New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-07
WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

RAPuY AND NATURAL PRODUCTIONS of iiiH
rERRrroRY-ITs POSSIBILITIES OF FUTURE DE
yELopMENT-coNdERCIAL IMPORTANCE of ~
GET SOUND. -,.,,,.,-r
fyrou AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT oF THE TRIBUNE.
N, x,,pr. w. T. May 20.-Jouneying through
the Northwest have reached Olympia the capital
M washington Territory. 1t is a beautiful city,
built upon a peninsula jutting down into Puget
Sound from the centre of amphtheatre OF Nils 30
that the city is anked by the waters. on both Sues
of which rise bold bluffs covered with evergreens
of nm enormous growth The Capitol is handsome
structure situated upon the highest point al 'no
foot of the Sound and commanding view OF .ne
bay for many miles. together with the ioo'hiiiS'
Coast. Olympia and Cascade Ranges OF mountains
and of Rainier, Helen's, Baker, and Adams feaKs'
which penetrate the clouds and are covered with
perpetual snow. The city is well supplied with
churches academies schools and other public build
inrs. and parks Business is active, and the COM
rnerciaI advantages of a harbor with water sum-
GENTLY deep to float any vessel as well as those OF
an agricultural and manufacturing character winch
che city enjoys, tend to make 1t one OF the nios'
prosperous and promising towns OF the Territory
Calling upon Governor Newell whose acquaint-
ance enjoyed when he was Governor of New
Jersey and Representative in Congress, found MIN
In the handsomely furnished Executive apartments
surrounded by a numerous cOnoourse OF peoplo
Dakota. and were seeking information as to the
Territory and the best location for their permanent
residences. Tho Governor seemed to 10 pro'iuoo
with all necessary knowledge. which he impaired
cbecrfully. responding fully to all inquiries ana
giving advice which was well adapted to the Vared
Interests OF the visitors. After they had retired
Informed him that had called to obtain information
for publication. The Governor said that he would
willingly comply with my request, considering IL
especially proper that THE TRIBUNE should he the
medium of imparting such information to the pub
lie since the great founder of that journal had done
30 much toward inducing people to gu west
$50 little is known upon the Atlantic SIDE OF the
continent concerning Washington Territory" he
continued, that single interview Will scarcely
suffice to give to the readers of THE TRIBUNE even
n meayre outline of its present. and prospective
greatness / will therefore condense my language.
The Territory rs you know. lies between the forty
sixth and the forty-niDth parallels of north latitude
the Pacific Ocean and the western boundary oil
Idaho. The Columbia River separates 1t from
Oregon. These boundaries incloSc nearly 10000
Bouarc miles or 45,0O0,OO0 acres, of surface. Inc
Cascade Mountains, running nearly north ana
south divide it almost equally into two natilrai
divisions which differ most widely in physical char
ncteristics. They are known as Washington East
and Washington West.
THE COLUMBIA PLATEAU.
sThe Eastern section contains 20,00O,000 acres
of grain prairie. sage, bunch grass and grazing
land This is designated the Plateau of the Column
bia aud is an agricultural region purely. producing
prod gous crops of wheat rye, oats aud barley and
affords pasture for untold numbers Of horses,
cattle and sheep The land is easily cultivated.
being mainly free from distractions to the plough.
and is self-recuperativc for wheat being highly i'm
prcgnatcd with alkaline matter. The sowing season
for wheat runs through the entire fall and winter
months Live stock has suffered severely during
the last winter for want of shelter and fodder AN
evil not likely TO recnr no one Will care again To
encounter the same bitter experience. The great
tributaries Of the Columbia River water. drain and
afford navigation TO this immense space. The eli
mate is mild compared with the weather in the same
latitude further east and the harvest season is al
ways dry. There is much unoccupied land in Wash
ington East. 1t has many HourisliDg towns and
scttiements Walla-Walla is a city of great beauty
ard prosperity. The southern portion Of this region
is connected with the Pacific Ocean By railroads and
steamboat lines and is easily accessible for settlers
by way of the Columbia River and from the east
and southeast by the Union and Central Pacific
Railroads and with wagon trains
AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.
aWcsten Washington, known as the Puget
Sound Basin lies west of the Cascade Mountains.
The surface is mountainous and undulatng, well
watered and with forests of immense extent and
Qrowtl which, on account of their vastness and
feasibility from the sea. may well 10 termed the
great timber preserve of the world. Fir cedar rine
spruce cottonwood and maple grow to incredible
size have seen tir tree fourteen feet III diam
eter and cedar tree sixty four feet four inches in
circumference. The average size OF the fir, full
grown. is about six feet in diameter, and many of
them stand three hundred feet high. The mills
cut 900 600 900 feet of lumber annually. Lately
nine icces of lumber, each l54 feet long and two
feet square, and several planks earh ia feet long,
were cut The logs from which the planks were
taken sold for $500 apiece at tdewater AMI one tree
alone has produced 10000 feet. This lumber finds
market at San francisco, and III ASIA Australia ana
Europe being known 10 the trade as Oregon lun-
Der Ii is estimated that there are 7.OOO,oVO acres
Of prairie, river, swamp and other bottom lands on
the Sound which easily be utilized for farming
purposes In truth all the forest land can he con
verified to good agricultural and grazing Property for
there is no country where grass grows IN greater
luxuriance. or where grain, vegetables and fruits
are produced more abundantly than on the prairles
and ccarings. Iron bog. hematite and magnetic;
cosl bituminOus and, IL is claimed, anthracite;
gold silver copper lead. cinnabar and, it is said.
Tin, are found here. Limestone, granite, marble,
and frcestone also abound.
"The waters Of wonderful extent and beauty,
comprising fifty rivers, cascades making natural
water power, lakes, bays, straits and the Sound.
thousands of miles Of navigable waters, and drains
500, 900 square miles of territory. Puget Sound
covers 1000 square miles, has 800 miles OF coast
line. deep soundings, and bold shores covered with
perpetual verdure. contains numerous beautiful
islands is free from bars, rocks shoals and storms
1t has an average width of six miles and an average
depth of ten fathOms All these waters are alive
with the choicest fish-salmon, trout. halibut. cod
oysters clans and crabs. In season they swarm
with innunerable geese and ducks. Salmon
canning on the Columbia is one of the wellknown
and chief industries of the Pacific Coast Deer, elk
bears aud smaller animals OF the hunt ,nhaoi the
and heathful. The accounts of rainy winters are
grossly exaggerated; but little snow falls, no ice ia
gathered and the Thermometer has averaged during
The past winter 40 tahrenheit. Summer are