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-