Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1868-12-12
SATURDAY MORNING, DEC. Il, 1865
Puget Sound and tho Northern Rail
road.

k0Xet 00uEQ ana tho 0OII0e10 0oA
road.
The following letter, written by Philip
Riti, Esq, of Walla Walla, will be read
with interest, coming as it does from gen.
tlemau of liberal views, who has devoted
no little time and effort towards securing
a recognition of the claims Of our Territory
by the General Government. 1t is pub
lishcd in the Helena (Montana) Herald,
from which we copy. With the inviting
fields for enterprise presented upon Puget
Sound, with the paramount advantages of
the Northern Railroad route, in view, and
with the aid of such men as Mr.. Ritz, who
proposes to remain in Washington this
winter to further its interests, it will be
surprising if we fail to receive the favora-
bic action of Congress:
To the Editors of the Helena Herald:
According to promise, send you few
lines, having. just returned from Puget
Sound and the East. fear this short let
ter may not be interesting, as there has
been so much said and written about that
country lately that do not think Of much
now that might interest your readers.
However, there is one item that have
never seen fully carried out. I allude to
the immense lumber trade that is now
springing up on our seaboard, and particu-
larly on Puget Sound. 1t surprises every
one ON his first visit to the Sound that
such IN important business should have
grown so rapidly and yetso quietly. Twas
not prepared to find mills there cutting
over 200, 900 feetof lumber in twcnty-four
hours, and yet such is the fact. There are
fourteen mills running on that inland sea,
most of them night and day, with capaci-
ty Of from 10000 to 100000 feet per
twenty-four hours, and an aggregate Of
over $4,000 feet of sawed lumber every
day, besides q large amount Of spars and
piles; and yet the lumber trade is increas-
ing SO rapidly that the mills are not able
to supply the demand, and parties are now
preparing to put up more and larger mills.
Besides this vast lumber trade, giving
employment to large number Of ships
which carry it to all parts Of the world
ship building is becoming an important bu.
sinesa,pa Puget Sound. There are at this
time twelve vessels, ranging from one hun.
bred and fifty to six hundred tons burthen:
in course Of construction ct the different
ports on the Sound. Three of this number
arc steamers. The timber there makes
lumber that ID admirably adapted for shiI
building. When this fact Is generally
known, and that the lumber can be had &c
low, ship building will become IN impor
tart item-in fact; in . few years We may
expect to see the great ship yards of Now
York and tho Eastern cities transferred Il
the waters of Puget Sound. This is every
year becoming more apparent, as the for
csts disappear on our Eastern seaboard
gradually, and lumber, rents and food an
advancing. Ship builders will seek = poin'
whore oil these can be had together and d
Reasonable rates.
Al this time ships can be built On Pugs
Seuad, a.a send aIoand the HON In bal
ls.t, cheaper than they can Be built IL
New York. Then when the great Goa
beds that are known to exist I'll along tn
Sound ore opened, and Manufactures ar,
staresd IN earhest-and believe from
What hsve seen that there i enough Goa
there to keep up the fres Of commerce fol
ages-aud when the Northern Pacific Rail
road has established The great trans-cOnti
rental artery through which the grsal
wealth Of The commerce Of the world vii
low. and On these waters win the great ex
change ofthe wealth Il saGioss take plsee
thea nc nay expect - - cities rise - i
BY magic, asd eststrip in their grovtl
asythisg The world ~ yet seea.
A Arss porsics II the had around tn
Souad sppsan 10 be not Of the best quail
y, ssd osly It for The srovA Of timber
ts vhea we ccae 70 lo0k back to the err
n sesalenest II oar Western Statsr, ~,
tsenisg u their iansass vealtA aoa MI
ssss q ishab;a..b; sAss = sse tire tie,
we're eoss;1eseA scarcely iahsbitable, sss
sAss il wss The ePisioa u n.ssy pcuoe
lat the sss.ssy vssh sever hseeos civil
issd. ve ca esselsAe hat evee tAis Vii
liking esssssy nay yeG bseoas The ahed'
Il civiIissaiua and uea1ah- In illnsszaaiss
IL this I might remark that il Is nstse
sf rssssa y the War lseparssess tAas .
the else Of the var Of 1sl2, foar ovoDi-