The county is a great forest of splendid timber, which has been only to a limited degree cut out.  The soil of the foothills and valleys Is composed chiefly of shot clays and alluvial deposits, making good farming, stock-raising and fruit-growing lands.

Resources.

Logging and its allied industries constitute the main industries of the county, Much of the logs are shipped out of the county to feed sawmills in other parts of the Sound.

Raising and marketing oysters is an important source of wealth to the county.

There is already considerable acreage for farming and stock-raising, stock finding pasturage the year round.  This industry will grow as the land is cleared.

The county affords splendid hunting and fishing in season.

Transportation.

The county is so cut into by the inlets and bays of the sound that it has splendid transportation facilities by steamer to all the sound ports.  The Northern Pacific railway reaches its southern boundary.  No other railroads traverse the county but its logging railroads, which can give only a limited service.

[Page 71] principal towns.

Shelton is the county seat, situated on an arm of the sound at the terminus of the logging railroad, and has about 1,200 inhabitants.  Steamers from its wharves reach all the parts of the sound directly or by connection with others.

The logging industry, manufacturing lumber, cultivating oysters, fishing and farming are the chief industries of its people.  It has four churches, good schools, a newspaper, good stocks of goods, volunteer fire department, electric lights, gravity water system.

The logging industry, which centers here, employs 2,000 men and pays out $120,000 a month.

Lake Cushman is a summer resort in the mountains famous for its big trout catches.

Allyn, on an arm of the sound, is central to much oyster lands, logging camps and fruit orchards.

Arcadia, also on the sound, is central to considerable stock-raising and lumbering.

Detroit is a prosperous village, proud of the grapes grown on some of its logged-off lands.

Matlock is a town on the logging railroad and central to large logging operations.

OKANOGAN COUNTY.

Okanogan, the largest county in the state, lies on the northern boundary just east of the Cascade peaks.  It has an area of 4,500 square miles and a population estimated at 13,000.

About one-fourth of the county, a district of great latent resources, is still within the Colville Indian reservation, but is soon to be thrown open to settlement.

Resources.

This county is endowed with great natural resources and a delightful climate, and is destined to become thickly populated.