Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1868-09-26


Hes J. g. >ErTM. Fr-~sal~z; Of
the Merit Ps-Sc asslraal C0aa-
Vssy-Isezr SlT: Ie acc0rsiznce with
nv rrSzise made voG ssd y0zr In
gIucer in clsi~f. when lezving WASH
iu<rns CITY Is: Ns-rh. nOw. OF
nv retzrn frprn Mostana. s<sd yog
brief sccoaEi Of Uy trIp over the
Rocky Mountains
Jeff wSll2 W ala on the 39th of
Nav, taking the usual route. Tsa
Snake river and P4louse. to the Spo
kane river. | noticed on this trip.
more particularly than ever before,
the large proportion of good land. in
patches Of from ~ 10 5O0 acres, Is
ing between Snake river and the
Spokane. of the best quani.y of
wheat land-equal TO the average of
Walla Walla lands, and which will
produce from. 90 to 40 bushels of
wheat per acre, with springs. or in
d;cations that water could be had by
digging, or almost every quarter
section of land. Besides, these vast
plains are covered with an inexhaus-
tible source of wealth in their rich,
natural pastures of .testuca Scndrella,
the celebrated bunch grass, which is
probably the most valuable grass
known in the world for pasture.
ROUTE FOR THE RAILROAD.
I went via Pen d'Oreille Lake, and
examined carefully the southern
shore. l am satisfied that there will
be no serious distractions to build a
road around the south side of the
Lake, at a convenient elevation above
high-water mark. From the south
arm of tho Lake tie route will most
likely lay across the Spokane plains,
and running nearly parallel with that
river, to the mouth of Hangman's
Creek a distance of 50 miles, near
ly a direct line, and almost as leve!
as any Illinois prairie. From this
point there can bo nearly direct
line run to the Columbia, 80 as to
head the Grand Coulee, and strike
the river above Priest Rapids; or,
crossing further south, I have been
assured by reliable men, Of good
judgment, who have crossed through
with wagons, that there will be no
difficulty in crossing the upper or
northern part of the Grand Coulee.
From the upper end of Pen d'Oreille
Lake the line would pass up the Val
ley ofthc Clark's Fork of the Colum-
bia, for $50 miles, to tho mouth of
the Jocko. This river will be easily
bridged, having bluff, firms banks,
and in many places, natural rock
abutments in the river.
THE VALLEY OF CLARK's FORK.
This valley ranges from two to
twenty miles in width, and although
mostly heavily timbered, it contains
a large amount of fine agricultural
land, capable Of raising wheat, oat,
barley, potatoes, and most of the
fruits Of the Northern States. It is
EXTREMITY we'll watered; all along the
route there is the most beautiful,
clear, cool streams rushing down the
mountain sides across the valley and
leaping over the bluffs into the river,
affording an unlimited water.power,
and the most magnificent embellish-
ments to truly picturesque and ro-
mantle residences. On this $50 miles
the work will be comparatively light,
there being but little grading, with
nm abudancc of the finest quality OF
timber, upon every mile of road.
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
Up the Jocko Valley over the
divide. to tho head waters Of the Big
Blackfoot, the grades will be light,
except on the divide between the two
streams. From the Big Blackfoot,
over the main range Of the Rocky
Mountains. the country is more like
a rather rougL, rolling prairie, With
streams and passes cutting entirely
through the range. than a mountain
chain that divides the wxfers If eon-
iinest In fse1. II verr mach rcsen-
blss tire eruntry gssng eas' from
Council Blsfs.. fsr the FIRST fwerss
nsis-- OF the Chicago snd North
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