Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-26
puget sound---The New Eldorado
A correspondent of the ST. Paul Pres

SouuG aud its surroundings As the
contemplated Pacific terminus of the
Northern Pacific Railway, Puget Sound
IS attracting universal attention, and any
information concerning its climate, soil,
resources, &C., must Prove of interest to
all:
The waters of the Sound are deep,
even to its banks, SO that vessels of the
heaviest draught may, at many points,
Law along side Of the main land, and tie
up to the trees nearby. There are
number of ample harbors, easy of ap
proach; with convenient depth Of water,
for anchorage, and so completely land
locked, as to afford certain protection in
all kinds of weather.
In nothing is tho stranger more de-
ceived, than in the extent of the waters
of Puget Sound.
Instead of visiting limited bay, as
led by his early study of geography to
believe, he finds himself upon vast in
land sea.
Within the limits of our own country,
it extends through two degrees of lati-
tude, and by Admiral Wilkes (in the
United States exploring expedition Of
l84l is thus spoken Of: venture
nothing in saying, there is no country in
the world that possesses waters equal to
these. They cover an area of two thou
sand square miles. The shores of all
these inIets and bays are remarkably
bold. The country by which these wa
tiers are surrounded offers every advan-
tace for the accommodation Of vast
commercial and military marine, with
convenience for docks, aud great many
sites for towns and cities"
CLIMATE.
The climate is salurious, and free from
local diseases. There are but two dis
tinctly marked season, the wet and the
dry. From about the first of May the
weather is clear and beautiful, until No
vember. The nights are cool, and show
ers are rare. 1t rains great deal in
winter, and sunshine is the exception
East of the mountains the climate is es-
sentiallv different; The winters are colder
and dryer, while the summer days are
warmer and the nights less refreshing
SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.
Great importance should not be at
tached to the agricultural resources of
this Territory. Compared with the
West it is not farming country; and
the immigrant who should come here in
search of those waving grain fields and
"the cattle upon thousand hills" SO
graphically depicted in lectures and eor-
respondence, would travel many wea-
ry mile, and grow dispirited before he
feasted his eyes upon the realization of
his hopes. About neseventh or one
eighth of the entire area IS contained in
the valleys of the numerous streains.-
This land is oyergrown with alder, ash,
&c; but with little cost may be reduced
TO state of cultivation. The soil, rich
alluvial, will not be Impoverished by the
abuse of tiIlage, and produces cereals,
fruits and all vegetables in great perfec-
ton, and liberal abundance. Most of
the prairies about the Sound. VIII lie those
of the WaIIa Walla are fertile, and well
adapted to grain and grazing. The bays
and rivers abound in fish. The country
also affords as many and as excellent
sites for water power as any other.
COAL RESOURCES.
In coal Puget Sound possesses untold
wealth, that awaits the introduction of
railroads and capital to call it into life
and development. Numerous deposits,
seemingly inexhaustible, have been found
while the rich out-croppings to be met
with in many directions, are but the ear.
nest of mines yet undiscovered. In fact,
scientific men believe The whole area to
be underIaid with one great coal field.
FORESTS.
Reference was made to the fir and &C.
dar trees along the waters edge. But
one must ride and walk for days, through
these primeval forests, to realize their ex-
tent and magnifcence. So vast are these
woods and SO thickly grown, that the
MONDAY raysof a summers day do not
penetrate their dark depths. The accum.
ulated dampness caused by the winter
rains, unable to escape, beguiles its i'm
prisonment by weaving MOSES with
which to cover the brown earth and dec
crate tho shaggy tree trunks. These
trees are from two to three hundred feet
in height. Many of them are straight
as spars, and Imbless for a hundred and
| fifty or seventy five feet. The quality of
this timber, also, causes it to be much
sought for by ship builders.
SUMMARY.
Upon the shores of Puget Sound the
Northern Pacific road will terminate,
where will be builded one of the chief
cities of the continent. Here, rs Mr..
Seward says, are to be the greatest ship
building yards of this country. Hero
the whalers of the Northern seas and
fishers of Alaska, will make their outfit
and return thence with their precious
cargoes. Thither already the ship build
ers Of foreign nations are attracted for
masts and spars.
+ From these shores countless sails will
whten the seas, freighted with lumber
and grain for Asia, for Australia and the
islands of the Pacific, and return again
laden with the teas of Japan and China,
the spices of the Indies, and al the traf-
fic of the East. Recall for moment the
distance of three hundred miles across