PRINCIPAL CITIES.

OLYMPIA, the chief town of the county, at once the county seat, state capital and county metropolis, is situated on one of the deep-water inlets of Puget sound.  Its population is about 12,000.  While it has a beautiful sandstone structure, now used for capitol purposes, the state is about to erect a new capitol building, to cost $1,000,000.  The foundation is already built.  Olympia has one of the U. S. land offices and the U. S. surveyor-general’s office.  It is lighted and furnished with power for street-car and other purposes from the power of Tumwater falls.  The city is a beautiful one of fine homes, shaded streets and parks, surrounded by a very prosperous agricultural community, [Page 86] producing great quantities of fruit, dairy and poultry products.

Several other smaller towns on the railroads are local centers of commercial activity.

WAHKIAKUM COUNTY

Wahkiakum is a small county, having only 275 square miles of territory, located on the Columbia river in the southwestern corner of the state, near the ocean.  Its population is about 4,000.  The county is heavily timbered and well watered.  In many parts of the county the soil is exceptionally fertile.  The climate is mild, but somewhat humid.  In the northern part are some low mountains, from which the drainage is south through the county to the Columbia river.

RESOURCES.

The resources of the county consist in its timber, its fertile soil, and the fish in the river and ocean.

INDUSTRIES.

Logging, saw-milling, and industries growing out of these; agriculture, dairying, and fishing are the chief occupation of its people.  There are several logging concerns in the county and large saw-mills.  Fish canneries dot its river shores; several creameries and dairies are manufacturing butter, while its farms produce hay, potatoes, fruits, cattle, hogs, poultry, eggs, and other products, chiefly for the Portland market.  Many of its citizens are fishermen and some make considerable sums trapping fur animals in the winters.

TRANSPORTATION.

The Columbia river is the great highway of the county; no railroads are within its borders or near.  Owing to the small area of the county, this condition is no great drawback, as all the people have ready access to the river wharves.

PRINCIPAL TOWNS.

CATHLAMET, on the Columbia, is the county seat, with about 500 people, and is the chief distributing center of the county.

ROSBURG, DEEP RIVER, BROOKFIELD, ALTOONA, and SKAMOKAWA are centers of industry.  This county offers exceptional opportunities for the frontiersman.

WALLA WALLA COUNTY