Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-11-17
From the Mo. Republican.
News from Territory Of WASH
! angtOu, Oregon, Salt Lake and
the Plains.

We had the pleasure yesterday even
ing Of meeting Mr.. Theodore Winthrop,
of New York, direct from Puget's Sound,
via Salt Lake and Independence, where
he arrived, with the United States mail,
on the 29lh ult., looking as hearty and
fresh as mountain men usually do.
Mr.. Winthrop left the Oregon DaIles
on the I'd Of September. and on his route
met and passed great many emigrants.
with their families, stock. &c. He es-
Inmates the number of persons at 5000.
They were getting along well, in good
health, and their stock, in the main, was
in good condition. He thinks the most
OF them will reach the Columbia river
before severe weather sets in. la the val
ley of the Columbia and its tributaries
the crops were good, and the emigrants
would find sutlicien, supply Of provls.
ions upon their arrival.
There was considerable influx Of EN-.
igra,ion into the Territory of Washing
ton, in view of its organization. A large
portion was directed to Puge,'s Sound.
where the lumber trade is carried on very
extensively. Along the Sound, there is
bul little farming land, excep, in The CO.
wiltz Valley and upon Whidby's Island
On this Island number of farmers have
settled. and Mr.. w. saw very fine wheat
and other crops raised upon new AND
fresh broken lands. ..... ..........
The British Colony on vancouver's
Island was making but slow and doubt
full progress. Two causes were operating
againsI the colonists. One was the Rus
sian policy, which permitted only the
purchase of home goods. and the other
the monopoly which is claimed ard ex-
ercised by the Hudson Bay company
The colonists cannot sell 20 the Russians,
for they draw every thing that necessity
does not compel them to purchase else
where, from their own counsry, and the
Hudson Bay company hold monopoly
and control over the produce of every
colonist. The colonist is but lessee of
the company. Many of the inhabitants
OF the Island are anxious to be "annex.
ed" to the United States.
Mt. w. describes the Territory OF
Washington. from Pugefs Sound. across
the Cascade Mountains, as heavily
timbered country, chiefly with the Ore
gon fir, which in some localities grows
very large. There are scat,ared prairies
and some drv barrens between the Sound
and mountains, the latter covered with
fine pebbles of trap rock, and scan,ily
wooded with oaks. Across the noun.
tains. is an open rolling prairie country,
with small and ,hinly wooded Valleys
water everywhere abundant. To the
north of this, and in tte country occupi-
ed by the Flat Head Indians, there is
more timber, and the country is admira-
BILE for settlements.
The Indians in Washington Territory
are friendly, and those on Puge,'s Sound
NAV be said to be civilized. They are
IN constant intercourse with the whites,
farming, and raising potatoes, which.
with the salmon, constitute their food.
The emigrants had partially succeed
ed, during the past summer, in cutting a
road through the pass Of the Cascade
| Mountains, to the north Of Mount Rain
ier. Mr.. Winthrop came through this
pass, and met Capt. Mcclellan and his
party. Capt. McC. is acting in con-
junction with Gov. Stevens, who this
summer left ST. Paul to explore the North,
ern route for railroad. Capt. McC.
had been exploring the Cascade Noun
tains. They left The Columbia Barracks
| (Columbia river) on the l7th July, and
Gu, their way with difficulty through the
heavy timber to the mountains. They
had found no pass at the base of Mount
ST. Helena and none between that and
Noun, Rainier. Capt. McC. did no'
think The pass on the north Of Rainier,
called the Mach Cheese" was practical
Bile for railroad. Ii was his purpose
to proceed still further north. Mr.. Win.
throp, from his own knowledge of the
country, and the best Information he
could collect from persons most acquaint.
ed with il, believes tina; the best route fol
road will be found north Of Mt Baker
and near the frontier or boundary line. -
Capt. McC's party were all well, but
had been compelled 10 send in to For
Siulacom( Puget's Sound, ,)for provisions.
From the Flathead village, al the base
of the Rocky mountains, TO the base ol
the Cascades. there is no difficulty in
finding a route for railroad But the
Cascade mountains present the great OBJ
stacle. Deep SHOWS lay upon the Mach
CHEESE and Lenahomish passes until late
in June-the mountains are rugged. lof.
". and heavily ,imbered. and the valleys
OF the streams by which they are enter
ed, sometimes run into caDons. The
resul, oi these exploring parties in search
Of route for railroad, will develop
many new and important facts in relation
to the geography Of the country.
| Mr.. Winthrop came in by the way OF
Sall Lake, and left there in the mail
stage. On their wa. in, they overlook
Mr.. James Bridger(,he founder of Bridg-
er's fort), al The Devils Gate, on his way
to the United States. He will, we trust
be here in few days, TO tell his own
tale. As Mr.. w learned the story
Bridgcr was accused Of selling ammu.