Principal cities and towns.

Mt.  Vernon is the county seat, with about 4,000 people.  It is on the Great Northern railway, on the navigable Skagit river, and is a city of much commercial importance to the agricultural district around it.  The soil in the vicinity is renowned for its great fertility and astonishing crops of oats, hay and grass.  Creameries and a milk-condensing plant are supported profitably to all concerned.

Anacortes is the chief town of the county, on the salt water.  It has about 6,000 people, and is a center of lumbering and fishing.  Factories for drying, salting, and canning salmon, halibut, and cod are increasing industries.  There is also a fertilizing plant and a plant producing charcoal and the by-products of combustion, wood alcohol, turpentine, etc.

Sedro-Woolley, on both the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railways, has a population of 4,000, engaged in lumber industries, fruit, and vegetables, canning, dairying and gardening.  It has a monthly payroll of $125,000.

Burlington, on the Great Northern railway, has 1,800 people, and factories for making various wood products, concrete blocks, lumber, shingles and condensed milk.

La Conner is a great oat and hay shipping point.  It is at the mouth of the Skagit river and on tide water, and has 800 people.

Hamilton, at the head of navigation on the Skagit river, is a mining and lumbering town of 300 people.

Bay view, SAMMISH, Minkler, prairie, fir, and Birdsview are other shipping points.

Baker, on a branch of the Great Northern railway, has 400 people, and is a center of cement factories.

[Page 79] Skamania county.

Skamania county, in the south central part of the state, has its southern boundary on the Columbia river, with Lewis county to the north.  It is chiefly within the forest reserve, and includes Mount St. Helens on the west and Mount Adams on its eastern border.  Altogether it has an area of 1,636 square miles, chiefly mountainous, and about 3,000 people.

The north fork of the Lewis river drains the most of the mountainous region, while a lot of small streams drain the southern part, emptying into the Columbia river.

The climate is a mean between that of eastern and western Washington, and is very mild and salubrious.  The soil of the valleys in the region of the Columbia river is very fertile.

Resources.

The chief resource of the county is in its timber and lumber, yet its mineral and agricultural wealth is becoming better known and appreciated yearly.  The fruit raised in its valleys is of excellent flavor, early in season, and the soil is generous in its yield.  Splendid pasturage in the foothills encourages stock-raising, and fishing in the Columbia river is profitably followed by some of the citizens.