The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-22

Puget Sounds Advantages Should Be
Set Forth in the East and England.


SEATTLE, Dec. II, 1880.
Some few weeks ago attention was called In an
editorial In the columns of the PosT-ISTELLI-
GEScER to the agricultural conditions existing
in the southeastern part of England among the
farming community, and the suggestion was
thrown out as to the desirability of making
special effort TO induce those who contemplate
leaving the old country for lands less burdened
with taxation aud where prices for their pro-
ducts would be more remunerative, 10 inyest-
gate the exceptional advantages offered by the
virgin soils and rich bottom lands of the Puget
Sound country. While the citizens of Seattle
and Tacoma have done much 10 literally ad-
vertise the advantages of their respective cifies
no effort has yet been made TO call the attention
OF the better class of working farmers OF the
Eastern states and Great Britain to the immense
opportunities offered by the state OF Washing
ton ut the present time. The climate ana SOIL
are especially adapted to what is called mixed
farming, which is the speciality OF the old yeo-
man class OF England Their long years OF
training and experience have made them special
lists in the successful raising OF orchard fruits,
hops and market gardening generally. They
also thoroughly understand the dairy and how
to successfully raise cattle, hogs and poultry,
and it Is from these districts where the
finest grades Of meat and other food products
for the London market are chiefly obtained
The governments of Australia, New Zealand and
sirable class OF emigrants by maintaining in
London immigration offices supplied with COM
pletc and reliable information aud statistics as
TO the advantages which the farming lands OF
these respective new countries offer. The gov
ernments OF these young countries know full
well that such men make the very best kind OF
permanent settlers. Mostly men of families
with some means and thorough practical
knowledge of the business, they viii succeed
where many fail. The United states has never
made any organized effort in this direction that
viii compare with the efforts of the governments
obtainable i'll London with regard 10 the advan-
tages OF the various portions Of this country IS
sectional ana In many cases unreliable. A few
states, however, have partially followed out the
plan of the colonial governments, and some few
years ago an effort OF this kind, under the aus
pices OF the state board OF emigration OF the state
OF Florida, was very successful in obtaining
quite number of desirable immigrants to their
state by establishing headquarters in LONDON
ana furnishing 1t with pamphlets inli oil IN
ns,s that OF assa ns prdba the
markets where they can be sold, the
production per acre, and all such information
that would enable the intending immigrant to
form some Judgment OF the opportunities that
were offered. The writer had occasion some few
years ago to need some information of this very
Kind, and was absolutely unable to obtain any
offered by the Pacific coast, and especially the
territory :of Washington. The immigration
board OF the state OF Florida expended altogether
some $500 IN advertising the state in Great
Britain, and IL was the means of bringing large
number OF very desirable settlers into the state,
and II was computed that over 81 200 worth of
capital was attracted in this way. The state OF
Florida, however, can offer no such advantages
As the state OF Washington to this most desira-
bic class of settlers. The climate and soil of the
sunny south require treating in special way 10
obtain remuneTative results. Here, in Wash
ington, the soil and climatic conditions are alb
solutely identical, and whether ii be a wheat
farmer from Lincolnshire or a fruitgrower from
Kent or sussex, he would feel at home at once
in his new surroundings. The competition of
Washington hops in the London market is grow
ing stronger every year, and the kentish hop
grower, with his rents TO pay to landlord aris-
tocracy and heavy special taxation, coupled
with the enormous annual expense of fertiliZing
inset pests that ruin his hop gardens @ssd his
orchards) finds himself year by year growing
less able 70 cope with the product of the rich
virgin soil of our river bottoms. From private
been turning their eyes towards the lar West,
and have been seeking to get information as TO
the possibilities of the Puget sound country;
Here is a neglected opportunity which could
well be taken up by the Chamber of Commerce
OF this city in the absence of the state board of
immigration, which could handle the subject in
a more general way. The last few years have
seen the cities of Seattle and Tacoma have a
phenomenal growth, and the attention of its
citizens has been pretty fully occupied in keep.
ing pace with their own particular needs and
requirements caused by such large increase in
population; but il must not be forgotten that
these cities are dependent III large measure for
permanent prosperity on the development of
the agricultural resources of the country
around. No organized effort has yet been made
in this direction, but the present lull in the tide
OF immigration is coed one TO look around for
neglected opportunities TO build up the country
with a permanent, prosperous and desirable
community. Judging from the results obtained
by some OF the other states and British colonies
TO attract better class of settlers there is no
reason why effort of this kind should
not be equally successful iu this section
OF the country. II would also be the
means of not only attracting the working farmer
and agrieulturist, but the moneyed man and
capitalist, who is ever on the alert for new and
promising fields in which to invest to better adj
vantage the large amounts of idle and unre-
munerative capital which continue to accumu-
late in the old country. The greatest difficulty
is at present experienced in getting reliable in
formation about the resources OF the state
oi Washington \ few thousand dollars iu-
dieiously spent by the Chamber OF Commerce in
one hundred fold. An Office should be
opened in the city OF London in charge
OF some one well informed in all the pos
sbilities and opportunities offered by this
state and pamphlets and circulars brimfull of
statistics and reliable information could be seat
tered broadcast over the country; and am con-
WINGED that the results of such a step would, in
twelve months, more than compensate for the
outlay, and would do more than anything else
to help build up the young state of Washington,
and the Queen City, lis metropolis, OF which we
are all so proud. Respectfully.
\ MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF CoNMERcE.
THEY WERE NOT CHURCH MEMBERS