Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-16
Tho Northwestern Territories.

IA address WINS given lay the Hon. Isaac j.
Stevens before tho American Geographical and
Statistical Society Mt Now York on the evening Of
the 2dusiaut before large and highly respectable
audience. The subject OF the address was tho
geographical features of the Northwestern Ter
rltorics. and the \ York Courier gives the fol-
lowing nc c'ount Of ii;
Mr., Stevens said that tho great Northwestern
portion 1T "urc0as, aud that vast country extend
ing back to the great Western lntcs and tho Mis-
sissippj. whicl but few ycars yinct vas but an
nhospitabc barren waste, was now ~ r,rting tho
profound attcation ol mary 'of the practical
mind. in the country. SO lonr -, fur COM
lanles couroiel this vast trat ry. whose
interest it was to keep IL sbol o,t from the
thoughts and occupation of people, il remain
ed solitude unknown and unoccupied sayo by
the hunter and tho Wild tribes OF Indians. But
its history is iepleic with interest. The Jesuit
fathers pushed thor way into the heart cf its for
ests. the English and Spanish nav gators exp plored
its western coast. the Hudson bay Company
tracked the coasi the frozen regions Of the north
aud Lewis and Clark made known the existence
Of the Columbia aud the sources OF the Missouri.
In lIiG u member OF Parliament said that tho
American States couldnovcr maintain settlements
in tho country. whore its mountain ranges werc
inaccessible, and its wooded valleys were impas-
sable from the snow. But already at TINT time
the wagons of the emigrnnts were directed to it
anl the national flag marked the locnity of
towns and villages. And now Oregon stands Mt
the door Of the Union demanding admission rs n
State. The mineral resources of this vast extent
oi country, are incxhaustible. Gold and quick
sllyer, zine, lead copper, uphur, and coal exists
in extraordinary abundance. by the. great lakes,
tho Missouri aud Columbia rivers, the region of
country marks tho great water-lne across the
continent. The mountain chain which, in tho
parallel of San Francisco. extends over fifteen de-
erees of longitude, is within this region of coun-
try reduced to six degrees Of longitude. There
but six miles Of this range which is six thou
sand feet above tho sea, and bat forty miles when
it reaches an elevation of five thousand feet AT
Puget Sound, ON the northwestern coast there
ist the most extraordinary land-locked harbors
and roaIsteadp TO be found in any waters. extend
, ing distance Of more than sx cen hundred mAs
along tho coast. The lumler furnishing spars
and timber pronounced tie lest IN the world, ia
incxhaustible. The fisheries exteodua from the
mouth of the Columbia to baneouvers leland,
furnish nm immense supply OF coal and halibut.
Whales are found IN the waters Of the coast and
already afford lucrative employment to many Of
the native Indians
The climate is more salnbrious than that in any
region this side Of the Rocky Mountains. There
is 40 leo in winter, nor snow which continues
more than four or five days. From September to
March wheat can be sown. and the summer months
arc devoid of tempo,dies. East of the Cascade
Mountains the region is admirably adapted to ag-
ricuture and to stock raising. The great valley
iS "t1 "h'eicu, hiu thc pue Hhu ccuur grow uVUu
the mountain slopes. Churches and schoolhouses
mark the busy settlements. The northern portion
of the interior abounds in gold. The development
of the resources of this region was interrupted by
the unfortunate wars and troubles with the Indian
tribes. At the headwaters of the Missouri wheat
and corn be raised The distance from Lake
Superior to Puget Sound is but eighteen hundred
miles, less by two or three hundred miles than
that by the Upper Pass by California. 1t is the
shortest practicable line for great national rail-
road which can be presented. lie did not wish to
speak upon this point partisan, or as one
influenced by geographical or sectional views, but
as having the best interest of the whole country
at heart Much had been said of the intensity
of the cold and the depth of the snow, which
would render oven the construction of the road i'm
possible Mr. Stevens from official statistics proved
that the cold, either in intensity or continuation
was much less at Fort Benton than at Fort Smell
ling, at Montreal, at Moscow, or st. Petersburgh.
In regard to the snow, he could state, by personal
observation, that its depths at this pass did not at
any month Of winter exceed fifteen inches, and
tbs mountain passes were at al ssssous Of the