Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-04-01
Ea9.ll:, r.o,l Territory.


This is one of the finest regions on the
face of the earth" said Governor Newell,
of this tesritorv. who, you viii remember,
was formerly governor Of New Jersey to
your correspondent in the executive
chamber this afternoon. The climate,
especially in western Washington, is mild
salubrious, healthful and free from ex-
tremes Of heat and cold. Timber, coal,
and precious ores abound, and vast re-
gions of wheat and grazing land exist all
over tic territory. The extent Of navig
able waters, salt and fresh, is not ap>
preached in any other part Of the world
in the same area. Fish in every valuable
variety, game, deer, elk, bears and small
er animals are superintendent. The
mountain, river and ocean scenery are
not surpassed elsewhere under the sun.
Puget Sound is the chief feature of the
great basin, an inland sea, covering $500
square miles, navigable at any point for
largest vessels anoat and extending 200
miles from the sea into a forest country
of the largest timber on the continent or
elsewhere.
CATTLE, VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.
In the east the Columbia river and its
tributaries water and drain an area OF
100000 square miles. In the eastern
portion of the territory all the cereals,
except Indian corn, arc produced, and
there are grazing lands for many hundred
thousand head of cattle, sheep and swine.
Fruits and vegetables produced in these
latitudcs are of eXtraorGinary growth
and great perfection. Indeed, everything
produced here seems to he on q grand
scale, AMI form great contrast to those
produced in the Atlantic states. We
hope, and expect that the Northern Paci-
fic Railroad will, ere long, be extended to
the Sound, when greater facilities will be
given to tie world to reach our borders.
AS it is, population is flooding in rapidly,
and a few years hence will find Washing
ton territory densely populated country.
Our territory is replete with all the need
full elements of material prosperity; nat
ural advantages on Puget Sound and
other inland seas and on rivers for lead
ing the commerce OF the Pacific coast.
We have abundant harvests and pros
porous business, ready sales for our pro-
auctions, profitable Eeturps and good
health.
RIVERS AND RAILROADS.
The fur seal fishery at Cape Flattery is
a most important interest to our people,
which must greatly increase. The numer-
Gus navigable waters of the territory are
OF such value and extent as public high
ways that we will never require so much
of railroad facilities for travel and trans
pcrtation as would be necessary in like
space of country in any other portion of
the world nevertheless we are in posses
sion of $40 miles OF railroad tracks, and
more are soon to be constructed. The
roads already lie operation are of inestim-
able advantage, and the accommodations
which they afford are fully appreciated by
our people, but they will not be content
until railroad is built across the Cas-
cade mountains, connecting east WASH
ington with Puget Sound and the Atlan-
tic with the Pacific ocean. No transcon-
tinental system north of California can be
complete nor fully profitable which does
not make its western terminus ON Puget
| Sound, as the center 20 which the trade OF
! eastern Asia and Alaska must enter our
| continent Oh its way to the Atlantic sea-
board and to the maritime states of Eu
| rope.
THE INDIAN QUESTION.
There are about thirteen thousand In..
dams Of various tribes in Washington
territory, and much of the best land is
| appropriated by the government as res
ervatlons for their use. The chief Moses,
| Colville, Yakima and other reservations,
in eastern Washington alone contain g.
| 100000 acres of the best agricultural,
grazing and mineral lands OF the territory,
with not more than four thousand tribal
occupants. The Indians are decreasing
in numbers and are very peaccable, some
Al. =