The Nevada journal., 1857-06-12
G9e NebaOa gournal,
Friday Morning, june Ioth.
Letter from Washington Territory.
OLYMPIA, w. T.,
MAY 18th, 1857.


them, by letter, such information rela
ting to this Territory as | might obtain
during my visit, and as I can fulfill the
obligation best by writing one letter fol
publication in your Journal, avail my
self of the opportunity of doing so. ]
made the trip from San Francisco tc
Ronier, small place on the Columbia
river opposite the mouth of the Cow
litz river, in four days, on the steamer
Commodore, stopping at Crescent City
about FIVE hours, arriving at Ronier on
Sunday evening. I crossed the Colum-
bia, lat that point about one mile wide, J
and came to Monticello, about one and
a half miles from the mouth Of the Cow
litz. AT Monticello l stopped over one
day, and then came on to this place,
making the trip in three days.
Ronier, you will understand is on the
Oregon SIDE, is a place of no considera-
BILE Importance, there being but few
families there. There is, however, a
"landing" and wharf there, and produce
sent down the Cowlitz is taken on
board the steamers at that point for San
Francisco. Monticello is also a place
of but small Importance. There are,
however, several stores there and per-
haps a half a dozen families residing at
the place. [ came from Monticello to
the Cowlitz landing on horseback, dis
tance of about thirty miles, preferring
to make the trip in this manner rather
than to come up the river in a canoe.
From the landing to this place, the dis
tance is about sixty miles; this dis
tance, also, / came on horseback. And
now a word about the expense Of the
trip, "a matter always interesting to
travellers,) and 1 will give suchinforma-
ton as | am able as to the country
From San Francisco to Portland or Ro-
nier, the Coommodore charged, the last
trip, for cabin passage, $40 steerage
$50. 1 paid one dollar ana half to be
brought over to Monticello in a skiff
six dollars for 4 horse from Monticello
to the Cowlitz landing, and ten dollars
for horse from the landing to Olympia.
There are several fine farms on the
Cowlitz, between the landing and Mon
ticello, and there are many from the
landing on, for thirty or forty miles to-
wards Olympia. Nearer to Olympia
the open or prairie lands are more gray
ely and not so we'll suited for cultiva-
ton. But l haze rarely seen finer prai-
RE lands, or better cultivated farms than
along the Cowlitz and up forty miles
this side the landing.
1 was disappointed in finding Olympia
as small place as it is, in the way of
population. The town has a pleasant
appearance, is situated on a very tolera-
bic site for village, and one would sup
pose from its appearance, should have
a population of six or seven hundred
but there are not in reality more than
about three hundred sonls in the place.
During the Indian difficulties. a large
number of persons left their claims, and
coming to Olympia, rented small houses
and removed here for safety, until the
end of the war.
Now for few matters of general in
terest in relation to the Territory. The
whole population, exclusive of Indians,
does not amount to more than from four
to five thousand persons. The Indian
difficulties have been such that omigra-
ton has not only entirely ceased, but
very many persons, formerly residents,
have actually left the Territory; !; and
without some very decided advantages
are offered by the General Government
to induce emigration, the increase of
DOpuidlluu uiuSI bG DuJ NCl SlON, anu
for the present inconsiderable. The old
donation law formerly in force in Ore
{ on and this Territory, by which actual
settlers having families obtained six
hundred and forty acres of land, by a
four years residence, having expired by
its own limitation, the settler has only
the presumption law of which to avail
himself in the acquisition of lands.
Happily, the dificultis with the Indi-
ans belonging to this Territory seem
now to have been satisfactorily settled,
and the inhabitants have no fears ex-
cept from the northern Indians, so call
ed. These northern Indians belong to
the Russian and British Possessions -
are very numerous very intelligent,
and fight Ike devils. They are equal
ly hostile 10 the American whites and
to the Sound Indians and the only
IL