The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891, April 01, 1888, Page 176, Image 8

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THE WEST SHORE.
THE I'Z.WVdYLVANIA OF THE PACIFIC.
) KlKIiENCi; to the Paget sound country is in-
It. I1 in thin h'-ading. The comparison of
'Uti)Uhn with th nound country will apply in
mny rcujx'cU. IUh regions were heavily timbered
I'V utnre; Ah are of varied and rugged topogra-
!th ar lnm with temperate, pleasant and
iValthful climate; both are richly underlaid with
(vwl aril iron; loth arc adapted, ia the. higheat de-Kr-,
It thr. urwa of tlie manafacturer; and both
arc rapM of importing dense populations.
In other recpbi, kUo, they are alike; but in less
degree, and in lews noticeable manner. Otherwise
th'-re in a marled difference, and where that differ
run exinU, it In Wiered to favor the Pacific section,
lb" agricultural reaourccs Lero are superior to those
f Vvul) 1 vauia. Thero ia a greater varietj of min
eral hre, and ihi) territory faces the Beaboard, while
tho old K7!olo itato ia veiled by. New Jersey and
IMaware, Already the direct foreign commerce of
I Vt K.uul riwdi, in lumber of ships and in ton
W, that i lYooaylvania, and ia p1ualed in the
li..,on!7 only by that of New York. Weitern
WMhiLgt.a Iju also been compared with England,
and it tuoit U admitted that their climates, resources
.l f arl..lt,f aro wonderfully alike, In ocean
tnnco, umt$i InJ b SOffi0 olhpr particQj the
i'ity to tfcgUt,! i. nearer than to Pennsylvania.
Iho. utcrqjpicgiof coal were discovered by the
;rltufttanumbctofIx)intaonornearPa.
k"' t .u..d. prior to the Indln ,. 10- , n
K..lu,Unck A to, (os w:c UljtJ J
"l.l ... .M ,t UL ll tu tt"1.,!t0
-Ut.Mirfcriu,,j,;X. ,M''ty0'iU
ib J.filrull, .i i ' "1 "? "'wwpttied
H JmU . ..A V H . made
O.o amaii . a: one
ports being continually afloat of new lignite, semi
bituminous, bituminous, cannel and anthracite veins.
The area of coal lands in the territory is hard to
estimate. Authorities differ, the estimates usually
ranging from three hundred thousand to twelve hun
dred thousand acres. Finds are reported in every di
rection, and mines have been opened up in eight
counties, do lar as Known, .rung county is about the
center of this great coal field. Its acreage of coal
lands is greater than that of any other county, its va
rieties of coal are more numerous, and its mining op.
erations have been carried onmbre extensively and
for a longer period. This article will deal moi e par
ticularly with the mines of King county. .
At present, there are four largecoaijnines open
in the county. In this connection,': ifmayjbe well to
state that a " mine " is intended to coverall the prop
erty at, or near, one point belonging to pne company,
and not a single opening, as is frequentiyinderstood.
These mines are at Newcastle, Cedar Mountain, Black
Diamond and Franklin, all on the line of (the Col urn
bia & Paget Sound railroad. These minea'are very
complete affairs. The companies owning'them own
everything in, on and about them; except the people
and their few personal possessions. Though they lay
of! towns, they sell no lots. . They not only'dlg coal
at these places, but they cut lumber, buili houses,
keep hotels and run stores.: They are" j landlords to
their entire commnnif.Aa tk;q u Ll;. ii L
...v.. uw, UUWCKCI, UUCO IJUl
imply a slavish condition of affairs among th inhab
itatto. No men are mora sturdy, more independent,
more jealous of their rights, than the coal miners of
the P,fi0 coast A majority of them' have had ex
jwieuce in Europe and the eastern state's.,! They
how what they are entitled to and what 'th'ej should
have, and their demands invariably being reasonable,
are usually complied with. They rest almost as se
cure m their little homes as it they ownedihem, and
ertamlymuch more so than the averagoenant in
me cities. They can rely upon holding their places
daring competency and good behavior. Nd subordi-
ttm-a8Ti0r ffieisl wiU 'rnptdischarge
h m without good cause. This being soT they settle
tart, down to stay in comfort Tho family cot
gcs are surround) mill, : j -. ' ,
scIkvyI. .i t , "" imu garaens.. uooa
uliM w 1. " pr0TideA 0'g"vtionsof
aud it! ,meD,flKoig of LlW, OJd-Fellows
iri ,po ,ticiiM' ub i8
ble additio Tl btucrQ" are desirable and valua-
hundred men
Piojeu at the four mines named.
occur,,,, r(: , the, I "'DCi,th,COmPsnie'"e provided with .11
Pparatu. necessary to work them fully and ad-