Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-18
wAILA wALLa AsD WASHINGTON

Timber and Mtneral Resources .
washinxsea Territory -rhe wail,
Walla CeuafFy wheat - Easter
washssgasa-The Neanssin Country
[Springfeld Republican
There are three ceuters Of interest II
Oregon and Washington, for il is con
venient to consider these two great divi
sions somewhat toQether. First. Port
land and the rivers; second, Puge
Sound and the mineral and timber re
sources of Washington; third. the Wall
Walla wheat country southeast OF tn.
Columbia, lying pertly in both and ex
tending into Idaho. Il il no exaggera
ton to speak of Washington as tbs
PENNSYLVANIA of the Pacific Coast. The
Central Pacific Railroad bought tho Car
bouado mine, 10 miles from Tacoma
for $3.50 900 within few yesrs; il is a
good steam coal, not . good coke. The
Green river coal which comes into Sc
attic is superior TO this, bat tbs best coal
Of all il from the Wellington mine, in
British Columbia. The exports of coal
lumber and other products from Puget
Sound amount 70 el0,0o0.000 a year
Washington Territory west Of the noun.
tains Is not great agricultural region
not one OF the marvels, that is to say
It is heavily tiwbersd, and q Springfield
hoy assured me thst the stumpage OF
value Of the trees a. they stand within
three or four miles Of streams 10 Sl.5e
par tree. Il costs from $15 to so an
acre 10 clear land after tho timber is of
A man can clear about three acres a
month with o pair of oxen. The largo
timber for which the Territory ia
famous, II already out Oh near the
streams, and We did not 20 into the
great forests. They had q stick at Sc
attic los fest long by IS inches by So
inches, which contained nearly 5000
feet Of lumber.
Totally different from this il the
Walla Walla country, offending for 300
miles BY 50 through portions of eastern
Idaho. Oregon and Washington. One
Of the wits of the party said in his
speech ut that point that he had always
conceived that Walla Walla was 90 call
cd because the bears came down from
the mountains and wallowed IN the
sloughs, but he had come to the conclu-
sion he would like to wallow here him
self. walla Walla is an Indian corrup-
tion for Whitewater, to note the we'll
watered place. That is the claim of the
Walla Walliaus, bat I find that Lewis
and Clarke, when they first explored
tho country here, shronicled the exist
enoe of the "Wollah Wollahs'' in the
same locality, and that was long before
English words had orept in. The early
explorers, it 10 also interesting to note.
gave tho native Wollah Wollahs good
character for hospitality and intelli-
Ronce. Tho country, ~ il Ii today, is
we'll watered, but after SIX months of
rainless weather In treeless country,
the aqueous impression 10 mostly in the
name and not in the landscape.
Walla Walla itself ia the largest town
In Washington next TO Seattle. With
500 people, situated In the midst OF q
fat plain, which for many years was
thought to be worthless. raising nothing
bat bunch grass. But wherever bunch
grass will grow, wheat will grow, and
this land which found no takers at $1.25
per acre, could not today be bought
short Of from $50 10 gro an acre. Il
bears q crop of IS bushels of winter
wheat TO the ACRE without fail. worth 60
cents q bushel, or o cent q pound.
Around the plain are rounded hills, once
also supposed TO be worthless, which are
even better wheat land than the plain.
We rode through this country from one
railroad to another by wagon and saw
literally the whole country In wheat
stabble, with the exception Of here and
there garden around house and a
village. The soil of this country is vol
canio ashes, fine, deep and ay-oolored,
with scarcely pebble for miles and
miles. The crop grows on it without a
drop Of rain from sowing to reaping,
and then lies in bags exposed to the
weather without fear of consequences.
We encountered one long procession of
faraers' teams hauling their produce to
the stations. We saw enc team Of seven
pairs Of horses and mules hauling six
tons. when W reached Blue Mountain
station 70 found . dozen wagons stand.
ing in line to unload, and piled up on
both sides Of the track for forty rods,
wheat In bags corded up to hight Of IL
or IA fest. The receipts Of tho station
agent showed that l55,O00 bushels of
wheat Wsre lying in sight, or over u, 900
saOks. This 10 over 80 car loads Of 10
tons each. The whole product Of the
Walla Walla county will not b short
OF 100000. tons, nearly the whole of
which viii 90 10 Portland for export.
The astonishing fact about all this
country 10 that the value Of the wheat
lands was fer long time mot suspected,
even BY the settlers. The crop ID raised
ct the minimum outlay for labor. Il
can b sowed from Hsptembe. 10 April,
and Ill harvested as once, bat Is Il
found the winter wheat does best. We
saw the country In shroud Of all-per-
meatiuR dust and smoke, % We did not
go it, pleasant landscape. OF course
wealth 70 being rapidly gathered there.
Many Of the 0sttlefs are from Oregon,
California. Missouri. Iowa and Virginia.
Walla Walla 10 the county seat Of the
county of the same name. Il had OK.
tsrnally Q dusty aspect, bat in the ints-
nor ct the homes there vas . striking
prevalence Of eastern luxury and style.
Here you - nne rugs on bare floors,
portieres hung on "rods and rings," da-
aot ., Birket Fosters water oolurs on
the. walls Ito the qualification oil. our
British friend) and Q lunch which for
artistic success would do credit to any
diniLR-room in Springfield. Tho grace
ful mistress Of the h0nse will spsud her
winter in New York, and il only Ave
years from New eJetsey. Unlike the
oOuntsy wet Of the Cascade Mountains,
tho winters are cold with fleetina falls
Of SNOW. Fruit has dourished With
great success until last winter, whom a
warm Chinook thaved out Me treesAnd
got them budded. aad vas succeeded
By - cold snap which killed eli the ap-
pie trcee. Tho gra3os Wore simply mag
ninoent In luxariance Of appearscoe
and tan1o, and - had oocasiOu 10 tesi
the quality Of the productions Of the
locality; Q our cor Was fully provision-
ed q Walla Walla for the homo trip.s9
There b . vast territory On Ske east
aids Of thu Cascade range, north Of the
Columhie, watorod By the Yakima and
other rivers, WAieh b aid 20 b. 40 good
. wheat country q that around Walla
Walls. The bull ling Of the direct
NoetAeRn PAoi0c line VIII opeu it 20 set-
element. tn produces viii 90 vsst %
Ruesk Hoond whsn The pass Is opened
thro1Gh the mOuntaipa. There are some
sntexprising towns ON the present road
- e rQlnda the point oe Lake Pend
d'Oreills and pieross the frst range OF
tho Rockiea The chief Of thess i
SPOKANE FallA ". T., vhers therS 4
aue scenery and Q Qle0did water power
and Nissoula, II. r.. an old trading post
suppeytnQ he Bitter Roee valley, and
nov growing rapidly. Tho chief mer
chant Of Nissouia il Mr.. Wordsn, Q Yer,
mouter. Who has been located here