Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-08-28
washington Territory.


washington Territory.
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.
Whatever may have been written or
said to the contrary, western Wash
ington is not and never can become q
great agricultural section. Some en-
thusiastic writers and tourists have
affirmed that that portion of Washing
ton territory is rich and productive in
agricultural resources. Such, in all
truth and juctice, can not be recorded.
Western Washington is principally
covered with heavy timber There is
little good land found about the
sound not covered with timber or un-
der-forest, and much of the land would
be difficult to clear. Again, large
tracts on both sides Ct the sound are
strewn with rock or gravel, but along
every one of the numerous water
courses, large or small, that How. fron
all directions into the great estuary,
there are sections of excellent land,
some of them of considerable magni.
tude. Along the narrow valleys border
ing the streams the land is of phe
nomenal fertility--producing grain
grasses, and vegetables in bounteous
profusion. Many places within few
miles of the sound can yet be founC
where good land, not very difficult tt
clear, may be obtained. But it is only
truth to say that Puget sound regioi
is not, as whole, an agricultural coun
try. 1t will be many years before On'
acre in ten is brought under cultiva
ton, and q large proportion of it neve
will be. To clear the most of tn,
able task-one that will require genera
tions to accomplish. Removing th'
timber and brush will not be SO difficul
and laborious, for fire can easily an'
rapidly consume them. Getting rid o
the stumps and roots will be the wOrl
of years. These distractions can no
be burned, and being of resinous ma
ture, will resist the progress of deca
for q quarter of a century-ln fact
never rot out. Digging out the stump
is the only practical solution of tn
, problem. Whether the return woul
justify such an outlay of time an
| human labor may be seriously que!
toned. The soil, never of very fertil
character, has been impoverished fC
/ centuries--drained to support th
, heavy growth of timber. When cleare
it would require several years of e,
= posure to the fertilizing influence OF SUI
rain, snow, and rest to render it prof
{ ably productive. The sections draine
= by Cowlitz and Chenalis rivers are e
Y tensive and valuable, contain muC
r farming land, and are being settle
5 rapidly. Besides, there is good lar
. on innumerable small streams whiC
= enter the lower Columbia river or II
t Pacific ocean. Within twenty-fi
$ years there will be a heavy agricultur
0 population in western Was hington.
Il has been said that the Puget soul
Y country will never be a great agricr
+ tural country. And yet the conditio
are such that to those who engage
= agricultural pursuits there will be c
y cellent profits realized-profts all {
better from the fact that the product
= area is of limited extent. There will
i other industries which will suppC
4 agriculture and render it highly profit
BILE. Where coal, iron, and timb
abound, where all of them are of ca
6 access, and where unequaled facilti
!, for shipping bring them directly in
~ the currents of commerce, there gre
a industries will certainly be deVelope
Z "A swimming g-master, giving eIhbitio
. in Lake Pontchartrain, at New Orleans,
}. cOunterpd a sword hsh which he succeed