The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-06
Our waship ston Territory Correspondence.
STEILAcoos, Washington Territory,
Nov. 90, 1853.

gress ~ me Territory It's agricultural Pro-
ductions-Bu,d ng Of School houses aid Churches
-Ar,est of an Iadtaa M,.rdaT-Locsi Politics
The Puge. Sound Indians-MaA Dei,very-
Olympia Cty-Loss Of the Ship Amson-ScAools
/ -New Buildings
| The date Of my last communication was the third
Not being pressed with business nor the noise of
children, have concluded to fill up sheet or two
The rainy season has set in with vengeance; long
boots, oil clothes and umbrellas are very indspeu
sable to one who wishes to keep dry. Having bust
ness down the sound ON the evening of the l2tn,
left Steilacoou on board the clipper yacht Francis
Ann, Captain Grknt-t is large canoe, and carries
the mail. There q strong southery breeze, some
rain, and the sound was very rough. expected the
''canim' (canoe) would "kilepi" (capsize) number
of times However, we reached Alki, "a Chinook word
signiiying by and by) before twelve o'clock, in
safety. This place is improving slowly; by the light
of the moon discovered some three stores, hotel,
eooper's shop, and some ten houses. G. G. Terry
Co. have erected . splendid stea n saw mill here;
it is in successful operation aud doing good basi-
ness. Having revived our spirits by imbibing some
good old Otard, We embarked, and were off before
the wind in fine style-crossed the Duuauish bay,
and arrived at Seattle about 3 A. M. This is quite
large town, and improving rapidly, with good
harbor, where ships can always lie in safety.
Seattle has good stores, bakery, blacksmith and
cooper shops and some twenty fine houses. noticed
the commencement Of several buildings, aad the
completion of large hotel belonging to Captain
Felker. There is also steam saw mill doing
good business.
The town proprietor is a liberal man, and offers
great Inducements to persons settling at Seattle.
The steamer Fairy arrived from Steilacoon on the
l3.h. Early the next morning, |, with two residents
Of Seattle by invitation of Captain Gore, went ON
board, and we're of ascending the Dunamisn river,
which empties into the sound two miles below
Seattle. Twelve miles from Seattle we stopped at L.
a. Collen's, where we partook Of good country
dinner. His land claim Is one Of the best have
seen. He has raised the past year two turnips
weighing thirty five and twentythree pounds, re-
spectively; potatoes from one to five pounds weight
&nd the fhest orons ever saw. A large barn full
grain gives abundant evidence of the fertility Of the
soil. Having taken Miss COLLEEN on board we cont
nued on up the river. The land claims along its
banks all TAKEN and the rich sell is being pre-.
pared for cultivation Eight miles brought US to the
junction Of the White and DunAmsh Cor, as it is
often called the Black) rivers We proceeded up the
latter stream some four miles, when We were com
PEELED to stop account Of the shalowness of the
water. We went on shore, and, after walking up
hill and down for about mile, ca ne to the house Of
Mr.. Scott 4 Co., where. we passed the right and
were Hospitality entertained by our hosts Tubn Scott
q Co. have built q dam the river, and have
mill frame nearly completed. The water power is
good, and the company must do good business
saving lumber. They contemplate adding flour
mill az no very distant day. mile above this poat
there is alarge lake, some twenty-five miles long and
from two TO three in width the source OF this river
The Secretary OF the Territory and Hon. Mr.. Glen
month. A few days ago had the honor Of an intro.
auction to Judge Lander II my Impressions of him
are correct, he may well be called model man.
For the benefit OF some who say and write that
this Territory il not adapted to agricultural pursuits
will note 8 few facts that have come under my own
observau n.
Judge w. P. Dougherty, who lives about four miles
back Of town. raised several acres Of wheat on his
CLAIM the soil is sandy ADD very grsvely yet twenty
one measured bushels OF this wheat produced lOO3a
pounds Of -four at the mill Oats raised this season,
the stalks Of which averaged feet in height,
heads senty eight inches in length-two heads on
stalk at that. have seen turnips weighing up wards
Of twelve pounds from June sowing, and potatoes,
why it's no use for me " tell how large they grow
With but little cultivation or attention, the produc.
tons Of our soil far superior slze quality and
quantity " taose Of any country in the world ex ep
California and vita the same attention to guilty ation
| think we would rival even her. We have ali around
Us rare and beautiful flowers, which are being col.
ected, they will forru pretty flo wer gar.
6ens as one could desire. strange and beautiful
shrub has been discovered In this Territory which is
not known ~ be found IN any other part of the
world This fine tree varies ia height from one to
seven feet The leaf resembles that of the pear,
whilst the trunk and branches look like those Of the
| orange tree, the lef is tnny coated With gum
bavng the appearance of oil, aud of the consistence
81 honey the gum is slightly adhesive, aud as well
the leaf is very 0dorons The fr sgrance resembles
that of bergamot ripe fruit the flower looks very
much like the white jessanine The specimen saw
came from grove Of about half an acre on the land
claim Of Quincy A. Brooks, about twenty-five miles
from town.
As an evidence Of the advancement Of the new
Territory, will give You an instance. The people
have become awakened on the subject Of education
and not long ago an examination he d in Thurs
ton county, at which the scholars gave evidence of
great Improvement 1t has become O good invest
ment for town proprietor to build schoolhouss
and church at his own expense. But the pecuuiary
advantages resulting FRI IN an early establishment OF
schools y churches are trifling in comparison with
the lasting benefits that will result to our young Ter
ritory, and to the rising generation.
The United States surveying steamer Ac i've, Cap.
tain Alden arrived in port on the 9th October hay
ing on board an Indian, arrested for numbering Mr..
| Pettingal last spring, near Port Townsend. He
| was sent to Fort Steacoon. On the 10th the
Active took her departure, having in the mean time
made call at The head OF the sound, where the
officers were entertained at q dinner given by the
! citizens of that great city"
On the 10th the forw ard part Of the emigration
/ by the Cascade road, from WaIla- wala, over the
mountains, down through the fertile valleys of the
/ Green and White rivers, the rich bottoms of
the Puyalup and through the beautiful plains of this
/ (Pierce) county, arrived at Stelacoon. They were
Hospitality received by our citizens, and appeared
| grateful for the attention shown them. have
versed with some Of these persons; They say that
this road is far better than the old into Oregon
that the lea of crossing the Cascade range is As
longer (ss heretofore) q bugbesr; that the grass
was much better than they anticipated, and they
found no laurel, any poisonous plant to injure
cattle and lastly, that the people Of Washington
Territory have reason to be proud Of this, their
"people's road"
On Saturday, 10Th October, Col. G. N. M'Coasha,
Of Seattle, Kings county delivered speech before
the citizens Of Steilacoon aud the neishborhood. He
opened by speaking OF the pretended and unjust
claims Of the Puget Sound Agricultural and the Hud-
son Bay companies 70 large tracts Of land in this and
Oregon territories, and down on the ickspttle
wings, who for British gold selling their country
and their honor II they have any, Ia endea yorng 70
make government and Americans believe their claims
TO be just and lawful These companies have no va
lid tile claim TO lands here and will before long
Of their own accord, TO some less enlightened
part OF the earth. He concluded by clearly vndicat
ing himself TO the satisfaction Of all present Of the
charges brought against him by the Oregon Srss.