, 1854-08-05
! Road to shoaI water Bay.

Capt c. J. W. RUSSELL, who has been
a resident of Shoalwater Bay since ls49,
accompanied by DR.. j. G. COOPER, who was
attached to the Northern Pacific Railroad
Survey under Gov. Stevens, in connection
with Messrs. f. d. Warbass, Michael Shat
fer, Andrew Roundtree and others, on last
week made their way from Shoalwater Bay
to the Big Mound Prairie, over track of
country that has probably never before
been traversod by either Indian or white
man.
The result of their journey has developed
some matters Of much Importance to the
people of this Territory, which we have the
promise will be more fully set forth here
after.
In the first place, the party found the
ground for an excellent road leading almost
directly in a straight line from Olympia to
Shoalwater Bay, over which they cut q
trail and brought their animals. The ad-
vantage gained by opening road between
the places referred to is, that it would be
q cut of in the present communication by
the way of the Cowlitz and Columbia riv-
ers, on the one hand and the Sound and
Cape Flattery on the other, of "a miles in
the former direction and 100 miles in the
latter-the direct distance between this
place and that Bay not exceeding but little
over 100 miles. The principal settlement
on Shoalwater Bay being but about 40
miles from the mouth of the Columbia riV-
er, the intelligent citizens of both this and
Oregon Territories can readily perceive the
advantages that would accrue to each in a
business point of view, by shortening the
means of communication.
The country around the Bay is settling
up rapidIy-the Oyster business is being
embarked in on scientific, Chesapeake Bay
principles, and already furnish the market
of San Francisco with cultivated and re-
spectacle sized specimen of the article.
Bruceville, the only town in Chehalis
county of any Importance as yet, is situated
on the South side of North Bay, andIis
improving with good substantial buildings,
and is also in the immediate vicinity and
may be recognized o. the centre of the
Oyster business.
The party spoken Of, crossed fourteen
prairies, including the Bisfaut Plains, be-
tween the waters of the Willapa and Che
halls rivers, crossing the Chehalis near the
residence Of S. S. Ford, Sen., of this coun-
ty. The different prairies on the route is
represented to be more or less occupied,
but that there still remains vacant at least
one section to each, of excellent land.
As the immigration which, is expected to
reach our Territory the present season is
represented as being larger than heretofore,
they should be advised of the fact that a
thorough exploration of our country has
never been made, and that large bodies Of
choice agricultural lands, as yet, have been
'born to blush unseen," and it might not
be improper to direct attention to the oc-
cupation of the vacant portions referred to.
1t might also be well to inform the i'm
migration, that unless the influx exceeds all
legitimate bounds, no dread Of starvation
need be entertained, as the crops this year,
notwithstanding the unfayorable character
of the early part of the season, will yield
almost double the product, per acre, that
has been known to reward the farmer since
the settlement of the Territory. The high
prairie land particularly, has been peculiar
ly fortunate in the production of an abun.
dAnt crop, and oil things conspire to en-
courage agricultural pursuits.
Capt. Russell returned to the Bay by
another route, intending to make q more
satisfactory exploration of the country be-
tween the head of the Sound and the Bay
upon which he resides, Immediately fronting
the broad Pacific.