Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-02
IN THE NORTHWEST.
Ihe Country Of the Columbia River
and Puget Sound.
which II TO He the Future Grea,
Cp'-The F"rssss Of Oregon
and Wsshington-stapIe
Products.

lfortland tOre.l Cor New York Sun
A general boom prevailed throughout Ore.
gon and Washington territory from the ad-
vent of Willard till his downfall. Now an un-
ueniabie stagnation prevails in all kinds of
business. Many of the Lending business men,
capitalists and politicians of this region have
invested their money and lost heavily in
Northern Pacific, Oregon & TRANSFORMATION.
tai, orsgcn Improvement, and Oregon Rail
way a Navigation company stocks and de-
pendent enterprises, and all kinds of bushes;
have suffered through the embarrassment of
these companies.
The opening OF the Northern Pacific rail
road, the construction of which was attende
BY such genuine good times. has been fol-
lowed, as is generally the case by great dis
appointment Ii has changed the course of
business. rather thsn increased it. The
merchants OF Portland. who sapply 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 s,s-
pension of railroad building has thrown
many laborers out of employment, 50
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 Teen
grown during the current year in greater
profusion than ever before; but the deraul
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 ut about so
cents per bushel, and this leaves the farmer
in the interior less than 50 cents, in some
cases 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 one 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, il is les-
tined at no distant day to become the seat of
dense population and Of a great and profit.
able commerce, both foreign and domestic.
The Columbia and its tributaries as well as
Puget sound and its many channels, viii
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 i to be. Portland has
grown within the last twenty years from a
city of 5000 TO one Of ~, 600 and as it is ac-
cessible by the largest sea going vessels, and
rs the general government is improving
the channel through the bar at the mouth of
the Columbia, there is M perceptibie rrasol
why Portland should not maintain is lead |
and ultimately become n rival to San Fran.
cisco itself Tacoma, the ccean terminus 81 (
the Northern Pacific, and Seattle, boil /
situated on Puget sound, are thriving an; |
enterprising towns and both with the bit !
terest Jealousy Of each other aspire to lie the /
future great city. Their harburs are most |
excellent in every respect except that they |
are too deep 20 afford good anchorage Eacl |
claims to have the best harbor and the best /
of everything else, but so far as a disinter |
ested person can see, there is no essential diff /
ference between them, except that Tacoms
has the best hotel, an exceedingly good one /
and has been designated as the terminus OF |
the Northern Pacific railroad !
Tie forests of Oregon and Washington /
west of the Cascade mountains contain the |
largest and most valuable body of accessible /
~s,;,,,a., g.. g., - .:NI+,
1so 0oo oo0 ooO loot boari ,naas,ra - 49,.
cb,nt,ble Iumb.r If wbio,, 81. -,
2 Goa coo GOO feat bavo 60 far b.en c,,t amd
cont 10 tho ,ortet ieav;n@ 1aT aoo ono onC
feet standing II is also estimated tLa,
500 600 600 feet were cut and sold in the Won,
lss, ut an avsraqa of s11 rar 600 Tbo
proceeds are said TO have feen divided nm.
nroximatelv as follows.
Laoor; nSsihs ahu sa"ns' rece''e d. -oo ooo
s.nn,,lal, ra,.,.: N ca,,t. 49,. \, o0S
Toware or hauling. so cents ner M go 000
Interest on mill slant. 10 per cent 500 Coz |