, 1861-12-19
LETTER FROM OAKLAND, W. t.

| LETTER FROM OAKLAND, w. T.
OAKLAND, Sawamish Co., ". T., Dec. l2, 81.
7" The Eaitor Of the Puget Sound Herald:
Through the columns Of your excellent paper
| wish to mention 4 few facts in relation to oul
young and flOurishing Territory which may b.
VI some benefit to the many who are now seek
ing homes in the vicinity of Puget Sound. Th'
first place ! encountered Of any note, after leav
ing home, was Hammersley's Inlet, (moSt gener
ally known as SkoOkum Bay) which is certainly
one Of the prettiest sheets Of water that have
had the pleasure Of seeing since my residence il
the Territory. 1t has the appearance Of river
for distance Of eight or nine miles it is not ove
Que quarter Of q mile wide, with low banks il
then opens out and forms a commodious and
beautiful harbor at the head Of which is located
the town Of Oakland, a fOurishing little place
which is not without its attractions and advan
tages. The kind and accommodating citizens o.
Oakland will please accept my best wishes fol
iaVors conferred upon the weary claim hunter.
l hired horse at Oakland, and Travelled over
. good road to Union City, distant ten miles
Union City is located at the big bend Of Hoods
| Nauale dOUNt tile LQOut0 Ol sk0
komiSh River. This beautiful little place has
many advantages. In front lies q magnificent
harbor; In the rear, the snOw-capped mountains
Of the coast range, reaching TO tie very heavens,
while the hills below are covered with gigantic
cedars and hrs; all, combined, rendering the
scenery within view Of Union City extremely
beautiful. The soil Of the SkokOmiSh valley Is
most certainly Of the best quality, ard will even.
| tuAlly support population Of several thousand
inhabitants. ] am under weighty obligations t.
the piOus citizens Of Union City (Mr. Z. W. Per.
rim, proprietor, and Messrs. Wilson and Ander.
son, merchants Of that place. for many favors.
] understand that Mr.. Wilson is the Joint Repre-.
| sentative for the counties Of Pierce and Sawa.
mish. II so, may fair winds attend him while on
his periOus journey.
Inext directed my course through the country
from Union City to the mouth Of the Satsup
river, tributary Of the Chehalis. II seems to
be the prevailing opinion among the citizens Of
the Sound that the Black Hills Of Thurston county
and the coast range are all one. This is grand
mistake. There is beautiful and open valley,
from ten to fifteen miles vide, between the two
ranges Of mountains, extending from the bead Of
Hoods Canal and Skookum Bay to the junction
Of the Satsup with the Chehalis river. The
greater portion Of this valley is almost Ivvcl, the
balance slightly undulatiRg. There Is no dill.
Guilty whatever In making q magnificent wagon
road from the mouth Of the Sats1p to Union City
on Hoods Canal, or Oakland on SkOokum Bay.
The distance Is nothing; thirty miles will cover
the entire route from point to point The settle.
ments on Gray's HarbOr aud Chehalis River want
this road, and must have il: il would shorten
the distance from Gray's HarbOr to the naviSablr
waters u the Sound about thirty miles. A mil.
itary road, from the military station on Gray's
Ilarbor, located on the aforementioned route
thence down the divide between the waters o.
the Sound and Hoods Canal terminating on the
Sound opposite SteilacOOm, would most certainly
be Of vast importance, not only 10 the Territory
OF Washington, but To the General Government
FROM the fact that 1t would bring the two military
posts In direct communication with each other
and also open up one Of the best agricultural
districts In Washington Territory. 10 fact, the
soil Of the Satsup cannot be surpassed for Erti.
ity anywhere. The soil Of the valley Is not only
fertile In the immediate bottoms, but the entiFv
country Is one solid mass Of agricultural land
That part Of our Territory once thrown open
and thousands Of hardy pioneers would rush "a
and convert the solemn forest into fields Of way.
ing grain.
The author Of this communication has been
through the country, and consequently speaks
from observation. Il would be well to call the
attention Of the present Legislature TO the wants
above mentioned, and Il Is hoped that they will
govern themselves accordingly.
y A GIrIzES or W.