Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-01-28
UP.RIvER SAylGATION.--Trs Pros
PECTJ,


PECTS.
The Columbia river presents more
and greater obstacles to free navigation
than any other river Of equal magni-
tude on the American continent. APP
preparations have been made. and work
Is still in progress to overcome these
obstacles on the lower river, and by
that means render its navigation moro
free and less expensive. A project II
nov In contemplation by the q. l. d N.
Co. IN the spring to run line OF steam
boats from Priest Rapids to Kettle
Falls. The route is beset with some
difficulties betweeo the points named:
there is very rapid water at Rock Island,
some 20 miles above Priest Rapids. The
next difficulty met with is at the mouth
of the Chelan, another very rapid place
in the river; but none of them are 50
difficult but what navigation is possible
by bats of power. The navigation of
the Columbia, to tho highest point
named, would open up for settlement a
large district of country that In its nat
ural state is we'll adapted for the rails
ing of cattle, horses and sheep. The
east side of the Coluu bia. is, in the full
sense of the word, bunch grass coun-
try. Its adaptation to the growth Of
cereals is to large degree favorable.
and its accomplishment by no means
difficult, except as to the pr0visement
of timber for building and fencing.
There ID some timber In places, such as
alder, birch and cotton or balm wood;
but its growth is confined to narrow
strips along the Columbia river and
above the mouth of the Chelan. The
mountains, however, jut close to the
river on the west side, and are covered
with the finest kinds of timber, from
Priest Rapids to the mouth Of the Che
Ian, a distance of over fifty miles. The
bottom land that is level and suitable
for cultivation for that fifty miles just
below the mouth of the Wenatchie, il
only about twelve or thirteen miiee
long, with an average width of one and
half miles. 1t possesses one of tho
finest climates to be found in the Ter
ritOry, and will grow all kinds of ten
der fruits and vegetables, such as grapes
and peaches, all kinds of melons and
tomatoes, all of which ripen fully as
early as the fruits and vegetables do in
this valley. The hills ON the west side
of the Columbia river, from Priest Rap
ids to the mouth of the Wenatchie river
Is one immense stock haven, to which
large bands of horses, cattle and sheep
are driven from the kittitas and Yaki-
ma valleys, to make their own living
during the winter months. For many
years the stock SO wintered came out in
good order in the spring, with but one
exception, and that was two years ago
of allithe cattle dependent
on catching what they could find, per-
ished by reason of the heavy crust on
the snow. The whole of the country
from Priest Rapids up to the Wenatchie
slopes to the east, and in consequence
is shut off from the cold winds that pre-
vail SO generally from the west, by the
great altitude to which the summit rises
between the Kittitas Valley and the
Columbia river. The east side of the
river, from the confluence of the Snake
up to the mouth of the Chelan is devoid
of timber, but covered with heavy
growth of bunch grass. The quality of
the soil is good on all the valley hill
from White Bluff up to the Okanagan,
except where the mountain nights are
too steep to admit of cultivation. The
hills, too, in the vicinity Of Crab Creek,
are composed of rich black soil, which |
the writer believes would be first rate
for the production of winter wheat.
The whole region, however, here de-
scribed is in the dry belt of country in
which irrigation is moro or less q pe-
Cessity.
The country along the mouth of the
Chelan is embraced in the Moses reaer-
walton, which extends north to the Brit
ish line. So long as the reservation is
held for the exclusive use and benefit of
the Indians there can be no material
development of that portion of this fer
tile region. 1t is true the country is
not used by Moses nor any of his little
band. He, as we'll as the majority of
his subjects, spend the most of their
time in Yakima county, wholly removed
from the land awarded them by the
Howard. Moses treaty. Moses has no
use for the reservation and dom want
to live on it. Why is it held from Quilt
walton and settlement by the whites, is
an enigma that can only be solved on
the ground that those In authority are
ignorant of the true state of facts in
reference to the life and habits of Moses
the Great and his band. The facts in
this regard are known to the military
officers who have lived at Fort Chelan
and Camp Spokane. It il reasonable to
suppose that the existing state of affairs
has long since been communicated to
the authorities at Washington; but no
steps have been taken to alter the con-
dition of things in that valuable coun-
try. The navigation of the Columbia
to Kettle Falls would give Colville An
outlet for her prodcts that would be q
vast benefit to that isolated region. Il
is highly probable that the Moses res
ervatiOn will ere long pass from his
possession, and be thrown open to set-
Element by the whites. Il must neces-
sarily take several years to bring tho
country into cultivation, and until that
occurs, the business through that ohan-
mel mnst be limited; but something of
that kind is needed to give the country
a start, a. we'll as to hasten a more rap
id development. The main reliance for
business on tho upper river must come
from the east side, where, at this time,
but little progress as yet is made. We
like to see thsse nevschanuels of trade
established, as they are powerful auxil-
iaries in the development Of any coun-
try-W. w. Statesman.