The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-10-11
Governors Message.

We are in receipt of pamphlet
copy of Governor Ferry's late mes
sage to the Legislature. Owing to
want Of space we are unable to pub
lish it in full, but furnish our readers
the following synopsis, and hope to
be able to refer to it more fully at an
other time:
No event of extraordinary charac
ter has transpired in the territory
since last ad journment. Satisfactory
advancement Is retarded until railroad
connection with the east is secured.
Agricultural, Hcturng and min
ing industries are prosperous, and
compare iavorably with other locall-
ties Recommends a sound financial
policy; refers to defects in the reve-
nue. laws, occaslonlng thousands of
dollars loss to the territory. No por-
ton of the revenue for one given year
is paid into the treasury unrll the eX-
piration OF the year, necessltatlng the
payment of interest on warrants
sometimes for a long period. Your
remedy is ear y collection and prompt
payment. For the year 1870 the de-
lnquent taxes amounted TO s.. ,334 ~.
Ga tins, only S4.64 have since been
paid. The aggregate amount due the
territory is more than sufficient to pay
the expenses of the coming year; rec
: onmends an amendment To the reve-
nue. laws.
The estimated increase of property
for two years is s2,2oS, ,S32.S3: paid
into the treasury, slO9, 9,o2l.,9; dis
bursed, &l0S, ,l5S.'9; expenses of the
hospital Tor the insane, s54, ,9S3.62;
convicts, 81, SOL; pest house, S991.-
50; eXtraditlon, S.4j.69; board OF im-
! migration, So51; university, 81 800;
salaries, $ ! ,SS9.2J; miscellaneous, So
9l6.24. Total, Soo, o,253.o2. Decrease
OF debt in two years, Sl4, ,36l.l9.
Agriculture has largely increased;
supposed worthless land ten years ago
produces forty bushels of wheat per
acre; tide lands are worthy consider
alton. Recommends memorials to
congress to remove distractions III
rivers. The estimated productive ca
pacitv of the lands east of the Cas-
cade mountains is fifty million bush
els of wheat per annum; production
the past season, fifty thousand tons
of wheat in Eastern Washington.
Recommends legislation III connec-
ton with Oregon for the preserva-
ton of fish. The lumber manuiac-
tured is two hundred and fifty million
of feet. The shipments of coal in
seven months of the present year are
eighty thousand tons. Recommends
board of equalization; recommends
small annual appropriation to pur-
chase book for the territorial library
1t is probable the penitentlary on Nc
Neill's Island might be transferred to
the territory; the present system is
not economical. He calls attention
to the matter of pilotage on the Col
umbia river and advises legislation.
He makes no direct recommendation
regarding the state government. II"
refers to the board of Immigration
and the gratuitious services OF the
president, Mrs. Stuart, az furnishing
marked instance of unselhsh devo-
ton to the interests of the territory,
and recommends liberal approprla-
ton. He presumes the report OF the
insane asvlum will be submitted for
action; recommends the codihcatlon
and revision of the statutes. The
Northern Pacific railroad is largely
referred to and memorials TO congress
recommended. Puget Sound Is the
only proper western terminus for the
north trans-continental road. Should
the western terminus be established
at Portland it will check our advance
ment and strike a blow at our pros
perity from which we will not recover
in the present century. be hopes for
harmony in the Legislature, and when
their labors are concluded they will
merit the appreciation of their fellow
citizens.