17:'
supply df electricity would plunge the whole x Iili
timi into Kgyptian darkness, ami there would lie
" Mailing and gnashing of tvth," the former on the
part of the women and children and the latter by the
rxi itol superintendents and directors.
In connection with tin fair, during the week j tint
closed, there Iiiih In ch an exhibition of fat and fancy
sts k that excels anything of the kind ever before
gathered together on the coast. The utteiidanee at
that braneh of the fair Iiiih been very large, number
ing a great many who lake a special interest in rear
iii) line stock. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine and
poultry were com prided in the display, and made a
most attractive ami interesting sight. Larger accom
modations u ill Ik required for thin department another
year, a its growth in (M.pularity and number of en
trie will undoubtedly be great.
Not only Iiiih the remarkable success of the exhi
bition vindicated the judgment of its projectors and
proved that sin h an institution was not ahead of the
times, but it has demonstrated the necessity of a larger
building ami increased room and facilities for display
in every department. Already the directors are dis
cussing this mutter, and the probabilities are that an
other large building will he erected, which will lie de
voted solely to machinery, vehicles and agricultural
exhibits, thus doubling the space available for general
ami miscellaneous exhibitors. Ily this means the gen
eral comfort ami pleasure will be enhanced, since the
H"i f machinery will not interfere with the en
joyment of thesuerh music, as is the ease as things
are now arranged. One thing is certain, that the fair
to Ih In hi next year will as fully eclipse the one now
in progress ns this one docs all previous efforts of the
kind in the northwest.
ALASKA TIMBER.
5 I IK huge cedars of Alaska ami the islands and
mainland of Itritish Columbia are well known,
and the impression bus prevailed that the tin,.
U r supply of Alaska is very great. This is en
tirely erroneous. The large timber is confined to the
islands fringing the eoast and to th.i very contracted
areas of low land along the streams between the ocean
and the mountains, which hug the c,IHst line Vcrv
l ie. A Very colnM-tent judge of the suhj.vt. (Je,,.
llotchkiss. editor of the hmlr TnuU J.mrmil, of Chi.
rag., made a sp, inl examination ,
visit to Alaska, ami came to the conclusion that the
fort-sts of On-p.ii, W.hington Nm Itrili.h Columbia
have no rival in Alaska. Says Mr llotchkis ;
No, Alaska will never U available for timU r
supply. It vntam little but scrubby spru.r. hem-
lock nnd cedar. I availed myself of every possible
opportunity for forming a correct judgment upon this
siint, both by personal examination and by inquiry,
the result of which convinces me that although at a
cursory glance the country apjiears to lie one vast for
est, the great mass of the timber growth is practically
worthless, and for commercial purposes wholly so,
"Of course, a steamer's deck is a poor place to
judge of the timlier resources of the country ; but
enough could le seen to enable an expert to form i
fairly correct opinion when continued with such w
soiial examination as is possible by going into the
woods at the various landings.
" As an almost universal fact, the country stands
on end, the mountains rising from the water's edge
precipitously. In but few instances are there to be
seen any low lands, and these are seldom more than
from a few rods to a mile before the steep asivnt of i
high mountain is encountered. The vast numlier of
small, dead trees, sprinkled through the geeen foliage,
lietokened a lightness of soil over the rocks which
effectually forbade the idea of any very large and ma
ture growth, while the rocky promontories of nearly
every hill slojie were siillieient to convince any lumlier
man that it will lie impossible to use teams among the
timU'r if valuable timlier could be found.
" After leaving Seymour narrows, at the head of
thed'ulf of (leorgia, there was was but little appear
ance of timlier of commercial value. My attention
was called at several points to what the inhabitant
called first class timlier, but I must confess to my din
appointment in saying that I did not see a first claim
tree during my journey after leaving the head of Van
couver island. At Wrnngcl I saw what was consid
ered first class spruce in the yard of a new mill there
building, but it was not the first class of I'uget sound
or ,'f 11 "t. If the worl.l of the future is to 1cic!h1
nsin Alaska for its timber supply, it must rest con
tent with a grade of timber that is not now considered
merchantable in average lumber markets. That there
are a few good trees scattered among the scrubs can
nt Is doubted, but I could learn nowhere of any
claim that there was more than a few hundred ncn
in H f what the inhabitants call gisxl timber,"
Itoulanger comes to America to escape the "ener
getic action of the reM.rters of the Itritish capital."
He probably cxects to hunt buffalo in the wilderness
als.tit Niagara falls and stalk antlered game in thf
H.vlyan shad. of Deerlleld, Massachusetts. If he re
nin!", as is intimated, until his services are called for
in France, he will probably know something alsxit thii
country Ufore he leaves us, and will have an oppor
tunity of investigating the merits of our native brand
"f rejiorterto his heart's content.