Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-20
A yiLLAIsOUs LErTEs.

The following Is IN full the absurdiy
false letter which has been receiving
such general denial from the press Of
Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Mon
tana during the past week, a letter
which carries such marked untruth
upon its face as to be unworthy moie
extended notice:
Eprron BuLLETIS: Returning from
An extensive tour over ths several lines
OF the Northern Pacific Railroad. from
Chicago through to Whatcom, 1t occurs
to me that few simple facts-a word
Of caution to the general publio-might
prove interesting to the readers OF your
paper.
fnasauch as there are large tracts
Of farming land in Dakota. and AZ
thousands have secured fine locations
within that Territory, | do not deem 1t
necessary to say anything more in its
behalf. II presents the only redeeming
feature In connection with thu several
public ,tions gotten mp by the agents of
ihe Northera Pacific Railroad.
There IL really no farming land in
Montana--only garden patches here
and there--poor .ones, too. There are,
however, soma fairly good stock ranges,
but the winter seasons are very severe,
and, therefore. the business must be
subjected to heavy losses during the
storm seaaona; that II, unless the stock
men provide both shelter and feed for
their stock, which, believe, would
pfove far too expensive. Although
quartz mining has been In operation for
some years. nevertheless 1t IL still in its
infancy. l arrived at this conclusion
after very careful examination Of
several OF tho leading camps of the Ter
ritory. and. il l mistake not, as gold,
silver and copper producer, Montana
will soon rank first. Nothing truthfuily
can be said in behalf of Idaho, outside
OF mining. There are those who. own
ing few bead of stock aud q potato
field here and there. will even make the
tsuderfoot believe that its advantages
are greater than those Of California.
Washington Territory is one vast vii.
derness of timber-maplc. cedar aud fir
In its present condition II is absolutely
worthless 10 the poor immigrant. The
preliminary work Of CLEARING the tim
ber from the land 10 an immense opera.
tion, and cannot be done for less than
eiO0 pcr acre. People seeking farn
homes In the far Northwest have only
10 take this one item of expenditure
into confederation. when am sure they
will abandon the idea Of cmigrating Il
that Territory.
After very decided personal 40
Quaintauoe with all the frontier ranges
or the United States, must here say
never encountered fallen timber inter
looked aud matted together as In this
Territory. II is in many places ten feet
deep, interwoven with a recent growth
vhile the standing timber, often twelve
feet thick and 400 feet high, IL as dens<
q Il ever grew anywhere, making 1t al
most impossible for even wolves, pan
thers and bears to roam at will. And
In connection with all this, tho grain
growing seasons are short---in fact
grain, excepting oats, will not mature
Just fancy good, honest and industrious
farm people breaking mp nice httlt
homes in other States and Territories
and rushing of TO such wilderness
They can buy the best land in any on,
Of the States for one-half of what l
must necessarily cost TO clear q home
stead In this Territory. Again. all th'
O0u0- ClttC8 - tOCy NO tosCA ~ ssA'
Old simers--have not only grown beyons
ths actual capacity Of the Territory
but real estate in connection With al
these towns Ia held At fabulous figures
In lees than two years u will 60 beg
ginQ for one half It's present price. Ia
coma, Seattle and Whatcom are shame
ful railway and steamship frauds
whatcom Is worthy OF no attention. Ia
soma will never make anything NOR
than q coaling station, and Seattle ma.
eventually become--tventy hye year
hsncs--a city Of flfty thousand inhabi
tants. While IL may nov have abou
seven thousand sf apopulAtiou. and th
cry il s'Still they come," there must b
at least three thousand people out Q
employ ment. Business In all branchs
4 vastly ovsrdons, inasmuch as there
10 employment for the lsborina MAJ
Ousside Of tho lumber business, th
cal fields and fisheries. Washiugto
Territory ID worthy of no consideration
Hoping the above may perform i
ukaulon, remain, most respcctfutl!
-. JoHN McCAFFKRrr.
Steamship Columbia, July 10, 1883.