The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-10-10
ruI wIIkt.y IxuglIIaINegR.
nr. -. .oorns !. q. .a.g .4.S.,.a.a
County aud City Official Press.
Tuesday, October 10, 1875.
A COMING COMMERCIAL
CONTEST.

.
Since the prosecution Of our Walia
Walla railroad began in earnest. al un-
usual degree &c railroad enterprise ia
ia tho same direction has developed IT.
self ia Portland First. We hear Of The
Oregon Pacific Railroad Company, in
corporated there for the purpose Of
building y railroad from Portland 10
the Great salt Lake. aud numbering
among it. incorporators many Of the
leading business men II Portland la
ter. We have accounts Of operations be-
ing commenced AZ Iorinne, tab, upon
tine Portland, Dallss aud salt AXE broad
gauge railroad II ia announced that
the company has been reorganihed under
the name Of the Portland Salt Lake
and Sonth Pass Railroad Go with many
of Oregon most influential and wealthy
citizens rs incorporators. aud 1t is their
intention Ia commence grading the
road a soon as the location - made 10
Maiade City. and 90 pat that portion
into running order by the Is, Of Janu-
AIRY next. Tho company was about
contracting for i30,000 ties 10 be de-
iivercd along the route. and had closed
contract with NJ. Hiram House. Of
Malade Pass. for the necessary lumber
with which TO construct bridges 4
correspondent says.
No one can form the faintest idea Of
the amount II iroigh, leaving here daily
ia large wagon trains for Montana and
Idaho. unless he has visited Corinne.
and with railroad from here 10 Snake
river. the whole of the Montana and
Idaho trade will then center here. and
then farewell to Fort BENTON. kcton
and Ninnemucca. for this il the natu-
raj outlet for all the north. western
trade"
The Chief engineer of the Union
Pacific IN report made upon this
route iew years ago. estimated the
amount If agricultural land in l,s
course as follows
Number Of acres along Raft and snAk.
Rivers. .r.......... -.......-... 81. 7oo. ooo
Number 90 ssFos surveyed along Boise
iayetto. aud the SNAKE River plain - asl 40
Number of acres between Payetts and
olds Ferry ....... ................. 10000
Number Of acres on Barat River and
Number II acres on Powder River snd
branches .....,..... ..-... .......... 100000
Number Of acrcs the Grand Ronds
aud branches. Observation-Disclosures. 2.0.ooo
Nanber 81 acres GA Um.,iiia iiiscr and
branches .......... ~. ....-........ 5oo,po
Number Of acres If splendid timber GA
the Blue Mountains. -. ............. 0no.Cso
Total scruH ....... ............. tdTi0.osa
But the whole of the Blue Noun
tain range and the grass plains. from
their base 20 the Columbia. aud thence
10 the Dailos are the richest pastures
ia the world Thirty thousand head of
Indian sstock feed all Winter without
hay or grain upon the bunch grass of
the | matilda alone. aud these grass
lands are not included III the above es-
Innate. Nor should We forget "a men
tion in the estimate Of resource. of this
country the vast importance Of It's min
eral wealth.
The freight snd tariff from Portland
to tmatilla City il $50. coin, per ton
measurement. and from thence supplies
are hauled by wagon road and packed
hy mules across streams aud over noun.
tains. where heavy tolls are every
where collected for the Fudest roads aud
trails Notwithstanding this thsve has
been landed At this point alone. from
fifteen Ia twenty thousand tons per
year, and At Wailuls and points above.
some five ar siN thousand mere. And
though a large surplus Of grain Is rails
ed IN the valleys Of Walla Walls and
Grande Ronac. which with marke,
would b. increased many fold. yet
troigh's are too high t. warrant them in
even trying to ship their surplus.
With wages from 81 20 - per day.
coin. and such tariffs on supplies
brought IN for consumption. il l. a
wonder that any Of the mines have paid
the cost Of working. No better proof
of their richness need bc hal than the
Tact that, in the isoe Of all these draw.
backs, this region has shipped during
the past year over S9.0o0. 600 bullion
and dust. and this too. with the mines
half developed and many sections unex-
plored. |, Is safe - say that with
cheap labor aud freigh,s the prciuc
tlon IT precious metals. from Idaho and
orcgoa alone, would reach 81, 00o 600
per year.
The effect Of the bnilding Of this line
# railroad will be ;o bring 40 immense
trade 10 the gatcways IT the North
Pacific Tor maritime outlet. The que~-
tlon for time 70 decide j. whether i,
will - BY the Columbia to the sea. ~
through the Straits Of Juan he Fuoa.
The race will be between Portland. or
Astoria and Seattle They have the
sand-bars 10 Contend against. we the
mountains In :heir favor /, the prestige
81 the existing trade AMI the nc,t
local capital. Il which we have u osset
our superior advantages in pe.u; Of
conven'eace and distance. and enter
prise We Gao tunnel the mountains or
thread It's dehles by our railroad. ha,
they canuo; bridge the ocean ridge. of
the Co!uashia mouth, nor dreige any
canal that will stand In Is shifting