, 1860-12-14
.STEILACOoM,
iGE99AGE
'sfa'.'A or THE
GOVERNOR or WASHINGTON TERRITORY,

.l,o,O. Cti..ns Of he COunetGnd

H.'''' House Of Representatives;
| In conformity with the practice adopted ct
each annual meeting Of the Legislature, Il has
become my duty as acting Governor TO cOmmu-
nicate to you information upon the present con-
ditiOn Of our Territory, and to recommend such
measures as may deem expedent for your &c.
ton. t--l.a
But a few years have elapscd-not more than
nine years-since the interior Of our Territory
was known only to the trapper and the tourist.
Although unriValed in the magnifieenee OF its
scenery, It was believed to be almost wholly un
inhabitable, and vaIueless for the purpose Of ag-
Ticuture.
How great has been the change; our inhabit-
ants are now numbered by thousands. In pro
portion toiarea, Washington Territory, west Of
the Cascade mountpins contains as much good
arabic land as any other portion OF our country
west of the Missouri river. The soil Is, Of re-
markabe fertility. and all the cereals, fruits, and
vegetables, common To- D, temperate climate,
thrive well. In no other portion Of the country
can stock raising ind wool growi 8 be 50 pro-
6tably followed As a numbering region the
shores Of Puget Sound are known throughout
the world. Our fisheries are the best on the
Pacific coast, and coal Of superior quality Is
found IN great abundance. ,s9EiENl3IT @i.
In addition TO these inexhaustiblo sources OF
wealth, the Territory is known to be rich IN the
precious metals Daring the past summer new
gold diggings have been commenced on the We
natchee and Clearwater rivers, tributaries Of me
Columbia, and in the valleys Of the Similkameeh
and OkanaginS ami from the reports Of the
different. surveying and prospecting parties
there - \ ~ N, donht IF The eSistsnce Of gold
h large quantities, ron all the rivers and Streams
east Of the Cascade mountains. Traces OF gold
have also been found along the route Of the Fort
Benton and Walla WaIla road, on the Big Black
foot river and Flint and Benctze creeks.
regret 10 inform yOu that in the month OF
September lasta partysof immigFahts was at
tarxed hy 4 band Of Che Snake Indians IN thew
einity Of Salmon Falls Of the Snake river, and
several Of their number Filled. Happily, the
first rumars that reached this place as 70 the
number slain ars proved to have been much ex-
aggerated. Immediately upon receiving the re-
port Of the massacre, Colonel Wright com
rnanding the Department of Oregon, dispatched
one hundred mounted men with orders to pro-
ceed along the emigrant route for the rescue OF
the survivors, and the punishment Of the In
diaDs. Col Wright in a letter addressed TO me
Under date Of October goth, expresses the opin-a
ion that no new accession Of danger TO the set
Elements of immigration need he apprehended
ffum these I dams They have always been q
nlundering and mafaudlng collection of bands,
wilhpat however, the disposition to attack parties
foNlNIIuCEtIN u
me that IN the Spring an expedition viii be fitted
QUITO carry on the war against these sayages
actively and vigorously.
The feeling Of insecurity naturally created by
thpse repeated attacks cannot fail to retard over
land immigration, upon which We must mainly
depend Inr any large accession IN our population.
Thus the vital interests Of the Territory are at
stake. and It becomes our duty again to call upon
the genera government for the immediate adop.
tion IF measures for the permanent protection
Of the emigrant routes .Aar
Iu'a dispatch to General Scott dated 10th
October, 1850, Colonel Wright says: 3 From
the nature and extent Of the country through
which the emigrants have 10 pass, i will
be some years before they can do So with
out military escorts; stationing posts, alone,w
not accomplish the end. A post has been re-
commended and ordered by the Secretary Of
War 10 be placed somewhere in the Boise re-
gion iIt will be serviceahle for various reasons,
but will not dispense with the necessity Of NOV.
ing columns Troops must travel with the I'M
migration from the time Of their leaving The Salt
Lake country until they reach the settlements.
If Il were announced that military escorts would
leave Utah about the 10Th Of July and 10Th of
August annually, to meet escorts from Wallh
Walla, OF the new post when established, about
the 18th Of August and 10th Of September, i is
believed that alliwho desired i could easily avail
themselves Of such opportunities 70 travel IN
safety, and-thus the yearly immigration be per-
fectly protected" - fer-~rS
Concurring fully Ii tAe foregoing views Of the
Colonel commanding, would respectfully re-,
commend that his suggestions be embodied IN
the form Of memorial'tO the War Department
and that Congress be asked to appropriate the
money that will be reqnredfor the pAnspOrta
ticn Of supplies, and other expenses incident 70
ID un1su 1nf
As . further protection 70 immigration, !
wohld call your attention to thenecessity for the
establishment Of q military post a FOIt Boise.
The selection OF that site, 10 obedience to an or
der from the Secretary OF War, directing the es-
tablIshment Of post there, was deferred by his
approval, III order that better knowledge on the
subJect Or III, most eligible Immigrant route
from the southeast point Of the Territory ihto
the settlement shciild hare been obtained by ex-
plorations Exploring parties were sent out, but
the hostility of tue Snakes caused the junction
OF the parties for the purposes Of q campaign.
Il IL esilHated BY the Colonel commanding this
department, that So 900 will be necessary for
bailling post Of tive companies at Fort Boise,
and I feconpucnd, that Congress be asked 70
make The necessary appropriation. 'wsoasfq q gl
.Amdhg the Appropriations Of greatest inpor-
tance to the Territory are those ior the cpnstruc
ton al military IoadS IN addition to the facili-
ties afforded for travel and Communication, these
roads present great indneenientsior settlement,
and soun-every ucru- taruughOat tlTcir eatire
leneth fs-br0us.ft dnicr cultivation -fhcir nm
poriauoo IN amIilgT neini of view is known,
and appreciated by Tho War Department.. .
Il ail6fds ne much p'easufe 10 state that The
military nuad Gom Fort Benton y Walla Walia
Il now % hr coHplUted us 10 SLOW ne Passegc
of wagons over The entire rolrie. On the 1th of
Oclobar lhsl, . military coluniands Under Alinf
Blake. uFrived from f9rt nrntoa By ihN fold,
making The lrip IL hhy-sevsn days- I M I'M
fsrnled bv. Ifeul. Mullan, thc ablg and eacfgrtie
lIi.S L, 49,, or tle cl,nsiru.lion of this road