Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-12-07
Department of the Interior.
SECRETARY vILAs'S REPORT IN REGA
TO WASHINGTON TERRITORY

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Department of the Interior.
SECRETARY yILAs's REPORT IN REGARI
TO WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The Secre
tary of the Interior has submitted i
very voluminous report Following
is that portion relating to Washington
Territory:
The population of Washington Ter
ritory in 1880 was 66,979; it is now
l67 ,9S2 at low estimate, and the Gov
ernment believes it is 10000 above
this figure.
The assessed value of the taxable
property of the Territory is $S4, 4,621,
lS2, gain of over 500 100000 during
the past ten years, and of $23,05S, 900
for the past year, due in part to the
addition for the frs: time of railroad
property to the assessment rolls.
All expenses have been paid from
the Territorial revenues, and since 1878
the tax levy has not exceeded mills,
and is now only q mills. In 1878 a
4-mills levy produced revenue of $67, ;
69S, while in 1888, with q mills levy,
it was $2l2,734.
During the year ending June 80,
1888, l,O23,773 acres of public land
were entered by various methods, and
26S,70O acres were sold by the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company, total
OF | POI ,437 acres disposed of to in
dividuals during the year. An extern
sion of the surveys of public land is
urged by the Governor, 1892 2,O7O
acres being the present unsurveyed
area of the Territory.
The total railway mileage is now l.
1877, an increase of 1871 miles for
the year.
The most noteworthy event COM
mercially within the year is the direct
shipment of teas from China and Japan
to our Eastern States. More of the
crops and ores of Central and Eastern
Washington are shipped at Tacoma
and Seattle every year, and railroads
have difficulty in handling this sudden
accession of new business. The bank
ing capital of the Territory is over 49,
OOO, 900, of which 81 $4,000 is the cap
ital of national banks.
The Governor believes that, of the
lands disposed of this year, 965 ,08491
acres went into the hands of actual set
tiers, who generally desired to use them
for agriculture.
Over q large part of the Territory ir-
rigation is necessary, and when intro
duced it will add greatly to the agri-
cultural development, which, as these
figures indicate, is making fine start
The statistics of the stock industries
of Washington are obtainable, but it
appears that it is no longer profitable
to raise inferior stock on the open
ranges, which are greatly curtailed by
the influx of settlers. Cultivated fields
are taking the place of bunchgrass,
and food and shelter are provided for
the stock.
The salmon catch fell offin 1887-'SS,
but the importance of this industry is
apparent from the annual expenditure
of s., 100000 Of the lower Columbia
salmon canneries. The salmon pack
of 1883 was 354, 900 cases. This val
liable product should be cared for and
hatchery established there by the
General Government.
Coal mining has been successfully
pursued during the year ending Sep
tember 80, 1888, the output being l.
l33,SOl tons, an increase of Cos, S,096
tons over the last fiscal year.
The gold and silver mines of Okan-
ogan county are now said to be upon
a permanent base" There are now on
record in this county 1884 quartz
claims. Nearly all upon which work
has been done show gold or silver in
paying quantities.
Galena mines with considerable sill.
yer are also found.
The famous forests of Washington
Territory furnished 32O,OOO,OOO feet of
lumber, 69,OO0,OOO laths, 5OOOO,OOO
shingles, of which over two-thirds were
shipped for foreign consumption. The
shingles are the best made. The Gov
ernor thinks so important product
should be cared for in some effective
way. He says in this connection
II cannot forbear urging upon your
attention the importance of caring for
our forests. Vast areas of the con.
tinent that are practically worthless
for other purposes could be utilized
for tree culture. l understand very
well that it will be found impractible
to prevent the denudation of lands
that are valuable for agricultural pur
poses, but the timber on our mountain
sides and on the more elevated table
lands can be preserved for a future
supply, and can eventually be utilized
under system of renewals which viii
prevent the laying bare of the ground
In this way not only can our timber
supply be made as permanent as any
other cultivated product, but ou
|streams can be maintained at thei
maximum flow. A forestry commits
sion, with enlarged power, maintained
by ample appropriations, should b.
created before our forests become s,
reduced in area by wasteful method
of utilization, by fire and disease, tina
the lack of timber becomes seriou
obstacle to our progress.