[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.]