The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-01
Our WashlngtOn Territory Correspondence
PoRr TOWNSEND.

fOHT EOWNBEND,
WASHINGTON TERRITORY, June IL, 1855.
Settlement Of the Territory Historical Reuie,o 0,
Erents C0n~ecfed ,cith 1.-THE Hudson Bas
and Puget Sound Companies Sagacit,
of the Byitrsh-Ho,c the Russian Far Compana
reye Int0ested-FTst Emigration and Ameyi
can Poi~<eys- The Oregon Provisional Govern
ment
Ipropose to give you some historical notes O.
events and transactions connected with the settle
ment Of Washington Territory; the rise and progress.
Of political movements, and notes Of the characte,
Of those who figured therein. 1t is not my purpose
to allude to the operations of the Hudson Bay Com
pany and the Puget Sound Agricultural Comp any
distinct from other parts OF the subject; but sha
allude to them incidentally, as they connect with
what we're at the time considered as American
rights and privileges. The agents Of the Hudson
Bay Company on the Pacific have usually been
men Of great aagaci.y, far seeing 10 the political
bearing OF question, ardently attached to Che
British government and its interests, gentlemanl,
in their department, liberal in their hospitalitie
towards strangers, particu aIly toward those VIII
were supposed to have an influence abroad; grea
shrewdress in all their business transactions 10
fact an embodiment Of gentlemanly traders sno
adventurers; men who felt that great political res
possibilities rested upon them in regard TO the as
cendapcy Of British interest on the Pacific coast.
Long prior TO permanent American settlements
in this Territory, the Hudson Bay Company has
established fort for trading purposes q. vanc ,u
yer, on the Columbia river. and at Nsqua'Iy on
Puget Sourd besides other forts and trading posts
throughout the country.
The Puget Sound Agricultural Company had
aso oocupi. lands in the vicinity of Nsqu2ly and
the CoWfz river, under prospective charsef
from the British government.
They had, at the same time, induced q
large humber Of their employees, who had express
ed Ire to retire from the service OF the comps
ny. TO locate Themselves as farmers upon lands
rgu0us to that they occupied on the Cowi,z river;
sno IS an irductmen to ti,se rude hunters, trap
pers aad vo) aRers 10 bscome agriculturalss, many
OF them were furnished by this company with the
necessary articles to commence operations-the
performing an act OF kindness to faithful servants,
who had gwen their youthful strength and services
to the company. This was certainly o meritofious
and generous act, but there seemed 10 have been
political reason at the bottom Of their philanthropy
At this time, the country nov known as Wasa.
pgton and Oregon Territories, was held in joint
occupancy by the Ucited States and Great Britain;
this was one step towards complete occupancy of
the Territory north Of the Columbia river; It vas
cEe link in the chain of circomstannsl testimony,
by which, in future treaty between the two Pow
eis to settle the boundary difficulty, Great Britain
might have T. session Of what ID nov Washington
Territory.
The same political policy that induced the com
pany to pursue this course. caused them to attract
to this Territory farmers from the Red river OF tae
north. These farmers, British subjects came hers
in large pumbers to occupy the lands Of the pros
pective Puget Sound Agricultural Association 10
the vicinity Of Nisquslly. This settlement did no.
succeed as well a. that on the Costz river, on
account OF the steriity Of the soil hence the ope
ratIves abandoned the project, and most of them
located south OF the Columbia RIVER.
The settlement on the Cowiitz vas, apparently
in hourishing condition, and, to casual ob server
II would appear tnat success had crowned their
operations; and it was so to certain extent houses
farms, barns, ard AL the appurtenances OF a succ ss
full end Thrifty civilization met the eye Of the ira
Weller.
Around the large farms of this company we're
many OF lesser size, while the large aud commodiou,
house Of the farm overseer lowered above and over
looked these around II. One would naturally think
of the "ofd OF the and bis tenantryr In this
case there was as much reality a. Imagination.
The old Canadian trsppers who had bscome
worthless to tho Hudson Bay Company in that em
ploy ment, were profitable in another way; the soil
they titled WA OF the richest kind, IL yielded an
abunesnt harvest for the labor b.stowei upon it.
The greater portion OF the labor was PERFORMED By
The natives, whoee remuneration was snail indeed;