The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-23
WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
A Dreary Letter from Late Citizet'
of Brooke County.

We clip the following extract from a
letter written by W. II. WHITE, Esq,
lately citizen OF Wellsburg, W. Va
but now a resident of the far-otf Terri
tory of Washington. The letter is pub
Iished in the Panhandle Ne1cS: -..
take up my pen at this late day for
the purpose OF saying a few truthful
words about this far-off Territory. AS
YOU are aware, | left Wellsburg about
the 18th Of last July, for the purpose of
remaining in this country if it filled the
description that had been given it, in
the speeches Of Judge Kelley, of Phila-
delphia, Delegate Garfield, of this Ter
ritory, and other speakers, and newspa-
per correspondents. | will say right
here that | have been very much dis
appointed. The country has been
overpraised and overrated. ltis far
from being the Ellen that interested
parties would have us believe. Those
speeches and descriptions so glowing
and so fascinating, have been made 10y
men paid for their work. They are
either largely interested in land specu-
lations here, or equally interested IN
the North Pacific railroad swindle.
There are in this Territory to-day hun
dreds of families who would gladly
leave it, had they the means to do so.
These persons have left homes in the
East, expecting to find here rich farm
ing lands. They have found mountains
covered with frs, a sandy soil incapable
OF producing, and people semlclvil-
lied.
The only farming land in this coun-
try is found along the rivers. The hill
sides, when denuded OF the timber, are
OF little or no account. The farmers
are principally engaged in raising hay.
For this they find ready market at
the milling forts. Corn will not grow
here They say that wheat will grow,
but | have as yet seen none. The fruit
is small and tasteless. Some vegetables
are cultivated quite successfully, for in
stance, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes,
and garden truck will grow on the bot.
tom lands.
This is pre.eminently numbering
country. 1t is fl for nothing else. In
this, too, that curse, monopoly, has been
here, and all the marketable timber
land has been pocketed. The coal, too,
is of an inferior quality, not much bet
ter than the slate we find in our mines
at home. 1t can never be used for
smelling purposes, and unless better
quality Is discovered their ore will rest
uudisturbed in its mountain, bed. AS
an illustration Of the inferior character
OF the coal, | will state that the mines
at Billingham Bay have isnited several
times, spontaneously, so that they have
been compelled TO turn upon them the
waters OF the bay to extinguish the fire.
Vessels at sea, carrying this coal, have
been fired in the same way. This is
owing to the sulphur with which it is
impregnated.
For tear that some Of my statements
may be doubted, beg to insert the fol-
lowing extracts from the newspapers OF
the Territory A writer in the Seattle
MtelLigencer, August 18th, says;
"a few words to the discouraged int
migrant: Don't be too hasty in passing
sentence on the country. WeknOw we
have had lands to clear and long and
tedious rainy seasons to encounter, but
there are difficulties to be met with
everywhere.
In this single extract is much to
ponder over. IT the writer had told the
discouraged immigrant" that by an
outlay OF 500 per acre he could render
his land tillable, would it have been OF
much comfort to the poor man in
search Of a home?