, 1867-10-04
Notes Of a Trip to the sound country,

Walla Walla to Seattle, in ten days. From
estimates, and opinions Of others, consider it
two hundred and ninety miles between these
points Passed through the Yakama Valley;
best stock region in the Territory; splendid
range, and winters milder than Walla Wal.
la Valley. One man, Mcdonald, has $50
head of cattle, a neighbor of his over $50
head, and Judge ThOrp sends several huns
dred head to market annually; other as
heavy stock men might be named. This
Valey,is now attracting attention, aud will
rapidly ill up. Tborp says there will be at
least two hundred voters in the Valley by
the next election. Thorp is the oldest. set
tier there; has both house room and heart
room for all his friends; aud smothers you
with favors without having you feel under
any obligations to him, which every body
do2't understand didn't like settlers COM
ing about him at first, but has gotten over
that, and accepts civilization. He was out
in the mountains and showed US specimens
Of gold looked like Kootenai gold says he
has discovered rich diggings about seventy
miles off will make it known next spring, as
he is not now ready for the rush. Need a
mail there very much, and must have one
or people will forget when Sunday comes.
Mail should go either from Dales, Umatilla,
or Wallula. Thirty FIVE miles from Thorps
is the Kitatash Valley; about fifteen miles in
width and forty in length well watered by
the Yakima and numerous other streams;
finely timbered aud rich soil free from Sage
brush and alkali land there for thousand
farms; fully as fine valley as the Walla
Walla near the mountains; and snow from 8
to "a inches, for from one to two months.
The wagon road that is being cut from Seat
tie over the mountains, will come through
this Valley. The Legislature appropriated
81 900 for this road King County aud the
people Of Seattle raised about $500; Man,
chester & Co. are working the road for S1>,
300, currency, per mile; ii will take moro
money to make wagon road, but pack ani>
mails aud stock can 90 over it and work and
wagons will follow. People, east of the
mountains, interested in this enterprise,
should help it through. There is a coA fu,
rore on the Sound now; We went out in CONS
pany with others, among whom were Capts.
Blynn and Walker, Of the Sebeck ard Gam
bic Mills, and who represent more money
than any other two men on the Sound, to
examine some beds, some fourteen miles
from Seattle, and were surprised to find such
coal, and in such quantities, They have
worked into several beds forty or ffiy feet;
the veins are frot Eve fifteen-feet, pure snd,
clean, and without seam; Lake Washing
ton is p miles from Seattle, and is seven
miles across; from thence it is 3! miles to
the beds; the question of cost of transporta-
ton is the only one to be solved. A tram
road is being built to Lake Washington.
There are two coal companies organized with
their beds near each other, and efforts are
being made to combine them, but are fruit
less as yet Taking the fact in view that
there are about half a dozen preachers and
as many lawyers in these companies, and be>
sides, there are so many theological and le'
gal questions to settle, there is little hope of
union among the companies or peace among
the members for this generation. Garfelde
is the attorney Of one of the companies, and
he rolled the subject over in snch oily words
that we we're all sure we were rich, and L
awoke to realizing sense of the situation
only, when thrusting my hand in my jacket,
expecting to find the "pocket full Of rocks"
found only ono lone, lorn, little greeuback.
We visited some of the mills, Gamble and
Ludlow; the first is the largest on the Sound.
Prices are low, but sales, this year, are heavA
ier and business improving. The mills are
the institutions of the Sound One mill
will have from one hundred to two hundred
men connected with it, and will saw from
60 000to $4,000 feet in day. The mills
there mSRufacture some 100000 annus
ally. ToRQs on the Sound are. improving,
especially Part Townsend and Olympia-the
latter place rapidly Seattle is place of
great expectations, and it is not improbas
Bile they will be realized, and large city
grow up there Rail road fever is high
there, and at other places on the Sound,
but as we propose saying something on the
subject we will add nothing here. Saw
the Sound notables. Dennison is sill digni>
fed. The man with "nine small children
and two at the breast still rolls his great
white orbs up, as warming in indignation as
he excaims "Sir. it is horrible-it is mons
strous, sir" ''The most eloquent man in
Washington Territory" is chewing his cud,
and ruminating on matters and thugs IN
general-now be sees it and now he don't
see it. He don't play "sinch" any more.
Capt Fitch still lives, and there are queer
stories aaoat as to the prevailing customs on
the anderson. Cush is taking birds oye
view Of rail road route to the moon. Evans
has laid aside the official harness and is now
writing history of Oregon and Washington
Territory He is ready writer well sup>
piled with material, and no one in the Ter