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

| While great masses of vapor Overhang
the western slopes, on their eastern
slopes not drop of dew falls. The
warm winds come over and blow in
land into Idaho and Montana, but
they are dry and hot, gradually cool
ing as they travel eastward. Snow
and ice speedily disappear from the
pathway of these warm winds, and
this will explain why cattle, sheep
and horses can be grazed out all the
winter long and keep fat in Montana,
Idaho and the Western States, while
they cannot be subsisted without the
aid of fodder further east and south.
Washington Territory is $50 miles
long, east and west, and 200 miles
wide, north and south. 1t extends
from the Pacific Ocean to Idaho, and
from British Columbia to Oregon. 1t
contains 69,994 square miles or Al, 1885,
900 acres of land. lis surface is diver
sitied by mountain, valley aud plain,
more than two-thirds being suf1ici
emily level for settlement and cultiva-
ton. Of its lands 35,000,000 acres can
be farmed, of which 10000, 900 are tim
ber lands; 5,000,000 acres of rich allu-
vial bottom lands; 10, ,0O0, 900 of prairie
and plains, and 9,796,0OO covered by
water. A large proportion of the
lands is well adapted to wheat culture,
and all of it to stock raising. The
great Columbia river flows through
Washington Territory from north to
south, forming the Walla Walla and
many other valleys.
Washington Territory is perhaps the
best timbered region in the United
States, and the last great uncut body
in our country, Almost every variety
grows in the Territory, and I'm the
greatest profusion. The following inn
perfectly prepared list will give the
readers some idea of what grows there:
Douglas, or Oregon pine, yellow fir,
Oregon cedar, arbor vitae, yellow cy-
press, oak, wild cherry, yew, maple
| (broad leaved,) vine maple, alder, dog
wood, arbutus, aspen, crab apple, cot
tonwood, willow, red willow, hazel
nut, seringa, Oregon grape, huckel-
berry, six varieties; sailal, black
berry, salmonberry, snowberry, wild
rose, rhododendron, maxima; bunch
grass, bent spear grass, reed meadow
grass, wild timothy, wild oats; rush,
two or three varieties; clover, several
varieties.
The Douglas pine grows to the enor-
nous hight of 300 feet, is straight AS
an arrow and from five to ten feet in
diameter 1t makes the best ship
masts in the world, and is almost as
tough AS hickory. A French author
ity speaking Of our woods and refer
ring to the timber owned by the WASH
ington people, says: "Ihe principal
quality of cir woods is t1eXibiiIty
and tenacity of fibre rarely met with
in trees SO aged. They may be bent
and twisted several times in contrary
| directions without breaking. The
masts and spars are woods rare and
exceptional for dimensions and supe-
rior qualities, strength, lightness, alb
sence of knots and other grave vices"
| Mr.. Wilson Saunders, who was or
dered by the Lloyds (ship-buiders) to
| test all the woods in the world, says
| i'm his report: None of the frs APP
pitch pine, it having required 80
pounds to break nall bar OF their
wood no more than an inch and u
| quarter square. Between the Doug
| las fir and pitch pine, whose strength
was equal, there is this great differ
ence, that while the latter snapped
short under pressure of $50 pounds,
| the Douglas yielded unwillIngiy with
q rough and long rend." Very often
2UO, 900 feet of fir lumber is cut from
single acre of Washington land. All
the shipping Of the world can be built
on Puget Sound, and the timber for
| 20 years to come eau be supplied from
| Washington Territory. IL takes vt
Bath, Me-, to ouild u ship of loo tons
| burden 7OO,0O0 feet of timber aud iuin-
Der, aud it costs there S35,OOO, while
| the same timber and lumber eau be
procured In Washington Territory aud
delivered on Puget Sound for SI2,OOO.
The Northern Pacific road will not be
slow to foster aud develop these ad-
vantages when their road is completed.
Lumber can be produced along the
line OF their track for so per thousand,
and delivered in Oregon, Idaho AND
Montana for $40 and $i2 per Thousand.
Fifty, sixty, and sometimes eighty
good timber trees grow upon am acre
Of ground, two-thirtis VI their length
being free from knots or limbs, aud
they will make 4O,OOO feet Of clear
lumber to the acre. There are twelve
large saw mills at work In the Terri
tory, with capacity of from 50,OOO to
2O0,OO0 feet daily, and the annual pro-
duction OF lumber II now not less than
three hundred million feet, nearly all
Of which Is shipped to San Francisco,
South America aud the Sandwich Is
lands.
The annual production Of gold in the
Territory is SSv0,OsDO, aud the assessed
valuation of the property last year
was $35,O2l, ,S3l. but Ii Is really worth
al>ouf $,hltn)otkkl There is no trouble