The Beauties of the State of Washington Part 14

Mount Adams and Indian Race track in Klickitat county, via White Salmon.

Several hot springs at Stevenson and Carson in Skamania county.

White Salmon Valley (train or boat), a rich picturesque region adapted to orchards and farming.

A river trip to the mouth of the Columbia or up to Celilo Falls.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A FIG TREE AT VANCOUVER.]

=GOLDENDALE:= County seat of Klickitat county; reached via S. P. & S.

railway. Surrounding country is one immense beauty spot with valleys, mountains, prairie, and timber. Mounts Hood, Adams, and St. Helens, are always visible. Many beautiful trips may be taken. Historical sights are numerous.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BULL SEAL AND HAREM--PRIBILOF ISLANDS

REINDEER HERD ON LOWER YUKON

EXCURSION STEAMER NEAR TAKU GLACIER

HYDRAULIC MINING

RHUBARB AT SKAGWAY

ALASKA, THE LAND OF THE NORTH.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ALASKA,--OUR ALLY

"A land of allurement and promise, Bold venture and strenuous deed."]

When you have seen Was.h.i.+ngton, the vast territory of Alaska awaits you.

Alaska, the last of the undeveloped free empires! This region is so extensive that even the state of Was.h.i.+ngton would be lost in its midst, for its area is equal to that of the original thirteen colonies, with Maine, Vermont, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky and Michigan thrown in, or one-fifth of the entire United States. It has a range of lat.i.tude of 1,100 miles, while its extreme longitude would reach from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

In proportion to its vastness, so are its wonders. Stupendous mountains reach to three and nearly four miles in height, loftier than any others in the United States or its possessions. The Yukon River is 2,300 miles in length and its nearest rival, 1,000 miles. The biggest glaciers in North America are here, which make those of Europe look like mere pygmies, and volcanoes still in eruption may be viewed from a safe point. The scenery produced by the green rock-bound fiords with the snowy peaks beyond is truly magnificent.

It is also a great treasure house. By the end of 1914 there had been produced, $540,000,000, or about 75 times the price paid for its purchase, representing over $15,000.00 for each white person now inhabiting it. Almost half was from gold mining and within the last twenty years. The rest was from fisheries, seals, furs, copper and silver--permanent resources of region.

Alaska is not cold and bleak like Labrador, although its lat.i.tude is similar. The j.a.pan current acts as it does on Was.h.i.+ngton and as the Gulf Stream affects England. Both plant and animal life flourish and about 100,000 square miles of land are available for agricultural purposes.

To partially realize its glories take the inside pa.s.sage trip from Seattle--a thousand miles of calm sea.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAP OF WAs.h.i.+NGTON]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEAL-OF-THE-STATE-OF-WAs.h.i.+NGTON]