It is now just one year since I left Washington Territory, and I am glad to be able to report,Rapid growth of Seattle and Spokane Falls. on the best authority, that the great interests heretofore described have progressed, some of them with accelerating speed. The city of Seattle has added 10,000 to her population, and Spokane Falls 5,000 to hers.
Mining has spread its area, multiplied its diggings, and gone forward at every point amazingly. Agriculture during the past year has not advanced with equal rapidity. This is easily accounted for by the influences of the mines and cities. The crops were fair, but not as large as in some former years; but no fears need be entertained with regard to this great interest.
Change in the location of the railroad.The trunk line of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway will cross the Cascade Mountains at Cady's Pass instead of at Snoqualmie Pass as originally designed, and reach the Columbia River by the Wenatchie Valley. Crossing the great river near the mouth of the Wenatchie, where it is thought that a city will be developed, and passing along the northern limb of the Great Bend country, it will connect with the other end of the road which is now under construction to Wheatland.
VIEW OF SEATTLE AND THE HARBOR, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, SHOWING DOCKS OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN RAILWAY.
A report from Paul F. Mohr, chief engineer, in regard to this new line, is embraced in this chapter. Something is said about the Wenatchie Valley, also, by Mr. Whitworth.
But the original line is by no means abandoned. It has probably reached Hop Ranch before this time, and will be continued through the great timber belt, passing Salal Prairie, at least as far as the iron and marble beds on Mt. Logan. No doubt in time the road will cross Snoqualmie Pass, and continue to the mineral beds on the Cle-ellum and elsewhere.
I have obtained the following interesting and valuable reports from Mr. Whitworth, who has been frequently mentioned in this report, Mr. Routhe, president of the Board of Trade of the city of Spokane Falls, and Paul F. Mohr, Esq., chief engineer.