Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-05-24

land Is urrounded ly Il large fertile tract Of
country, rapidly incrca.n- IL wealth and
population. Will Vancouver h, been de-
PENDING upon The trade of the Hudson Bay
Co. a,.d TIE business aid population incident
TO a military poet. l. il reasonable 10 aniie-
ipate change l.. the laws that Cow
en- the growth and trade OF cities. in favo. Of
Vancouver, Ii not then it is worse than
folly for her 10 anticipate becoming success
"a! rival of Portland. or 10 even dyidc The
trade IF the upper IN! lower Columbia. On
CON las capital. and hat capital l. ,;;h,r
vested in Portland or in some way CONNECTED
with her welfare. and It c-nno: IT, removed TO
Vancouver, d, hat We may. The sain, can
lc said Of nall,s when compared with Rock
land. Oh our side OF ihc river. and hcnc, we
couclgir that there l. 10 probability oi CIR
h.irc able to buili upa prosperous civ i'll
either locality in our Territory. ard that all
Effort, 20 accomplished olice! viii only trnd
20 cripple the resources of the Territory and
rc,.rd the growth of cities upon thc sound
and the coast. wh,re ilcv viii bc beyond the
influence of the capital low concentrated III
Oregon. and where we possess natural advan-
tags which mus, ultimately enable Us 10 build
W the great commercial emporium north 81
san Francisco.
|; j. well known that vessel Of the larger
class cannot enter the Columbia river. and
tia, the bar 3, the mouth Of that river cannot
be- crossed bv even small vessels during the
storms which prevail in winter, while the
Sound is accessible for all classes Of vcs-
s,,s. at all seasons of the year. Its shores
are covered with the finest forests Of timber,
and bordered with soil far superior to the
average portions of the New England States.
Indeed we do not hesitate to assert that the
Sound region of the Territory possesses great
or natural advantages for building up great
commercial city than any other portion of the
United States, and an harbcr the superior of
which cannot be found in any part Of the
world.
1t will be seen by a glance at the map of
the Territory that the distance from Sc
attic OF Steacoom to the Columbia river east
of the mountains is less than from those points
to Vancouver, and explorations show that the
Sound and the upper Columbia regions can
be connected by wagon or rail road at as lii
tie expense. This route would save the ne
cessity Of Il trip to Vancouver or Portland,
and then an expensive passage on boats and
railroads owned and controlled by citizens OF
Oregon.
We are not disposed to find fault with our
nuighbors of Oregon for doing all in their
power to build up their own cities, nor do we
envy them their unrivalcd prosperity; but we
do object to the apathy manifested by our
own citizens in the Improvement of our own
,lorouyhl;arcs which would enable us TO share
with Oregon the advantages of the rich trade
now springing up between the sections east
and west of the mountains. Ii must be adj
mited that it cannot be effected through the
channel of the Columbia. That trade is con-
trolied by citizens of Oregon, and every day
will tend to strengthen and consolidate their
power and influence, and however unpalatable
it may be to the people of Washington Terri
tory, it will nevertheless provet true that every
dollar expended upon the north bank Of the
Columbia river will tend to perpetuate it.
While the settlement of that portion Of our
Territory will add somewhat to our revenues
and population, it will add as much to tho
commercial wealth and prosperity Of Oregon
as if made on the banks of the Willamette.
Who does not now realize the humiiatinS
truth that Oregon is drawing from us our
very life-blood? The thousands Of our citi-
zens who are now ON their way to our rich
gold fields east Of the mountains are deposit
ing their last dollar in the pockets Of Oregoni-
ans to get to Walla Walla, two-thirds Of
which expense might have been saved had a
trail been opened over the mountains.
We will aludc to this subject again. and
demonstrate the practicabil,y Of making
good wagon road over the mountains, and
point out few of the advantages that would
accrue to the Territory by a comparatively
snail expenditure Of money.
r. The good people Of our town were not
little shocked, on Saturday evening las'. to
witness woman, dressed in seariv mems sp-
p.rel riding as;r:de horse upon the public
, ,L.rouybfare. We are informed that the wo-