Part 21 (1/2)
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 antic.i.p.ated, 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 s.h.i.+p.
The following shows something of what is being done in July: ”Coal freight, 2,750 tons; miscellaneous, 3,090; pa.s.senger 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 pa.s.senger and freight traffic is much larger than antic.i.p.ated. 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 Pa.s.s.]
7. Concerning the new line across Cady's Pa.s.s 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 Was.h.i.+ngton,” and traverse its entire length. And it will pa.s.s 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 pus.h.i.+ng 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 Was.h.i.+ngton, which occurred last Sat.u.r.day. 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.]