Page:A History of the Pacific Northwest.djvu/311



ington, 1,000,000,000 to Oregon, and only 700,000,000 to Idaho. Only about 100,000,000 of this supply had been exhausted in 191 5. Coal mining, however, is engaging more attention year by year. The requirements of transportation, manufacturing, and other more general fuel demands have created a strong interest in the development of the older known coal fields like those in the Coos Bay region and on Puget Sound, while the testing out of new prospects goes on with promptness and enthusiasm. Considerable deposits of valuable coal have been opened in the Cascade region of Eastern Washington and this coal field is rendered accessible by the Northern Pacific Railway which traverses the area. The Puget Sound coal is in part easily accessible to ocean going vessels. The coal of Coos Bay, since the completion last year of the Coos Bay division of the Southern Pacific Railway, finds a way out both by rail and by water.

The coal fields of Alaska are prospectively a resource to the entire Northwest as furnishing an abundant supply for the developing manufactures as well as for the transportation agencies of this country. Their extent, while known to be considerable, is not yet accurately determined.

Manufacturing; lumber. From a manufacturing point of view the Pacific Northwest is still in the infancy of its development. Such activity as there has been, which in the total is large, is represented mainly by the extractive industries—making a primary use of the vast natural resources of the country. In this