This county is splendidly provided with transportation facilities; many steamboats ply its salt waters and part way up the three great rivers that flow into the Sound.  Two transcontinental railroads cut the western part of the county in two.  The trunk line of the Great Northern follows the valley of one river from the southeast to the coast, while two branch lines run up the other two great valleys, past the center of the state, toward the mountains, while a dozen spurs and short logging and coal roads act as feeders to the main lines, thus giving all the towns of the county access to all the Sound markets, and those of the east and the ports of the Pacific ocean.

Principal cities and towns.

Everett, situated upon a fine harbor on the shores of Puget Sound near the mouth of the Snohomish river, is the county seat and metropolis of the county.  It has a population of 35,000, and is fast developing into a commercial and manufacturing center of importance.

The largest steamers afloat can find wharfage at her docks and safe anchorage in her waters.  It has upwards of 3,000 men employed in its factories and mills, with a monthly payroll aggregating $230,000.

[Illustration:  Plate No. 69.—­Codfish and Salmon Packing Plants at Anacortes, Skagit County.]

[Illustration:  Plate No. 70.—­Plant for the Manufacture of Portland Cement, Located in Skagit County.]

[Illustration:  Plate No. 71.—­Snohomish County Views.]

[Illustration:  Plate No. 72.—­Snohomish County Industrial Scenes.]

[Illustration:  Plate No. 73.—­Street Scene in Stanwood, Snohomish County.  A Pony Farm at Everett, Snohomish County.]

[Illustration:  Plate No. 74.—­City and Town Views, Snohomish County.]

[Page 81] They are engaged in the manufacture of lumber, shingles, sash and doors; in railroad shops, pulp and paper mills, and smelters; in running tug boats, driving piles, making iron castings, and tanning hides; packing meats and fish; making turpentine, charcoal, flour, butter, and many other commodities.  Its banks have $4,000,000 on deposit.  Its paper mills produce 26 tons of paper daily.  Its smelter is a constant producer of the precious metals and their by-products.

The city is substantially built, having all the conveniences of a modern city, with wide streets and wide sidewalks; has both gas and electricity for lights, and a good water system.  Some of its streets are paved with preserved wooden blocks and some with asphalt.

Everett is a sub-port of entry of the Puget sound country.  The United States has spent half a million dollars improving the mouth of the Snohomish river for a fresh-water harbor.

Snohomish is a city of 4,000 people, on the Snohomish river, which is navigable, and is connected with Everett by a street car line.  It is also on the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railways, and is the distributing center for a large agricultural district.  It has a number of shingle and sawmills, and is headquarters for a good deal of the mining industry of the county.