The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-30
NEW COUNTRY ron SETTLERS.


For the following, concerning Q sec
ton Of fine country east of the noun
tains-new country, sufficient for more
than . thousand large farms-we
are indebted to tue Yakima Record:
Some time since q contract was let
by the Surveyor General to Messrs
IversOn i Ward, Of Western Washing
ton. for the survey % niue townships,
more or less, IN that vast uDinhabited
portion of our county lying northeast
of Eilensburg. From Mr. Iverson. who
was in town last Friday, representa-
tive Of the Rsc0rd. gathered some in
formation concerning that section. The
surveying party is composed of fifteen
men. and thus far they have completed
the survey of six of the new townships.
The country Is described by Mr. Iver>
son as possessing many natural adssn-
tages not peculiar n other sections of
the Territory. but owing to the isolated
situation and high altitude no immi-
grant has Is yet made settlement
there. The new townships lie immedi-
WktlI uOIbb D4u SVAho VI NbC nAk4 chAn1-
ard parallel. and extend from the CO.
lum ola river on the east to the Cascade
Mountains, in the vicinity of Tie al um
Lake, gu the west. The soil, as de-
scribed by Mr. Iverson. is exceedingly
fertile. being composed Of decayed
basalt or igneous matter, and be Is of
the opinion that some time In the
future it will support a numerous pop
uia'ion. Commenting near the Column
biA river, the country rises gently to
the westward, aud finally merges into
the grand snow-clad nouptsins which
separate Eastern from Western Wash
ington. This great plateau embraces
thousands Of acres mainly covered with
timber, but here and there in the midst
of the forest are to be fouud large
open tracts covered with wild clover
and tall grasses, thus affording oppor-
tunities for farms composed in part of
timber and in part of prairie lands.
Numerous large springs break forth
from the ground, and cool, limpid
streams are tn be seen winding away
like silver threads among the green
foliage towards the distant river. In
these streams speckled front are so nu-
merous. 50 Mr. IveIson informs US, that
one of his men was enabled to haul out
fifty OF the N in less than half an hours
fishing. Judging from the unc,ntrol-
liable movements of the compass in that
region. Mr. lverson concludes that no
one should 60 into the country depend
ing upon an ordinary conpass for
guide. as this local attraction Is so great
as 10 cause a variation of the needles as
mach as Is degrees within q single
hundred yards. From the description
given by MIR Iverson as we'll as from
brief accounts heretofore received from
stock men and others who have passed
over the same ground. it would seem
that for persons accustomed to high
altitude these new townships will afford
q home Of no small advantage. The
summer season in the western town
ships will be necessarily short and
therefore unfayorable for raising spring
crops; but fall crops would doubtless
yield bountlfully. while the stock range
l. unlimitrd and perhaps unexcelled.
Ii the managers OF railroads. leading
in this direction, had mind to hold
out some inducements in the way Of
reduced tran portation rates to some Of
the numerous colonies of Norwegisns
aow arriving ~ the. eastern seaports,
this newly surveyed portion of our
frontier might, with mutual advsn
tages. soon be settled up. Township
No 20 north of range No Is east. lying
Just west of those here referred to. was
surveyed some time since, AMI the plat
Of the same is on file in the land office.
but as yet no filings have been made
upon any of the valuable lands included
within It's boundaries. Attached to the
plat is the following general descrip
ton taken from the Surveyors field
notes by the Surveyor General:
This township has first rate seriau.-
tur.l lands along the Yakima and Tie
al um rivers. The central and northern
parts are broken and mountainous and
often opstruoted by sandstone lodges
All the upland is well timbered with
first rate fr aud pine and some cedar
and tamsrack, vine maple and hazel
underground on uplands and dense
arabapples, salmonberry and rose bush
thickets in the bottoms. Have discov-
cred TO minerals of value. Deer and
wild fowl are numerous. New wagon
roads have recently been constructed
aud numerous teams loaded with miners
or loggers are moving westward. Con
adorable timber has been cut on vari-
ous sections in this township and float
ed down the Yakima for tbs cons'ruo-