Washington sentinel., 1854-04-23
WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

The recent appearance in the House of Rep
resentatives of Mr.. Columbia Lancaster, as
delegate from the new Territory of Washing
ton, will render few facts in relation to this
distant region Of our country, and its apparent
| ly accidental formation into an organized Ter
ritory, acceptable to our readers. We are in
debted to friend for the following informa
ton.
In ls49, Mr.. John B. Chapman, the first dis
trict attorney of Kosciusko county, Indiana, trav-
elled on horseback from his home to San Fran
cisco in search of his son, who, contrary to the
wishes his friends, had gone thither. They ac-
cidentallyme in that city, the son having recog-
nised his fathers voice, but from the altered
personal appearance Of both, neither having
used razor during their long and toilsome
journey, and being sunburnt, their personal
identity was hardly discoverabe to each other.
The recognition, however, was one of mutual
JOY.
From San Francisco they travelled through
to Oregon, and thence across the Columbia
river to Puget's sound, where they found few
scattered white settlers and several thousand
Indians. Mr.. Chapman took possession of one
section (640 acres) Of land, aud his son of half
that quantity, and they went to work making i'm
provements, employing the Indian population
to assist them in their enterprise. They found
the climate so mild that, even in the depth of
winter, sheep, oxen, and all kinds Of domestic
animals could find abundant pasturage.
At no time did they experience the extreme
either Of heat or cold, which is SO remarkable
in the eastern States. The lumber is excel
lent; straight pines, measuring twelve feet in
diameter, and from one hundred to three hun
dred feet in height, are very abundant. The
mode which the Indians adopt to fell these trees
is by burning them away at the bottom, which
| they accomplish in dexterous manner, without
wasting more>than ten or twelve inches Of the
| tree. To form canoe they burn out the in
terror and shape it round by the same means
The land is fertile between the hills, and much
Of the upland is well adapted for sheep-walks,
and many of the Indians are already engaged
as shepherds. The coast is accessible by sew
eral good harbors, and it is quite a resort of
the sailors who are fishing in the sound.
In 1872, Mr.. Chapman agitated the ques-
ton of organizing new territory north Of the
Columbia river, and published call for con-
vention. The white population not being more
than about one hundred, the idea was ridiculed.
But the convention assembled to the number
Of Fl iseen men; committee of three was ap-
pointed to memorialize Congress, and two of
this committee could not write their own
names, Mr.. Chapman, therefore, had not only
to draw up the resolutions and memorials, but
also to sign them as well for the other mem
bers. Being desirous Of assisting in the elec
ton Of General Pierce, Mr. Chapman returned
| home, and sent the memorial to Mr. Lane, the
delegate for Oregon, who presented it, and
through whose exerions the new Territory has
been organized, and is now represented in Con-
gress by its delegate.
A petition was presented last week in the
Senate, by Mr.. Petit, Of Indiana, in which Mr..
Chapman asks for authority to form an Indian
colony. He protests against paying the In