The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-01-26
WASHINGTON TLRRnTORY,

The following to The New York Her.
aid, was written by Junius Henri
Brown, its correspondent, who was
here with the Willard party:
LAKE VIEW, w. T., Oct. IL, 1881.
The completion of the Northern Pa
cific Railroad will open up to the peo-
pie of the East new world, as it
were. Strange fruits, hitherto un-
known, meats, nanleless flowers, odd
fish and queer looking fowls will APP
pear In the Eastern markets, and they
will come from that almost unknown
region, "the far west" tapped by the
Northern Pacific road The products
of the west, or at least many of them,
shut off 10y thousands of miles of iso-
lation, are comparatively unknown to
Eastern people. They think of Mon
tana, Washington Territory or Oregon
as they do of Iceland, New Zealand,
Norway or the North Pole. They
seem to forget almost that these Ter
ritories form part of our country and
only awaiting an opportunity to con-
tribute their quota to the greatness of
Ap,erica and the wants of man. The
nj " road will give them an outlet
east, and it will not be long until their
names and products will become as
familiar to the people of the Atlantic
seabOard as are those of Iowa, Kansas,
Nebraska and California. Take for
example Washington Territory, and
what do Eastern. people know about
it? They have no doubt heard that
We have such Territory out west, but
they imagine ita wild land, filled with
savage Indians, and without COM
merce, or products. They think of it
only as an unbroken forest, stretching
along the Pacific coast and fit only for
the habitation of wild beast and abor-
igines. 1t is time We were rub
bing up our geoghraphy and getting
ready to understand and appreciate
what our country is and of what it
consists.
Washington Territory is, with the
exception of Alaska, our most west
erly possession, and lies in the ex-
treme northwestern corner cf country.
1t adjoins the British line, and is
north of Oregon. Lest the weather
should be thought cold away up there
l would stato that the climate is the
same as that of Maryland, Washing
ton, ID. Z. and ST. Joseph, Mo. OF
course 1t would be very cold il it were
not for phenomenon. When God
made this country he fixed it so that
1t would not be subjected to the nat
ural influences of Climate. He ex-
cused it from location with reference
to the zones. Let me explain how
Washington Territory, situated so far
north, happens to be as warm as
Maryland. The hole northwest
coast of the American continent is
washed by u warm current from the
China seas. This gives temperature
mild and balmy. Great evaporation
is carried Oh and the air charged with
humidity. Ii it were not for the
mountains the air would be too hot
and humid On the coast for comfort,
but the high mountains cool it and
and make this one of the most de-
lightful climates in the world. The
difference Of climate between eastern
and western Washington has always
astonished those who live there. 1t is
accounted for by the presence Of the
Cascade mountains. That lofty range,
from 5000 to 5000 feet high, divides
the Territory from north to south into
two unequal parts, 10000 square miles
Of Washington lying east of the Cas-
cades and 10000 square miles west.
Approaching Washington from the
coast we find first narrow strip of
land from one to six miles wide. Back
of this rises the mountains or Coast
Range. Beyond these are levelprairies
extending from forty to sixty miles In
width. Beyond these again rise the
Cascade range, towering to the sky
and having To the east of them high,
rolling prairies extending to the base
of the Blue mountains. These differ
ences In altitude would of themselves
produce great differences Of tempera-
ture. But the great reason why the
change Is so great from the coast to
the Snake river lies in the arrange
ment of the mountain ranges. The
humid air Is forced to rise and 10 rap
idly evaporated. The moisture dis
charged upon the atmosphere by day
10 precipitatsd during the cooler houis
Of tile night, In fog, mist and rain.
Mrs. Victor says: "In summer the
prevailing winds of the coast are from
the northwest, following the general
direction Of the shore line." They
naturally carry the sea vapor Inland,
but the tirst obstacle encountered by
these masses OF vapor Is n range OF
mountains high enough To cause, by
their altitude aud lower temperature,
the preci pitation Of large amount Of
moisture upon this seaward slnpe.
Still n considerable portion Of moist
ure IL carried over this first range and
through the gaps In the mountains
mud falis In raiIis and mist upon the
level prairie country beyond. Not 81,
huwever, with the seculld or Cascade