, 1859-01-28
INTERESTING LETTER.
To Persons desiring TO EmIgrAte 10 Oregon and
Washington Territories, and to the Fraser
River and COlVIne Gold Annea.


WAsnNGToN, D. c., Dec. 15, 'ss.
In order to lay before those who from time to
time have made inquiry regarding the character
Of the country beyond the Rocky mountains,
and particularly the gold fields on Fraser and
the Columbia rivers, take this means Of cir
culating such information as | have in my pos
session, and that would seem to be necessary for
the purpose.
The Territories of Washington and Oregon lie
between the attitudes AZ and 49-the Rocky
mountains on the east and the Pacific Ocean on
the west This whole region is divided by the
line of the Cascade range Of mountains, running
north and south, and about $50 miles from, and
parallel to, the coast This line marks the eli
mate and the general character Of the country
in the most distinctive manner To the west Of
this range the country is well forested, princi-
pally with the fir, pine, and oak; the soil is Of
extreme fertility, the climate mild and pleasant,
and the inducements and invitations to settle
ment scarcely surpassed by any section in the
West. The country to the east Of this range,
though differing in general features from that to
the west, yet possesses advantages so peculiar to
itself that it has already attracted to new and
flourishing homes many hardy and industrious
emigrants.
Owing to the fact that the Hudson's Bay Co.
had established their principal trading stations
west Of the Cascade range, it was natural and
necessary, for the purposes Of security and pro-
lection, that the first emigrants to this region
should form themselves around these posts,
which, at that day, became the nuclei Of thrifty
settlements, and which to-day form the large and
fourishing cities Of Portland, Oregon, Salem,
Vancouver, Corvallis, SieilacOom, Olympia, and
a number Of others that dot with civilization and
progress that iar-distant region.
4 = A.. a. L.. Il
cipal portion Of the population Of the two Terri
tories west Of this range-not by virtue Of bet
ter or greater inducements to settlements neces-
sarily, but from the causes above mentioned.
But now, in the section west Of the Cascades,
the country is becoming so fast settled up, that
oven from here an exodus is taking place, and
to-day they are looking forward for new homes
in that broad expanSe Of territory between the
Cascades and Rocky mountains. This region is
.an open rolling prairie country, in ers .ciel in
every direction by streams trickkng down from
the mountain sides, and flowing through rich
alluyial bottoms, which are marked in tins ocean
of prairie by the strips and fringes Of timber
along their borders Here must be the great
grazing lands Of the Northwest. The grasses
here have two growths-the first in early spring,
the second in the autumn; this last natures in
the stock, which affords for the largest bands of
horses, caIue, anu Suecpt tuc hneSt BialhlS IN
tho world. The soil in the numerous valleys
through this region is rich and fertile, and have
seen here growing as fine cereals as arc found
in our fertile fields Of the Illinois and Ohio bot
toms. These valleys are sufficiently extensive
and agriculturally capable to support large
population Of gTaziers and with mild, genial
climate, such as allows cattle and stock Of every
character to Craze out all winter. With the
facilities Of communication by land and water Of
a marked nature, and markets ncar at hand, this
region is not destined to long remain the unin-
hSbited wilderness that it now is.
The facilities for communication are being In
creased day by day, both by land and water.
The libcrality Of the general government has not
been wanting-true, not on as extensive a scale
as it would seem to merit, but yet sufficiently
liberal to add to the many inducements that arc
already possessed by these regions for settle
ment A steamer has just been launched to run
on the Columbia river from Fort Dallcs to Fort
ncer Of the long line Of steamers that, at no dis
tant day, may be seen plowing the waters Of the
Columbia from the coast to the Rocky mountains.
The advantages possessed by the Columbia
river arc not fully appreciated. Rising, as it
does, In the main chain Of the Rocky mountains,
il is the only large stream that breaks through
tho coast range and Cmpties into the Pacific. 1t
flows for distance Of 1900 miles through the
heart Of the two Territories, through many re-
cions Of fertility. For miles along its upper
waters il is fringed with beautiful grOyeSO Of pine,
cedar, and fir while in the mountains and spurs
through which il flows are found large beds Of
limestone and granite, and the deposits Of gold,
lead, and copper, are already attracting the at
tention Of thousands, inviting them towards its
borders
These are facts which time is devclopng-that
are becoming patent TO the country-and |
would not lengthen letter that might be swol-
len to a volume to give in detail the advantages
held out for populous settlements by these two
Territories, and the great part which, from their
geographical position, they are destined to play,
at no distant day, in the great commercial drama
that is now being enacted on the Pacific coast /;
but would limit myself to stating that for soil,
climate, fertility, health and general prosperity,
they hold out more than ordinary inducements
to the emigrant
The agricultural and grazing advantages Of
this region do not alone give them their only
recommendations but the newly discovered
gold fields on the Fraser, Thompson, Yakima,
and Pend-d 'Oreilles rivers in Washington Terri
tory have already given new impetus to trade
and travel that must soon pour into their laps q
dense population.
With regard to the richness Of these mines,
notwithstanding the many conflicting opinions
held In reference to them, | can say, on the au-
thority Of men who have been in and worked in
them, that they have averaged from five to hf-
teen dollars per day. But the first rush Of en-
igraton to the mines was so great, that Tor the
want Of proper preparations made for their re-
ception, there was much suffering on their arri-
val, and, owing to the unsettled condition Of In
dian affairs, much danger was to be apprehend-
cd on all the lines Of travel thither. But, not
withstanding these many and serious disadvan.
tagcs, sufficient in themselves to diminish If not
deter, an emigration thither, hot less than $1,000