Much progress has been made in our schools during the past year. More money has been spent in building and repairing houses, providing apparatus and furniture, and paying teachers than ever before. More institutes have been held with better attendance, more graded schools have been established, more schools have been furnished with unabridged dictionaries, and teachers have obtained higher-grade certificates. It is with much gratification that I find the evidence that justifies me in reporting notable progress.

The following is a partial list of the private schools in the Territory: Whitman College, Walla Walla; Annie Wright Seminary, Tacoma; Washington College, Tacoma; Waitsburgh Academy, Waitsburgh; Olympia Collegiate Institute, Olympia; Northwest Normal School, Lynden; Spokane Business College, Spokane Falls; Empire Business College, Walla Walla; Cheney Academy, Cheney; Puget Sound Academy, Coupeville; Benj. F. Cheney Academy, Cheney; Spokane College, Spokane Falls; Colfax College, Colfax; St. Paul's School, Walla Walla; Tacoma Business College, Tacoma; Washington Seminary, Huntsville, and the Ellensburgh Academy, Ellensburgh. The sisters. have schools at Spokane Falls, Sprague, Walla Walla, North Yakima, Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Pomeroy, and Vancouver.

TERRITORIAL UNIVERSITY.

The University of Washington was located in the city of Seattle and opened for students in 1862. It is finely situated on a campus of 10 acres in the heart of the city. The original grant of two townships made by Congress has been disposed of so that the institution is now dependent for support upon tuition fees and appropriations by the leg. islature. Heretofore these have been insufficient to keep the buildings and grounds in proper order and supply the various departments with all needed apparatus. But it is hoped the next assembly will make such provision for the university that it shall maintain a high standing among the institutions for learning in the new State.

The present board of regents consists of five members, who are actively interested in their charge. The faculty deserve much credit for their good work done under many difficulties. There are four courses of study open to students-the classical, scientific, normal, and business course. During the past year 217 students were in attendance.

FISHERIES.

Salmon continues to be the staple product of the fisheries. The pack for the year 1889, valued at $1,332,500, was distributed as follows:

The annual catch of this magnificent food fish appears to be dimin ishing in waters which have been fished for any considerable period. A hatchery has been established on the Clackamas, a branch of the Willamette, by the State of Oregon. Laws have also been enacted by that State limiting the fishing season, and otherwise protecting this industry. Corresponding laws will no doubt be passed by our State leg. islature, and an effort made to increase and perpetuate this large food supply of the Columbia and other Washington rivers.

HALIBUT.

Halibut in considerable quantities are taken off Cape Flattery in this Territory, and abound along the whole coast from that point to the Aleutian Islands. Several vessels are engaged in the trade. Better and cheaper transportation facilities will give to this industry indefinite expansion, there being, apparently, no limit to the number of fish that may be taken, or to the market therefor when cheap, rapid, and convenient transportation is provided. This fish is salted and dried, and shipped both in this form and fresh, packed in ice in refrigerator cars. An interesting article from the pen of Hon. James G. Swan, of Port Townsend, a well recognized authority on this subject, appears below: The fish which constitute the most important product in a commercial point of view are the salmon, which are taken during the regular spawning seasons and are canned and also salted in barrels and smoked, and the halibut, cod, and other deepsea fish, which are taken in limited quantities in Fuca Strait at certain seasons, and in great quantities in the waters of the Pacific Ocean and Behring Sea from Cape Flattery to the Arctic Ocean.

Inasmuch as statistics concerning the salmon pack can be obtained with accuracy from the canneries, I will confine my remarks to the salt water products of the Strait of Fuca and the North Pacific Ocean.

On the 20th of October, 1880, I submitted to Prof. Spencer F. Baird, at that time U. S. Fish Commissioner, reports of the halibut and other food fish products of Puget Sound, particularly at Cape Flattery. At that time there were no organized fisheries by white people, the principal amount of halibut being taken by the Makah Indians of Cape Flattery, whose principal village and the agency of the reservation is at Neah Bay, where I was stationed at that time as an inspector of customs. The total number of Indians does not vary much at the present time from the number then residing on the reservation, and I will quote from that report as follows:

"Of the amount of halibut taken by the Indians of Cape Flattery, I can arrive at only a very rough estimate. I tried at the commencement of the season to keep an account of each day's catch, but when the Indians removed to their summer residences it was simply impossible, without incurring an expense for transportation and time which I did not feel justified in assuming. In conversation with several of the most intelligent of the chiefs, they informed me that each family lays in from three hundred to five hundred halibut of the sizes brought from the banks. These halibut when fresh will average 35 pounds each, but when dried they lose at least 75 per cent. of their weight. There were, at that time, one hundred and fifty-four heads of families in the Makah tribe, and taking the smallest estimate of three hundred halibut of 35 pounds each to every family, is 10,300 pounds of fresh halibut, or 2,575 pounds of dry halibut, a total for the whole tribe of 1,586,200 pounds fresh halibut, or 396,555 pounds dry fish, for the annual production, the greater portion of which is used by the tribe for food, although a large amount is yearly sold or traded to other Indians."

The halibut are taken in the largest numbers on banks which lie northwest from Cape Flattery, 15 miles distant, and they are most numerous during the summer months, at which time the Indians procure and dry enough for their winter supply, although fish can be taken by them every day in the year when the weather is suitable for canoes to go out on the strait or ocean. Later in the season and during the winter months halibut are taken up the Strait of Fuca and in the channels between the islands of the San Juan Archipelago. These are of much larger size, and average from 75 to 100 pounds. The largest specimen I have seen was taken in Port Townsend Bay and weighed 250 pounds; but these very large ones are not common, nor are they as nice eating as the small sizes, which are termed by Gloucester fishermen "chicken halibut."

Several of the Gloucester fishermen have come out here to engage in developing the fisheries of the North Pacific Ocean, and find no difficulty in procuring cargoes on the banks along the Alaskan coast, but the excessive rates for transportation charged by the transcontinental railroads have prevented a rapid growth of this industry. It has been announced by the Union Pacific Railroad Company that when their arrangements are completed they intend to run refrigerator-cars direct to Port Townsend, and will take fresh fish in ice through on the long haul at such greatly reduced rates that the fishermen can get their products to eastern markets and sell them at remunerative rates. As soon as this arrangement can be effected other industries will be brought to Puget Sound, particularly the whaling business, as the oil and bone which are now all taken to San Francisco to be forwarded to eastern markets can find a rapid transit by the Union Pacific or Northern Pacific roads to New York, Boston, or London, and save 600 miles of water carriage between the Strait of Fuca and San Francisco.

The cod fishery, which is now all done by San Francisco parties, and the entire catch transported there and cured, will eventually center on Puget Sound as naturally as the cod fishery of the Atlantic centers at Gloucester. It is an admitted fact that the sooner fish can be cured after they are caught the better the product, and fish caught in northern waters should be cured in northern latitudes. The cod fish of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, when cured at those places, are far superior to what they would be if transported in bulk to Norfolk to be cured and dried; and the cod of the Shumagin Islands could be better cured on Puget Sound than San Francisco Bay. At the last session of the legislature of Washington Territory a bill was introduced to create a fish commission, to be composed of three commissioners, one of whom should reside in the interior and have special charge of the propagation of fish, one to reside at Astoria to look after the salmon interests of the Lower Columbia, and the third to reside on Puget Sound to look after the deep-sea fisheries. These commissioners were required to make annual statistical reports to the secretary of the Territory, who was directed to make annual reports to the governor for transmission to the legislature. The bill failed to become a law, which is to be regretted, as we now see the importance of such a commission, and particularly at the present time, when such reports would be of great value to the Eleventh Census of the United States, to be taken in 1890. It is to be hoped that the legislature of our new State will appreciate the importance of fostering and encouraging our fisheries, and by wise enactments provide for the development of this valuable industry.

Besides the halibut, cod, and salmon, there are other valuable food fishes whose excellence is beginning to be appreciated. One of these, the Ophiodon elongatus, or cultas cod as it is called at Cape Flattery, and in San Francisco is known as Green or Buffalo cod, resembling the true cod in its outward marking, but different in the fins and other particulars. This fish, which attains a weight of from 20 to 30 pounds, is nutritious and palatable, and is found in considerable quantities around Cape Flattery and in Fuca Strait. During the present year Capt. Charles Johnstone, of the Gloucester Fish Company, at Port Townsend, has salted and dried a lot of this fish, which sells readily and gives good satisfaction. Captain Johnstone thinks that when the excellence of this fish is better known the demand for it will steadily increase. The best and most delicious of all the ocean fish taken in Puget Sound is the black cod, Anaplopoma fimbria. At present this fish is taken only in limited quantities, as it is found in very deep water. The largest are taken in 80 fathoms in Fuca Strait, but around Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, where they abound, they are caught in 210 fathoms depth. The skilled fishermen from Newfoundland have no difficulty in fishing at that depth, but the fishermen of Puget Sound, who find other fish plenty at 50 fathoms and under, do not care to fish in the profound depth of 200 fathoms. Those who have tasted of this fish pronounce it superior to all others. The black cod averages 16 pounds. Some have been taken which weighed 40 pounds, but this size is not common. The outside of this fish is dark sepia brown, approaching black on the upper portion, and grayish belly. The flesh is white and very fat; not the oily fat of the mackerel, salmon, or herring, but a product like soft lard, which, when fresh, is very palatable. The fat permeates every part of the tissue, and imparts a delicious flavor to the fish which is much prized by epicures. These fish are called "skid" by the Indians of Queen Charlotte Islands, and "beshow" by the Makah Indians of Cape Flattery. Each tribe or band along the coast has a local name for these fish. They were first called black cod by the white men at Neah Bay. But this fish does not belong to the Gadus, or true cod family, nor is it likely any eastern fish. It somewhat resembles the pollock of Europe, and was named by Dr. Bean Pollachius Chalcogramus, or Alaska pollock. Professor Jordan, however, discovered that it was neither a pollock nor a true cod, and he gave it its present scientific name, Anaplopoma fimbria.

A fishery has been established at Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, by Victoria parties, and the product of their catch finds ready sale. When we have the railroad facilities for transporting our fresh fish in refrigerator-cars direct to East

ern markets it will not be long until our own fishermen will find some means of securing the black cod, which are found in all the deep waters of Fuca Strait, Admiralty 'Inlet, and Hood's Canal. Occasionally they are taken in all these places, but no regular, systematic fishery has as yet been established for the capture of this delicious fish, which, either fresh, salted, or smoked, is most palatable and nutritious food. Besides the larger varieties which I have mentioned there are some fourteen varieties of Sebastichthys, which, under the various names of rock cod, red fish, grouper, bass, perch, etc., are taken in great quantities at Cape Flattery and in Fuca Strait and other portions of Puget Sound. To these may be added flounders of several varieties, kelp fish, smelt, herring, eulachon, a candle fish, and other kind, which, although excellent food fish, are not taken in sufficient quantities to be considered of much commercial value. Among these may be named the eastern shad, which was introduced into the California waters by the U. S. Fish Commission several years ago, and are now beginning to be taken in limited numbers with the spring run of salmon in the Columbia River and in the schools of herring on Puget Sound. As population increases, making a home demand for fish food, and when means of cheap and speedy transportation to distant markets is furnished, our fisheries will steadily develop, and prove eventually to be one of the most important and profitable industries of the new State of Washington.

BANKS.

There are in the Territory twenty-six national and forty-two private banks.

List of banking institutions of which no statistics have been obtained.

Bank of Aberdeen.

Rodman & Eshelman, of Goldendale.
C. N. Byles Company, of Montesano.
Bank of Palouse City.

Clapp & Fauerbach, of Port Townsend.
G. E. Miller & Co., of Seattle.
Spokane Loan, Trust, and Savings-Bank.
Tacoma Building and Savings Associa-
tion.

Bank of Waitsburgh.

Stewart & Masterson, of Puyallup
Crandall Bros., of Pomeroy.

Stearns Syndicate Bank, of La Camas.
Bank of Centralia.

H. H. Dearborn & Co., of Seattle.
Bank of North Seattle.
Traders' Bank of Tacoma.
First Bank of Whatcom.

Meteorological data.

[Report of Edgar McGovern, signal observer for the U. S. Signal Station at Olympia.]