Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-13
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ROAkD OF IMMIGRATION.
PsrtIaad's Greatest Need at the Pres
emit Time.
fDo-.Iand ChronfeIa

L
Reporters of the Chronicle have been
engaged for the last week Ia gathering
regarding the advisabiiitv
of organizing a board If immigration
here that will encourage immigration to
Oregon. Many Of tire s.lid citizens of
Portland have expressed their views on
the subject, and the information gath
cred aud feeling of those interviewed on
the subject cannot bat be of interest to
the readers of the Chronicle.
The importance of such step is con
ceded by ali. why" said enc of our
Front street merchants. =" il il a well
known fact that the Northern Pacific
Railroad favors Washington Territory
and" continued tue gentleman, why
shouldn't they All Of their land IL IN
Washington Territory their Interests
are all on the SQUAD and II cannot be
denied that the company, through Its
agents, uses every possible means to in
duce immigrants to go to New Tacoma
OF Seattle, and what does all this mean
Il means this" continued the merchant.
" that Portland must organize for self
protection that instead of allowing the
railroad company TO send immigrants
by the thousands to section of our
country where the only inducements
offered are coal mines and line sheet
of water, IL behooves Us to organize and
offer every inducement to these same
immigrants to stop right here. where
land can be procured for them in album
dance. and where they oan be cared
for as they can In no other city on the
coast"
Many others interviewed on the sub
iect seemed TO be of the same opinion,
and from matter gathered the Chronicle
is able to- take decided stand here, and
keep hammerin9 away ON this matter
until something Is done. The facts are
these: A party wishing to immigrate
to Oregon goes into the eompany's Office
at st. Paul and makes inquiries regard
ing Oregon and Washington Territory.
He Is informed by the comeany's agents
that Washington Territory offers every
inducement to the seaTcher for new
home, while all the land In Oregon is
held at such exorbltant prices that it is
impossible for any man of ordinary
means to settle there. BY means of
guide books, charts aud maps he is at
last induced to purchase ticket to So.
attic (''onlS costs you few dollars
more, you know and he starts on his
journey for the "Verice Of the North
west" he outlook is very encouraging
until Missoula, Montana, is reached.
From the latter place to Portland what
does be see? Only barren rocks and
sand. A few verdant fields greet the
view of the weary traveller, but the out
look Is not encouraging. Arriving in
Portland, he takes the afternoon boat
for the Sound. The Willamette and
Columbia rivers are beautiful; Mounts
Hood. Adams, st. Helens and Rainier
stand forth In their majestic grandeur;
but where is your farming land? He
reaches kalama, travels 100 miles over
a country that grows large trees. but it
will not raise grain. de lands in Ia
coma. takes the morning boat for s.
attic, and travelling 80 miles on one of
the finest stretches OF water in the
world, at last Is set ashore in one of the
prettiest little cities in America-Ss
attic. He starts out in search of farm
ing lands; he finds none; he finds that
they raise hops in the Puyallup coun-
try, tut even this commodity is reeu-
lated by that important question of sup
ply and demand, and he sees no encour-
aRement here; he purchases ticket for
81. Paul. and returns home carrying
nothing but discouraging reports of the
whole Pacific coast.
IL In duty that Portland owes not
only to herself, but the north west coast,
TO organize for the encouragement of
To Oregon. Let an agent
be stationed at ST. Paul and the inter
vening points, and let bureau be es-
tabiished in this city whose mission will
be the gathering of information for i'm
migrants. Let there DO q list of farms
Tor sale, unoccupied farming lands, and
such other general information as will
be OF benefit 10 the new arrivals. Ore.
Ron offers unrivaled Inducements to set
tiers. famhiil. Polk, Marion, Benton
and Clackamas counties and the south
ern portions Of the State contain mil
iiohs of acres of the best farming lands.
which cannot but allure the new conner.
Instead II coal mines and timber. the
one who has left his home in the East
ends just what be was in search ola
good farm aud a mild climate. The
chroniclf would say again, let the peo
pie OF Portland take this matter in
hand. Tor one man who returns East
with discoaraging reports of the north
west coast does more 10 prevent immi-
grafton here than a hundred men can
encourage.
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