Transportation.

Boats on the Columbia river and a railroad on each side of it are the means of transportation, and ample for the residents of the county in its southern portion.  The coming of the North Bank railroad has given a decided stimulus to the growth of the county.

Development.

Skamania county has developed slowly and the bulk of its natural wealth is still practically untouched.  Its minerals, well known to be valuable, are attracting the attention of prospectors, while the forests, fisheries and farming lands will furnish a competence to hundreds of additional familles.  The scenery, combined with the fishing and hunting afforded, are additional attractions that will prove alluring to many newcomers.

Principal towns.

Stevenson, a small town on the Columbia river and railroad, is the county seat and has a population of about 450.

Tributary to Stevenson is considerable improved land, and the people are engaged in stock-raising, fruit-growing and farming.

Butler is a town of about 300 people on the railroad and river.

Carson, Cape Horn, Mt.  Pleasant and bear prairie are smaller villages, destined to become centers of commercial distribution.

[Page 80] Snohomish county.

Snohomish county extends 36 miles in width from the Sound to the peaks of the Cascade mountains, adjoining King county on the north.  It has an area of some 2,500 square miles of territory, a population of about 63,000 people, and a great storehouse of wealth in its natural resources.  It is one of the largest and richest counties in the state, with a mild and healthful climate, magnificent scenery, great diversity of landscape, innumerable water falls and plenty of game.

Resources.

The forests of Snohomish are very extensive and but little depleted.  Fir, cedar, hemlock and spruce are its chief trees.  Nearly one-half of the area of the county is heavily mineralized with veins of gold, silver, copper, lead, nickel, iron, and other ores.  There are also vast ledges of marble, granite and other building stones.

In diversified agricultural possibilities, few counties can excel Snohomish.  Its general soils in its valleys are alluvial, and produce astonishing crops; about the deltas of its rivers, the riches of the salt water and the mountains have combined to make a soil that will endure for ages and annually astonish the husbandman with its generosity.  Upon its uplands, its clay and decaying herbage have combined for ages to create a soil wonderfully adapted to produce grass and fruits, and the industrious are luxuriating in nature’s prodigality.

Rainfall is abundant, but not excessive, and crops of the cereals and fruits are never failures.

Transportation.