, 1862-11-29
From walla walla to San Francisco.
pY cAPr. JoHN MuLLAN. U. S. A.

| with much personal discomfort there is much to
repay the traveller in the collection of statistics,
and in seeing region where the wilderness Of
yesterday has to-day given place to homes, where
material prosperity at least arrests the attention
of the traveller at every mile of the journey
The mode of conveyance from Walla Wala to
Wallula is by stages thatgun daily between these
points, and where the Journey of six hours and a
cost of five dollars brings you to the banks of
the Columbia, whence YOU take steamers for the
Des Chuttes Landing. The Improvements along
the banks of the Walla Walla, in the shape of
new and additional enclaiSres for farming purpo-
ses during the last two igars, have been many,
and mark with unerriw lainty the future of
the Walla Walla coulANSlOhe distributing cen
tre for radius of thrsT- idred miles of coun-
try now fast developing Il all the elements of
material, social and political prosperity. 1t has
more than once occurred to me that the Waa
Walla river, by system of locks, could be ad-
vantageously used a line of connection between
Wallula and Walla Walla, and one needs bat see
the long line of wagons and pack-trains, heavily
freighted for the interior, to become convinced
that either this or some more rapid and econom-
ical means is positively demanded, in order to
connect the heart of the valley with the Colum-
bia river. Economy at the present would argue
in favor of converting the river into a canal, but
the prospective wants of the country are much
more in favor of a Railroad connection. For a
distance of eighteen miles below Walla Wala
the nature of the face of the country is eminently
suited in its present condition for laying a rail
road track and thence to Wallula the character
of work being either excavation in sand, clay, or
soft rock, will enable road to be built at econ
omical figures. The Touchet and the crossings of
the Walla Walla river will require heavy bridges
but good abutment sites are TO be had, and The
streams not being subject to overflow, no imped-
iment will ever be had from this cause. 1t could
be safely stated that a capital Of 100000 would
construct and equip this road, and when it is
known that not less than 100000 tons OF freight,
at $40 per ton, and 10000 passengers, at So
each, pass over this line annually, it does seem
strange that capitalists are not disposed to move
in the matter in a practical shape 1t is a pro-
ject in which every citizen could become inter-
ested. The farmers could supply all the ties
needed the mills are fully capacitated to supply
| all the lumber demanded and the surplus popu-
aton from the mines and those out of employ
ment could advantageously supply all the labor
needed in its construction; and with the valley
of Wala Wala to supply every necessary of life,
to me it is anything but an Utopien idea,-and
feel warranted in believing that another twelve
months will not roll around before the matter is
taken up with view to its practical execution
The teams now freghting on the road will not
necessarily be thrown out of employment, but the
increasing development of the interior will cause
them simply to seek new lines upon which to
transport this freight after the railroad shall
have deposited it at the city of Walla Walla,
which nature has constituted commercial cen
tire, and from which will be distributed to every
point of the compass the merchandise which their
wants demand
Reaching the Columbia 1T NWallula, one is
pleased with the commercial character which
this point is fast assuming. Freight strewn
along the levee for half mile--stores erected
commisson-houses plying their vocatons-and
everything giving earnest Of prosperous fu-
ture. This site has doubtless many advantages
as commercial point; but so long as men shall
desire pleasant homes,-where the eve is as de-
sirous of drinking in draughts of pleasure and
beauty as the pocket is of accumuatng wealth,
where mills, farms, gardens and pleasant en-
closures can be had,-where the products cf the
fields are garnered with a short transportation to
a ready market--juSt so long will Walla Walla
and not Wallula be the chief emporium and point
OF business for the INTERIOR and for supplying the
more immediate demands of the Walla Walla
valley. That Wallula will always be a point
where co nmission-houses few stores and one
or more hotels will always be supported, no one
can doubt; but looking towards a large and
growing city, with all the pleasant apurtenances
that make life happy, | cannot but coAceive that
its growth must become circumscrbed within the
above limits.
We took passage on the pleasant steamer .Te-
nino,' and in eight hours were landed at Selilo
point some two miles below the DesChuttes
landing, where the o. S. N. Co., have already
formed the nucleus of thriving village. The
freshet of the past season has strewn the banks
of the Columbia with cord-wood in abundance
which commands $40 per cord The John
Days woodward, however, is the chief depot for
fuel. Here, too, one notices the marked progress
that is daily making its onward march 20 the in
terror. Here we saw two steamers building, one
already launched owned by Capt. Gray, and still
another at Selilo of large dimensions. There is
no doubt we are far in advance, in point of bold
ness and daring, in the question Of river naviga-
ton on the Columbia, of those similarly engaged
on the eastern waters and the success which has
thus far attended the efforts of those who dared
to move in the navigation CT the Upper Coum-
bia, has only embOldened them to greater efforts.
and it is no dream to feel that the day is not far
distant when the Snake to the American Falls,
and the stretches of the Columbia from Wallula
to Fort Colville, and the Cark's Fork, from
Parks crossing to Horse Plain, will all be tested
by steam and thus made tributary to the growing
wants of trade and travel.
The fare from Walhla to Selilo<s $40. A
ride of three hours brns us to the Dalles-which
point, too, is showing Visible signs of a healthy
improvement; and the increasing trade to the
mines of John Days and Powder rivers is des-
tined to make it point Of great commercial i'm
port Whether the idea entertained by Mr..
Newell, and other men at the Dalles, of direct
trade from San Francisco to the Dalles, shall ever
be realized, is not so easy to be determined 1t
certainly bas a favorable location for the full CON
summation of such an dea-and we all know
what magic results gold can be made to produce;
and without desire of detrment to Portland l
should heartily desire to see such happy result
attained. The will to do it, and the means with
which to do It, are the only two essentials need
ed and if these are had, it will be done-and
the sooner the two former are ascertaned, the
sooner will the commercial idea (grand in its con-
ception and pregnant with so many grand results)
become a matter of past history. The Railroad
Company have resumed the work of grading and
ballastng, and it is the desire of the Company to
have the ears running by the first of next May
The road-bed is prepared for some five or six
miles out from the city, and the iron track laid
for half mile. My own convictions are that the
railroad, eventually, is 10 be more beneficial to
WalaW ALA than the Dalles, but that the latter is
also to derive much benefit no one will doubt
We found the line Of opposition steamers run
ming, which having the tendency to reduce the
rates of freight and travel, was thing that the
commercial and travelling public were but too
| glad to see. The passage from the Dalles to
Portland was only one dollar. That competition
on this immense line will be fraught with healthy
results, no one will doubt. The o. S. N. Co.. as
the pioneers on an untested river do certainly
merit much credit for the bold hazard they so
successfully made, and merit reward as such and