Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-12-28
WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
Prevailing characteristics
HOr11e-See1KerS.

Briefly DETAILED FOR THE INFORMATION OF
HO111e-S Seekers.
So numerous are the letters of in
quiry received from different parts Of
the Union, written by people conte M
plating change of home, that we an
swer in detail one of these which
seems to cover the widest scope of in
vestigation, in the hope that it may be
of service to all. The author of the
following queries resides in Texas,
which will account for the interest he
takes in the political conditions in our
Territory. He begins with:
How many degrees below zero does the ther-
mOmeter get as Il general thing?
GAS a general thing" it don't get
below zero at all. During a residence
of 81 years on Puget Sound, the writer
has never known it to be below that
temperature but once, for day or two
in an unusually hard winter many sea-
sons ago. The opening month OF the
present winter now at close, has
been so mild that Vegetation has not
been in the least affected by the frost
the sun shining brightly a larger por-
ton of the time by day and Overcoats
have been sdldom brought into requi-
sition even at night.
Boquets of flowers are frequently
picked through the entire season. The
m can temperature of the winter
months average about 50 degrees in
October, As in November, 40 in De-
cember, 80 to 35 in January, 40 in Feb
ruary and so in March. This may
seem to Eastern people rather long
winter, but the rainy season in Oregon
and Washington, which continues
about five months, beginning near the
middle of October and lasting till
some time in March, is in common
parlance called winter, and the re-
malnder of the year, the "dry"
months, Summer.
How high is the temperature in Summer?
The mercury seldom rises above so
degrees, although it occasionally
climbs to 80, the average temperature
being about GO degrees.
Is your climate subject to sudden changes?
No; not OF temperature. In the
Winter months there are frequent al
ternations of rain and sunshine, and the
"dry" season is not devoid of an occa-
sional rainfall. There are showers
enough to supply moisture for vege-
tation, and precipitation in the form
of dew, especially in the Eastern divis-
ion of the Territory, is SO regular and
ample that failure of crops from
drouth are absolutely unknown. 1t
may seem strange to people who have
not considered the circumstances of
location and surroundings that our
climate should be SO equible, but it is
easily explained. The Japanese cur
rent which flows from the equator
northward, is DETECTED from direct
course and flows along our western
coast. This warm current produces
the same effect as the Gulf Stream on
some parts of the Atlantic Coast, and
acts as an immense heater at the time
when the Frost-king would otherwise
make his presence most sensibly felt.
Western Washington is likewise protec-
ted from southwest storms by the Cas-
cade range of mountains, which makes
it still more even than the Eastern
division which is in some degree protec-
ted by the backbone of the continent
the Rocky Mountains. This ensures a
climate of an equal and mild temper
ature, adapted the more to comfort
from the fact that the nights OF Sum-
mer are uniformly cool. This is owing
to the moderate temperature of the
day as well as the northwest breeze
prevailing uniformly during the dry
season.
Do you have rain as they say they doin Cali
fOrnia and Oregon,
The question shows that They Say
has been, as usual, unreliable. The
climates of California and Oregon are
very dissimilar, while those of Wash
ington and our neighboring State are
almost identical. California is noted
for drought in Summer; Oregon and
Washington never. The soil requires
expensive works for irrigation in Cali
fornia here none. The temperature
is generally higher in California than
further north, as is indicated by the
production of tropical fruits, such as
oranges, lemons, grapes, and such veg
etables as the sweet potato.
Eastern people and by Eastern
people We mean Southern as we'll
should bear in mind that California is
but part of the Pacific Coast, and is
nearly a thousand miles from Puget
Sound, there being ten degrees Of lati-
tude difference between San Francis
CO and Olympia. This admonition
seems proper at this time as the writer
found so many people during his
Eastern tour who persisted i'll designa-
ting the whole Pacific slope California.
How do people subject to bronchitis stand the
climate?
Bronchitis, dependent on antecedent
pulmonary disease, especially of the
dry variety, is often benefited by the
moist, salty atmosphere. Acute bron-
chitis is almost always cured without
becoming chronic. When it becomes
chronic, there is an excessive muco-
purulent sputa, as one Of the doctors
states it, whom We have consulted on
this point. In scrofulous or tubercu-
lar form, patients would probably DO
better i'll dryer climate. All pulmo-
nary diseases Of the dry variety APP
pear to be more easily treated here,
and those that are afflicted appear to
survive longer than in any climate We
have in United States. Catarrh of
the naso-pharyngeal variety prevails
here to limited extent. Some other
varieties are more common, in which
dampness acts as an exciting cause.
How does a person inclined to be bilious
stand the climate?
Bilious fevers are generally the re-
suit of chronic malarial poisoning and
miasms generated by heat. And as
neither malarial fevers nor extreme
heat are met with here, bilious attacks
are very uncommon, when you do moi
include indigestion, 1.-the murmur o.
a guilty stomach"
What are the principal diseases people ar,
subject TO in the Winter?
Acute colds are not very common
during the Winter. Quinsy and lyran
gifts are much more prevalent. Tub
CIRCULAR consumption prevails exten
sively here and appears to be spread
ing very rapidly, owing to the con
tagiousness of the disease and the al