, 1884-11-25
IN THE NORTHWEST.
The Country of the Columbia River
and Puget Sound.
which h TO He Future Great
cityf-The Forests OF Oregon
and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Products.

CPortlnnd (Ore-) Cor. New York Sun-l
A general boom prevailed throughout Orc.
gon and Washington territory from the adj
vent Of Willard till his downfall Now an un-
deniab stagnation prevails in all kinds OF
business. Many Of the leading business men,
capitalists and politicians of this region have
invested their money and lost heavily in
Northern Pacific, Oregon & Transcontinen
tai, Oregon improvement, and Oregon Rail
way & Navigation company stocks and de-
psndent enterprises, and all kinds of business
have suffered through the embarrassment Of
these companies.
The opening OF the Northern Pacific rail
road, the construction Of which was attended
by such genuine good times, has been fol-
lowed, as is generally the case, by great dis
appointment 1t has changed the course Of
business, rather than increased It. The
merchants OF Portland, who supply the
larger part OF both Oregon and Washington
territory, now buy their goods largely in
Chicago and other eastern cities, instead OF
at San Francisco as heretofore. Credits
have been curtailed, and smaller stocks of
merchandise are now carried. The sus-
pension Of railroad building has thrown
many laborers out Of employment, so
that business is less active, and money is
scarce. Wheat, wool, fruit, and hops, which
with lumber are the staple products OF Ore
gon and Washington territory, have been
grown during the current year in greater
profusion than ever before; but the demand
for export is so limited, and prices are so low
lower than ever b~efore-that the farmers
regard themselves as very poor, notwith-
standing that their larger crops and the
lower prices Of all articles which they con-
sumo ought TO produce the contrary feeling.
Wheat free on board sells here at about 10
cents per bushel, and this leaves the farmer
In the interior less than 80 cents, in some
cases even less than 40 cents per bushel
And yet tho prosperity Of the country trib-
utary TO the Columbia river has not culmi-
mated nor come to an end. Climate, soil,
and productions combine to make this one Of
the most attractive, although one OF the
most remote regions Of the United States.
Now that It has rapid and direct commune
cation with the older states by both the
Union and Northern Pacific roads,, it is des-
tined at no distant day TO become the seat Of
a dense population and of n great and profit
able commerce, both foreign and domestic.
The Columbia and its tributaries, as we'll as
Puget sound and its many channels, will
contribute greatly toward Fastening the gen
eral result They merit all rAat has been
said in their praise.
The only question is where the future great
city Of the region Is to be. Portland has
grown within the last twenty years from a
city OF 5000 TO one of 10000, and as it is ac-
cessible by the largest sea going vessels, and
as the general government is improving
the channel through tho bar at the mouth of
the Columbia, there Il no perceptible reason
why Portland should not maintain its lead
and ultimately become a rival to San Fran
cisco Itself. Tacoma, the ocean terminus OF
the Northern Pacific, and Seattle, both
situated on Puget sound, are thriving and
enterprising towns, and both with the bit
tsrest Jealousy Of each other aspire to be the
future great city. Their harbors are most
excellent In every respect, except that they
are too deep to afford good anchorage. Each
claims to have the best harbor and the best
OF everything else, but so far as a disinter-
estsd person can sec, there Is no essential diff
ference between them, except that Tacoma
has the best hotel, an exceedingly good one,
and has been designated as the terminus Of
thu Northern Pacific railroad.
The forests of Oregon and Washington
west Of the Cascade mountains contain the
largest and most valuable body OF accessible
timber now left on this continent. Experts
estimate that they contained when discovered
100, 000, 900, 900 feet, board measure, of mer-
charitable lumber, of which only about
5000, 900, 900 feet have so far been cut and
sent to the market, leaving 147, 0OO, 900, 0OO
feet standing. 1t is also estimated that
500, 600, 900 feet were cut and sold in the year
1885, at an average Of tl4 per 1000. The
proceeds are said to have been divided ap-
proximAtely as follows:
Labor, logging and saving. receive
Ono-nhlI. . ...s....t 30, OUU, UUU