Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-09-26
SATURDAY MORNING, SEPT. 26, 1863.
Inducements for immigration.

inducements for immigration.
The question is frequently asked by our
own people, who claim to be well informed
in relation to the resources of our Territory,
where will the emigrants now crossing the
plains find homes, the choice lands all being
occupied: We propose to show that this is
a mistake, and that but small portion of
the valuable lands of Washington Territory
arc now occupied. 1t is true that most of
the better prairie lands west of the noun
tains have been selected; yet we arc in
formed that some of the richest prairies to
be found on the Pacific coast are yet unoccu-
pied. There is a prairie on the head waters
of the Humptulups river, some twenty miles
north of Gray's Harbor, equal in fertility to
the best prairie land in Missouri or Illinois,
and as beautifully located as the far-famed
town site of Peoria, Illinois The clear,
cold Humptulups river, winds along on its
southern border, encircled on the north by
as fine body Of timber as can be found in
the Territory. The river can be easily made
navigable for small steamboats, for miles
above this prairie, and the Indians ascend
the river for ten or fifteen miles above, ex-
cept when INSTRUCTED by ice, which seldom
occurs.
There are other prairics both above and
below this, mile or two from the river,
equal in fertility if not in beauty of location
and surface. The bottom lands along the
river, are every way equal to the best bot
tom lands in many of the Eastern States,
and quite as easily cleared. Other rivers emp
ty into the bay from the north, having equal
ly good bottom lands upon them, but not as
extensive. The whole Chehalis valley is al
most entirely unoccupied, and offers greater
inducements for settlement than any part of
the Pacific coast. For twenty miles from the
mouth of the river, the average width of the
bottom, including both sides of the river, is
about one mile; and it is never ovcrflowcd
except in the winter months, which makes
them far more desirable than similar lands in
the valley of the Columbia. The river for
twenty miles from the head of the bay, is
navigablc the year round for the largest class
of river boats, and for half the way, for the
largest steamships, making steamship navi-
cation for thirty miles from the sea coast.
Six or eight months Of the year, the second
class boats can ascend the river for forty
miles further, by removing few small OBJ
structions occasioned by snags and drift, to
the great grain growing region of the Ter
ritory, west of the mountains.
There are millions of acres of equally de-
sirable bottom lands, on the rivers emptying
into the Sound, and heading in the Cascade
range of mountains. The Puyallup, White
and Skokomish rivers offers peculiar induce
ments to settlers. and it is matter of sur
prise that they have not long ere this been
occupied, as they arc more acceptable to inn
migrants who come from the States by water,
than any lands in either Oregon or Califor-
MIA, and the large numbering establishments
Of the Sound and British Columbia furnish
an accessible market without single mile
Of land transportation. The produce raised
by the farmer brings from fifty to one hum
dred per cent, more than it does in any part
Of the Willamette valley, and there is no
healthier section on the face Of the globe.
This may appear strange. but it is Reverthe-
less true. The Chehalis river bottom, and
the bottoms Of the rivers emptying into
Gray's Harbor, Shoalwater bay and the
Sound, are as salubrious and healthful as up
lands, and equally so as the mountainous re-
gions of New England. But this will
scarcely be believed by emigrants from the
valley of the Mississippi, nor by those now
occupying the bottom lands of the Columbia
and lower Willamette, unless cause is CIV
en-. The very name " overAowed lands" is
associated with the various forms of bilious
disease, and it is to be expected that emf
grants from the Western States will enquire
why bottom lands of Washington Territory
should be an exception to the general rule.
There are reasons that satisfactorily explain
why our bottom lands are quite as healthful
as our uplands. 1st, The water found in the
streams crossing the bottoms, flows from the
neighboring hills, and is as pure and cold
as the water ON the uplands. and the water
from wells is equally so. ed, Such an &C.
eurrencc as an overflow of our bottom lands
during the spring or summer months, has