, 1886-02-18
Tie Admission of Washington.

statehood:
The bill includes within the bound
aries of the proposed state the ter
Titory Of Washington and that part
of tie territory Of Idaho lying north
/ OF the Salmon river, known as the
| Panhandle Of Idaho. This portion of
Idaho territory IS separated from the
southern part OF the territory by q
practically impossible range of
mountains In physical features and
IN tue character Of its population it
| IS like the western part Of Washing
ton Territory. and the sentiment of
the entire people of Idaho is that it
! should be annexed to Washington.
1t Is believed that there is no obiec-
! ton thereto.
! The state of Washington thus con
stitUted viii be about $50 miles from
east to west and about 200 miles from
north to south, and contain, inclusive
of its inland waters, about 10000
square miles excluding such waters,
about $1,000 square miles area
larger than all of the six New Eng
land states; within one-tenth as
much as the combined areas of New
York and Pennsylvania. 1t will only
be exceeded in size by Texas. Cali
| fornia. Colorado, Oregon and Nevada.
Washington Territory contains A,
| I96i60 acres of land, of which about
! 100000 acres are mountainous and
! largely Unsuryeyable. Surveys have
been completed of 2l.164, ,232 acres,
| leaving OF good agricultural and TIM
ber lands yet TO be surveyed i'll Wash
ington Territory 1851, 500 acres
This includes seventeen Indian re
serVations, containing 6,332, 96i acres,
partly surveyed.
Its natural resources are probably
more varied than those of any state,
unless it be Pennsylvania. A large
portion consists of very rich agricul-
tural lands, adapted to the produc-
tion of all the cereals rs well as
other products Another large por
ton is heavily timbered, probably the
largest and finest body of timber
within the limits of the United States
and Territories It Is estimated that
an amount of lumber equal to that
now cut annually ly in the United States
if cut in Washington Territory, would
exhaust its timber in about thirty.tiye
years. 1t has large and valuable
deposits of coal and iron, and is fairly
rich in the precious minerals. Its
location on the Pacific ocear and its
vast inland sea, known as Pugets
sound, insure its Importance as a
maritime state. Its resources are
such as must inevitably invite and
support an Intelligent, industrious,
and prosperous people.
Washington territory was organ
lied in 1858 Its growth has until
recently been gradual. and not rapid,
Its remoteResS and difficulty of access
account therefor With rich lands
nearer the centers of immigration,
and more easily accessible, it was but
natural thi5 territory should wait de-
velopment The building of the
Northern Pacific and other railroads,
and the building up of Port Town
send and other seaport towns, have
given it mighty impetus within the
past decade, and every indication
points to the certainty that in the
near future it is to become one OF the
richest and strongest states OF the
Union.
The population within the bound
aries OF the proposed state is certain
ly equal to the present ratio of repre-
sentation in the house of represen =
tatives, and from the best informa-
ton the committee can obtain is pro-
bably az much as LIS, 900 and rapidly
increasing,
All the essential characteristics of
q stable and well-regulated state are
present Citizens of other states,
who have gone there to stay. make up
the largest portion of its people. 1t
has, in other words, a fixed popula-
tion composed of persons who, prior
to their settlement in this territory.
were accustomed to take part in all
the duties and sustain the responsi-
bilities incident to a residence In or
ganized states.
Not to dwell too minutely upon the
character and extent of its business,
educational and moral development,
a few leading facts may be cited to
show its claims to the privilege Of
statehood.
Its population has already been
stated. There are thirty.three or
ganized counties in Washington ter
ritory proper. and four III the por-
ton of Idaho which is to be en-
braced within the state. The as
sessed valuation of Washington ter
ritory is over S50,000,000, and no
debt 1t has in operation over 500
miles of railroad, with nearly loo
more substantially completed. Its
commerce employs 2S40 vessels with
q tonnage of 1,240,499 tons. Its
foreign and domestic exports are
over SI0,000,000 from its own ports,
while very large portion of its
surplus products are now shipped
from Portland, Astoria and eastern
ports.
TO indicate the extent of this com
merce not registered in its own
custom houses 1t is estimated that at
least 250,000 tons of wheat, -four and
} barley, the surplus product of the
, southeastern portion of the territory
alone, is being shipped during the
current year TO Portland to Ee ex-
ported from thence The output OF
coal for the year 1885 was over 400,
600 tons. It's numbering business is
extensive, and with its connected in.
dustries, constitutes the largest
branch of manufacture. Iron mining
and manufacture is being rapidly
developed. It's cattle and sheep
raising is extensive and valuable. It
is estimated that over 100000 cattle
and 100000 pounds of wool are an
nually shipped from the territory
lts fisheries are large and remun-
erative- 1t has Is national banks, SO
newspapers, 267 church organiza-
tions, 723 school houses, with a
: school attendance of 10000 children,
besides a state university and "a
private institutions of learning, en-
bracing colleges; seminaries, and
} academies
In the opinion of the committee
70 reason exists why such q people