The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-05-01
Official Press of King County
Wednesday, May l, 1878.
A GREAT CHANCE OFFERED.

The tide Of immigration 10 setting in
very heavily toward the eastern coun-
ties of this Territory which contain
good farming lands, and the now threat
ening prospect Of great renewed
European war will cause that tide to
continue, if not increase in the future
It is true that war will cause two acres
Of the lands on Puget Sound to be
cleared and cultivated per year where
one has been in the years past; but the
great supply of the "staff of life -
wheat-will be forwarded from the
eastern valleys. The plains Of the
Palouse aud Colville will be the Libya
and Pannonia of the American republic
the grsnaries OF supply for the COM
mercial world.
In many of our eastern counties tho
wheat production will be doubled this
year over last. and steadily increase in
g rapid ratio in succeeding years. The
aspect of this commercial question now
since the commencement of the Eastern
war, 10 not what it was when the Seat.
tie and Wslla Walls enterprise was
started and its first report was pub
lished. 1.-THE times have changed and
we have changed with them"
1t Is entirely out of the question for
that great stream of freights long to be
diverted away inland by the Columbia
and Willamette route. in view of the
fact that "three steamboats,. three
railroads and twelve landings are re-
Quirsd between Portland and Walla
Walla slone-a distance of 270 miles. "
In the Official language Of s. G. Reed.
Vice President Of the Oregon Steam
Navigation Company
The navigation of the Columbia river
OIL account of distractions at the Cas-
cades and Dalles. is divided into three
divisions, viz: Lower, Middle and
Upper Columbia. That portion below
the falls at the Cascades "a distance of
63 miles from Portland) is termed
Lower Columbia. Here we make q
portage by railroad of six miles to the
Upper Cascades. From this latter point
to the Dalles "a distance of so miles, is
termed the Middle Columbia. Thence
from the Dalles to Cello there is another
portage by railroad Of If miles; thence
above Cello we have the Upper Col
umbia; distance from Cello to Wal
lula. 105 miles. From Wallula to
Lewiston. Idaho Territory, we have II
miles OF navigation OH the Columbia.
and 100 miles Of navigation on the
Snake river. thus making the total dis
iancs from Portland to Lewiston 40l
miles. On account of these breaks in our
line, and the great rise and fall of the
river (somc 40 feet we are compelled
to keep up fleet of steamboats,, many
OF which lie idle for . large portion
OF the year, besides the building of OK.
pensivs inolines and floating wharf
boats ct several of our landings. All
freight shipped between Portland and
the Dslles has to be handled six times;
that destined for points above Cello ten
times, and for Snake river during low
stage Of water twelve times. All that
section of country east Of the Dalles.
and tributary to the Columbia snd
snake rivers. is entirely destitute Of
timber and . poor quality of driftwood
usually costs 80 per cord. with the
quantity very limited; consequently we
are compelled to transport nearly oil
our fuel from the Middle Columbis
across the portage at the Dalles. thence
by steamboats, to the Upper Columbus
and Snake river. thus involving an
enormous expense. especially when q
steamboat for q single round trip from
Cello to Lewiston consumes 80 cords of
wood.
Seattle must have not only tho carry.
ing of these millions of wheat and its
forwarding to foreign customers, but
also the building of the ships for its
export. and the manufacturing Of the
multiplicity of commodities, as well as
coal and lumber supply. which will be
required by the grain growing districts
in exchange for their products. The
natural line of overland communication
10 eta Yakima and Cedar valleys
and the Snoqualmie Pass to Puget
Sound. and there is no other that can 90
effectually serve the greatest number
with the greatest facility, cheapness
and CELEBRITY.