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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1888)
THE WEST SHORE. distance they are navigable for small steamers. Sea going ships ascend the Wihkah about half a mile, and the lioqaiara a less distance. On the south side of the harbor the John's river and Redmond creek are the chief streams, neither of which is navigable. The tide lands about the harbor and streams 11 wing into it aggregate nearly fifty thousand acres, and the rich grasses which grow there possess a peculiar val ue fur fattening stock. All the streams have the choicest agricultural lands along their banks, and take their riso in the timbered hills of the interior, furnishing the only feasible transportation way from the forests. They made the settlement of the coun try possible, and as yet supply the only mem? of communication between the settler of the interior and his market and the outside world. These are not rapid flowing streams, and their banks are not overflowed during the summer season, which is quite exceptional with the streams of Washington territory. Thus the richest land along the immediate banks of the rivers can be tilled successfully, and they pro duce prodigious crops. The Gray's harbor country is one of the many un developed sections of the Pacific slope, but the some what remarkable growth that has taken place there during the past two or three years promises to soon bring out tho industrial powers of the country and push it into duo prominence. Five years ago there was not a town on the harbor, nor even a trading post of any consequence. Along tho principal streams thero were a few settlers who had no other means of ingrens or egress than the water and pack trail afford ed. They were entirely isolated from the commercial and social wrld. Twenty.five, and even thirty, years agi the pioneers of the Gray's harbor country made their way on foot from Olympia to the rivers flowing to tho harbor, and floated down in their canoes to spots along tho shores most suitable for dwelling places. They were not restricted in their choice of location, and seleobvl those best situated with refer-cnc-J to the primitive means of travel at their com mand. Some of the early settlers had families, more hail none; altogether they were few, and the long dis tances between ranches made neighboring, in most instance, entirely ut of the question. The soil pro due d hay, grain, fruit an I vegetables in abundance, the ktreatus tmd with fih and the woods with all kind of game. Very few, indeH, of the necessaries of lifd were not obtained from the fields, forests and streams about the settler's wild abode, and while it would svm Out such circumstances did not offer a veiy wide field for entrprie, still homes were built and the thick growth of timber pushed back from the margins of the streams to permit the cultivation of the rich toil; and when the newer immigration wave reached those far limiU, it found a number of raoca. era living comfortably on improved estates. Iheie pioneers were repaid for their years of privation anj struggle by being able to improve their advantage when real growth began, and their accurate knnl. edge of the country and its capabilities, as well u their improved land, stood them well in hand. Some six or eight years ago the attention of hm. bermen was attracted to the Gray's harbor region, and operations were at once commenced for the e. tablishment of saw mills to prepare for market the timber of that locality. With these movements, i rapid growth began. The principal town on the hw. bor, Aberdeen, was platted on the tide land at the mouth of the Wishkah river, and only four years ago last February the first house within the present cor. porate limits was built Now it is a flourishing torn of a thousand inhabitants, and is growing rapidly. It has four saw mills, the aggregate daily output o( which is two hundred thousand feet of lumber, a ship yard, three salmon canneries, and the only foundry and machine shop on the harbor, or at any point near er than Olympia. For a town of the age of Aberdeen, and so far removed from the usual transportation lines, this is a remarkably good showing. There are, alK), a bank, a good local newspaper, the Aberdeen Herald, two good hotels, a creditable public school building, two churches and several benevolent socie ties in a flourishing condition, and many of the boai ness blocks and residences compare favorably with those in cities much larger and older than Aberdeen. It has a water works system, supplied from springi back in the hills, and an effective volunteer fire de partment has been organized. Most of the residents of Aberdeen came from Michigan. Three of the sat mills are owned and operated by Michigan men, who induced many workmen from those eastern pinenes to come to Gray's harbor with them and engage in the lumber business. Wisconsin and Iowa have alsa contributed to the population of the town. Last win ter Aberdeen was organized as a village corporation, by authority of the territorial legislature, and it hu its own officers and administers its own government in an enterprising and efficient manner. The principal part of the town site of Aberdeen ii tide land, on the west side of the Wishkih river, si its mouth. Before the town had provided gnaruJ against them, spring tides would sometimes inrade it and make it rather unpleasant The graie is wf established above high water mark, the sidelk sre built to conform to the grade and the street are be ing suitably filled up. At opring tide the difference between high and low water is abut fourteen ft and protection from the water is a necessity to tot rJ having a good location for shipping on the harbor.