Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-09-24
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING, SEPT. "a. 1870,
The Character of the Country.

The Puget Sound country forms at the
present time theme for many magazine
.hapsodies about its magnificent waters,
grand forests, sublime scenery and unrival-
led climate. and yet hut little is known or
realized abroad regarding its utilitarian as.
poets. The immigrant farmer from Min
nesota, Iowa, Wisconsin or Illinois, &C.
customed to find wild lands ready for the
plough, is astounded aud disheartened at
the prospect of hewing farm out of these
dense forests and tangled thickets. They
forget that the richest portions of New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and
the cotton growing regions Of the South,
we're reduced to cultivation under like dis.
advantages, at time when they we're far
remote from commercial facilities. Here
today the farmer finds ready and profit
able market for all he produces, aud ten
years hence. when the rich trade of China
and the Indies comes surging through
these waters as the great highway to the
markets of the world, then they will find
that their farms are worth all they have
cost in time and labor, their immediate
proximity to the commercial centres aug.
menting their value in like proportion to
the agricultural regions bordering upon
the chief cities Of the Central and Allan
tic States. The difference in value be.
tween farm thus situated and prairie
farm thousand miles from the scabeard,
will be found much greater than the diff.
ference Of cost in reducing the same to
cultivation. As to the soil, the timber
growth fully demonstrates its strength and
quality; the hills and highlands are amply
studded with gigantic forest trees, and the
valleys and bottom lands covered with
an almost impenetrable vegetable growth
Of vine, fruit and towering shrubs, afford.
ing in their wild state sufficient forage for
the maintenance of cattle throughout the
year. The climate gives to the farmer an
advantage Of one third in time aud more
than that advantage in the maintenance of
stock over the farmer Of any of the North.
western States.
But It is not from agriculture that this
section Of country is to derive it main ad.
vantage. Its forests of valuable timber, its
bouudIess coal fields, and its uurivalled
commercial advantages, are the chief Gle
ments Of its future growth and prosperity,
all Of which will greatly enhance the value
Of its agricultural lands aud abundantly
repay the labor aud cost of their i'm prove.
ment.
Who can undertake to estimate the fu.
ture value Of the timber which now seems
to present an unsurmountabe barrier to
setsIeoent aud cultivation? Millions Of
acres are covered with growth Of cedar
and hr-the most durable and valuable
timbers Of commerce. detailed descrip.
ton Of which would alarm the credulity Of
almost any one who had not witnessed it
large tracts Of which, convenient to shin.
ping, would produce million of clea,
saved lumber to the acre. Upon this ba.
sis, it can be easily estimated what sec.
tion Of such land would be worth in tie
centre Of the grand prairie of Illinois o,
the southern portion of Californi.. A,
$40 . thousand feet-the average price Of
lumber in those sections-it would pro
dace $4,000 worth of sawed lumber te
the acre; an aggregate of $25, 900, 900 Il
the square mile; and Washington Terrific.
~ has not less than 10000 square miles o,
such timber. asgregating at the same rat.
the sum Of $3.50, 0OO, 600, 900, from which
to supply future demands.
An imnense business in lumber ha,