The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-05
LAID ON THE TABLE
How the Senate Buried a Me-
mortal From Seattle.
THE NEED or COAST DEFENSE.
Value or Csur d'AIene Lands-Condi-
ton of Washington Crops Far
Ahead OF other States.

WASHINGTON CRY, Sept. & - Senator
Squire has presented to the Senate the
memorial of the Chamber of Commerce of
Seattle. praying for an appropriation suffi-
Gent to place the Pacific sea coast in a
condition OF defense, which was ordered
to lie on the table," and there it will lie
until the last horn is sounded. In this
statement no disrespect IS intended to the
senator, and much less TO the leading body
of Washington's principal city, but our
congress has a way of neglecting such
things. which in q municipality would be
Judged disgraceful, until the threatening
shadow OF war casts out the sunshine of
peace. The United States never had a
hight for which IL was prepared, and IN
which, at the start, the government was
not nearly whipped out of its boots. 1t
has been even so with Indian tribes
Seattle, however, is not alone in this
memorial business, as the great city of
New York also petitioned congress to put
lock on the stable before the horse is
stolen" and followed up its request by
sending down delegation of bankers and
merchants. whose combined wealth was
said to represent $500 900 600. Still coa-
gress failed to get "a move on it," 1t
wonld seem that there is not as much
enterprise in congress now as there was
nifty years ago, as system of stone forts
was then started for the protection of the
chief seaboard cities, which when COM
pleted cost upwards of SIS, 000, co., They
were the best OF their kind, too, in that era,
as witness the desperate and successful
stand made by Fort Sumter against the COM
bined armored fleets of the government.
but, OF course. these stone piles are obso.
lete now as landmarks of war.
Seven years ago, however, congress went
so far as to create a board to devise sys-
tenn of protective works for the principal
coast cities, and this board elaborated
system of armored forts and coast works,
mounting the heaviest rified ordnance to
defend the approaches to twenty-seven of
the leading ports of this country, eleven of
which were given the first consideration.
Among these extra hazardous points,
though, Seattle or the Puget sound district
was not included, as there was then little
to protect, but it cannot be doubted-in-
deed, from information received at army
headquarters, it can be affirmed-that if
the fertilization board had to formulate
their report today there would be two ports
on the Pacific coast included in the urgent
list" instead of one-San Francisco.
The cost of the system of defenses then
devised was given as $l26,0o 600, but it
was asked that but $21, 100000 be provided
the first year, and then $4,000, 900 year
would be all the engineers could use, which
would take dozen years to put this coun-
try in a state of defense.
The man who defeated this programme
in congress was Samuel ]. Randall, and he
- ell e},, -, 81.
as his city, Philadelphia, is susceptible of
quick and effective defense by filing the
Delaware river with torpedoes. There are,
though, many Sam Randalls now. at least
in this respect. and they expect, and
should secure. perpetuity in legislative an
nails as the men who left their country de-
money. For the reasons given | doubt If
the prayer of Seattle will be needed.
Congressman Wilson has made favor
able report from the committee on Indian
affairs on the bill passed by the Senate Ito
ratify and confirm certain agreements
with the Coeur 'Alene Indians in Idaho"
Under the bill the total area acquired by
the United States. proposed and agreed to
be coded by these Indians, aggregates
about 5000. 900 acres, which will be secured
at a total cost of $3.50, 900. making an aver
age cost Of about p cents per acre. Mr..
Wilson says, in urging the House to agree
to the Senate measure:
The lands agreed to be ceded by these In
dams while of great value to said Indians, yet
are OF greater If not iuestimable value TO the
citizens of the United States in the eastern por-
ton of the state of Washington and northern
portion OF the territory of Idaho The equiva-
lent to be received from the United States by
these Indians for these cessions of land will en-
able them to put up saw and grist mills, which
now they have not; 70 improve their farms,
which are now being cultivated in an entirely
different portion OF their reservation. to-wit.
the central and southern portion thereof. The
lands 30 agreed to be coded do not include q
single cultivated farm Of said Indians so far a.
Is now known.
The county correspondents of the de-
partment of agriculture write, relative to
the wheat crop, as follows:
Kliekitat - Improved by cool, moist. west
wind. Lincoln-Sutfered slightly from hos
weather, but is still far above the average Cow
litz-Good season and prospect.
Professor Dodge, statistican of the de-
partment. furnishes the following esti-
mates of the average condition of the crops
in Washington:
Corn, average condition, %; wheat, 81; rye,
90; oats. 9s: barley, 80; potatoes 80; hay, aver
age condition of timothy. 81; product OF clover
compared with full crop. IS; average quality
of clover hay, 100; standing for high quality.
sS; pasture. average condition, 81; sorghum, %;
apples 90: peaches, 10; grapes, g.
The average condition of the following
are shown by the statistlcian to be higher
than ia any other section of the country:
Wheat, oats, barley and apples. In other
,roI,.afs nauxaI WazhirOt00 Ia aWav
ahead of the general average for the eoun-
try, and in some, like corn and potatoes,
the best record is equaled.
President Compromises With Cattlemen.
WAsHINeToS Cry, Sept. AIN response
TO the representations of the cattlemen of
Indian territory, the president has agreed