Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-11-15
A New Yorker on Washington.

A large number of our readers will
remember mention made in these
columns last August Of Henry b. Cliff
ford, young New York gentlemen who
had just completed five months inves-
tigation of our mining regions in the
interests of the Northern Pacific. Re
duction Company-the company which
proposes to locate a smelter in Eastern
Washington in the very near future.
Shortly after his witt to Sprague Mr..
Clifford returned Last and has since
been engaged in cnlightening New
York capitalists as to our resources.
We print below an extract from a
speech delivered to large body Of
millionaires at Albany, N. Y, on Sept.
17th by Mr.. Clifford:
"What a treasure vault tc the
scientest is the wonderful geological
strata OF Washington, where we can
wander among the steel ribbed hills
and feel the throbbing pulse of Mother
Earth. What paradise to the tourist
where water falls from crags and cliffs
down deep gorges until its body is mu-
tilated by the heavy drop and rises to
kiss the clouds under a veil of mist.
Where the water jewels spring from
crystal sprays and dance before the
eye until your vision is stunned by the
beauty of its translucent cOlOrs.
Mountains torn apart by ancient
floods. Mountains standing in col
umns like sentries entrusted with the
keeping of treasurers precious rs the
golden apples in the garden OF Hospe-
rides. No one need seek scenery in a
foreign land when the eye can feast
upon such grandeur as Mt. Rainier,
that rears its proud head almost to the
azure blue of heaven, its crown capped
with perpetual snow.
II you would turn to the lakes of
Switzerland, first visit Lake Shelan
and feast your eyes upon scenery as
picturesque as any on the globe !;
where you stand upon table of pure
white marble and see the grandest
carnage of colors that the world has
ever known. Rocks of helitrope; rocks
of emerald; rocks of pearl and rocks of
ebony, until the whole horizon is as
picturesque in its combinations of
colors as the mighty stained windows
of a gothic cathedral.
II you seek to try your metal with
noble game, brave the grizzly bear, the
hroo II -hor,oJ all, tho Hoot footed .yoo-
and the crOuching lion in the almost
primeval forests of the Pacific coast.
Seek not for the grapes of France un-
til your lips have been kissed by the
luscious juices of our western fruits.
If you say beautiful farming lands,
gaze, as l have done, upon valleys and
plains teeming with the grandest gems
of vegetation; where the roses and the
violet, the lily and the golden rod bud
in the open air, the atmosphere heavy
with their fragrant fumes. Where the
cattle browse in meek contentment,
among the grass that reach their flank,
where they stand knee deep in the
crystal food and quench their thirst
in the cool springs that gurgle and
spout from the hidden streams that
find their to the surface and form
streams that feed the meadow lands,
where they are lulled to sleep by the
sweet music from the tiny throats of
birds or brilliant hues; the trees grow
to such majestic proportions as to
cause the kings of Virginia pineries to
bow their heads almost subservient as
it were.
What prospect of joy it must be
to the farmer who has resided in Kan
sas and Colorado to gaze upon such a
country as Washington, devoid of all
crop-destroying pests; to see the sur
rounding hills that shelter the dwell
ings and fields from devastating and
pitiless tornado; where the soil is so
rich in natural phosphates that every
branch of husbandry can be carried
on; where the luxuriant grasses grow
in profusion tinting the landscape
with green, gold, purple and crimson.
Where such is the marvellous luxu-
rance of nature that each tree or vine
weakens or actually destroys its neigh
bOr by its excessive production, unless
the watchful eye of the farmer pre-
vents as its bearing powers are greater
than the space will permit; where if
quickly sown, one plant springs up to
destroy its predecessor and is doomed
itself by the growth of its own prede-
cessor. To see the mountains covered
with dense growth of timber that
can be utilized for his home, his barn
and his fences; where the hand of
generous nature has deposited in the
rocky fastenesses of the earth great
stratas of coal to warm the body. Sur
rounded by towering mountains, teem-
ing with metallic wealth, sufficient to
have stricken dumb with amazement
tho phOouiciop p,iuoro NaJ,,,,,. .rI