Lewis county is in the path of all railroads coming in from the south or through the Columbia gap in the Cascades.  Already the Northern Pacific railway and the Union Pacific railway cross the county, and the North Coast contemplates traversing the entire Cowlitz valley, while the Tacoma Eastern is already into the northwestern part of the county on its way toward the same goal.  The county cannot be too well supplied, for its vast treasures when developed will furnish immense products for transportation.

Cities and towns.

Chehalis and Centralia are the two twin cities of the county—­less than five miles apart and of about equal importance.  From Chehalis the Northern Pacific railway branches off, following the upper reaches of Chehalis river and ending on Willapa bay, while from Centralia the same road branches, following the lower Chehalis river, to Grays harbor.

Chehalis is the county seat, with a population of 5,000 and rapidly growing, and has electric lights, sanitary sewerage system, paved streets, fine business blocks, and a large and growing trade.  Near the city is located the State Training School.

Centralia has a population of about 7,000 people, chiefly engaged in running sawmills, shingle mills, sash and door factories, and other woodworking plants.  It has a large city hall, ten churches, fine schools, banks, business houses, water systems, fire department, and is a hustling, thriving town.

Winlock is a town of 1,200 people on the railroad in the southern part of the county, and a distributing point of much importance.

Pe Ell is a town of 1,000 people on the South Bend branch of the Northern Pacific railway, chiefly engaged in milling and agricultural pursuits.

MCCORMICK, Littell, Kosmos, little falls, Adna, Dryad, Doty, and Kopiah, are all centers of industry in various parts of the county.

Lewis county as a whole offers wonderful opportunities for newcomers in all pursuits—­commercial, agricultural, and mining.

[Illustration:  Plate No. 61.—­Tacoma High School and Stadium.  Rose Arbor in Point Defiance Park, Tacoma.]

[Illustration:  Plate No. 62.—­A Red Raspberry Field in the Puyallup Valley, Pierce County.]

[Page 69] Lincoln county

Lincoln county, adjoining Spokane county on the west, is one of eastern Washington’s great granaries.  Its northern boundary is defined by the Columbia and Spokane rivers.  The bulk of its lands are rolling prairies of great fertility.  It has about 2,300 square miles of territory and about 25,000 people.

Topography.

The bulk of the county consists of the rolling prairie land characteristic of the great wheat belt of the state.  There are some mineral lands in the northern part of the county and here and there will be found considerable stretches of timber.  In its northern portion the county is well watered by the Columbia and Spokane rivers, while in the southwestern section and elsewhere numerous small creeks and lakes occur.