another line, it may be fairly claimed that there +are at least fifteen working seams of three feet and upward in the +Washington Territory coal field. + +_e. The Yakima and Wenatchie Group._ This field lies on the east flank +of the Cascade Mountains, on the waters of the Yakima and its +tributaries, Cle-ellum and Teanaway. It is believed to extend also into +the Wenatchie Valley, although the area here is probably disconnected +from the Yakima area. I purposely refrained from visiting this region, +and for my statements I am indebted chiefly to Bailey Willis, F. H. +Whitworth, Charles Burch, and Mr. Jamieson of the Kirke Mines. + + [Sidenote: Yakima or Roslyn coal field.] + +The Yakima area lies north of the Yakima River, near to the Northern +Pacific Railroad, and to the projected line of the Seattle, Lake Shore +and Eastern Railway, and extends about sixty miles east and west, and +six miles north and south. Its dip is gentle, say twelve to twenty +degrees. It holds three coal seams of 2 feet 6 inches, and 5 feet and 5 +feet respectively. There is not much evidence of fracture in any part of +the field. The total thickness of the coal-bearing rocks is estimated by +Bailey Willis to be 1,000 feet. This is evidently the lower part of the +coal series, the upper part having been carried away. The best seam is +mined at Roslyn, four miles north of the Northern Pacific Railroad, in +the interest of that railroad. + +The seam here furnishes upward of four feet of good coal. The coal is +bituminous, dull black, firm, and free burning. Mr. Jamieson thinks it +will not make good coke. Others, however, think that it will, and these +are supported partially by the laboratory test in Washington City, D. C. +(See Table of Coal Analyses, page 107.) It is called in the table Roslyn +coal. + +This coal is used chiefly in the locomotives; but the popular demand for +it is very great in the plateau country of East Washington. + + [Sidenote: Coal on the Wenatchie.] + +I have no knowledge of the coal on Wenatchie River except what I +obtained from Mr. Burch, who says that there are two seams of coal +exposed in that valley, one of eight feet and one of three feet. The +coal-bearing rocks extend for thirty-five miles up the river, and have a +width of ten miles. + + [Sidenote: Coal under the Great Bend country.] + +The coal is reported by Mr. Burch to appear east of the Columbia River, +opposite to the fields just described, and to disappear under the +basalt. If so, here is a resource for the future. Concerning the +importance of this coal field to the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern +Railway, I will speak in another connection. + + [Sidenote: The first mining on Bellingham Bay.] + +_f. Bellingham Bay, Skagit River, and other Coal Fields._ The first +shipping of coal from Washington Territory was done from the Seahome +Mines, on Bellingham Bay, Puget Sound, about twenty-five miles south of +the Canada line. The mines were very badly managed; they took fire on +several occasions. The coal was of the lignitic grade, but not of the +best quality, and when other mines of better coal were opened the +Bellingham Bay mines were closed. It is reported that coking coal has +been found some distance back from the bay. + + [Sidenote: Coal on Skagit River.] + +Coal has also been found on Skagit River, which, I suspect, from a +sample which I saw and from what I heard (some of it), is good, and +possibly might coke well. One of the coal properties is held by A. Ford +and others. The following description is furnished by Mr. Norman B. +Kelly. + +It is found about three miles north of the Skagit River, and about five +miles from Sedro. The country is hilly. There are at least six or eight +coal seams, perhaps more. Those examined run from eighteen inches to +thirty inches, and are thought to be clean coal. The seams lie between +sandrocks. The outcrops begin near the level of the valley, and continue +in a series to an altitude of 550 feet above the valley. The highest +outcrops are those of the lowest seams geologically. The strike is north +sixty degrees west. At the foot of the hill, the seams dip forty-five +degrees to the southwest, but the angle becomes steeper on the mountain +side, until finally they are vertical. All the outcrops are within 1,500 +feet horizontal distance. Blacksmiths use the coal and pronounce it +equal to Cumberland. It cokes readily in the open fire; burns with a +bright, hot, but small flame, and seems to leave but little ash. + +Of course, the thinness of these seams is an objection. There is coal, +also, upon the south side of the river; but there has been but little +development in this field. An analysis of this coal is given in the +table preceding, but I cannot say from what seam the sample was derived. + +The following analysis of coal of the Crystal Mine, near Sterling, is +said to have been made by Mr. Wm. G. Tenne, assayer, of Portland, +Oregon: + + Coke 71.31 + Combustible gases 23.17 + Ash 5.31 + Moisture .21 + +A very fine showing. + + [Sidenote: Coal south of Puget Sound.] + +It has long been known that there are considerable areas of coal south +and southwest of Puget Sound. But they have not been very highly +esteemed, the coals being lignite of not the best quality. There are at +least two seams of seven to twelve feet thickness, and they lie at an +angle of five degrees, with good roof and floor. Some effort is now +making on Skookumchuck and Chehalis rivers to develop these seams. + + [Sidenote: Total shipments of coal from Washington Territory.] + +Governor Semple, in his report for 1887, gives as the total shipment for +the year ending June 30, 1887, the amount 525,705 tons. And he gives as +the total output of coal from all the Washington Territory mines from +the beginning of shipments to June 30, 1887: + + MINES. TONS. + Newcastle 1,308,178 + Franklin 46,272 + Black Diamond 148,418 + Renton 35,015 + Talbot 10,000 + Cedar River 64,816 + Carbonado 402,207 + South Prairie 139,792 + Wilkeson 10,372 + Bucoda 4,550 + Roslyn 40,987 + Bellingham Bay (estimated) 250,000 + Clallam Bay 500 + ---------- + Total 2,461,108 + +I have now given a sketch of all the coal mines and coal areas of +Washington Territory, and will conclude with a few words on the coal of +Vancouver's Island. + + [Sidenote: Coal on Vancouver's Island.] + +_g._ _Coal Seams in British Columbia._ The productive coal field is on +Vancouver's Island, on the east side of the Gulf of Georgia. There are +three mines in operation as given below: + +ANNUAL OUTPUT. + + SHORT TONS. + Nanaimo Colliery 112,761 + Wellington Colliery 185,846 + East Wellington Colliery 28,029 + +This coal is marketed chiefly in California. The coal is lignitic; and +yet it is said to coke well. It is also good stocking coal. The beds +dip from 5° to 30° southward. The cost of transportation to San +Francisco is about the same as from Seattle, and the cost of delivering +on board ship about the same as from the Newcastle mines. The tariff of +75 cents per ton on foreign coal is regarded with satisfaction by the +coal men of Washington Territory. The repeal of this tariff would +inflict a heavy blow upon the mining industry of the Territory. + + [Sidenote: The Iron Ores.] + +II. IRON ORE.--The iron ores of Washington Territory consist of Bog ore, +Brown ore (Limonite), some Red, or Specular ore (Hematite), and Magnetic +ore (Magnetite). The bog ore has been found in considerable quantities +underlying the flats bordering Puget Sound, and has been worked in a +furnace on Bellingham Bay. These ores, no doubt, come from the +decomposition of the limonites, the magnetites and the basaltic rocks of +the high lands, especially on the Cascade Mountains. These Bellingham +Bay ores generally have an excess of phosphorus, and yield about 42 per +cent. of metallic iron. Brown ore is reported on the Skagit River, +sufficiently abundant, perhaps, but not containing more than 40 per +cent. metallic iron. I saw a remarkable deposit of brown ore on the +Willamette, near Portland, Oregon. It is a horizontal stratum varying +from 4 to 20 feet in thickness, lying between masses of basalt. It has +been worked in the Oswego furnace, but yielded only about 40 per cent. +metallic iron. I did not see any specular ore in place in Washington +Territory, but saw samples, said to have been brought from near the +Middle Fork of Snoqualmie River. + + [Sidenote: The great magnetic ore beds of Cascade Mountains.] + + [Sidenote: Resembles the Cranberry ore deposits.] + +But unquestionably the most important, as well as the largest, are the +magnetic ore beds on the Cascade Mountains. These ores are found 1,000 +to 1,500 feet above the chief water-courses on those high ridges and +peaks which make up the Cascade Range along the headwaters of the +Snoqualmie, on the west side of the mountain, and of the Yakima on the +east flank of the mountain. These ores are underlaid by syenite and +quartzite, and overlaid by limestone. The ore itself is found in +conditions similar to that of the Cranberry ore in the Unaka Mountains +of North Carolina; that is, it lies in pockets of various sizes in +hornblendic, porphyritic and epidotic rocks. + + [Sidenote: Guye Mine on Mount Logan.] + +I visited two exposures of this ore, one on Mount Logan and the other on +Mount Denny. These are only a mile or two from the line of the railroad. +On Mount Logan there was only one large outcrop of iron-bearing rocks, +but float was seen at numerous points on the mountain. The main exposure +showed an ore-bearing rock, presenting a horizontal front some sixty +feet in length, and forty to fifty feet in height or thickness. At one +place a considerable area in this space seemed to be pure ore. For the +rest, the pockets were smaller, and, of course, the amount of rock +proportionally larger. What is to be found on going in from the surface +can never be told in advance in ore beds of this sort. In working the +great mine of Cranberry, North Carolina, the largest body of ore was +reached 100 to 200 feet from the surface. + +This bed of ore is known as The Summit, or Guye Mine. Its elevation is +1,250 feet above the grade of the Lake Shore Railroad, and about 1,000 +feet above the small stream at the foot of the mountain. There would be +no difficulty in building an inclined plane from the ore bank to the +small valley below. The snow in winter might interfere with mining. + +Ascending the mountain above the main exposure, I found what seemed to +be another level of iron ore 100 feet higher; but possibly it may be the +same bed displaced. Still higher appeared to be a third level of ore, +and higher still, I observed a little float ore at a point nearly 2,000 +feet above the grade of the railroad, on what may be called the summit +of Mount Logan, at a point which my barometer made 4,700 feet above +Puget Sound. + + [Sidenote: Denny Mine.] + +The Denny Mine is on a different mountain, somewhat farther to the west, +but about the same distance from the railroad. It is reached also by a +narrow valley from which a steep ascent of nearly 1,100 feet is made to +the main exposure, which shows an edge of pure fine-grained magnetite, +about twenty feet thick, with limestone above, and also beneath, +apparently. Fragments of epidote, porphyry and flinty quartzite lay +around. The limestone did not show so large here as on Mount Logan. The +ore dips steeply toward the south, and seemed to encrust the mountain +for a distance of, perhaps, 225 feet, but with a somewhat broken +surface. It then passed with its limestone under quartzite cliffs which +crest the mountain. The bed might have been followed around the +mountain, where it is said to show at a number of places. It seemed to +pass into a matrix of chert. + + [Sidenote: Chair Peak, or Kelly Mine.] + +I did not visit the Chair Peak, or Kelly Mine, which is some miles +distant; but I conversed with probably every man who ever saw it, some +half a dozen, including Mr. Whitworth, who made a survey of the +property. It is reported as probably the largest and purest of all the +deposits of magnetic ore, and lies at about the same height on the +mountains. This ore would come out by way of the Middle Fork of +Snoqualmie. + + [Sidenote: Middle Fork Mines.] + +I did not visit Guye's other mine, which lies high, perhaps 3,000 feet +above Middle Fork. Mr. Guye represents it as similar in character to the +bed elsewhere, with the addition of some brown and red ore. The other +deposits mentioned I received no description of. + + [Sidenote: All easily reached from Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern + Railway.] + +None of these mines have been developed beyond the uncovering of a face. +As yet there is no furnace for smelting them, and no means provided for +bringing them off the mountains. There is no difficulty about reaching +them with spur railroads and inclined planes. It has occurred to me as +possible that a narrow gauge railroad might reach all of these mines, +without heavy grades, by starting at the highest point of the Lake Shore +road and following the divides from mountain to mountain. This, however, +can only be determined by a special reconnaissance. + + [Sidenote: Cle-ellum ore beds.] + +There are large deposits of iron ore also on the east side of the +Cascade Mountains, not far from the crest line, on the waters of the +Cle-ellum River. Three distinct beds are reported. They are all in the +valley of the Cle-ellum River. The upper bed is situated about eight +miles above Cle-ellum Lake, on the main and east fork of the Cle-ellum +River. This bed has been described to me by Mr. Whitworth and Mr. Burch. +The distance from the Northern Pacific Railroad is twenty-five miles, +following the Cle-ellum valley. It is within sixteen miles of the most +distant location made of the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway; +and by another route which has been spoken of, this railroad would pass +close to the ore bed. Mr. Whitworth says concerning it: "The ledge is +well defined, and is traced and located about two miles, its course +being nearly north and south. It is apparently from forty to sixty feet +in width, and pitches at about an angle of 20° to the west. The casing +rock is porphyry. The deposit is evidently extensive. The ore appears +rich, is magnetic, and is reported to assay from 56-1/2 to 66 per cent. +I obtained samples of the rock, from which satisfactory tests can be, no +doubt, obtained." + +The elevation of the iron ore outcrop is estimated at 3,000 feet, which +would place it nearly on a level with the summit of Snoqualmie Pass; but +it is only about 200 feet above the local water-level. + +Mr. Burch says concerning this ore bed, which has now been bought by +Mr. Kirke for the Moss Bay Company, that the strike of the bed is +northeast, whilst the outcrop runs northwest. The ore is in five or more +separate beds, each bed being on an average forty to fifty feet thick, +and the beds separated by rock. The ore can be followed but a short +distance along the strike. + + [Sidenote: Burch's ore bed.] + +Burch's iron ore bed approaches the Cle-ellum River about four miles +below the Kirke bed, and extends in a northeast direction to the +headwaters of Boulder Creek, a distance of five miles. The outcrop +crosses three high ridges. The dip is south, at an angle of 45°. The +width is at least twenty feet. A ferruginous limestone lies against the +ore on the south side. The limestone is 300 or 400 feet thick. It seems +to overlie the iron bed. Its outside or top layers are pure blue +limestone. + +A gray sandstone, rather soft, overlies the limestone, and over this +comes a coal-bearing rock in which are dykes of gray iron ore, some of +them standing out of the ground 80 or 100 feet. The magnetic iron ore is +associated with hornblende and quartzite. All rocks dip south. Mr. Burch +says that this ore resembles the Kirke ore, but has some of the +characteristics of hematite. Mr. Guye talks in the same way about his +iron ore on Middle Fork. + +At one point, not far from Cle-ellum River, a bed of gray iron ore +crosses the magnetic ore at right angles. This gray ore is not well +understood. It may be an altered copper lode. The main ore bed is more +strongly magnetic near the intersection than it is elsewhere. + +I may here remark that Mr. Burch reports considerable float of rich +magnetite on the shores of Lake Chelan. + + [Sidenote: Dudley ore bed.] + +I have no description of the Dudley iron ore bed, but it is said to be +large, and of the best quality. Its location is also in the Cle-ellum +valley, between Burch's bed and the lake, and within four or five miles +of the lake. This information I get through a letter written from +Cle-ellum to Mr. Whitworth. I have no personal knowledge of these +Cle-ellum beds. + + [Sidenote: Undoubtedly large beds of steel ores.] + +There can be no doubt as to the existence in the Cascade Mountains along +this line of superior iron ore in large quantities, the most of which is +suited to the manufacture of steel. + + [Sidenote: Of superior quality.] + +There can be no doubt as to the superior quality of the Snoqualmie iron +ores. Analysis shows that they rank with the best steel ores in their +large percentage of metallic iron and small admixture of deleterious +impurities. Of the following tables, the first gives all the reliable +analyses I could obtain of the ores of the Snoqualmie region of the +Cascade Mountains. Those reported from Mr. Kirke and Mr. Dewey are of +high authority. Those from Mr. Jenner are given in Governor Squire's +report for 1885, and are probably equally reliable. + +ANALYSES OF SNOQUALMIE IRON ORES. + + ----------+---------------+----------+----------+----------+----------- + Kind. | Locality. | Silica. | Metallic | Sulphur. |Phosphorus. + | | | Iron. | | + ----------+---------------+----------+----------+----------+----------- + | {Summit.| 1.30 | 71.17 | .00-1/2 | .04 + | Mt. { " | 2.73 | 68.56 | .02 | .03-1/2}[1] + Magnetite.| Logan { " | 2.23 | 69.40 | .00-3/4 | .03-1/2} + | { " | 1.87 | 70.18 | .01-1/4 | .03 } [2] + | { " | 1.67 | 67.00 | 0.05 | 0.02 } + | +----------+----------+----------+----------- + | Average | 1.96 | 69.26-1/5| .01-9/16| .03-1/5 + Bog | | | | | + Ironstone.| { | 9.37 | 45.50 | Traces | 0.08 } + | Middle{ | 6.03 | 64.50 | 0.05 | ---- } [2] + Micaceous.| Fork { |22.32 | 59.50 | 0.05 | Trace } + |(Guye).{ | 3.33 | 67.80 | 0.03 | Trace } + Hematite. | { |11.77 | 60.90 | 0.02 | Trace } + | | | | | + | { No. 1 | 2.72 | 69.39 | 0.042 | 0.035 + | Denny { No. 2 | 1.30 | 71.17 | 0.005 | 0.039 [3] + Magnetite.| Mt. { No. 3 | 2.73 | 68.56 | 0.019 | 0.035 + | { No. 4 | 4.02 | 67.17 | 0.041 | 0.031 + | { No. 5 | 2.23 | 69.40 | 0.008 | 0.035 + | { No. 6 | 1.87 | 70.18 | 0.013 | 0.031 + | +----------+----------+----------+----------- + | Average | 2.47-5/8 | 69.31-1/6| 0.021-1/3| 0.034-1/3 + ----------+---------------+----------+----------+----------+----------- + Authorities: + 1. Dewey (chemist). + 2. Reported by Kirke. + 3. Reported by Chas. K. Jenner, from a Philadephia chemist. + + [Sidenote: Proved by analysis to be unsurpassed, if equaled.] + +By way of comparison, I next introduce a table of analyses, which begins +with what Mr. Phineas Barnes, in his report on the steel industry of the +United States (1885), gives as a typical steel ore from the best +American mines. The second analysis gives the average of fourteen +analyses of the best Lake Superior steel ores. The third is a typical +steel ore from the Iron Mountain of Missouri. The fourth is the average +of all the analyses of the magnetic ores of the Snoqualmie Valley, which +name I give to them to distinguish them from similar ores on the east +side of the Cascade Mountains, of which I have no analyses: + + +COMPARATIVE ANALYSES OF STEEL ORES. + + ------------------+--------------+---------+-----------+----------- + |Metallic Iron.| Sulphur.|Phosphorus.| Silica. + ------------------+--------------+---------+-----------+----------- + Typical Steel Ore | 59.24-2/3 |.20-2/3 | .03-2/3 | 6.17-2/3 + Lake Superior | 68.48 | ---- | .053 | 2.07 + Iron Mountain | 65.500 |.016 | .040 | 5.750 + Snoqualmie | 68.80-8/13 |.023-4/13| .028-2/3 | 2.61-10/13 + ------------------+--------------+---------+-----------+----------- + +This showing places the Snoqualmie ores in the front rank of American +steel ores; indeed, it shows a little higher in metallic iron, and a +little lower in phosphorus, than any of the others. These analyses are, +of course, made from the ore proper; _i.e._, without any addition of the +matrix, or gangue-rock, in which the ores are imbedded. With all +magnetites of this type it is only in exceptional spots that much of the +ore can be gotten, free from the enclosing rock. Under ordinary +circumstances something like 20 per cent. of the ore sent to the furnace +will be gangue-rock. There is reason to hope, however, that ere long +there will be a practical method for separating the rock from the ore, +and at the same time getting rid of most of the sulphur. At Cranberry, +N. C., the ore is now roasted and stamped into small bits, and an +experiment has been made of passing the ore through a jigger, whereby +the hornblendic and other enclosing rocks were separated by the +pulsations of the water, as in coal washing. + + [Sidenote: Improved processes.] + +The Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company, Pennsylvania, has been separating +the ore from the rock with good results. The same has been done at Crown +Point, N. Y., Lion Mountain, near Plattsburg, N. Y., Negaunee, Mich., +and Beach Glen, N. J. + +The process is really one of concentration, in some respects similar to +that pursued with the refractory ores of the precious and base metals. +The ore is first calcined sufficiently to make it friable. It is then +crushed, by a Blake or other rock-breaker, and is finally sluiced, or +jigged, or both. The aim is to produce a Bessemer concentrate which +would yield 60 per cent. or more metallic iron, and at the same time get +rid of whatever phosphorus might be in the gangue-rock. In the best +experiments the object was more than accomplished. The concentrate +contained 63 per cent. of metallic iron, the middlings 55 per cent., and +the tailings 16 per cent. This experiment was made with a refractory +Adirondack magnetite, which was so intermixed with hornblende, quartz, +mica, etc., that the ore might be described as a hornblendic gneiss, +carrying a large proportion of magnetite. No doubt experience will teach +some way of saving the ore that is now wasted in the tailings. + +Thus we may hope to see removed in a short time the only practical +difficulty in working the crystalline magnetites, such as those of +Snoqualmie, and many others. + + + [Sidenote: Granite.] + +III. GRANITE, LIMESTONE AND MARBLE.--What is here called granite is +really syenite. It is found high on the mountains, associated, as +already intimated, with the magnetic iron ore, and with hard quartzite, +porphyry, epidote, hornblende, and limestone largely marbleized. This +group of rocks forms the core of the Cascade Mountains, and hence +underlies all the coal-bearing rocks to the westward. The group has been +assigned by some geologists to the Archæan age; but it is possible that +they are metamorphosed strata of the Silurian, or some subsequent +period. Some of this syenite has a large proportion of quartz, which +gives it a light appearance; but in other places the hornblende crystals +are of good size and in full proportion, and the feldspar is of the +orthoclase variety, which gives a mixture of three colors, and makes +fully as handsome a stone as the Quincy granite. + +Limestone is reported as existing in some of the islands in Puget Sound, +where it is burnt into lime; but I have met with no particular account +of it. + + [Sidenote: Marble and limestone.] + +The limestone and marble associated with the iron ore on the Cascade +Mountains has already been alluded to. It is of fine quality, very +abundant, and easily quarried. It will have great value for flux and +commercial lime. It is also beautiful in color, varying from the purest +white to blue, and mixtures of the two colors. In texture it is +sometimes exceedingly fine grained, and in others crystallized into a +true and beautiful marble, which, so far as can be judged by eye, would +be well adapted to both inside and outside finishing and statuary. On +Mount Logan the limestone deposit almost covers the mountain above the +lower line of the iron ore, and is so exposed as to be quarried with the +greatest ease. + +The same association of limestone in heavy beds with iron ore seems to +exist also on the Cle-ellum, as mentioned by Mr. Burch. This gentleman +spoke to me, also, of a very beautiful and easily burned limestone in +the Wenatchie Valley. Large beds of limestone also exist in connection +with the precious and base metals, which are next to be described. In +the Colville country limestone seems to abound. + + + [Sidenote: Precious metals on Cascade Mountains.] + +IV. THE PRECIOUS AND BASE METALS.--In the Cascade Mountains, and in the +mountains north of the plateau country of East Washington, and in the +Coeur d'Alene Mountains, within the border of Idaho, occur numerous +veins bearing gold, silver, copper, lead, sulphur and iron. Discoveries +on Cascade Mountain proper have been made on both sides, chiefly in the +region of the iron ore. Those at the Denny and Chair Peak mines have +been most spoken of. Professor Mason, of the "Rennselaer Polytechnic +Institute," Troy, New York, gives the following assay of two samples +sent from the Chair Peak claim of Kelly, Wilson & Co.: + + 1st. Silver 13.9 oz. per ton. + 2d. Silver 12.4 + Both 14% copper. + +Professor Price, of San Francisco, also assayed a sample from the same +vein. + + Silver $3.63 per ton. + + [Sidenote: On Cle-ellum River.] + +Metallic veins are found also in connection with iron ore on Cle-ellum +River. Mr. Burch reports a copper and silver lode, and also two lodes of +gold and silver, in this neighborhood. He reports the ores as high +grade, of good, workable thickness, and outcropping for several thousand +feet. There is a gray ore in the same region, the character of which has +not yet been determined. This has already been mentioned as lying close +to the iron ore, and may possibly be metamorphosed chalcopyrite. Mr. +Burch thinks that the silver ores will run from forty to eighty ounces, +while in some spots the richness is very extraordinary. The lead ore in +association ranges from fifteen to forty per cent. + + [Sidenote: Large copper vein in Stevens County.] + +The same gentleman, who is a resident of the Okinagane region, reports a +remarkable lode of copper ore running due south across Stevens County, +from the Canada line to the Columbia River. It shows a plain outcrop for +about forty miles. The vein carries both native and gray copper and a +small percentage of silver. + + [Sidenote: Precious metals on Methow River.] + +Reports, apparently authentic, are made of numerous other veins of metal +in the same region, particularly in the valley of the Methow River and +the valley of the Okinagane River. The Colville region, beginning fifty +miles north of Spokane Falls, is well known as a rich mining centre. + +What I know of these regions I learned from the oral or written +testimony of men who had seen what they described, and some of them +residents of the localities. + +The basin of the Methow River has been but little prospected, and +although I gathered many favorable items concerning the mineral deposits +there, I met but one man who had personally examined the country, and he +confirmed the favorable reports. He said the ores were similar to those +on the Okinagane, but were more abundant. + + [Sidenote: The rich mines of Okinagane.] + +The Okinagane country is well known, hundreds of men having been at work +there last summer, and some of its mines, particularly the Ruby and +Arlington, having become notable for their richness. Among my informants +are Mr. Burch and Mr. Thomas Lothian, who both reside on the Okinagane +River; and also Mr. J. E. Clayton, mining engineer, who made a +professional report on the country, which was printed in the Spokane +Falls _Review_. + +The mining district is on Conconnully Creek (misnamed Salmon River), +which enters Okinagane River from the northwest, about twenty miles from +its mouth. There are two wagon roads to the Conconnully, one from +Spokane Falls, with a branch from Sprague, distance 150 miles, on which +stages ran last summer. Another road starts from Ellensburg on the +Yakima, and is 195 miles long. With an expenditure of a few thousand +dollars on the channel of the Okinagane, the mouth of the Conconnully +could be reached from the Columbia by light-draught steamers, from which +a railway fifteen miles long would reach the mines. Mr. Burch says that +he and his father sounded the river, and also the Columbia, and that +steamers can start at Rock Island Rapids and go to the mouth of the +Conconnully, and, in flush water, can ascend the creek. Mr. Clayton +makes the same statement as to the river. The country rocks in the +mining districts are of the same character as those associated with the +iron ore on Mount Logan and the Denny Mountain--hard metamorphic and +plutonic rocks. + +The principal mineral lode is described by Mr. Clayton as "composed of +true quartz gangue carrying the silver ore in disseminated grains of +black sulphurets of silver, with some copper-silver glance, and a +brittle sulphuret, resembling tennantite, giving a dark, red, powdery +streak, approaching the characteristics of dark antimonial ruby silver. +In addition to this is found galena and zinc-blende." + +Assays made by Mr. Wm. H. Fuller, of Spokane Falls, gave for first-class +ore from this lode: Silver, $186.45, and gold, $4.50 = $190.95 value per +ton. Second-class ore assayed $34.16 silver and 45 cents gold. Mr. +Slater thinks that one-third of the vein will yield first-class ore. It +is a rich vein, averaging eight feet so far as opened. There are two or +three lodes in the district. Years will be required to ascertain their +limits. But all the indications point to large mining operations in the +Okinagane country as soon as the transportation can be supplied. + +My chief authority for the following statements concerning the Colville +region is Mr. Kearney, one of the firm of Kearney Brothers, owners of +the two largest mines of that country, namely, the Old Dominion and the +Daisy. I incorporate some statements also from two articles published in +the Spokane Falls _Review_, one by W. E. Sullivan, and the other by J. +B. Slater. + + [Sidenote: The mines in the Colville region.] + +The Colville region is the east end of Stevens County, the part lying +east of the Columbia River and north of Spokane Falls. Its chief town +(500 inhabitants) is called Colville, from the fort of that name which +was situated there. It is ninety-one miles north of Spokane Falls. +Between the two points there is almost a continuous valley of great +productiveness. The mineral region begins at Chewelah, fifty miles north +of Spokane Falls, and continues at least forty miles north of Colville. +Granite, porphyry, and limestone are found here, as in the other +metalliferous regions. In some cases the ores are in slate and quartz; +in others, in granite and porphyry; in still others, limestone. Some of +the ores are iron carbonates, carrying silver, gold, and lead in paying +quantities. In other cases, as at the Old Dominion mines, the ore exists +in the form of a chloride and black sulphate in limestone walls. + +Rich mines of argentiferous galena were discovered last summer three or +four miles east of Chewelah, and vigorously developed at numerous +points. Seven miles west of Chewelah shafts were sunk on a rich vein, +three feet wide, of gray copper and silver chloride. The Eagle Mine was +the first discovery, and is the most noted. It is black metal, +containing galena, silver, and gold. Altogether, there are said to be +two hundred mining claims, more or less developed, in the district +around Chewelah. + + [Sidenote: The Old Dominion Mine.] + +The mines in the Colville district are very numerous. The Old Dominion +Mine is six miles east of the town. It is on an 8-foot fissure vein, +which assays 150 ounces silver, 25 per cent. galena, and $7.00 gold to +the ton of ore. There are ten mines in the Old Dominion group; and Mr. +Slater states that the $80,000 worth of silver reported as the product +of Washington Territory in 1886, all went from the Old Dominion group. + + [Sidenote: The Daisy Mine.] + +The Daisy Mine is twenty-four miles southward from Colville. The vein +here is 25 feet wide, with a streak of ore in it 18 inches wide, which +widens to 11 feet 8 inches at the bottom of the shaft. This shaft is 127 +feet deep. Seventy-five feet from the top of the shaft, a tunnel has +been run off horizontally in five feet of ore. The assay reported for +the Daisy ore gives silver 50 ounces, gold $2.00, lead 30 per cent., +and iron 25 per cent. It is self-fluxing. + + [Sidenote: Young America Company.] + +Sixteen miles and a half northward from Colville, near the Columbia +River, a rich discovery of silver-lead ore has been made by the Young +America Consolidated Company. The vein averages five feet, runs +northeast and southwest, and has been shafted through ore to the depth +of 180 feet. A test showed 90 ounces of silver and 40 per cent. of lead. +A number of other openings have been made on the lode. + + [Sidenote: The Little Dalles.] + +The Little Dalles, thirty-eight miles north of Colville, is another +neighborhood rich in mineral. The ores are galena and lead carbonate, +with silver. On Bruce Creek, and east of Bruce Creek, twelve miles north +of Colville, are similar veins. A smelter of twenty tons capacity has +been erected at Colville, which affords encouragement to mining; but it +is not satisfactory to the largest owners. Smelting should be done on a +large scale, and in a centre of large business. There can be no doubt +that here, also, will be a region of great activity and large production +as soon as it is connected by rail with Spokane Falls. + +I have indicated the mining localities on the map accompanying this +Report as nearly as my information would allow, but only an +approximation is expected. + + [Sidenote: Coeur d'Alene Mines.] + +The region that just now is attracting most attention is the Coeur +d'Alene country, because the mines are more developed; and they are more +developed because the miners have better transportation than exists in +the Colville and the other mineral regions. Some thousands of men were +at work last season on the streams entering the lake, particularly on +the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. + +At Spokane Falls I was able to get reliable information concerning the +region, and would mention as chief among my authorities Mr. S. S. +Glidden, at one time well known in Alabama as an able iron manufacturer, +now proprietor of the Tiger Mine, on Canyon Creek, which empties into +one branch of Coeur d'Alene River. By reference to the map, the +following description may be readily understood: + +The Coeur d'Alene Mountains, River and Lake are in Idaho Territory, +near the line of Washington Territory. The drainage is through Spokane +River into the Columbia. The distance from the nearest point on the lake +to Spokane Falls is twenty-five miles. The Coeur d'Alene River has two +branches, on both of which mining has been done, but most largely on +the South Fork. Previous to 1886, all the mining on this fork was done +at Eagle, Beaver, Delta, Murray, etc., and was chiefly gold placer +mining, which was not particularly remunerative. Placer mining has also +been done on the South Fork; but the chief ores on this branch are +argentiferous galena, with some gold in quartz. A large number of claims +have been worked into since the beginning in 1885, and the increase of +mining population has been going on rapidly. Mr. Glidden thought that +there were ten thousand people last fall in the Coeur d'Alene mining +country. The veins are accessible and very thick, some of them as much +as forty feet. The ores usually carry 40 to 60 per cent. of lead, 5 to +50 ounces of silver, and often about $3.00 in gold to the ton of ore. +The veins are true fissures, and strike across the country rocks, which +are principally porphyry and quartzite. The strike of the main veins +runs parallel to the river, and at a distance of two to six miles from +it. There are many cross gulches which cut the veins at right angles, +and thus present vertical faces which offer the best facilities for +prospecting and for mining. + +The veins have been opened at so many places as to put beyond doubt +their continuity on long lines, and their great abundance. In fact, the +indications point to a development resembling that made near Leadville. + + [Sidenote: The large tonnage from and to the mines.] + +Some of the ore must be concentrated, and much of it must be shipped in +bulk to the reduction works. Such tonnage is considered the best +possible for a railroad. The ore can be carried in any kind of car, and +is not subject to theft or any sort of damage; and yet its precious +character enables it to bear higher freight rates than pig-iron. There +are no fluxes in the country outside of the ore itself, and it will be +more economical to carry the ore out than to bring in fluxes. The +smelting of the ores on the ground would be further embarrassed by the +difficulty in getting fuel. The timber is in patches, and often +inaccessible; hence charcoal would be costly, and there is no coke to be +gotten anywhere near. The smelting of mixed ores of this sort is a very +complicated process, requiring quite a number of different elements, and +can be most economically conducted on a large scale, and by the mixture +of various different ores. Hence the advantage of having these works at +some great centre where ores of many kinds may be brought. In the +establishment of such a centre, of course, reference should be had to +commercial and trading facilities. A large mining community in one +place and a large commercial and manufacturing community in another, +involves large transportation of crude materials, and of manufactured +products, of food, and of passengers. + +As yet, the Coeur d'Alene mining is in its early infancy. Means of +transportation are partially furnished by means of water and short +narrow-gauge railroads, but they are insufficient. Shipments now are +small, but they will rapidly increase, and Mr. Glidden thinks that in +three years 2,000 tons of ore will come out _daily_, and as many tons of +freight go in--certainly a splendid outlook for business. + +In _concluding_, as I have now done, the general statement in regard to +the physical resources of Washington Territory, I would remark, that all +the facts stated heretofore have a close relation to the interests of +the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway and its friends, and that +the remainder of this report will consist in practical applications of +the facts to the railroad and personal interests involved. + + [Illustration: CITY OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.] + + + + +SPECIAL REMARKS ON THE COUNTRY AND ITS RESOURCES ALONG THE LINE OF THE +SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY. + + +SEATTLE. + + [Sidenote: Commercial and manufacturing advantages.] + + [Sidenote: Good climate.] + +Concerning this city of 15,000 to 16,000 inhabitants, I need not repeat +what has been so well said in the reports of Governor Squire, and of +United States officers who have examined and reported to the Government +with regard to this location--notably, Gen. Isaac I. Stephens, Gen. +George B. McClellan, Gen. Nelson A. Miles, and others; also by the +Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Its location, its harbor, its people, its +commerce and manufactures, its solid and rapid growth, and its local +relation to all the great natural resources of the Territory, give to +Seattle advantages which cannot be equaled by any other port on the +Sound. Its climate, as to temperature, both in winter and summer, is +remarkable. It is pleasantly cool in summer, and in winter rarely +severe. Its only drawback is an excess of moisture for perhaps four +months of the winter season. But this is preferable to the violent +storms and deep snows and extreme cold to which the Eastern plains and +the upper Mississippi country are subject, and which sometimes attack +New York and the New England States. On Puget Sound there are no +blizzards nor cyclones, and rarely so much as an inch of snow. The +medical testimonies give a very favorable hill of health. + +The industries of city and country are prosecuted with less interruption +from weather than in any of the States east of the Rocky Mountains. The +annual rainfall is not greater, not so great, indeed, as in some parts +of the Atlantic seaboard. It is not so well distributed among the months +as it is eastward; but outdoor work rarely stops on Puget Sound. + + [Sidenote: Good population.] + + [Sidenote: High civilization.] + +The population of Seattle struck me as exceedingly good. Her controlling +classes are men of character, intelligence and substance. The appearance +of the stores, the streets, the offices, and factories, would do credit +to an old city. Water, electric lights, street railways, good fire +companies, well organized police, handsome residences, churches, +schools--all attest the progress of her civilization. Her wharves and +railroad depots are crowded with business. The special pride of the city +seems to be her schools, public and private. Her large and handsome +school buildings seem purposely to have been placed in the most +prominent positions. Her public school system is well organized and +supported. The University of the Territory is located here, and in full +operation. These things, considered together, augur most favorably for +the future of this young city. + + [Sidenote: Railroad lines.] + +Her growth will be rapidly accelerated by the extension of her +railroads. Besides her coal roads, she will soon be practically the +connecting point of certainly two, and perhaps three, transcontinental +railroad lines. She now has railroad connection with the Northern +Pacific, and will shortly be connected with the Canadian Pacific by the +West Coast road. But the road that will do most for Seattle, indeed, the +road which of itself would make a city at its Sound terminus, is the +Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad. This will be true if the road +never crosses the limits of Washington Territory; but no doubt it will +ultimately cross the continent, or at least have close transcontinental +connections. + +When these roads are thus extended, they will bring vast quantities of +lumber, and of mineral and agricultural products, and carry in exchange +foreign and domestic products for the supply of the rural and mining +population, to say nothing of the great Eastern trade. Her coastwise and +foreign trade have already been discussed. + + [Sidenote: The chief ship-building centre.] + +Puget Sound must also become the chief ship-building centre of the +continent, and the possession by Seattle of the great fresh-water lakes +so close to the Sound, and the fact that here will be the point where +the Bessemer pig-iron and its products will be manufactured, will give +this point advantage over all others on the Sound. Seattle will build +ships for England, New England, South America, Asia, and the Islands of +the Ocean; and just here will first be seen the dawning of the new day +which will come to our American merchant marine, of late so depressed. +And the Government itself must sooner or later establish on Lake +Washington a navy-yard where ships can be built of the best material at +minimum cost; and where her ships out of commission can lie landlocked, +secure from the teredo and the corroding effects of sea-water, and can +at once get rid of their barnacles. + + [Sidenote: Seattle better located than San Francisco.] + +Seattle can have no rival on the Pacific Coast except San Francisco, +which has the only good harbor and entrance outside of Puget Sound, but +which has no coal, nor iron, nor timber, and whose back-country does +not equal the Snoqualmie valley of East Washington for agricultural and +mineral capabilities. + + +THE TERMINAL PROPERTY OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILROAD. + + [Sidenote: Unrivalled terminal property.] + +The city and suburban property which the railroad has secured is +singularly valuable, and will afford every facility for city and foreign +business. It is correctly described in the documents of the company. No +future road can acquire such facilities. They approach a monopoly of +great value. + + +SUBURBAN INTERESTS. + + [Sidenote: But two entrances by land.] + + [Sidenote: Superiority of the northern suburbs.] + +There can be practically but two railroad entrances to Seattle, one from +the south, and the other from the north, owing to the bluff ground on +which the city is built, with Puget Sound in front and Lake Washington +in the rear. The roads from the existing coal mines and from the +Northern Pacific enter from the south; the Lake Shore road enters from +the north. Suburban improvements will no doubt be extended both north +and south. But it seemed to me that for residences and amusements the +northern end has the advantage, as the high lands are more convenient +to the railroad, and command fine views of those beautiful lakes on the +east, and of the Sound on the west. Here will be the pleasant drives, +the place for sailing, rowing and swimming; for open-air games, picnics, +etc. On the east side of Lake Washington will be vegetable and fruit +gardens and dairies, whose products will reach the city by this +railroad; to all of which have been added the powerful influence of the +Moss Bay operations. + +The logging business begins in sight of the city, and a number of +logging camps were already in operation along the first twenty miles of +the railroad. After the loggers, follow the farmers. Already a +surprising number of people have established homes in this direction. + + [Sidenote: Factories of the future.] + + [Sidenote: Ship canal.] + +Near the Sound and a little distance from the city will be great +saw-mills, grain elevators, canneries, and, in time, fish-oil and +fertilizer mills, tanneries, smelting furnaces, sulphuric acid and other +chemical works. And here will be the ship canal connecting the lakes +with the Sound, and the shipyards of the future. + + + [Illustration: A TRAIN-LOAD OF LOGS ON THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND + EASTERN RAILWAY.] + +TIMBER. + + [Sidenote: Superiority of the timber on the Seattle, Lake Shore and + Eastern Railway.] + +The great lumber interest will have a larger and richer field on the +Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad than on any other through +line in Washington Territory. On the line of the Northern Pacific +Railroad the timber is abundant, but too small for the mill, except in a +very few spots. The other roads show but little left close by, and the +trees never had the size of those of Snoqualmie Valley. The West Coast +road, which will be tributary to the Lake Shore Railroad, will pass +through good forests; but, according to my information, the forests on +the line of the Lake Shore road are the very best in Washington +Territory. + +The forest of mill timber beginning in sight of Seattle, continues with +some intermissions to the top of the Cascade Mountains. It increases in +size and quantity to a point far up on the mountain side, and the trees +continue of good size all the way to the top. Crossing the Cascade +Mountains, on the east side the trees are quite numerous, but smaller +than on the west side, though some of them can be sawed. Continuing +eastward, the trees get fewer and smaller, and change from fir to +ordinary yellow and bull pine. In the plateau country of the Great Bend +there are only scattered groups of stunted trees to be seen, and, +excepting a few skirts along the bluffs of the Columbia, no forests of +mill timber are to be met with until after passing the Idaho line. + + [Sidenote: The forests described.] + +I will now review this timber belt with more particularity. After +leaving Seattle, there is a somewhat elevated country between the lakes +and Puget Sound, which is largely covered with mill timber of medium +size. Perhaps two feet and a half would be about the average diameter of +the logs. Here, as everywhere, the principal timber, and that most cut +and valued, are the Douglas fir and the white cedar. + + [Sidenote: Forests of Raging River.] + +Continuing along Lake Samamish, and up Squak Creek, these forests +continue on both sides at some distance off. A large body of moderately +sized timber runs off toward the northeast, covering the hills which lie +in front of the mountain range. Passing the Gilman mines, we meet but +little large timber until we enter the valley of Raging River. Here +there is an almost unbroken forest of splendid timber, extending from +near the mouth as far up as I went, namely, ten miles from the mouth. +The mill timber here would average from six to ten inches more in +diameter than that we passed near Lake Washington; and there seemed to +be a vast body of it in this valley. As far up on the hill or mountain +side as I went, or could see, the trees retain their large size. + +At the upper coal mines I found this to be the case to the mountain top, +800 or 900 feet above the river. The trees were not only large, and +thick on the ground, but extremely tall and free from knots. I was told +that the heavy forest continued a considerable distance above the upper +coal mines. + + [Sidenote: Forests near Hop Ranch.] + + [Sidenote: Superior to the Long Leaf forests of the Southern States and + of the Mississippi Bottom.] + +In the Snoqualmie Valley proper are to be found the largest forests and +the largest trees. The farmers and hop-growers have destroyed thousands +of acres of the finest timber trees on the continent, but many, many +thousand acres still remain unbroken. Between Falls City and Hop Ranch +the wagon road passed through two or three miles of this magnificent +timber. Turning from the road, I ascended the Snoqualmie Mountain, and +all the way up to the coal openings I traveled in the densest forest of +the largest trees I had ever seen. Passing the cleared country about Hop +Ranch, I again plunged into one of these monstrous forests, and traveled +three or four miles through it without a break. The sun never touches +the earth in these forests. The trees rise to the height of 250 feet or +upward, and lock their branches together far overhead, shutting out the +sunlight and awing the traveler. Their trunks seem to stand absolutely +straight and plumb from the ground to the top. I had studied the +long-leafed pine forests of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. I had +traveled for a hundred miles through that marvelous forest on the Yazoo +Delta, where it seemed to me that Nature had done her utmost in covering +the ground with vast and lofty trees; but here in the Snoqualmie valley +I traveled through forests that for the size, height, and number of +trees to the acre, as much exceeded the forests of the Yazoo bottom as +the latter exceeded all other forests I had ever seen. The Snoqualmie +forest also exceeds all others I have known in the immense quantity of +its fallen timber, which renders locomotion off of the trails extremely +slow and difficult. The railroad ascends the South Fork of the +Snoqualmie. I did not go up the Middle Fork, but was told that the +timber is fine in that valley also. + + [Sidenote: Trees ten feet in diameter.] + + [Sidenote: Average nearly five feet in diameter and 250 feet high.] + +The little Salal Prairie, five or six miles long, and six miles from Hop +Ranch, breaks the continuity of the forests, but with that exception, it +continues to the pass of the mountain. As to the size of the trees, I +feel sure that I saw hundreds that would average ten feet in diameter. I +measured two that were by no means singular, and one gave a +circumference of thirty-three feet (equal to eleven feet diameter), and +the other not much less. There is no doubt that many of these trees are +300 feet in height. I think it likely that the average height of the +mill timber on the line of the road from Raging River, for two-thirds of +the way up the main mountain (a distance of over twenty-five miles), is +250 feet, and 150 feet of this clear of limbs, and hence of knots. And I +think that the average diameter of the butt-cuts of the mill timber +would be near five feet. I found my greatest difficulty in estimating by +the eye the average number of trees to an acre. I can only say that I +not only never saw so many, but I never conceived it possible for such a +number of large trees to be supported by the soil of an acre of ground. +It was not unusual to see many trees of six to eight feet in diameter +standing within ten feet of each other. I knew, of course, that there +were single trees in California, and elsewhere, larger than any single +specimens to be found here, but I did not know before going to +Washington Territory that such forests as these were to be found on the +face of the earth. + + [Sidenote: Lumber product per acre.] + +I shall leave to men better versed in the details of the lumber business +than I to estimate the quantity of sawed lumber which would be yielded +by an acre of such timber, and by the many thousands of acres which lie +on, or near, the line of this railroad. Somebody published that the +average yield of the Washington Territory forests would be 30,000 feet +to the acre, and this may be, because there is much small and scattered +timber; but if this amount be multiplied by six, it would not do justice +to the forests I saw in the Snoqualmie valley. There are single trees +that would make 30,000 feet of lumber. It is fortunate that the fir and +cedar timber are preferred by the lumbermen, as these varieties +constitute the larger portion of the forest. Undoubtedly the hemlock +will all be wanted at an early day, and so of the larch and the less +abundant trees, both evergreen and deciduous. + +The bearing of these facts on the interests of the railroad are obvious. +Such bodies of timber, standing close to the road for a distance of +eighty miles, would of itself guarantee the success of the road for a +generation to come. + +And there is everything favorable in the position of the timber with +reference to the track, especially if the track, in ascending the +mountain, can be kept near the river. It is to be hoped that the timber +along the right of way will be saved for sawing. It would be no small +item in paying for the road. + +There will promptly spring up along the whole line both logging-camps +and saw-mills. Besides those already in operation, I heard of some +large new enterprises projected. The demand for lumber is so insatiable, +and the profits of the business so good, that an extensive fresh field +like this will be entered with avidity by an army of lumbermen. + + +AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. + + [Sidenote: Agricultural freights.] + +The agricultural interest is not so large at present on the west side of +the Cascade Range, as the timber, coal and iron interests, but it is +growing, and will become exceedingly important. East of the Cascade +Mountains this will be the chief railroad interest in the beginning, +though ultimately it will be surpassed by the tonnage of the mines. I +have heretofore described the soils and vegetable products of West +Washington, but would say specially with regard to the belt we are +considering, that it is destined to be a fine agricultural region. The +bottom lands of Squak Creek, and of Snoqualmie River, including all its +branches and tributaries, are extremely fertile, and suited to produce +the largest crops of grass, oats, barley, hops, and roots of almost +every sort, besides most of the overground vegetables. + + [Sidenote: Produce of Hop Ranch.] + +At my request, Mr. Wilson, the manager, and one of the owners of the Hop +Ranch, furnished me the following written statement concerning that +estate, which, although larger than any other on the route, is not +richer than many other places of smaller size. + + +MR. WILSON'S LETTER. + + + SNOQUALMIE, W. T., Nov. 3, 1887. + + DR. RUFFNER. + + _Dear Sir_: In response to your request, I make the following + memoranda. Our Hop Farm consists of 1,500 acres of rich alluvial + soil; 300 acres in hops, which produce from 1,800 to 2,000 pounds + per acre. We also raise 150 acres of oats, producing sixty to + seventy-five bushels per acre. From 100 to 150 acres in hay, + producing about three tons to the acre. Also large quantities of + vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, turnips and onions. All + kinds of root vegetables are prolific except sweet potatoes. + Fruits, such as apples, pears, prunes, plums, and berries of all + kinds, are in abundance. Last year we had over 5,000 bushels of + apples. + + [Illustration: HAY-MAKING IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY ALONG LINE OF SEATTLE, + LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + At present we ship in about 500 tons per year of merchandise and + supplies, and ship out, in the way of hops and other things, from + 400 to 500 tons per year. This we could double if we had + railroad facilities for shipping. We employ during the winter--that + is, in November, December and January--about forty men; the rest of + the year, from 75 to 1,200 men and women. The keeping up of this + supply of labor, which all comes from Seattle, would be quite an + item to the traffic of a railroad. I presume you know that where + there are a large number of people employed, they are continually + coming and going. In speaking with a railroad contractor the other + day, he told me that in order to keep 500 men at work, he had to + keep 1,500 on the road. This will also be an important item when + the mines are working above here. There are a great many items of + interest to which I might call your attention, but I will confine + myself to the above at present. + + Yours, very respectfully, + + T. G. WILSON, + SECRETARY AND MANAGER OF THE + HOP GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. + + [Sidenote: Farming, fruit and grazing lands.] + +Besides the bottom lands, there are large areas of what might be called +table-lands, north and northeast of the lakes, which are top-dressed +with glacial drift, but which will be well adapted to the crops of the +country, and especially to fruits. And besides the table-lands, the +smaller mountains are generally adapted to agriculture, and especially +to grazing. My impression, as heretofore stated, is that, ultimately, +West Washington will become a great grazing region, though it is +generally supposed that East Washington is to be the chief cattle +country. But the mild and equable climate, and the abundance of rain, +ensures abundant forage summer and winter in West Washington. This will +be important for the feeding of cities farther south, as well as for +sending canned and refrigerator beef far and wide over the Pacific +Ocean. The growth of vegetables, especially of root crops, is something +phenomenal on both sides of the Cascade Mountains, and will furnish a +large item of commerce, as is shown already by the large shipments of +potatoes from Seattle, and the multiplication of canneries. + + [Sidenote: Hops, barley and beer.] + +The hop interest is a large one, but the low prices of the last year or +two have checked the progress of this industry. Breweries have already +been established at Seattle, and elsewhere on Puget Sound, and, as the +chief materials for beer (barley and hops) are produced here so cheaply +and abundantly, we may expect Puget Sound beer to become quite a large +item of commerce. + +The Snoqualmie and Squak valleys have as yet but a scattered +agricultural population, but ultimately farms will be opened along all +the streams, and even high up on the Cascade Mountains. + + [Sidenote: The two great railroads.] + +On the east side of the Cascade Mountains the Seattle, Lake Shore and +Eastern Railway will closely parallel the Northern Pacific Railroad for +a short distance in the Yakima River valley, but will probably leave it +soon after entering the most productive part. The route, however, may be +varied to suit circumstances, and as to this point no doubt would be if +the talk of making Ellensburg the State capital should become serious. +The remark may here be thrown in that this meeting of the two railroads +in the Yakima valley will be no disadvantage to the Seattle road, as the +distance to Puget Sound is about the same, and the incidental advantages +are in favor of Seattle. + + [Sidenote: The Great Bend country.] + + [Sidenote: Douglas County.] + +Crossing the Columbia River, the railway will enter the great plateau +which has been so fully described, and if the passage should be made at +Rock Island Rapids, it will cross the plateau at its widest part. +Nothing more need be said as to the great agricultural capabilities of +the plateau country. The Great Bend, or northern limb of the plateau, is +more extensive than the southern division, but it is a much less +settled country, owing partly to want of transportation, and partly to +want of water. This scarcity of water in Douglas County was formerly +thought to be incurable without a resort to artesian wells; but +experiment has shown that wells of good water can be obtained at +moderate depths, as I was informed by Mr. Smith, a resident of the +county, and by Mr. Nash, the lawyer, who owns property there. The +population and, consequently, the business of this large county is +limited at present, but it has a large body of good land in it, which +will attract settlers before long. Its soil is of the same character as +that of other parts of the plateau; but the general impression seemed to +be that it was not quite equal to the land of the Snake River Basin, or +to the adjoining county of Lincoln, owing in part to a larger proportion +of rough land. I do not, however, consider this question by any means as +settled. The best area for wheat is supposed to be that which borders on +Lincoln County. If the route for the Seattle railway which is preferred +by Mr. Mohr, should be adopted, it would pass across the northern part +of the county, by many persons considered the best part, and leave the +great body of the county out of reach to the southward. + + [Sidenote: Lincoln County.] + +Lincoln County, through the length of which the road must pass, is +universally admitted to be among the best agricultural counties on the +plateau. It is also settling up rapidly, and has become a large producer +of wheat, even at the disadvantage of a long haul in wagons. Mr. Curtis, +who buys much of the Lincoln County wheat for his mill at Spokane Falls, +says that the average yield of wheat is twenty-five bushels per acre, +though in 1886 (the year of failure) it fell to sixteen and one-half +bushels. Captain McGowan, of Lincoln County, also gave twenty-five +bushels as the average crop, and said this would hold good for the whole +period since the settlement of the county, including the bad year 1886. + + [Sidenote: Spokane County.] + + [Sidenote: Price of farming lands.] + +By reference of the official map showing the wheat areas, it will be +seen that the Seattle railway passes through the middle of these areas +in both Lincoln and Spokane counties. The testimony was entirely +favorable in regard to horticultural and pomological products, as well +as to the agricultural, in the strict sense. The population of the three +counties, Douglas, Lincoln and Spokane, was put by Governor Semple at +nearly 18,000; about 17,000 of which was in Lincoln and Spokane. Much +land has been bought with a view to settlement as well as speculation, +and this would be occupied and cultivated _pari passu_ with the progress +of the railroad, and there yet remains much good land which can be +bought at low prices, say from one dollar to five dollars an acre, and +will attract settlers. Farming lands here will have market at the mines +north of the Columbia River, at Spokane Falls, where there will be a +large city, as well as large mills, and at Seattle, where there will be +a large demand not only for the city, but for shipping. + + [Sidenote: Tonnage.] + +No reliable estimates can now be made as to what business this Great +Bend country will furnish ten to twenty years hence. We have only this +to guide us, namely, that the part of the plateau which lies south of +the Northern Pacific Railroad now furnishes 400,000 tons of wheat for +transportation annually, besides other freight and passengers; and it +has not reached one-half of its producing capacity. Mr. Mohr estimates +the income from mail and express as one-fifth the income from freight, +and passenger fares as one-quarter of the whole amount from tonnage. +Though the country lying north of the Northern Pacific Railroad is much +larger in area than that which lies south of it, it may not average as +well, and cannot all be controlled by one railroad; but it will +certainly furnish large tonnage; much more than is common in +agricultural regions. + +At present the product of wheat in this region is estimated at 100,000 +bushels, but this amount would probably be doubled the first year after +the railroad comes, and rapidly increased afterward. Much of the mining +business already crosses this territory, and will, no doubt, greatly +increase. + + +COAL. + + [Sidenote: The Seattle railway passes five coal fields.] + +I have, under the head of Economic Geology, described so fully the coal +deposits of Washington Territory, especially the beds along the line of +the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway, that it remains only to +show the application of these facts to the interests of this railway. +The road passes five, if not six, separate coal fields between Seattle +and the Columbia River, namely, the Squak or Gilman mines, 40 miles from +Seattle; the Washington mines, 43 miles; the Raging River, 46 to 50 +miles; the Snoqualmie Mountain, 56 miles; the Yakima (or Roslyn), 75 +miles; and perhaps the Wenatchie, 140 miles. + +So far as appears at present, the Seattle railway will have a monopoly +of all these fields except the Yakima or Roslyn. This it will share +with the Northern Pacific; but it will have exclusive control of the +market between the Yakima and Spokane Falls, which will be almost wholly +dependent upon coal for fuel. Also, it will furnish whatever of this +coal may be wanted by the mining country north of the Columbia. And in +the Spokane Falls market it will have the advantage of bringing the coal +by a route fifty miles shorter. + +The coal on the west side of the Cascade Mountains will go to Seattle +for consumption and shipment, except so much as may be wanted for iron +making, and other manufacturing purposes along the line of the road. +Coke will be in demand for furnaces, foundries, engines, etc., in +Seattle, Spokane Falls, and many other places. But its largest +consumption will be in iron furnaces which will be erected for smelting +the ores of the Cascade Mountains. + + [Sidenote: Largest shipments from the Gilman Mines.] + + [Sidenote: Superior mining advantages of the Gilman Mines.] + +The largest shipments will be from the Gilman Mines for domestic and +steam-boiler purposes. The coal must, of course, come in competition +with other coals which are mined within the basin of Puget Sound, but it +has an advantage over all competitors in the ease, safety, and cheapness +with which it can be mined. This will not, of course, be realized for +the first few months whilst driving the entries, but when the mines +shall have been fully opened I think it will be without rival in the +cost of production. This will be evident from the following report made +to me by Mr. Whitworth, showing the disadvantages in the mode of working +the other mines of the Territory. The terrible explosion which has +lately occurred in the deep mines of Vancouver's Island shows that the +Canadians are also working at a disadvantage. + + +MR. WHITWORTH'S LETTER. + + [Sidenote: Mr. Whitworth's testimony.] + + "At Cedar River the coal is all hoisted from a slope, and the + gangways run at right angles to the slope, and the 'brests' at right + angles to the gangways, or parallel to the slope, or nearly so. The + angle of the pitch is about 18°. And the cars are run up to the + 'brests' to the working face of the coal, and coal shoveled into the + cars. A movable windlass or drum allows the loaded car to haul the + empty one up to face of coal. + + "At Black Diamond the coal is all hoisted from a slope; gangways at + right angles to slope, and 'brests' at right angles to gangways, and + parallel to slope. This pitch is a little steeper, about 20° or 22°, + but not sufficiently steep for the coal to run. Therefore it has to + be shoveled down the slope of the 'brest,' or the 'brest' floor + temporarily ironed; and is loaded into car from 'brest' chute. + + "Franklyn has both systems, hoisting up a slope, and working on a + water-level gangway. They have two slopes, one outside and one + inside. This pitch is 45° and more. Gangways run on the strike of + veins, and 'brests' up the pitch. Coal runs freely on the floor of + 'brests.' + + "What it costs now to mine at Newcastle I do not know. The cost of + coal above the water-level gangway put into the railroad cars varies + from 85 cents (one month only) to $1.50 per ton; $1.10 about the + average. For the first six months I do not think we (at Gilman) can + calculate less than $1.25 per ton. + + "The veins which they work or have worked at Newcastle are No. + 4--No. 2, as it is called, which is really Nos. 1 and 2 united--and + Bagley vein. No. 4 is worked out on two lifts, the water level, and + the one below. The third lift they have not cross-cut to it, as the + slope is on No. 2. No. 2 is almost closed on third lift east of Coal + Creek. First two lifts, of course, are worked out. And west of Coal + Creek the working has progressed nearly to the boundary of their + land, and passed the division of the vein into Parts 1 and 2; so + that they are getting but little coal out of it. But most of the + coal comes from Bagley. Bagley is never worked, or but slightly, + when the others are furnishing plenty of coal. Bagley there consists + of two portions of about seven feet each, with one to two feet of + rock and slate between. In the lower bench there is about four or + four and a half feet of good coal; the rest is bony. And in the + upper bench there is from three to four feet of good coal, and the + balance bony. When they are pressed for coal there is a strong + temptation to mine and ship the entire fourteen feet of coal, and + bony coal, as it all looks quite well. This temptation, I know, + under the old administration, was sometimes yielded to, and I have + supposed such was the case now. In fact, in getting that coal some + time since for home use, I have several times seen the straight + Bagley from top to bottom in the ton. No. 2. The united vein at its + best is ten and a half feet, between splendid walls, about one and a + half inch mining on the bottom, and a parting near the centre one + inch thick. That never disappeared, but increased both ways until + the veins were finally separated. No. 2 separate was about five feet + clean, at least with no permanent partings. No. 1, about four and a + half feet of coal with a three-inch streak of fine clay eighteen + inches from the top, the balance clean." + +So much from Mr. Whitworth. + + [Sidenote: Cost of mining coal.] + +Governor Semple puts the prime cost of the coal of the Puget Sound basin +generally at from $2.00 to $2.30 per ton, delivered at tide-water; which +is, I suspect, below the fact. James F. Jones, in charge of mines on the +Northern Pacific Railroad in the Puget Sound basin, reports the cost per +ton at the mines delivered on the cars as ranging from $1.00 to $2.50 +per ton, averaging $1.75. + +The minimum of cost is reached when the seams are of good thickness and +comparatively free from slate, and can be entered on the end by a level +entry above water and be mined upward; to which may be added natural +pitch enough in the seams for the coal to be self-loading; that is, to +run by gravity from the upper gangways to the cars on the main entry. +And to these conditions may be added a number of different parallel +seams close together with their bluff ends all coming up to a line in +the most convenient way for entry and delivery. It is rarely the case +that such an assemblage of favorable conditions can be found, and where +they exist the successful future of the property is absolutely assured. + + [Sidenote: Cost at Gilman Mines.] + +In my opinion, the Gilman coal seams combine all the advantages above +mentioned, and if allowed ordinary rates of transportation, can always +be mined at a profit. As long as the Newcastle seams could be worked +above water-level the average cost per ton was $1.10, but they never had +the same advantages there as at Gilman, and most of their mining has +been downward. $1.00 per ton is certainly high enough for Gilman after +the entries are driven in sufficiently for large operations. If Mr. +Whitworth succeeds in putting out the coal at $1.25 for the first six +months, as he thinks he can, there need be no fear as to the future. + + [Sidenote: Prices of coal.] + +The selling price of coal on Puget Sound has ranged from $3.00 to $5.00 +a long ton in former years, averaging $4.00--the price being the same +for the product of all the different mines. Mr. Whitworth reports the +price this winter at $6.50 a ton for all (including Newcastle), except +Cedar River, which is $5.00. The distances from Puget Sound to Portland +and to San Francisco, the principal markets, are: to San Francisco, +between 800 and 900 miles by water; to Portland, 450 by water, and 150 +by rail. There is now rail connection all the way to San Francisco. The +average cost of sending coal to San Francisco, either from Puget Sound +or Vancouver's Island, is $2.00. The usual price in San Francisco and +Portland has been from $4.25 to $6.00 for coarse, and from $2.75 to +$3.75 for small. On the 1st of February, 1888, the cargo price in San +Francisco was--for Coos Bay coal, $9.50; Seattle coal, $10; South +Prairie, $10; Nanaimo (domestic), $10; Nanaimo (steam), $12; Lehigh, +$18; Cumberland, $12. + +These figures make it evident that a good margin of profit may be +calculated on from the Gilman coal. Mr. Whitworth will not be able to +get his bunkers up until he has his road in operation to the mines; but, +with temporary chutes, he can load 100 tons a day from the time the road +opens, say March 15th. In six weeks after beginning he expects to +increase to 300 tons a day, and one month later he can make the output +600 tons a day. As the headings are driven in the product can be +increased to almost any desired amount. + +The Washington Mines, on Squak Creek, I did not see; and concerning the +Raging River Mines I have no settled convictions. As to the coking coal +on Snoqualmie Mountain, we may expect important developments. +Undoubtedly the new road will promptly enter upon a large and increasing +coal business. + + +IRON ORE. + + [Sidenote: Handling the iron ores.] + + [Sidenote: Furnace sites] + + [Sidenote: Salal Prairie.] + + [Sidenote: Charcoal cheaply produced.] + +The question here respecting iron ores along this road is not as to +their quantity, or quality, or as to their utilization, but only as to +what road or roads will handle the business that will arise from this +source. Naturally the bulk of it belongs to the Seattle, Lake Shore and +Eastern Railway, and at one time there seemed to be no doubt that large +iron-works would at once be established at Salal Prairie by the Moss Bay +Company, of England; but the east shore of Lake Washington has finally +been settled upon for the great plant of this wealthy company; which of +itself will go far to establish the natural monopoly which the Lake +Shore Railway seems to have of the ores on the west side of Cascade +Mountains. And in regard to the magnetic ores generally, this road, from +its location, would seem to be master of the situation. All the iron ore +on the west side of the mountain is owned by men whose interests are +identified with Seattle, and with this line of railroad. The best point +for manufacture in itself considered, the best chance for fuel, the best +line for transportation, the best point for trading and for shipment, +are all on the line of the Seattle Railway. Good furnace sites may be +found at many points, but Salal Prairie is a spot which seems to have +been set apart by nature for a manufacturing town. It lies near the +intersection of the valleys of the South Fork and Middle Fork branches +of Snoqualmie River, is about six miles long and three miles wide, is +flat, dry, salubrious, and well supplied with water. It has a natural +outlet to the South, as well as to the east and west, is convenient to +the iron ore and limestone of both the Middle and South Fork, and not +far distant from the ores of Cle-ellum. It is less than ten miles from +Snoqualmie coking coal, and fifteen miles from the Green River coals. +And, what I think is a still better resource for fuel, it is in the +midst of the great Snoqualmie forests, where saw-mills will soon be +felling the timber, and providing an endless supply of slabs and refuse +tree-tops, from which charcoal could be manufactured at very small +expense. + +It is well known that charcoal is the best of all fuels for making iron, +because of its freedom from damaging impurities. Its expensiveness +generally prevents its being much used now, but here the cost need not +exceed five cents per bushel, and 100 to 120 bushels would suffice for a +ton of iron. The only question concerning the charcoal made from fir +timber is as to its ability to bear the burden in a tall stack. It is +becoming common now to utilize the by-products of wood, formed during +its conversion into charcoal, by a process which makes the charcoal +stronger. But all difficulty on this point can be relieved by conforming +the size of the furnace-stack to the strength of the charcoal. This is +the only fuel which has ever been used on the Pacific coast for the +smelting of iron ores. These enterprises have not been particularly +successful thus far, rather because of the inferior quality of the ore, +than from any defect in the fuel. The bog ore and the limonites which +were used at Irondale, near the Canada line, and at Oswego on the +Willamette, were generally low in iron and high in phosphorus, and the +bog ores were soon exhausted. + + [Sidenote: Quantity of charcoal to the ton of iron.] + +At Irondale, near Port Townsend, recourse has been had to a refractory +ore obtained on Texada Island, in Victoria Sound, on which a duty of +seventy-five cents a ton has to be paid, and which requires a large +amount of fuel for smelting it, perhaps as much as 150 bushels of +charcoal. But Mr. H. T. Blanchard, who is interested in the Irondale +Works, says in a late letter (November 29, 1887): + + "It is perfectly safe to rate charcoal at six cents per bushel, and + the quantity necessary to make a ton of pig-metal not to exceed 120 + bushels, with a good chance of getting it down to ninety bushels per + ton with fair ores." + + [Sidenote: Bessemer ores commonly distant from fuel.] + +The iron ores of the Cascade Mountains will be taken to some extent to +mix with the inferior ores near the coast, but they will be chiefly +worked into Bessemer-pig and steel rails. Steel-making ores are not +common anywhere, and are widely separated from fuel, which makes them +very costly in the States east of the Rocky Mountains. This well-known +fact is alluded to by Mr. Swank, in his report on the Iron Trade of +1886, in the following words: + + "It is also a fact worthy of notice, for which geologists may find a + reason, that nowhere in this country are our best steel-making ores + found in proximity to mineral fuel, either anthracite or bituminous, + while in some parts of the Lake Superior region, even timber + suitable for the manufacture of charcoal is almost wholly wanting." + + [Sidenote: High cost of Lake Superior ores.] + +The most important deposits of steel ores in the United States are on +Lake Superior and in Missouri; but these ores are smelted chiefly by the +Connellsville coke of Pennsylvania, which is 700 to 800 miles distant. +The Cranberry ores of North Carolina are some hundreds of miles from +fuel. A late number of the _Iron Trade Review_ quotes the prices of ore +at Cleveland, Ohio, the principal receiving point of Lake Superior +ores, as follows: + + Specular and Magnetic Bessemer, per ton $7.00 to $7.50 + Bessemer Hematites " 5.75 to 6.70 + + [Sidenote: Cost of producing ore in Pennsylvania.] + +The same authority gives the cost of the ore and coke necessary for the +production of a ton of iron in Mahoning Valley district, at $9.90 for +the ore and $4.50 for the coke = $14.40. To this must be added about +$4.25 for flux, labor, management, interest and repairs, making a total +of $18.65 as the cost of producing one ton of pig-metal. + + [Sidenote: Cost of Bessemer-pig in Snoqualmie Valley.] + +Thus the superior advantages of the Snoqualmie Valley are readily seen. +Here are steel ores, two kinds of fuel, and the limestone in close +proximity. Putting the fuel at more than I think it would cost; putting +the cost of mining the ore at the maximum cost at Cranberry, N. C., and +freight at double price, and we have as the cost of a ton of +Bessemer-pig, as follows: + + Ore $3 00 + Fuel 6 00 + Flux 50 + Labor and management 2 00 + Interest and repairs 1 50 + ------ + $13 00 + + [Sidenote: Large market for steel rails.] + +This is lower than the present cost of producing Bessemer-pig anywhere +in the United States, according to the best of my information; and at +the same time the market is better. The demand for steel rails in the +Rocky Mountain country and in the Pacific States is, and will be, large +and permanent, while the demand in China and other foreign countries +will constantly increase. And so will it be with machinery and tools of +all kinds, agricultural, mining and manufacturing. This demand will be +both domestic and foreign, and constantly enlarging. And it may be +safely asserted that no railroad exists, or can be built anywhere in the +Pacific States, which will compare with the Seattle, Lake Shore and +Eastern Railway in its control of the iron business. + + +THE OTHER MINERALS. + + [Sidenote: Limestone.] + + [Sidenote: Marble, granite, sandstones, slates.] + +I have already said so much as to the convenience and excellence of the +limestone beds associated with the magnetic ores, that I will only +allude to them here as constituting the great resource for furnace-flux, +for building-stone, for lime, and for monumental and ornamental marble. +This will be an important item for transportation. The granite, also, +will be wanted for building, and for paving blocks. There are, no +doubt, quartzites, sandstones and slates which will be in request; some +for the supply of silica needed for tempering fire-clay (which latter is +reported to have been found on Cedar River in large quantity and of good +quality); some for road metal; some for paving; some for building. + + [Sidenote: Precious and base metals.] + +In this group, however, the great resource is in the ores of the +precious and base metals, which have been fully described under a former +head. Too little is known of the silver and lead and gold ores of the +Snoqualmie Valley to lay much stress upon them. The indications do not +justify us in ranking them with the ores of the Columbia Valley. + +The gold placer mining of the Yakima country makes no large show so far. +The silver, lead and copper ores, described by Mr. Burch, may develop +largely, but as yet no calculations can be made as to their value in +supplying tonnage. This field ranks with the Wenatchie, Chelan, and +Methow regions, being undeveloped, and yet so full of promise as to +deserve careful attention. + + [Sidenote: Okinagane, Colville and Kootenai.] + +The mines of the Okinagane and Colville regions promise large results. +All this mineral region, up to and including the Okinagane, lies fairly +within the patronage ground of the Seattle Railway as it pursues its +course to Spokane Falls. The Colville and Coeur d'Alene, to which may +now be added the Kootenai, mining regions, constitute a large area lying +north and east of Spokane Falls, and offer themselves as possible routes +for the Manitoba Railway, but chiefly as tempting fields for railroad +enterprises. The city of Spokane Falls is deeply interested in bringing +in the trade of these growing mines, and the Seattle Railway corporation +may wisely consider the prizes here offered. + + [Sidenote: Coeur d'Alene.] + + [Sidenote: Transportation lines to the mining regions.] + +Railroad building has begun in the Coeur d'Alene country. The Coeur +d'Alene Railway and Navigation Company have constructed a narrow-gauge +road from the Old Mission, near the junction of the north and south +forks of the Coeur d'Alene River, a distance of about thirty-five +miles. The tonnage is said to be much greater than this narrow-gauge can +handle at present. + +From the Old Mission, which is now the terminus of the narrow-gauge +road, the ores are taken by steamboat and barges down the Coeur +d'Alene River, and up the lake to Fort Coeur d'Alene, where connection +is made with the Spokane Falls and Idaho Railroad, running from Fort +Coeur d'Alene to Hauser Junction, on the main line of the Northern +Pacific Railway. This arrangement enables the mines to send out and +bring in their freight, but it is not satisfactory. There seems to be an +opening for a line from Spokane Falls directly into that country. It +would cost $20,000 a mile, by Mr. Mohr's calculation, and would be +seventy-five miles long. If, however, it be true, as reported, that the +Northern Pacific Railroad will make a cut-off from Missoula across the +Coeur d'Alene Mountains, this field will be occupied; which, however, +is not probable. + +The Chewelah, Colville, Summit, Metalline and Kootenai mining districts +could all be reached by a line from Spokane Falls by way of Colville and +Little Dalles. And by running a spur from Colville to a point below +Kettle Falls on the Columbia River, control could be gained, first, of +the navigation between Mahkin Rapids and Kettle Falls, and also the long +stretch of navigable river from the Little Dalles to Death Rapids in +Canada, crossing the Canadian Pacific Railroad at Farwell. It is +calculated that 750 miles of navigation would thus be opened by the +addition of a piece of track twenty-five miles long, connecting the +Kootenai River with Arrowhead Lake. + +A new discovery of silver-lead ores, made on the Kootenai Outlet River, +is making a great stir just now. The body of ore is said to be the +largest yet discovered. We shall expect the Manitoba people to be +looking into this development. There is also some talk of the mining +region on both sides of Kettle River, near the Canada line. The Pend +d'Oreille district is also promising. All this is suggested as food for +thought and investigation. + + + + +CITIES AND TOWNS. + + + [Sidenote: The only competition is between Tacoma and Seattle.] + +The location of Port Townsend puts that town out of the general +competition. The same is true of Olympia. Whatcom, or some possible town +near the line between Whatcom and Skagit counties, might grow into +consequence if made the terminus of some transcontinental road. This +point, however, is involved in the larger question of the course of the +Manitoba Railroad. With the present outlook, the only two competing +towns on Puget Sound are Tacoma and Seattle. The former has the +advantage of being the terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and of +having large private capital to advance its interests. These have made +the town all that it is. It is handsomely laid out, and well built. It +has an elegant hotel, and a population said in Tacoma to be 12,000, and +in Seattle to be 7,500. The harbor has water enough, but the landing is +bad; there being no level ground available for wharves or business +houses near the water. A mere roadway, cut out of the high bluff, +furnishes the only line of communication. The town is one to two +hundred feet above the water and above the main railroad depot, and must +be reached by a long, steep road. Tacoma is twenty-six miles farther +from the sea than Seattle, has a back country of inferior resources, and +has no advantage in distances from the East. + + [Sidenote: Advantages of Seattle.] + +Seattle has already been described. It has probably double the +population of Tacoma, and more than double the business. It has flat +ground enough for commercial purposes. In its position, its harbor, its +relations to the back country, its materials for trade, commerce, +manufactures, its present and prospective railroad connections, it +surpasses all present and future competitors on Puget Sound. + +There will be mining and trading towns at numerous points between +Seattle and Salal Prairie. + + [Sidenote: Towns of East Washington.] + +The towns on the east flank of the Cascade Mountains may have a future; +_i.e._, Cle-ellum, Ellensburg, and North Yakima. They have a chance for +the State capital, and there may be manufacturing as well as mining +towns near the iron ore, and other mineral beds. Small places will also +spring up at the mouth of the Wenatchie and the Okinagane, and at the +termini of the steamboat landings. + +The county seat of Lincoln cannot remain at Sprague. Wheatland would +have a chance for that. + + [Illustration: VIEW OF THE CITY OF SPOKANE FALLS, EASTERN TERMINUS + SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + + [Sidenote: Spokane Falls and its fine prospects.] + +Assuming that Spokane Falls is the objective point of the Seattle +Railway, I will give a somewhat full account of this thriving young +city. In 1882 it had 700 inhabitants; in 1887 it had over 7,000. In 1883 +the Northern Pacific Railroad reached there, and since that date the +town has grown continuously. It will be a large city, as will be obvious +if its advantages be considered. These are chiefly: I. Its water-power; +II. Its agricultural relations; III. Its mining surroundings; IV. Its +railroad prospects; V. Its good ground for building. + + [Sidenote: Mr. Paul F. Mohr's article.] + +I. ITS WATER-POWER.--The value of this water-power arises partly from +the volume of water and its great fall, and also its uniformity, and its +freedom from disturbing causes. The river falls in a succession of +cascades amounting to 156 feet within the limits of the city. Mr. Paul +F. Mohr has published an intelligent article on the subject, from which +I quote the following statements: + + "To arrive at the available number of horse-power which the Spokane + River could furnish at this point, assuming 90,000 horse-power as + the gross power of the river, and deducting 60 per cent. therefrom, + would leave 36,000 horse-power as a most conservative and minimum + estimate. + + "The City of Minneapolis used in 1880, as nearly as I can ascertain, + about 20,000 horse-power, and Minneapolis is probably the largest + flour-milling point in the world. + + "The industries requiring most power are, in their order, as + follows: lumber, flour, iron and steel, paper, woolen goods and + worsted goods, with several industries consuming a comparatively + small amount of power, not necessary to mention. Of the industries + above named, all but the iron and steel industries can be followed + at this point, and, in fact, the flouring, paper and woolen + industries belong to this section of the country." + +It is claimed that the Spokane River at the falls never rises more than +six feet, and never freezes. The river here has cut so deeply into the +basalt, that there must be combination among the riparian owners in +order to draw the water to good mill sites, and invite manufacturers to +use the power. Mr. Mohr urges this. + +Two flour-mills are now there turning out about 450 barrels of flour a +day; also saw-mills, and, I think, a dynamo for electric lights, etc.; +but, of course, these use but a small part of the power, which, if fully +utilized, in such ways as are suggested by Mr. Mohr, would of itself +create a large city. + +II. AGRICULTURAL RELATIONS.--Spokane Falls has a promising agricultural +country on all sides. The Pend d'Oreille region has good agricultural +capabilities, though the best lands there are in the Indian reservation. + +The country north of Spokane Falls, in the direction of Colville, is +spoken of as a fertile valley, having more rain than the plateau +country, much of it limestone soil, specially productive in hay and +wheat. The wheat is harder than the plateau wheat, and contains a larger +proportion of gluten; hence it is desired as a mixture for the wheat +that is usually brought to the Spokane Falls mills. + +Turning to the great plateau, we find that the rich Palouse River +country, since the construction of the Spokane Falls and Palouse +Railroad finds its readiest market at Spokane Falls. And now that the +Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad is striking out through the +Great Bend, another portion of this great producing region will be +brought within easy reach. + +III. MINING INTERESTS.--I need here only refer to the fact that Spokane +Falls is situated centrally with regard to the mines of precious and +base metals heretofore described. Evidently the business from the mines +of Chewelah, Colville, Little Dalles, Kootenai, etc., must come here +except so far as it may be diverted to a tide-water city which would +smelt their ores and sell them goods. No doubt the Canadian Pacific will +handle some of the business of the Kootenai mines. Similar remarks may +be made with regard to the mines of the Coeur d'Alene country, with +the qualification that a road crossing the mountain, say to Missoula, +would divert some of the trade to Helena or Butte City. + +The miners of Okanogan, Methow, etc., would be nearest to Spokane Falls, +but would be 100 or 150 miles on the way to Puget Sound, which would +divide the trade. + +IV. RAILROAD PROSPECTS.--The Northern Pacific Railroad, a +transcontinental line, already passes through Spokane Falls. If the +cut-off through the Coeur d'Alene country should be made, it would be +equivalent to an additional road. The Spokane Falls and Palouse Railway +joins the Northern Pacific at Marshall, only nine miles from the city, +and its general course points directly toward it. + +The road across the Great Bend has been commenced. The road to Colville, +Little Dalles, etc., will inevitably be made at an early day. + +This would make it really the centre of six roads, counting the Northern +Pacific as two. + +V. BUILDING GROUNDS.--The city is built and building on both sides of +the river, and stands on a level, dry, gravelly plain, a mile or more in +width, rising into wooded hills. In other words, it has all that can be +desired for situation. + + [Sidenote: Sprague, Colfax, and Lewiston.] + +Sprague, Colfax, and Lewiston claim attention as indicating the points +in a proposed branch line of railroad, leaving the Seattle, Lake Shore +and Eastern Railway somewhere in the Great Bend country. + +Shops of the Northern Pacific Railroad are in Sprague, which fact is an +endorsement of the locality. Its population is over 1,500. The town +standing in a coulée, there are no indications of fertility of soil in +sight. Here the timber belts seem to end, and no trees are seen for 100 +miles eastward. It occupies an intermediate position between the great +wheat areas of Whitman County on the south and of Lincoln on the north. +Stage lines leave here for Colfax (south) and for Davenport and other +towns in the Great Bend (north), and also for the Okanogan mines. + +Colfax is about forty miles southwest from Sprague. It is on the Palouse +River, in a narrow valley where there is scarcely room for a town. The +bordering hills are steep; the surrounding country is some 400 or 500 +feet higher than the town. It is claimed, however, that there are good +grades to be had for railroads going in any direction. The town has a +population of 1,800 to 2,000, and is evidently prosperous. It has +water-power and wheat-mills. The railroad agent in the town says that +his cash receipts for freight average $1,200 a day. Knapp, Burrell & Co. +told me that they brought in 672 carloads of freight annually in the +regular course of their business. I felt surprised at the statement. +This firm does a farmers' business in barbed wire, wagons, all sorts of +agricultural machinery and implements, grain-bags, etc., etc. + +Mr. Hamilton imports groceries to the amount of $75,000. Coal is $12.00 +a ton. Lumber is scarce and high, and freights enormous. A citizen told +me that he had paid $64.30 freight from Portland on a lot of lumber that +cost $34.90 in that city. Another marvelous story was that a citizen +paid $5.00 a ton for coal in St. Paul and $20.00 a ton to bring it to +Colfax. + + [Sidenote: Notes on the Colfax country.] + +In asking about the surrounding country, I made the following notes: +One-half the country is arable. The non-arable land is grazed by +horses, sheep and cattle. Wool, an important item. Of the arable land, +one-tenth is under the plough; of this, three-fourths is put in wheat, +and one-fourth in oats and barley--more barley than oats. Very fine root +crops. Average of wheat, 30 bushels per acre; oats, 50 to 60 bushels. +Price of wheat, 45 cents; freight to Portland, 20 cents, making $6.60 a +ton. Peaches mature. Can raise corn, but it does not pay to shuck it. +There is a continuous wheat area of 70 townships, equal to 2,520 square +miles, taking in a little of Idaho. + + [Sidenote: Lewiston.] + +Lewiston, in Idaho, came into being during the days of placer mining, +and now depends on agricultural business. It has about 1,000 people, and +may become important by reason of its location at the junction of the +Clearwater and Snake rivers. The transcontinental line that may some day +be built through Wyoming might pass through Lewiston. + + [Sidenote: Walla Walla.] + +Walla Walla is the oldest, and was long regarded the best of all the +towns of East Washington. It is beautifully situated in a fertile +country; has about 5,000 inhabitants; is well laid off and built, and +has a more staid and settled population than any other town there. This +is true, also, of the farming population around Walla Walla, many of +whom have comfortable homes. The town has some water-mills; and an +astonishing amount of "truck" is raised and shipped in this +neighborhood. The city has not grown much of late, and, except its +agricultural surroundings, there is nothing especially to give it +prosperity. + + +BRANCHES AND ROUTES FOR THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY. + + [Sidenote: Railroad branches.] + +The building of the West Coast Railroad will be a happy circumstance for +the Lake Shore road. Skagit County, and especially Whatcom County, have +large resources, and the preoccupation of this ground may discourage +other parties from any attempt to build up a commercial city on +Bellingham Bay. A branch from the Northern Pacific at the Common Point +to Salal Prairie would not hurt, and might help the Seattle, Lake Shore +and Eastern road. + +Besides the short spurs to the mines on the west side of the Cascade +Mountains, there may be needed branches up Cle-ellum, and other rivers, +to mines. I cannot see the wisdom of a branch to the Walla Walla +country, which could be reached only by paralleling the Northern Pacific +down the Yakima River, or else by striking off in the Great Bend, and +crossing the Northern Pacific and its Palouse branch, and then Snake +River, to reach a country already occupied by the Oregon Railway and +Navigation Company, and lying over 100 miles nearer to the tidal market +along a down grade, than by the Seattle road with its mountain crossing. + + [Sidenote: The Palouse country.] + +A branch into the Palouse country would have more to recommend it. It is +nearer, and competition will be on more equal terms. There are now three +railroads in the Palouse country: namely, the Oregon Railway and +Navigation Company's road from Palouse Junction to Moscow, Idaho, +passing through Colfax; the Farmington branch of this road, from Colfax +to Farmington, and the Spokane and Palouse, which runs from Marshall, on +the Northern Pacific, to Genesee. But a road passing through Sprague and +Colfax to Lewiston would cross some rich, unoccupied territory, and +everywhere would compete for business on fair terms. + +Whilst I was in Colfax, at my suggestion, the town was canvassed as to +the annual amount of its freight. The aggregate amount paid by fifteen +firms reached $200,000, and the balance was estimated at $25,000, making +$225,000. Five firms claimed to handle annually 2,075,000 bushels of +wheat, making 62,250 tons. These figures seem large for so small a +place as Colfax. + +The length of this branch would, of course, be affected by the location +of the main line across Great Bend. If the main line should take the +route preferred by Mr. Mohr, Wheatland would probably be the nearest +starting-point. This would be all the better for Spokane Falls; but for +the long haul to Puget Sound, it would seem to be more desirable for the +junction to be farther west. + + [Sidenote: Arguments for the Polouse branch.] + +To my mind, the chief arguments for building this branch are, first, +that it would be a start for the transcontinental road across Wyoming +and Nebraska, and then, so to speak, it would be stretching out one wing +of the bat with a view to catching the Manitoba bug. + +The other wing of the bat would be the Colville branch. The eccentric +bug would inevitably hit one or other of these wings, and when once +caught, would be held. + + [Sidenote: Manitoba railroad.] + +Concerning these Manitoba people, we may assume that they will think +with regard to the routes according to the facts of nature. The direct +line across the Kootenai country would strike the Colville branch, but +in the opinion of able engineers the difficulties are so nearly +insurmountable, that this is least likely to be chosen of all the +routes. The cut-off from Missoula to Spokane Falls by way of Lake +Coeur d'Alene, seems manifestly the best route for this road, that is, +if it be not already pre-empted by the Northern Pacific; but strong +reasons are given to show that the Northern Pacific will not, and +cannot, make this cross line; in which case, we might almost conclude +that the Manitoba will cross here, and inevitably join the Seattle road. + +The only other crossing left would be the Lolo Pass, which would be +still more out of their direction, and would give them no better chance +for an independent line to tide-water than the more northern routes. The +fact is, that the late strategic movement of the Seattle railway in +seizing upon the key to the Great Bend country made it master of the +situation. + + + + +SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER, GIVING LATEST INFORMATION. + + + [Sidenote: Rapid growth of Seattle and Spokane Falls.] + +It is now just one year since I left Washington Territory, and I am glad +to be able to report, on the best authority, that the great interests +heretofore described have progressed, some of them with accelerating +speed. The city of Seattle has added 10,000 to her population, and +Spokane Falls 5,000 to hers. + +Mining has spread its area, multiplied its diggings, and gone forward at +every point amazingly. Agriculture during the past year has not advanced +with equal rapidity. This is easily accounted for by the influences of +the mines and cities. The crops were fair, but not as large as in some +former years; but no fears need be entertained with regard to this great +interest. + + [Sidenote: Change in the location of the railroad.] + +The trunk line of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway will cross +the Cascade Mountains at Cady's Pass instead of at Snoqualmie Pass as +originally designed, and reach the Columbia River by the Wenatchie +Valley. Crossing the great river near the mouth of the Wenatchie, where +it is thought that a city will be developed, and passing along the +northern limb of the Great Bend country, it will connect with the +other end of the road which is now under construction to Wheatland. + + [Illustration: VIEW OF SEATTLE AND THE HARBOR, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, + SHOWING DOCKS OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.] + +A report from Paul F. Mohr, chief engineer, in regard to this new line, +is embraced in this chapter. Something is said about the Wenatchie +Valley, also, by Mr. Whitworth. + +But the original line is by no means abandoned. It has probably reached +Hop Ranch before this time, and will be continued through the great +timber belt, passing Salal Prairie, at least as far as the iron and +marble beds on Mt. Logan. No doubt in time the road will cross +Snoqualmie Pass, and continue to the mineral beds on the Cle-ellum and +elsewhere. + +I have obtained the following interesting and valuable reports from Mr. +Whitworth, who has been frequently mentioned in this report, Mr. Routhe, +president of the Board of Trade of the city of Spokane Falls, and Paul +F. Mohr, Esq., chief engineer. + + +REPORT FROM F. H. WHITWORTH, ESQ., CIVIL AND MINING ENGINEER ON SEATTLE, +ETC. + + +SEATTLE, W. T., Oct. 2, 1888. + +I now proceed to answer your questions. + +1. Present population of Seattle, and commercial growth? + + [Sidenote: Population of Seattle.] + + [Sidenote: New manufacturing establishments.] + +A census was taken in June of this year, and the total enrolled was +19,700. I presume it was safe to say that the population then was +20,000, and that now it is from 22,000 to 25,000, for although houses +have been built very rapidly, there is not a house, or a room hardly, +that is not occupied. There are now seven brick-yards in operation, each +manufacturing from 10,000 to 50,000 per day. Two boiler-works have been +added to the manufacturing interests since you were here. Three +saw-mills, besides four on the line of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern +Railway between here and Gilman, have been built, and all have more than +they can do. + +A new fish-canning establishment has been started, and is in successful +operation. A pile-creosoting works, an extensive shipyard works, a +shingle mill, and a timber-preserving works and saw-mill are all under +way on the north side of Salmon Bay. + + [Sidenote: New steamers.] + +The _Alaskan_ and the _T. J. Potter_, two magnificent steel steamers, +and the _Harry Bailey_ and _Hassalo_, good-sized passenger steamers, +besides three or four tugs, and an extra steamer on the Alaska route, as +well as an extra steamer every second or third week for freight from San +Francisco, have been added to the Seattle fleet since you were here. + +2. The Moss Bay Company. + + [Sidenote: The iron company at work.] + +There seems to be no question but that the location on the eastern shore +of Lake Washington is definite. A contract has been made with Denny, and +with those holding with Guy, but not with Guy himself. I understand that +no contract has been made with, or for, any other one, although Mr. Kirk +has been and is still examining all other places. + +Mr. Kirk, and Mr. Williams, another of the firm, are living on the +grounds at Kirkland, and have a force of men preparing the grounds, the +position of the different buildings having all been located. Brick and +other material is being placed on the ground. + +They have entered into contract to roll for the Seattle, Lake Shore & +Eastern Railway 30,000 tons steel at Kirkland, to be delivered within +the next twelve months. They, however, will bring the blooms from Moss +Bay for this. + + [Sidenote: Coking coals.] + +Coke is the fuel Mr. Kirk wants, and thinks he will have. But I do not +think that the question of coke supply is settled yet. Mr. Kirk's +property that we visited (Section 2) is, so far, not developing as they +had hoped. Mr. Kirk has disposed of his interest there. The Smith coking +ovens that we visited at Wilkeson are still producing a small amount of +coke. One or two other veins have been opened at Wilkeson recently, and +the company opening are proposing to put up ovens, and work and coke +their coal. It probably will make about the same quality of coke as the +Smith mine. The only coal that has been analyzed and stands that test +for coke, is Section 34, near Kirk's Section 2. We got some samples of +it, you remember. + +The Snoqualmie coal has been taken possession of by a Mr. Niblock, who +talks now of going to work to open. That, you know, cokes well in the +open air. + +The following is the cross-section of our best veins at Ruffner, or +Raging River, Section 16. Roof, sandstone: + + FT. INS. + Mixed Coal and Slate 1 2 + Coal (clean) 3 1 + Rock 3 + Coal 6 + Rock 6 + Coal 1 3 + +Total, coal, 4 ft. 10 in., rock, 9 in.; which seems to be very strong +coking coal. This bench can be worked to advantage, I think. + +We have another, also, of about three feet of coal, clean, and it is +underlaid with three feet of fire-clay, which probably will be as +valuable as coal. I have burned some of the brick, and sent some away to +be tested. + +No further discovery has been made in the neighborhood of the Denny or +Guy mines. At the "Chair Peak" Iron Mines, owned by Mr. Wilson, Kelly, +_et al._, as they have examined further, the deposit has shown itself +much larger than at first supposed. It is about two and a half miles +from the Guy lode, on Mt. Logan. + + [Sidenote: New discoveries of iron ore.] + +Some quite extensive iron deposits have been discovered on the west side +of the Sound, nearly due west from Seattle. They have not yet been +analyzed. + +What is thought to be a very rich deposit of iron has just recently been +found on one of the islands in the San Juan group, within the territory +of the United States, said to equal the Texada deposit in British +Columbia, which the iron works at Irondale, near Point Townsend, use. +The Irondale furnace commenced work again about a month since. + +In regard to the precious metals: there have been no developments of +importance on this side of the mountain. + +The Okanogan, Salmon River, Coeur d'Alene and Colville mines promise +richer and richer as they are more developed. + + [Sidenote: Lumber business growing.] + +4. The activity in the lumber business is unabated--is on the increase. +The increase of the lumber mills, that I have mentioned in the first +part of this letter, indicates _that_. + +The traffic on the railroad, both in logs and manufactured lumber, is +much larger than had been anticipated, and is increasing. In July the +road hauled 2,843,464 feet of logs. September log haul was about ten per +cent. greater. I could not get the exact figures to-day. + + [Sidenote: Population and freights increasing.] + +5. Spokane Falls is still growing very rapidly, and now claims 12,000 to +15,000 inhabitants, and is building very substantially. Along the line +of railroad on this side of the mountain the country is filling up, of +course, with small ranches or home-makers, and those already on the line +are making increased clearings, and will therefore have more to ship. + +The following shows something of what is being done in July: "Coal +freight, 2,750 tons; miscellaneous, 3,090; passenger traffic, $6,150; +and the advance has been about the same as in logs, except on coal." + + [Sidenote: Labor strike at Gilman Mine.] + +[6. Mr. Whitworth next gives an account of certain difficulties and +troubles, chiefly with miners, which ended in a "strike" that was +somewhat prolonged, but he thought the men would soon go to work on the +company's terms. Of course, the high hopes concerning these mines +(Gilman) had not been realized. Mr. W. proceeds as follows:] + + [Sidenote: Gilman coal seams.] + +On the Smith, or No. 4 vein, we had just got the gangway driven far +enough to turn rooms. The Andrews vein we were driving the gangway +entirely in the coal, but were not yet far enough to turn rooms. Nos. 1 +and 2 veins had gotten, with the gangway, well in under the hill, and +was looking very fine, and turning out good coal. With the prospect of +No. 4, or Smith vein, and Andrews vein, I am still well pleased. On the +vein in Section 26, just across the valley, I have started in a tunnel +to open it; have already driven about sixty feet through the rock, and +have about seventy feet still to go. This tunnel is still going on, not +having been stopped by the 'strike.' + + [Sidenote: Progress of the West Coast Railroad.] + +The West Coast Railroad is completed to Snohomish City, and trains run +regularly, the bridge across the river being completed only about ten +days ago. Both passenger and freight traffic is much larger than +anticipated. They are grading, and expect to have ready for service yet +this fall, five miles beyond Snohomish. Along most of the entire line +the timber is very fine and abundant, and a great deal of the land +adjacent is rich agricultural. + + [Sidenote: Resources of the country along the new line across Cady's +Pass.] + +7. Concerning the new line across Cady's Pass and down Wenatchie Valley. + +[After some remarks respecting grades, etc., Mr. Whitworth proceeds as +follows:] + +On this [west] side of the mountain [Cascade] the timber reaches right +up nearly to the summit, as in the Snoqualmie, and the reports are this +region is rich in coal, and probably also in iron, with some indications +of precious metals. Soon after crossing the divide the line will reach +the very rich agricultural valley of the Wenatchie, which is called "the +garden of Eastern Washington," and traverse its entire length. And it +will pass within a comparatively short distance of the mineral districts +on the northern slope of that range called Mt. Stuart. + +I have heard that there were numerous indications of coal near the mouth +of the Wenatchie on both sides of the Columbia. This, too, will be the +nearest main line to the rich mineral district of Salmon River, or +Okanogan, as well as all that northern mineral belt which extends to the +Rockies, and will strike the heart of the Big Bend wheat-fields. It will +also be eighty miles shorter than the other line. True, Ellensburg and +the Cle-ellum district will be missed, but I think this will be more +than compensated for by those I have spoken of. + +8. Of the progress of the work. + + [Sidenote: Progress in building the road.] + +On this side of the mountains no work except surveys has been done on +this line. At Spokane Falls the bridge across the river, and about forty +miles of track is finished, and they are now operating, I believe, with +very encouraging prospects. On the Snoqualmie line they are pushing on. +The trains now run regularly to Raging River. The bridge across that +stream is not yet completed, but will probably be by the 1st of +November, and it is expected that the trains will be running to the Hop +Ranch by December 1st. + +The branch or spur up Raging River to the Ruffner mine, on Section 16, +is located, and some little work has been done, but it is not being +prosecuted at present, so I do not expect we will be able to get out any +coal from there before next spring or early summer. + + [Sidenote: Cable Railway in Seattle.] + +Another item showing the prosperity of Seattle, is the opening of a +five-mile circuit of cable road to Lake Washington, which occurred last +Saturday. I will send you some papers giving some items that may be of +interest. + + [Sidenote: Southern Pacific Railroad supposed to be coming to Seattle + Harbor.] + +A syndicate of men prominent in the Southern Pacific Railroad management +purchased Milton Point, the land directly west, across Seattle Bay, from +the town, and are clearing it off, and say they will make extensive +improvements over there in the near future. They are building a large +ferry steamer, and have a franchise to run a ferry hourly between town +and the front. It is to be on the route by December 1st. Report says +that the Southern Pacific is coming in there. + +At Smith Cove quite a little town is building up, and property is +advancing all around there. + + +REPORT FROM E. A. ROUTHE, ESQ., CONCERNING SPOKANE FALLS, ETC. + + +SPOKANE FALLS, Oct. 17, 1888. + + [Sidenote: Growth of Spokane Falls.] + +Our city has progressed in growth splendidly since you were here. There +are now fully 13,000 inhabitants. The census of July 1st showed 12,000. +About $1,500,000 have been expended in buildings this year. Eight +business blocks of brick and granite have been built this season. One of +these cost $150,000. Four of these blocks are three stories, three are +four stories, and one five stories. + + [Illustration: SPOKANE FALLS, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.] + +Forty miles of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway will be +completed between here and the Big Bend by December 1st. The iron, +engines and cars are nearly all here, and the farmers in Lincoln +County are greatly rejoiced at the opportunity for shipping their grain +and stock to market. + +[Sidenote: Prodigious development of the mining interests.] + +The development in the mines this year has been greater than all the +work done heretofore. The gold mines near Murray, Idaho, have yielded +beyond the hopes of all interested in them. I saw four gold bricks, at +the First National Bank, said to contain $37,000. These were from one +mine, a South Fork mine of the Coeur d'Alene. + +The Kootenai country is now reached by steamer after leaving the +Northern Pacific road at Sand Point. A good deal of development work is +progressing, and the ore is being shipped out daily. It is mostly +silver-bearing galena. A new town just above the British line on the +Kootenai Lake has been started. It is called "Nelson." I shall send you +some formulated data at an early date. + +The crops have been good, though not so good as last year. Emigration to +the farming sections does not come in as fast as we would like--in fact, +not as rapidly as to the towns. I think it will be better after the +election. + + +REPORT FROM PAUL F. MOHR, ESQ., CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE +SHORE & EASTERN RAILWAY, CONCERNING THE CADY'S PASS AND WENATCHIE ROUTE. + + +SPOKANE FALLS, W. T., Dec. 3, 1888. + +The following is a report of the proposed line from West Coast Branch to +mouth of Wenatchie River: + + +I. ENGINEERING FEATURES. + + [Sidenote: Engineering details of the new route.] + +The proposed line will leave the West Coast Branch at a point six miles +south of Snohomish City, running east, crossing the Snohomish River on +drawbridge at the junction of the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers: +thence up the right bank of Skykomish on a 1 per cent. (52.8 feet per +mile) grade, a distance of forty miles from point of beginning. +Thirty-five miles of 2 per cent. (105.6 feet per mile) grade carries the +line to Cady's Pass and mouth of tunnel. The tunnel will be 3,500 feet +long, in granite rock; probably little or no lining will be necessary. + +Descending to the east by a 2 per cent. grade, following the Wenatchie +River, a distance of twenty miles. Descending and level grades alternate +for the next twenty-five miles, where 1,000 feet of tunneling will be +required in the divide between the Wenatchie and Chumstick rivers. This +tunnel saves eight miles of distance in the following eighteen miles, +and avoids entering the box cañon of the Wenatchie, a difficult and +expensive piece of work. + +The development in the Chumstick valley is especially easy. Thence into +the Wenatchie valley again, on a 1 per cent. grade, a distance of +twenty-seven miles, to the mouth of the Wenatchie River. + +A summary of the distances and grades shows a very prettily balanced +scheme for operating cheaply and effectively. + + +SUMMARY OF DISTANCES AND GRADES. + + DISTANCE. GRADE. + + West Coast Branch to end of 1% grade, 40m. × 1% + End of 1% grade to tunnel, 35m. × 2% + Tunnel section, 3,500 ft. + Tunnel to foot of 2% grade, 20m. -2% + Foot of 2% grade to Wenatchie 52m. -1% (or less.) + +The introduction of 1 per cent. grades, though higher than the water +grades of the Wenatchie and Skykomish rivers, is justified as balanced +against the 2 per cent. mountain grades and the saving effected thereby +in the bench country, which prevails along both rivers mentioned. + +While tunnel is being driven, a 4 per cent. cross-over through Cady's +Pass can be cheaply put in if necessary. + + +II. RESOURCES. + + [Sidenote: Mr. Mohr's account of the resources of the new route.] + +West of the Cascade Range the road will pass through a densely wooded +district, through which, with the additional aid of transportation +facilities by river now existing, an immense logging industry will be +created. The red fir and white cedar now being taken out are superior in +quality to those of any section of this coast. Each mile as opened will +therefore become an immediate source of income. Considerable prospects +and discoveries of gold and silver have already been found, and a number +of men are now at work making such developments as are practicable in +the absence of transportation facilities. With the opening of the road a +heavy mineral traffic will be developed in the future. + +Near the summit large deposits of iron are sure to be found, judging +from the extraordinary local magnetic variations. + +Twenty miles west of the summit are iron-soda springs, which will no +doubt become quite famous. + +East of the Cascade Summit the country tributary to the road is covered +with open, fine forests; the timber is principally second growth yellow +and black pine, in tall and straight trees, forming very valuable +timber. This prevails for forty miles east of the summit. The remaining +country to the mouth of the Wenatchie River is rich agricultural land, +fairly well settled up between the Cascade Summit and the mouth of the +Wenatchie River. + +Very extensive indications of coal and iron are found; and along all of +the tributaries of the Wenatchie considerable deposits of precious +metals have been discovered, which will no doubt be rapidly developed in +the future. + +This entire section of country has been well known to miners and +prospectors for the past twenty years, but the total lack of +transportation facilities has thus far prevented any considerable +development of mining properties. + +At the confluence of the Wenatchie River with the Columbia River (which +will likewise be the crossing point for the Seattle, Lake Shore & +Eastern Railway) we find the Columbia River is navigable as far up as +the Okanogan country. A large city is destined to spring up at this +point, which will control, by means of the Columbia River, a very +extensive tributary country. + +The valleys of the Entiat, Chelan, Methow, Okanogan, and other rivers, +which drain an extraordinary mineral belt, with occasionally fine +districts of agricultural land, will provide an enormous quantity of +freight for the road. None of this freight will be able to find an +outlet except by this road, by reason of the fact that very swift and +rocky rapids, which begin about twelve miles south of our crossing and +continue for some fifty miles, will for at least a great many years +prevent practicable or profitable navigation to points below our +crossing. + + +III. SCENERY. + +The aesthetic side of railroading has undoubtedly a large commercial +value, and in this instance it will be secured without additional +expense. It will certainly prove a valuable factor in the obtainment of +passenger traffic. From the city of Seattle to the Columbia River an +ever changing succession of magnificent and surprising views will meet +the eye of the traveler. Indeed, I believe that the scenic attractions +of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway will stand pre-eminent +among all the railroads on this coast. + + * * * * * + +Mr. Mohr's report opens up a region almost unknown heretofore, which is +shown to abound in the finest timber, to possess superior agricultural +lands, and to give indications of rich deposits of coal, iron, and the +precious metals. + +All the reports I have seen from Washington Territory confirm the +impressions I first received in regard to its wonderful resources. + +W. H. RUFFNER + +LEXINGTON, VA., Dec. 13, 1880. + + + SEATTLE, W. T., Jan. 9, 1889. + + DR. W. H. RUFFNER. + + + _Dear Sir_: In relation to your request for such additional data as + may be of interest in connection with your Report, especially such + data as relate to the changes in population since the time of your + visit here a little over a year ago, likewise relating to new + developments in the plans of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern + Railway Co. and other matters of interest, I respectfully state the + following: + + The immigration into Washington Territory since December, 1887, has + been very heavy, and while there are no statistics showing the + number of immigrants, except such as have taken up their residence + in the towns and cities, I am, I feel sure, not far from the truth, + when I estimate their number at 65,000. Of this number, + + Spokane Falls has received about 8,000 + Seattle " " " 10,000 + Tacoma " " " 7,000 + + The remaining number may be assumed to have been distributed about + as follows: + + To the various small towns east of the + Cascade Mountains 7,500 + + To the various small towns west of the + Cascade Mountains 6,000 + + To the agricultural and mining regions + east of the Cascade Mountains 16,000 + + To the agricultural, timber, and mining + region west of the Cascade Mountains 10,500 + + The usual proportion between the populations of country and towns + in Western States and Territories is as three to one (roughly + estimated); this would indicate that the towns and cities have + received more than their fair proportion of the entire immigration, + and this is true. The consequence will, therefore, undoubtedly be + that of the immense immigration predicted for the year 1889 a + correspondingly larger percentage will reach the rich agricultural, + mineral, and timber lands of Washington Territory, and thus + restore the proper balance. + + Since Mr. Whitworth's report and yours, an additional cable + railroad and an electric street railway have been started at + Seattle, and quite a number of new enterprises have been commenced. + + At Spokane Falls considerable terminal facilities for the Seattle, + Lake Shore & Eastern Railway have been added, a system of warehouse + and mill tracks has been agreed upon between the Northern Pacific + Railroad Co. and the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Co. to + be built and operated jointly by the two companies, a new cable + street railroad has been projected and partly built, and about five + miles of street railway has been placed in operation. Extensive + improvements in the development of the water power are in progress, + several new bridges have been built, and a general air of + prosperity pervades the place. To indicate the importance of the + business of Spokane Falls it is only necessary to state the fact + that this city has paid nearly $1,750,000 to the Northern Pacific + Railroad during the year 1888 for freights and passages. + + The Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Co. has decided to build + a branch line from some point near the crossing of the Grand + Coulee to the Okanogan mines (Conconnully district), about seventy + miles, work to be commenced as soon as the main line shall be + completed. This feeder will command a very extensive business, + perhaps equal to the enormous business of the Coeur d'Alene mines + which is now enjoyed by the Northern Pacific Railroad. + + Since Mr. Whitworth's last report to you, considerable development + work has been done upon the Grand Ridge mines 2-1/2 miles east of + Gilman and adjacent to our railroad; the vein developed is four + feet thick and furnishes a hard, compact coal, superior for + domestic purposes to any coal yet found in that section. Shipments + commenced last month, and the prospects for a heavy output are very + flattering. + + The Spokane Division of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway, + extending from Spokane westwardly, a distance of forty-five miles, + is practically finished; trains are running regularly, and as soon + as our motive-power and cars can be disengaged from the work of + "ballasting" we will be able to do considerable business. + + Very respectfully yours, + + PAUL F. MOHR, + + CHIEF ENGINEER. + + + * * * * * + +TRANSCRIBER NOTES: + + + Missing punctuation has been added and obvious punctuation errors + have been corrected without note. + + Archaic, obsolete and misspelled words have not been changed. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Report on Washington Territory, by +William Henry Ruffner + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40132 *** |