, 1878-01-26
Progress i'm the North.
The San Francisco 4lta of january II

The San Francisco 4lta of january IL,
has the following communication:
That 1T is an i'll wind that blows no
body any good, holds true to certain
extent, even of a dry season. As an
effect Of last yes,' drought, it has hap
pened that larger percentage than usual,
of the immigration to the coast, sought
homes in the more humid ehmes of Ore
gon, Washington territory and Northern
Idaho 1t has transpired that within the
bounds of the two latter territories there
is great wheat belt extending from the
skirts OF the Bitter Root and Ceur d Alcne
mountains, III Idaho, 10 the foot hills Of
the Cascades. in Washington territory,
and embracing a domain of about 275
miles in length, east and west, by about
200 miles in width, north and south, equal
to the best grain lands of California in
productiyeneSs, and free alike from the
scourges of grasshoppers and of drought
Reliable authorities estimate that not
| less than I0,000 settlers fornd their way
into this district the past year. Most OF
the immigrants who have gone north by
the Portland steamers, and they have
been many, have made the plains of the
Palousc and Spokane their objective, and
the numbers IF these have been greatly
reinforced by the old-fashioDed prairie
schooner" caravans, overland, and from
tie Central Pacific railroad Wis kelton:
This influx has made Walla Walla perhaps
the liyeliest inland town on the coast, last
year; and besides, :; large number OF new
towns have sprung up like magic, in the
Hieids bordering the Snake river and Its
continents. Among these are Almota,
Penawawa. Palouse city, Alpowa, Milton,
Spokane Falls and others too numerous
to mention, which, year ago, were un-
tenanted wastes, Int now number their
inhabitants by hundreds, and reSound
with the hum cf industry and traffic
Though thus remotely situated the set
tlement OF this great fertile belt of the
north will be direct benefit to San Fran
cisco Il so happens that they usually
have the best crcps In these northern u.s.
tricts, where they are lightest IN California;
and as the trade of San Francisco is CO.
extensive with the coast, it follows that
the symmetrical developemant of the
whole coast tends directly to her advan-
tage. In seasons of average moisture,
California is the appropriate Niece. of the
worlds PILGRIMS, hut when the ram fails
tocome ard the arid prospect repels rather
than invites, it is 4 good thing to have
communications open with districts where
the most cynical newcomer may go and
| find rain to has entire satisfaction
Of his upper country tas he been, and Is,
the want Of transportation Only the
stimulus of rarely favorable year tor
grain-orowing caused that drawback to be
overcome in part last year. Yet, still the
one paramount want Of the people Of this
entire northwest is better facilities for
transportation and more OF them. On
response to this imperative demand cor
poration was formed at Seattle, known as
the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad
Company, for the purpose of building
narrow gauge road between the places
named. With so much zeal has this un-
dcrtaking been pushed that already 81 out
of the 2S1 miles Of the ine have been
completed and put in active operation
The completion of this road will divide
the trade Of the upper country, as 1t is
called, with The Oregon Steam Navigation.
Company's boats on the Columbia, or 1T
least take the surplus tonnage which that
company last year, for want OF carrying
capacity and with the Instructions OF the
Cascades. Dalles, etc, to contend against,
could not accommodate.
Another effect of the building of the
Seattle and Walla Walia road viii be that
by it the demand for Northern Pacific
Trans continental read viii be IN great
palt suppantcd, and the consummation
of that project probably be indefinitely
postponed. The road viii open to settle
ment, By way Of Puget Sound, the central
portion Ct Washington Territory, embrac-
ing the great valley OF the Yakima, a .
reaiOn nearly as extensive and fertile as
the whole belt of the more eastern section
adjacent to Walla Wal!a; and when STAN
ford & Co. completetheirproposed through
northern line TO the British boundary, by
finishing up the gap Of 275 miles between
Reddina and RoSeburg IN the California
and Oregon road, the Seattle and Walla
Walla narrow gauge line, as well as the
o. S. \. Company's river line, will be
rich feeders to that main trunk line and
to this city's trade.
The development of these tributary
empires in the north will tend to render
our metropolis more completely independ-
emf of The accidents of localities and sea-
sons. 1t will prove al especially valuable
factor in the maintenance Of the CONNER
cial equilibrium in the occasional "o6
wears" of unusual drought, such as the
one just past