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.