The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-18
no PERSONS DESIRING no ENfGRATs TO ORE
CON IND WASHING ron TERRITORIES AND 10
THE FRASER'S RIVER AND o0LVIbtE GOLD
MINES
WAsHIEoIos, ID. c.,
Decemher L. lRl


have niade inquiry regarding the character OF the
try beyond the Rocky mountains and particularly the
gold fields Fraser and the Columbia rivers take this
of circulating such information as have In my
i've fenitores OF Oregon and Washington lie between
the latitudes AZ and 49-the Rocky mountains the
east and the Pacific the west, This whole
gon Is divided by the line of the Cascade range OF noun
tans running north and SOUTH and about hundred
and fifty miles FROM and parallel to, the coast This line
marks the climate and the general character OF the
try in the most distinctive To the west of this
range the country Is well orested principally with the fir
pine, and eak the soil Is Of extreme fertility, the eli
mate mild and pleasant AND the Inducements and nvl-
ttiops to settlement scarcely surpassed by any section IND
We West The country TO the east of this range though
differing in general features from that to the west yet pos
sesses advantages peculiar to itself that it has already
attracted to and hourshng homes many hardy and
industrious emigrpnts. n
Owing to the fact that the Hudsons bay Company had
established their principal trading station west of the
Cascade range it natural and necessary for the pur
poses of security and protection that the first emgants
to this region should form themselves around these posts
which, at that day. became the nuclei of thrifty settle
ments and which o.day form the large and lourishng
cities of Portland, Oregon Salem Vancouver, Corvallis,
Olympia and number of others that dot with civiza
tion and progress that far distant region
Such beirg the t,se, We to-day find the principal
portion of the population of the two Territories west OF
this by virtue of better greater inducements
to settlements necessarily, but from the causes above
mentioned,
But now in the section west OF the Cascades the cout
try Is heeonng fs settled up that oven from here
exodus is taking place, and to-day they looking
forward for homes in that broad expanse of territory
between the Cascades and Rocky mountains This region
Is an open rolling prairie country intersected in every
direction by streams trickliDg down from the mountain
sides and flowing through rich alluval bottoms which
are marked in this of prairie 10y the strips and
finges of timber along their borders, Here must be the
great grazing lands Of tho Northwest The gasses here
the autumn; this last natures in the stock, which affords
for the largest bands of horses cattle, and sheep the
finest grazing in the world The soil in the numerous
valleys through this region is rich and fertile aud
have here growing fine grain and cereals
found in fertile fields of the Illinois and Ohio bottoms
These valleys sufficiently extensive and agricultural
y capable to support large population of graziers and
with mild, genial climate, such allows cattle and
stock of every character to Craze out all winter with the
facilities Of communication by land and water Of marked
nature and markets at hand, this region is not
destined to long remain the unnhabited wilderness that
it now Is.
day by day. both by land and water The libcray Of
the general government has not been wanting not
extensive scale as it would to merit but
yet sufficiently liberal to add to the many inducements
that already possessed by these regions for settlement
has just been launched to the Columbia
river from Fort Daes to Fort Walla Walla which,
doubtless may be the pioneer of the long line of steam
that at distant day, may be ploughing the
mountains
The advantages possessed by the Columbia river are
not fully appreciated. Rising, as it does in the main
chain of the Rocky mountains is the only large stream
that breaks through the coast range and emptes into the
Pacific 1t flows for distance Of twelve hundred miles
through the heart of the Territories through many
gons of fertility For miles along its upper waters it is
finged with beautiful groves of pine cedar and fir while
in the mountains and spurs through which it flows
found large beds of limestone and granite and the de-
poss of gold lead, and copper already attracting the
attention of thousands inviting them towards its borders
These facts which time Is developing are be-
coming patent to the country and would not lengthen
letter that might be swollen to volume to give in detail
the advantages held out for popuous settlements 10y these
two Territories, and the great part which, from their
geographical position, they destined to play at no
distant day. in the great commercial drama that being
now enacted the Pacific coast but would limit my
self to stating that for climate, SOIL fertility health,
I'd general prosperity they hold out more than ordinary
inducements to the emigrant
The agricultural and grazing advantages of this region
do alone give then Their only recommendations but
the newly discovered gold fields the Fraser Tbomp-
Yakima and Pend Oreilles rivers in Washington
Territory have already given impetus to trade and
travel that must pour into their laps dense pop
ulation
With regard to the richness of these mines notwith
standing the many conflicting opinions held in reference to
them say the authority of men who have been IN
and worked in them that they have averaged from five
fifteen dollars per day But the first rush of emiga
ton to the mines great that, for the want OF
proper preparations made for their reception there was
much suffering their arrival and, owing to the unset
tied condition of Indian affairs much danger to be
apprehended all the lines of travel hther But, not
withstandng these many and serious disadvantages sui
cient in themselves to diminish if not deter, emf
grafton hher not less than eighteen thousand men Wis
tied these different mines during the past summer and
less than four thousand miners have determined to
winter in the mines building their own homes and there
forming the nuclei of future towns and settlements.
These things being the the only question that arises
as to the best cheapest and shortest route there There
is no question but that this route be overland
route tor owing to the long, tedious dangerous and expen
sve trip by it is out Of the question for those persons
who intend making this region their permanent home to
make the trip with their families and have the whcrcwh
to commence new homes in and unsettled country
and therefore overland routea route where travel
can be had with their families their horses stock and
farming implements is the only that the perma-
nent settler and emigrant can take. To this region
there two routes by the South Pass to Fort
Walla- Waa and the other that followed by Governor
Stevens in his expedition in 1853 while exploring route
for a railroad to the Pacific Between these two routes
glance at the geography of the country indicates which
the shortest and the reports of those who have been
over both point out which is the best and the cheapest
They both go to show that the one followed by Gov
ernor Stevens enjoys advantages possessed by other
1t is shorter by five hundred miles and there is posi-
ton on the route where wood water and grass cannot be
had, and where wagons cannot he carried, and which
gives the emigrunt great saving of time and money
that enables him reach the western settlements the
Pacific at early day In autumn to allow him to
look about select and prepare his home before win
ter sets in unmportant matter should he arrive very
late in the season.
The route that would point out to the emigrant de-
string settle in either Of the two Territories who ~
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