, 1883-09-29
wAsHINGTON TERRITORY.

eral Washington Territory is bound
cd on the south by the middle chan
mel Of the Columbia River up as far
us iG' north latitude; thence east
along this parallel to Its intersection
with Snake river; thence down
Snake riverand north on the western
boundary line Of Idaho territory, be-
ing ll7o west longitude, to 490 north
latitude thence west on the parallel
49' north latitude, and down the
middle channel Of Canal de Haro and
Strait Of Juan de Fuca to the Pacific
ocean; thence sOutherly along the
east shore OF the Pacific to the mouth
of the Columbia river, longitude l24'
west Of Greenwich, and containing
an area Of 66, $50 square miles.
This Territory is divided into two
divisions by the Cascade mountains
"a continuation Of the Sierra Nevada
Range), known as Eastern and West
orn Washington.
Omitting the detail description Of
Western Washington, or Puget
Sound whose vast forests Of magnifi-
cent timber, enormous coal, lime and
iron deposits are known in all parts
Of the civilized world, we pass to the
general description OF a portion of
Washington which is rapidly attract
ing attention by the extent of its ex-
portations of wheat, barley and other
grains. OF this region the Surveyor
General said:
Eastern Washington embraces
within its limits the larger portion of
what is now and should hereafter be
known as the VALLEY Of the Column
bia," consistingof an open hilly coun-
try, generally covered with u heavy
growth Of "bunch grass" which is
now known to be the most nutritious
feed for stock found among the ma
tural productions of the earth. This
grass grows 50 luXuriantly that in
many sections it is cut for hay, yield
ing from one to two tons per acre.
The country is well supplied with
springs and creeks, atfOrding an
abundance Of pure cold water. The
streams generally flow to the west,
end the valleys increase in depth and
diminish in width as they approach
their confluence with the Columbia
and Snake rivers. Very many of
these streams afford extensive water
power, some Of which have been
utilized.
\ boltof timber, consisting Of pine,
tamarack, cedar and fir, extends
along the Ceur d'Alene mountains
"a spur Of the Bitter Root range), run
ming generally northwest and south
east, mostly in Western Idaho; but
this timber extends into Washing
ton Territory, south Of the Spokane
river, crossing Hangman creek about
20 miles above its confluence with
the Spokane, and continuing in a
southerly direction, Of scattering
growth, to Rock Lake. This belt
also extends down the Spokane, in
terspersed with open or prairie land,
to the junction of the Spokane and
Columbia rivers. North Of the Spo-
kane river the timber is more abund-
ant; also on the Upper Columbia.
Walla Walla and Columbia counties
are supplied with timber Of the same
quality from the Blue Mountains,
and Klickitat and Yakima counties
from the Upper Yakima and its tri-
butaries aud the Simcoe mountains
along the southern boundary Of the
Yakima Indian Reservation.
In the valley of the Columbia, ex-
elusive Of the present Indian Reser-
VatiOns and the Blue mountain dis
trict, there are over 500 townships of
land. Estimating each township at
y, 500 acres, which is $40 acres less
than a full township, and the result
is II, l,2j0,0O0 acres. Allowing one-half
of this area to be more suitable for
PASTORAL than agricultural purposes,
on account Of inferior quality and OBJ
jectionable surface formations, and
we have in round numbers j,G2j,O0O
acres Of arabic land. This at the low
estimate of 20 bushels per acre (this
year the average is over 30 bushels
win yield ll2, 900, 900 bushels, or near
ly s,5O0,0O tons of wheat. This esti-
mate is not based upon rumors or
unreliable reports from irresponsible
or interested parties, but upon my
own personal observations in the
field, and the result Of my annual in
spectiOn through this Territory, dur
ing which time | carefully inter
viewed all the farmers and threshers
that met as to the amount sown, the
yield per acre, cost Of raising wheat,
average price obtained, best quality
Of wheat land, locality, etc, and | am
fully confident that my estimates are
under rather than over what this
country will produce when generally
cultivated.
In this portion Of the territory
greatest extremes Of heat and cold
are experienced, and yet compared
with the same latitude east, the eli
mate is exceedingly mild, CORES
ponding more with that Of Maryland.
During July and August the mer-
curry sometimes ascends to 9jo and
1902 in the shade, but seldom drops
to zero in the winter. During the
four seasons Of the year the average
temperature is, Of $40 in the spring,
730 in summer, $50 in autumn, and
3i' in winter, with some snow,which
lasts generally but a few weeks at
most.