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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1885)
THE WEST SHORE, 71 PIERCE COUNTY, W. T. IHIS region is better known by the names of it two principal localities Taooraa and Puyallup Valley than it is by the distinctive county name of " Pierce," bestowed upon it in honor of Franklin Pierce, just after his election to the Presidency. The county was created December 22, 1852, by the Legislature of Oregon before Washington Territory was established. It lies along the southeastern extremity of Pugot Sound, and includes in its area of 1,800 square miles a numbor of fertile and wooded islands in that great "Mediterranean of the Pacific." Across it flow the Nesqually, Puyallup and White rivers, all of which have their source in the moun tains surrounding Mount Taooma or in the icy glaoiors of that giant peak. Numerous oreoks, lakes and springs also aid in supplying an abundanoe of pure water to every portion of the county. It ooutains a greater pro portion of valley and plains land than any oounty border ing on the Sound. Along the Nesqually, Puyallup and White rivers are large tracta of fertile valley land that have been placed under a high stato of cultivation. Among the farm products noted in the Assessor's last report were: One hundred thousand bushels of potatoes, 15,000 bushels of apples, pears, plums and other fruit, 3,200 tons of hay, valued at $-15,000; 750 tons of hops, $329,350; 28 tons of butter, $10,010: boef, mutton, voal, etc., $30,000. Other statistics given were: Fifteon thou sand sheep, 1,000 noat cattle, 000 horses, 17,000 apple trees, 7,000 pear, plum and prune treos, 750 poach troos and grape vines, an estimated population of 10,000 (sinoe much increased), 30 school districts, $30,787 worth of school property, 2,305 school children, and a total assessed valuation of property of $4,385,002. The most important agricultural section is Puyallup Valley, lying along the river of that name, southoast of Taooma. The extreme lower portion of the valley is within the limits of the Puyallup Indian Reservation, which extends around the east sido of Cominonoomont Bay into King County. Above the reservation tlio valley is well settled and cultivated. This portion has an area of forty-five miles, and ooutains alwut 10,000 acros of land adaptod to hop culture, the groatost industry of that region. The soil is a rich, black, vegotablo mould of great depth, the accumulations of yean of washings of the soil and luxuriant vegotation of the Cascade Moun tains. All kinds of cereals and vegetables are produeod in abundanoe, but hops are the loading product To these the soil and climate are especially adapted. The long roots penetrate to a great depth into the rich soil and draw upwards an abundance of moisture even in the driost seasons. The crop has never failed nor the price fallen below the cost of production. Noithor lice nor any form of disease has ever attacked tho vines, an exemption ascribed to climatic conditions, and therefore likely to continue. Alwut one hundred mon are engaged in the industry, having a total area of 1,300 acres of vines. The picking is done chiofly by Indians, who are very expert, and gather there in great crowds during the picking sea son. This industry began in 1805, when L, F, Thwujsoii planted two acres of roots, purohasod in Saoramouto for $100. The acreage and numbor of growers have increased year by yonr, until now tho Puynllup Valley wiiLLj a greater number of prosperous, and evon woalthy, farmors than any region of equal area on tho Paoifio Coast The future of this industry thore it is difficult to prodict, though it admits of wonderful possibilities. With but 1,300 acres now in vinos, and noarly 15,000 more of soil adaptod to hop culturo, vinos exompt from scourge, hops admitted to have no superior in sizo and quality, an aver age yield per aore noarly doublo that of tho great hop fields in tho East, and tho cost of production at a mini mum, it would soein as though this was dostiuod to Ih the groat hop region of the world in a few years. Through tho valley runs the Cascades Division of tho Northern Paoifio Railroad, extending from Taooma to the ooal fields further up tho stream; also tho lino which brauohes off from it and runs to Seattle, Thoro are four towns in the valloy Puyallup, Aldorton, Sumner and Orting. Puyallup has a population of about 250, and ooutains throo gonoral merchandise stores, drug store, jowolry store, two saloons, two hotels, steam stave factory, market millinery establishment blacksmith shop, wagon shop, etc. It has a public school and Baptist and Meth odist ohurchos. The shipments of hops, stevos, hay, grain and produce are vory largo. Sumner has a jMipu lation of 150, and contains Presbyterian and Christian ohurchos, a public school, two saw mills, a gonoral stero, drug store, hotel, shops, ote. Its shipments aro consider able, Aldorton has a population of 100, a steam saw mill, hotel and school. Orting contains a gonoral stero and railroad station. Elhi is another xmt olllco in the valloy. A portion of White Rivor Valloy lies in rioreo, and tho hop industry is just being develop! thoro. Mar ion is tho post oflloe of that region. Wilkoson is the present terminus of tho Cascades Division of tho Northern Pacific. It has a population of 150, chiefly minors, and is a shipping point for ooal. Carbonado is throo miles distant ntid is connected with it by a branch linn. Hero aro aliout 500 miners, em ployed in tho ooal mines. All tho ooal shipXHl at Taooma comes from this region. Ono gonoral inorchandiso stero at Wilkoson and two at Carbonado supply tho neods of the people. On tho lino of tho Northern Pacific, south of Taooma, aro the towns of Lake View and Ilillhurst Tho former has a general stero, shiuglo and hoop factory, saw mill and flouring mill. Considerable grain, flour, lumlwr, shingles and lioojm are shipped from that point The population is about sixty souls. Ilillhurst has alxmt 100 people, and ships much hos, grain and other produce It has throe stores, saloon, shops, ote. Steilaooom City is a town of nlxmt 300 oopo, situ, ated on tho shore of Paget Hound, twelve miles southwest of Taooma. This was for years an iuiortant military xrnt, tho headquarters of all forco stationed on the Sound. Opposite the city is McNeil Inland, where the UniUtd States Penitentiary is luxated. One mile from the city, at tho site of tho old fort, to the Territorial In-