Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-03-21
ID ALL z
POST INTELLIGEN
neoUCaT IN CALEDONIA.

P0ST. NTELLl6ENC6h.
nROUCHr IN CALIFORNIA.
The probability and the effects OF a
drought in California are being actively
discussed by the press Of that state ana
the coast generally. The fall OF rain
was unusually light during the winssi'
and Il far from adequate to the agrioo'-
tural wants Of the Etats. The snsos
vill be q shortsnina Of the crops,
though how short they viii b eannos
vet even be surmissd. In fact, fsvor-
able weather at an early day would go
far towards undoine any injury yet done
or supposed to be done. A drouen' ~
California would be a calamity TO the
whole Pacific coast, and NO people out
aide that State would have cause TO ~
aret Il like the people Of Puget Sound.
Still the effects here would by no means
be 30 hurtfol as they would have oeen
Two. five, or ten years ago, OF longer
Then We depended wholly upon ban
Francisco and California. Everything
We produced there found market. NO
one came to or went from this country
other than by that route. Our mails
came from there. All our outside COM
muuication was with or through Ban
Francisco. Now it b quite different
and change is inevitable at An carly
day that will radically alter the condi-
lions of our trade. The completion OF
railroads beading this way will opsn up
20 us the markets Of the East. We will
not oct much benefit in that direction
this year, but will get some. and next
year will get more, while the effects OF .
drought are always az keenly felt the
second year a. the first. Again, our
foreign trade is greater than ever, while
our trade with Oregon Is visibly IN
creasinQ. Above all, though, Is now to
be placed the homo demand, to which
there will bs no limit this year. The
present consumption Of lumber IN
Western Washington now Is not less
than 400, 900 feet daily. A month hence
It will be 5000. and two months hence
100000. II Il the same with coal. In
Guiding shipments to the Columbia
river, the home consumption Is three
times greater than it was two years ago,
twice as great as II was last year, and
a year hence will DO grsatrr than at
present. The diminuti0n in consump'
ton of lumber and coal in California
that may resnlt from an adverse season
will be more than made up by the in
creased consumption at home. With
the exception Of hops, hides and wool
there will be nothing in the way Of agri-
cultural produce to export this year,
and the price of these three articles will
not be lowered particle in consequence
Of any circumstance that may exist in,
California. All the hay, grain, meats
fruit, vegetables, etc., that will be raised
this year by our farmers will find the
readiest Of sale in supplying tho homo
demand, and that the supply will be
inadequate to the demand we are fully
convinced. This home demand is fac
tor in local traffic never before thought
Of. It u now considerable and ssri-
ous matter The average population Of
this city during the next twelve months
will be 5000 all consumers. The COM
bined population Of other towns on the
Sound will number a. many more.
These 1900 people, to say nothing Of
the vast host Of loRaers, coal miners,
railroad builders and others, viii TO
quirs good deal moro butter and
cheese, beef, pork and mutton, cabbage,
potatoes, apples and pears than have
yet been raised BY the farmers in the
most favored year Of our history. The
rush here of people, with pooketsful Of
money, the activity Of building, tho
opening Of the fertile lands 10 the pillow,
will make call upon every man in the
country for ill that he can do. and will
put an end to any serious loss that
would otherwise ensue in California. A
drought here. calamity heretofore I'M
known, would b IN evil Of much moro
m0mank.