Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-29
NUMBER 1866.



TO the Editors of the Picayssas;
Having just returned from three years explor.
ing tour on the Pacific coast, In search of morr
genial cline than the Mississippi Valley the place
Of my nativity, have at last made my choice, and,
feeling anxious to interest as many men as posi-
BILE to accompany myself and family to that distant
but most desirable land; allude to the country
upon the borders Of Puget Sound There are in
ducefnents offered In every department OF business
Ifa man Is desirous Of embarking In the lumber
business, he can find no such opportunities else
where. At present. there are but five mills on the
sound, and they have all been erected within the
last four years. The country is In It's infancy, but
there Is still heavy business negotiated with the
Sandwich Islands, Australia, and China, In which
there are some thirty vessels now running regu-
larly with lumber and spars, and those countries
bid fair to be the best markets for these supplies
There Is also heavy business done In coal. The
mines of Bellinghan's Bay have, within the last
few months, been sending large quantities to San
Francisco. The coal proves to be of good quality
tits found In many places on the sound, and also
on the banks of some of the rivers emptying them
selves into the sound. This, think, win be one
Of the largest business places on the coast There
Is also another branch Of business that has sprung
up within the last year--that Is, fishing The fish
ing-grounds, for abundance and variety, are GER
tainly the finest to be found in the world. All
kinds Of shellfsh are plentiful.
The rivers emptying into the sound are small,
and not capable Of being navigated for any consid
cradle distance. The land bordering on the sound,
and east to the Cascade Mountains is extremely
fertile, and for the most part heavily timbered
The prairies are small. Tho seasons are 30 mild
that there is no time of the year at which one docs
not see wild flowers In full bloom
The American settlements are extremely sparse
Olympia is the capital II is located at the south
ern extremity Of the sound, and contans some 200
white inhabitants, and one printing press, Demo
cratc.) The next town of any consequence il
Steacoom, twenty miles north. This Is located
on the sound, and Is one of the most hourishing
villages in the country, containing about one hun.
dred and fifty white inhabitants and one printing
press, (Wbig)
This will be the principal commercial town in
the country, as 1t Is the terminus Of the military
road from Fort Wallia on the east side of the Cas-
cade Mountains, and as this is the only pass through
the mountains
There must, at no distant day, be one of the
richest States in the Union, formed in the great
region between the Rocky and the Cascade
Mountains.
Fort Pisqualy, belonging to the Hudson Bay
Company, is six miles from Steacoom. On ac-
count of the unsettled state Of the land titles of
the company, the settlement of that most desirable
portion Of the country is much retarded. II is
here you may see thousands and thousands of that
most extraordinary and wonderful people called the
Flat Head Indians. shall be most happy to give
any information In regard to the above named
country that may be desired, rs am perfectly f,.
miliar with all its resources shall sail from this
city sometime next winter for Steilacoom, w. T..
Mrup