[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.