Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-08-22

To Il scene of the deepest woe.
oh cruel fate. oh. SaddeSt eve.
oh. :. Burea-,'' did'st thou but know
The anguish and pain that have racked
my brain
Since the loss of my new Spring rhapoau.
j. S. d., Highland, Wisconsin,
Who writes that himself and several
others think of coming to Washing.
ton Territory in the Spring, says
that they would prefer to settle in
Thurston county if they can hear
that it would lie likely to suit them,
and then propounds string of ques-
tons, full answers to which would
fill book. However, as he seeks
information which is desired by
many who are looking liz this di-
rection for new homes, we will an-
swer in general terms so far as
time and space will permit. The
population of Thurston county APP
proximates 5000, of which Olympia
contains about 1900. Its boundar-
les embrace about 700 square miles.
Its business is various, chiefly lum-
bering, farming and stock raising.
Its revenues, as yet, are mostly de.
rived from its lumber expectations.
Those engaged in the numbering
business consume most of its stock
and agricultural products, of the lat
ter hay is the principal because it
pays the best, that is it is the easiest
produced and the most readily dis
posed of. Not much wheat is raised
in the county for the reason above
given. Our farmers hitherto have
found it profitable to put their land
in meadow and buy their wheat and
-four in Oregon. The small grains
do we'll here. 1t is not, however, q
corn country, though We have roast
ing ears of the first quality and
plenty of them. The nights are too
cool for corn and melons. All root
crops common to temperate climates
are first-class in quality and guam
tity. Our apples, pears, plums and
small fruits ara probably unsur-
passed. Peaches can be raised, but
not with any certainty. The sur
face of the country is varied-moun-
famous, billy and level-and as a
general rule timbered, though there
are here and there prairies. The
prairies are generally the poorest
soil, sandy and gravelly. Probably
one-half of the area of the county is
susceptible of high degree of cult
walton. Our good lands cannot be
surpassed in strength and produce
tiveness, they are anuvium, the soil
shot clay upon the highlands and
muck in the valleys. Of course, the
best lands are expensive to clear and
put in condition for cultivation, the
cost ranging from s25 to 500 per
acre, but when you get them cleared
you have the satisfaction of knowing
that the cost is permanent invest.
ment, upon which the produce will
return good interest if the soil is
properly cultivated. AS for game
and fish there is an abundance of
deer, grouse. pheasants and water
fowl of all kinds, and plenty of trout
in our numerous streams and lakes.
Salmon, rock cod, founders, smelt,
herring and tom cod, with some
other varieties, abound in the waters
of Puget Sound, and clans from
seven pounds down may be had for
the trouble of digging them. We
have no cyclones, hurricanes or tor
nadoes, and but occasional thunder
storms. We have snow in the Win
ter, sometimes to the depth of six
feet. but it generally turns to rain
and goes as it comes, within O few
days, at most a few weeks. Occa-
sionally, say once in four years,
there is good skating on the lakes
and ponds. Three seasons out of
five white turnips sowed in Septem-
Der, cabbage and the like, will grow
in the garden and be excellent for
use all Winter. As rule the last
of the Spring frosts come from the
LIST to the 18th of May, and the first
of the Fall frosts from the middle Of
September TO the middle of October.
We have no venomous snakes or
reptiles whatever, neither are our
slumbers disturbed by bed.bugs,
but as no country con be quite per-
feet we have lots of fleas in the set
Elements and yellow jackets and hor-
nets in the woods.
caro- there plenty of good Gov
eminent lands to be taken up, and
what can improved places be bought
for per acre."
About one-half of the lands in the
county, all of the untaken odd sec.
tons, were given by the United
States Government as a subsidy to
the Northern Pacific Railroad Com.