Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-04

Hassern Washingtsn Territory. rs
UndevelepeA Ressurres.
[Cor. !. F. Chronicle

lCOr. ,. r. NufOuicle
DAvEsPoRT wv. To, Oct. Is. 1888.
That the Oregon Railway and
Navigation company, together with
its n0werful brother the Northern
Pacific Railroad, are doing much for
Washington territory and Oregon.
cannot for q moment be gainsayed.
Especially rapid has been the stride
of the eastern portion of the Terri
torv and State, where cultivated
fields, villages and even cities now
mark the sagebrush and bunch grass
deserts VI 1879. The immense acre
age in grain now being harvested IN
Eastern Oregon and Washington
Territory, the heavy yield that VIII
bless the farmers this year and the
growing demand for lsborers, to-
9cther with good prices, have oil had
the effect of attracting the attention
of the disconnected and poorly paid
farmers Of the East, and the influx
of those classes who are seeking
homes In the section of country de-
scribed az contingent TO the newly
constructed railroads will cause the
price of land, already increasing, to
still further advance, until il will be
out Of reach of the poorer classes.
THE BIG BEND.
zach year a new section. formerly
sslesisnated a. waste land or as being
TOO far from market, has surprised
eli by its productiveness. and the an
,nouncenent has brought an Influx OF
rsettlsrs to Il, who have soon con-
yerted its hiilsides and valleys into
farms and dotted 1t with villages.
Lately It has been announced that
settlement was being made in the Big
Bend country. The land 80 dcsig-
mated lies north Of the Northern
Pacific road, and as its name might
imply. 10 situated In the bend OF the
Coiumbis river. From the neigh
borhood of Spokane Falls to Q point
forty miles west of there the Colum-
bia river flows first slightly to the
north and then again takes course
q little south of west until it reaches
q point near Fort Gillian. Here the
majestic stream suddenly sweeps
seouth and continues In its course
until its Junction with Snake river at
.Ainsworth. Immediately to the
south of the river, a. it flows rom
near Spokane until 1t reaches Chilan,
and directly TO the east Of 1t after 1t
swerves to the south, Is q high pla-
tesu nearly thirty miles square. un.
usually level for land 10 Oregon or
Washington. Rising, as it does, up
wards OF 1000 feet above the Colum-
,bia. this plateau, with scarcely an
undulstion, extends to range of
hills devoid Of timber. known IS
Badger mountains, which bound It
On the south.
THE GRAND CowLEE.
The only exception to the level
surface Of this plateau is the Grand
sCowiee. This great natural curiosity.
nearly mile acloss, Q thousand feet
below the plateau, extends directly
across the lower portion Of the Big
bend, and 10 universally believed by
i all who have examined 1t to have
Once been the course Of the Columbia
river. Atits eastern end. where the
river 10 supposed to have entered, .
range OF low mountains apparently
once extended across the point where
the river ID supposed to have broken
through to form It's present channel.
The only obstruction to the river
passing along the Grand Cowlec Is Q
nMrOw hill that extends across il o
few hundred yards from swhere the
river now starts north. This IL ex.
planned BY the acceptors OF the
theory that the river has changed its
course IS having been made BY the
washing away Of the mountaiu. The
natural grain field known as the Big
Bend Is covered with o thick growth
of bunch. grass and sfcw scattering
sagebrush Of the small variety. Few
attempts have as yet beea made to
get water, but so far as we could
learn they have usually been success,
Aful ones. Wood for fuel can easily
be obtained at the river, and also ut
the Wensatchie range Of mountains,
that extend along the eastern side OF
fhe Columbia after 1t leaves Chilan.
AT this point sawmills have already
been established and o number one
class OF lumber Is being supplied.
A NEW TOWN.
The only town SD far established
10 named Davenport. II Is supplied
with Q store or two, a saloon and
blacksmith shop. although on the
: settlement Of the vast region Of farm
.ing land about II, doubtless it will be
. place Of considerable Importance.
SOpposite aud across the Columbia,
northward from the Big Bend coun-
try, isthe reservation of Chief Moses,
over which there has lately been con-
siderable conflict and wrangling, but
which the Government has happily
purchased. Il Is known to be rich
! In gold and silver quartz and Is be.
ling mined considerably by companies
~that have long claimed interests
there. A splendid quality OF lime
has been found near the Big Bend
/. country and there arc indications OF
. coal deposits along the Wensatchis
range of mountains. Land is rapidly
being claimed In this section 81
: country and unless settlements are
made soon, parties seeking homes
there will soon find the same settled
'up and In cultivation. In addition
!. 70 the Grand Cowlee, the country Is
mot devoid Of interest to the tourist
! or pleasure seeker. At Gillian, where
the Government squandered million
OF money 10 attempting to establish
= fort and In getting ! steamer an
the river, the Cascade mountains
form the northern boundary OF the
river and almost completely sur.
round the .beeuiifnl lake from which
the fort takes its name. Lake Chilau
10 in the ueighborhood OF thirty mllc1
In length and IL from one 10 five
miles In breadth. Its wafer, pure q
mountain springs can make them
clear "a crystal and Of depth un
known, rejects as . mirror the beet
ling snowy crags and dark ever
greens thai everywhere border Il.
The lake 10 filed with fish, which by
reason Of its purity and transluccncy
loan be seen swimming as far 4,
twenty-five feet below the surface
In the bordering woods and alous
the eteep ridges and dark 1lades IN n