The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-12-05
IN THE NORTHWEST.
TIE Country Of the Columbia River
and Puget Sound.
which L. to He the Future Great
Cilyf-The Forests OF Oregon
and washington-Staple
Products.


Northern Pacific, Oregon g. Transcontinen-
tai, Oregon Improvement, and Oregon Rail-
p way & Navigation company stocks and de-
pendent 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 il. 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
prnfusion than ever before; but the demand
for export is so limited, and prices are so low
lower than ever before-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 20
cents per bushel, and this leaves the farmer
in the interior less than 50 cents, in some
ca.es even less than 40 cents per bushel.
And yet the 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 ono Of the
most remote regions of the United States.
Now that it has rapid and direct communi-
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
dense population and Of o 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 that 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 Al, 900, and as it is ac-
cessible by the largest sea going vessels, and
as the general government is improving
the channel through the bar at the mouth Of
the Columbia, there is no perceptible reason
why Portland should not maintain its lead
and ultimately become a rival to San Fran
cisco itself Tacoma, the ccean terminus of
the Northern Pacific, and Seattle, both
situated on Puget sound, are thriving and
enterprising towns, and both with the bit
terest jealousy Of each other aspire to be the
future great city. Their harbors are most
ernallant N that fhay
are too deep to afford good anchorage. Each
claims to have the best harbor and the best
of everything else, but so far as u disinter-
ested person can see, 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
the 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
150, 900, 900, 600 feet, beard measure, of mer-
charitable lumber, of which only about
5000, 600, 600 feet have so far been cut and
Sent to the market, leaving l47,O00, COZ, 600
feet standing. II is also estimated that
500, ,000, 900 feet were cut and sold in the year
lSS3 at an average of Sl4 per 1000 The
proceeds are said to have been divided ap-
prox:mately as follows:
Labor, logging a nd saving, receive
Stumpage receives so cents per NJ. 25O,OOO
Towage or hauling, so cents per NJ $50, 900
Interest On mill plant, 10 per cent. 500, 900
Wear and tear Of machinery....... 100000
Net gain, "a per M................. 2,OO0.0O
Total. .s7. .OOO, 900
At this rate, the supply would last nearly
800 years, but unfortunately the rate of con-
sumption will increase not only with the
population, but with the demands Of all
countries bordering on the Pacific ocean, and
to a still greater degree with waste Already
forest fires and the AK Of the settler have
made sad threads upon the forests, and both
settlers and forest fires are increasing in
number and destructiveness. This waste
and destruction call for radical measures Of
prevention. The state and territorial as
well as the national government, and the
land grant railroad companies should COM
bine, and each do its part to protect these
splendid forests
Governor Crosby, Of Montana territory has
urgently recommended the general govern
ment to protect the fsr less generous supply
of timber in that territory, and IL Is 70 be
hoped that it will not only heed his advice,
but resort to the most radical and complete
measures to be applied wherever it has juris-
diction. 1t cannot act too soon, nor too
thoroughly for Oregon and Washington ter
ritory.