The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-12
NORTHWESTERN BOOMS.
Words of Caution to People Who Con-
template Settlement Beyond the
Rocky Mountains.
Correspondence of the indianapolis journal.

| Rocky Mountains.
! Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal
SEATTLE W. T., Dec 5.-After spending
several weeks travelling over various parts of
this country, have taken winter quarters at
| Seattle. 1t is very probable that many young
men are looking this way, and would be in
terested in the observations of young man
who could not be satisfied until he saw the
land of promise which has been doomed SO
much of late. / will not advise any one to
come, or not-I shall in all probability stay
but had [ obeyed my first impulses certain
ly would have turned back with the great
host of disappointed people who are return
ing daily. If one comes out here expecting
to see and realize half of the great things of
which he has read, be certainly is doomed to
disappointment Those who have money to
| speculate on will find any of the towns
Puget Sound or Spokane Falls, east of the
Cascade range-good places to invest
This country is full of men who
make it a business to create blooms"
and during the excitement thousands
of dollars change hands. When these ex-
elements pass away, and the towns settle
down to their natural growth, it will then
be time to decide whether to locate in them
and take your chances with the country, but
at present everything is overdone in all the
promising paces-in all commercial
business, excepting manufacturing-the
the same is true of the professions For
example, in Seattle, the largest town in the
Territory, having a population of nearly
5000, there are sixty-ive lawyers and fifty
one physicians, and every train brings in and
takes out e few. The experience of these
| towns is pretty much that of all new
| mining regions-thousands of people visit
them-transportatio lines, hotels and specu-
| ators are the only persons benefited. Out of
| all this hustle and excitement some good
| towns are sure to come forth, but there will
| be great drop in the meantime, and those
who finally succeed will be those who come
la ter and build upon the ruins of those
| now risking everything. Property can never
| be much higher than it is now the people
| out here imagine that within the next few
| years Seattle or Tacoma will measure arms
with San Francisco and Spokane with St.
Paul. Consequently lots are as high now as
they are in the above named cities rum
ming from 81 900 to $25 O00 and residence
property $500 to So, 000 on hllsides, gener-
| ally l ask what is to justify all this expec-
tation, and am told the boundess
of coal, iron and lumber These may do it,
but should rather see more interest taken
In developing the farming country as q sup
port for these cities or they will likely lam
guish while waiting for the undeveloped ex-
ports.
The most of the new Corners are rushing
to these cities of imagined wealth and neg
lecting the farming country. That is why
the most of the produce is shipped from CAL
ifornia. In view of these facts l
would say to young men preparing
to come out in search of the
golden fleece You will not find it in the track
of these ''booms," and if you would avoid
disappointment and are willing to labor and
wait little while on the growth of the
country, go into the prairie or grazing
country and take advantage of the govern
| ments gracious gift before it is forever too
! late. If not able to go in alone form part
nerships and take up farm or good ranch,
and you will find that a few hundreds or
thousands thus invested will bring much
| greater rewards than anything else you eau
touch in this country. There is an organi-
cation now forming mostly composed of
worthy young men, having for its object the
| retaining of all that new country north OF
| and within the bend of the Columbia river,
| instead of abandoning it to cowboys and
| their lords There will be a great emgra-
| ton into that country in the spring, and I
| hope to be with them. Happily for this Ter
ritory the greater part of the newcomers are
| from the intelligent 'classes in the
States. There is good society in
| most of the towns. Education is
above par. All religious denominations are
represented and we'll sustained. West and
east Washington differ so materially in eli
mate, resources, ETC., it is difficult to
make a comparison on paper. Both sections
have their advantages and disadvau tages, 1t
is dryer and colder in east Washington, but
| l prefer it to the so-called warm region in
west Washington, with its constantly rainy
and chilly winters, which makes it equally
as disagreeable as the colder sections, and
more unhealthy. Ii one wants timber, he
needs to go west of the range; for improved
lands go southeast, making Walla Walla the
objective point. 1t is live city of 5000 I
am of the opinion that Spokane Falls will
be the metropolis in east Washington. 1t is
we'll located and a nice place for home.
Seattle will likely be the great city over
here. 1t has the start, ard that is something
in race. 1t has many pretty and costly
homes and buildings, but will always be an
ugly, muddy, billy town. Tacoma and other
points OH the sound will make good towns
! in time. T.. C.