A Review of the Resources and Industries of the State of Washington, 1909 | Page 7

their clustered peaks and mountain passes from four to eight
thousand feet above the sea, while Mount Olympus and his colleagues
higher still poke their inspiring [Page 17] front heavenward. Between
these two white and green clad mountain ranges, protected from the
blizzards of the southwestern plains and from the hurricanes from the
ocean, lie in safety the placid waters of Washington's great inland sea,
matchless Puget Sound.
Where else upon the globe is such a diversified stretch of tranquil water,
upon whose shores the ocean tides ebb and flow, upon whose surface
the navies of the world could maneuver to their heart's content, while
visible from shore to shore are the vast evergreen forests, interlaced
with winding waters and stretching gently upwards till they reach the
visible mountain peaks a hundred miles away, thousands of feet
skyward?
Scarcely less enchanting is the view eastward from the Rainier's lofty
height--a vast stretch of hill and plain almost surrounded by green

mountain sides, through whose gray and green fields flow the great
winding courses of the mighty Columbia and the lazy Snake rivers,
while a multitude of smaller streams gleam through the forest sides of
the mountains over innumerable waterfalls. Here within the foothills
you gaze upon the largest lake within the state, a beauty spot to enchant
alike the artist and the sportsman. Deep within its rocky sides and full
of speckled beauties lying like a mirror in the stretch of green hills
about it, lies Lake Chelan, and on its unruffled bosom a fleet of boats
ply for fifty miles beyond its outlet till reach the mining foothills of the
mountains. A hundred miles eastward, still among the scattered pines
of northeastern Washington, the Spokane river tumbles in masses of
foam and spray over a succession of rocky falls on its way to the
Columbia, while still further on the Pend d'Oreille and upper reaches of
the Columbia river flow close up among the mountains and foothills
and present a series of beautiful combinations of rock, trees, hills and
valleys, of forests and waterfalls of magnificent beauty. Washington in
its scenery is magnificent in proportions, wonderful in its variety, grand
and imposing in form and feature--picturesque--enticing--"a thing of
beauty and a joy forever."

[Page 18] PRINCIPAL INDUSTRIES OF WASHINGTON.
LUMBERING.
The description of the resources of a state naturally suggests what its
industries are. The forests of western Washington inevitably lead to the
lumber industry and the fertile soil of eastern Washington point as
unerringly to agriculture. These are the two great industries of the state.
The lumberman and the farmer are in the majority. Already there are
sawmills enough in operation to cut up all the standing timber in the
state within fifty years. They employ probably 100,000 men. This
includes those engaged in logging and the subsidiary industries.
Of the trees the fir is pre-eminently useful, and more than half of the
forests of the state are fir trees. It is of greater strength than any of the
others and hence is used for all structural work where strength is of
special importance. It is rather coarse grained, but when quarter sawed
produces a great variety of grains very beautiful and capable of high
finish and is extensively used for inside finishings for houses as well as
for frame work. Its strength makes it ideal for the construction of ships.

The yellow pine is strong, medium grained and well fitted for general
building purposes, and is very extensively used in eastern Washington.
Cedar is very light and close grained and is chiefly used for shingles,
and for this purpose has no superior. The cheaper grades are also used
for boxes and sheathing for houses and many other purposes.
The spruce furnishes an odorless wood especially useful for butter tubs;
for shelving and similar uses it is superior to either the fir or cedar. It is
a white, close grained lumber, and appreciating in value.
The hemlock, whose bark produces tannin for the tanneries, is also a
close grained light wood coming more and more into [Page 19] general
use, for many purposes, especially where it will not be exposed to the
weather.
Logs frequently seven feet in diameter require big saws, and big
carriers 50 to 100 feet long, and hence Washington has probably the
largest sawmills in the world.
Our lumber is used at home and shipped all over the world to make
bridges, ships, houses, floors, sash, doors, boxes, barrels, tubs, etc.
Factories for the manufacture of wood products are scattered all over
the state. Most of the sawmills and some factories are driven by steam
made by burning sawdust, slabs, and other refuse of the mills. Coal and
electricity, however, are both in use.
COAL MINING.
The mining of coal for foreign and domestic purposes