The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-12-18
WASHINGTON Territory and Its ke'
SOnrC0Se

THERE are in the Territory about
20 600, 900 acres Of the finest timber
land that stands upon the face OF the
earth. These forests lie on Puget Sound,
and are accessible by the sound and by
their streams running to the ocean. Inc
most common trees are the pine and M.
The latter averages 200 feet, and many
Of them are 500 feet in height and twelve
feet in diameter at the base. One stick
Of timber is represented to have been
hewed in these woods l24 feet in length
and squaring twenty. inches at inc
small end, free from sap. This vast
timber belt has been cut into but little.
The laws of the United States are very
stringent to prevent the waste OF TIMBER
and an agent has been appointed esPe'
cially for this Territory to prevent the
waste of this timber treasure. lie Is
called q timber inspector. Eastern
Washington consists of 1l,No,Oo acres
Of grazing prairie land. On this land
grows q bunch grass which is very nu'
tritious, and vegetables during ten
months of the year. During the re-
naming two months it stands in dry
condition, and cattle feed upon it with
the best of results. Five million acres
are heat.growing land, which pro-
duced. according to the statistical re-
ports Of this last year, thirty-6ve bushels
Of wheat to the acre. Many instances
are known where the production went
as high as seventy or eighty bushels to
the acre. In the mountains, and in tact
in every county in the Territory, 1t IS
represented officially BY Gov: Ferry
that coal is found near the surface OF .
| very superior quality. Iron Is accessl'
| BILE and of very good quality in all por'
tons of the three main ranges Of noun.
tains, the Coast, Olympic and Cascade.
In the northern portion of the Cascade
Range. on the Snake River, gold has
been discovered to be very abundant,
the miners making on an average s.
per day. The water advantages OF
Washington are unequaled in any other
portion Of the world. The Territory is
bounded on the west by the Pacific
Ocean, on the south by the Columbia
River. which divides it from Oregon,
and partially on the north by Pug'S
Sound, which penetrates it from that
direction and separates it from the Brit
ish Possessions.
Puget Sound covers an area OF 1000
SQUARE miles. The water of the sound
is deep and the shores are bold, so much
90 that vessels OF the largest class can Ga
directly up the sound seventy miles ol
more and find safe anchorage. 1t i
free from rocks and bars, and is pacific
at all seasons of the year. High wind:
never prevail. They have recently taker
to planting and cultivating eastern oys
tiers there. The product is An excellen
oyster, aud the probability is that Wash
, ington Territory will become the gre.
oYster.,rolucins section Of the l'ac;f
Coast. CLANS Of the soft-shelled variety
. have been found in great abundance ant
. Of monstrous growth, some OF then
= weighing from seven to ten pounds each
! There are eighty-five varieties Of fish i
= Puget Sound. The catch Of salmon dul
. ing the last year was 40, OOO, 900 pounds
= It is canned and sent to nearly all tn
. markets Of the world. The returns
y those engaged in salmon.taking an
, packing amounted to over S3,oN,OO(
|" The driving of cod is carried on very e!
tensively. The gadus, species Of COZ
= is very abundant. It's larger than Coz
T. and Of finer flavor, Fish can be drie
:, ', better than anywhere else on the Fac
II !, fic coast, or the Atlantic either, for tn
IL matter, because further north it is t.
~ cold and further south it is too dr.
=. They can be cured and semitic market in
40 more moist condition there than the CT
can in Maine. Upon the coast are tv
harbors, Gray's and Shoal Harbor
There are few iinlets Of which l have q
nj knowledge on the, Pacific Coast OF Il
in United States north Of San Francisc
n. with the exception Of the mouth OF y
o. Columbia and Puget Sound, 80 that tn
to Territory monop0hzes nearly oil It
Oh harbors on this coast Of our count!
The Columbia .Riysr, a3axak aavieal
n water seven hundred and twenty Il
X. miles in extent, with its tributari'
en- Navigation is uninterrupted with the
Of ception OF the cascades in the riv'
.af about one hundred and fifty miles FRI
ed its mouth, called the Dalles. arou
ed which navigation is had by rail. i
ad Government of the United States ma
|or an appropriation for the purpose Of
ut. cavating these distractions, and II
m very few years it is quite certain that
cir shall have uninterrupted cOmmuni
ig. ton through the Columbia River
q, Eastern Washington.
De There are fifty rivers in the Terrific
10 more or less, many Of them case:
Ne rivers running from the west into Pu
ign Sound, afording great facilities for m
en-. ufactures, which in the future are SURF
red come, because, in addition to the nat
ent al resources OF wood. iron and coal,
lies raising Of great numbers Of sheep =
the affords an immense crop Of wool, vi
ion, will be utilized 1t home instead OF be
lis.- exported. The best agricultural |
res tons ore found in eastern Washing
lent the center of which is w
Qut Walls, one Of the largest and most Il
'1a ishing towns in the Territory. The
'ical mate is delightful and uniform. All
It al counts agree on THAT point. The I
A. peraturc rarely falls below 80 above
| in winter, and seldom goes above
the summer. They have rainy se,
and dry season, the former Begin
, ia in October and continuing until spr
are the latter covering tho remaining mo
d in. Of the year, 20 that the wheat harve
nee. always completed during The dry
/: it son. The population u 81, 1000 y
not people, chiedy nstive.born Americ
,ares emierants from Calilognia, Oregoa,
the York, Indiana and Kentucky. TIL
Nd dams aumber IL, 600, and live on r
M vations In the northern and western