Cities and towns.

Goldendale, the county seat and metropolis, is located in the center of the county, 120 miles east of Portland.  It is the terminus of the Goldendale branch of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle railway, making connection with the main line at Lyle.  It is located in the heart of a splendid agricultural section and at the edge of the great timber belt.

White salmon, located in the splendid fruit section, is a thriving town.  It is an important railroad point on the North Bank and is the outlet for the products of an extensive fruit, timber and dairying region.

Cliffs, the division point of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle railway, is the trading center of many square miles of territory.  The best nut land in the county is located near here.

Bickleton, the trading point of an extensive wheat section, is in the eastern part of the county.  An electric road has been surveyed, which will, when completed, give this town railway connection.

Lyle, Roosevelt, Columbus, Bingen, and Centerville are growing trading points.

LEWIS COUNTY

Lewis county is one of the largest counties in western Washington, having an area of 2,593 square miles of territory and about 40,000 people.  It occupies a large part of the drainage basins of two large rivers, the Cowlitz and Chehalis—­one emptying its waters into the Columbia river and the other into Grays harbor.  It reaches from the peaks of the Cascades 100 miles toward the ocean, but is cut off 30 miles from the coast, and is about 30 miles wide.  Mount Rainier is just north of its extreme eastern portion and about one-fourth of the county is within the Rainier forest reserve.

RESOURCES.

At present the chief industry of the county consists of manufacturing its forests into the various forms of lumber and its products, the lumber cut aggregating four hundred million feet and two hundred million shingles.

Next in importance probably are the precious metal and coal deposits of the county, which have, however, been but little developed.  The coal measures include bituminous, lignite and anthracite, and are of great extent in the foothills of the eastern part of the county.  Two systems of railroads have been projected into these fields, and the nearest, carrying lignite and bituminous coals, are being commercially developed. [Page 68]

Agriculture, including especially dairying and fruit culture, takes the place of the forests as they are removed and bids fair to reach in importance, in time, the lumber and coal resources.  To this end, the soil fertility, the mild climate and cool mountain waters conspire.

Transportation.