Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-04-26
PACIFIC COAST PROSPECTS.
Mining, Timber, Stock nnd Agrt-
cultural Production Flourish

| The SltuatlOn,' he said to the
Pioneer-Press, is improving, particu
larly in Montana and Idaho. Busi
ness is quiet ON the North Pacific
coast, but by comparison only. Port,
land is certainly as prosperous as any
OF her Eastern rivals. The Puget
Sound cities are still feeling the effect:
OF the hard times, but the country i'm.
mediately tributary shows signs oil
improvement and increase in emigra.
ton.
Just as present the very low rates
in effect by ocean between San Fran.
cisco and Puget Sound-$5 first-class
and $3 second class, berths and meals
included-are being taken advantage
OF by hundreds of residents and visi.
tors in California, who are thus Ell.
abled to see for themselves the great
States of Oregon and Washington
which they now fully realize amply
form an empire no longer paying
tribute to California. The ocean rate
war has extended into Alaskan waters
and the rates to day, Tacoma to Sitka
are $l2 first and Sc second class
berths and meals included. Many
miners are taking advantage OF these
rates to push for the gold fields of the
Yukon river country. which are at.
tracing more and more attention each
year.
"There is gold-mining fever at
Spokane that is fully justified by the
recent rich discoveries made directly
north of there in the Trail creek
country. The War Eagle. a mine
OF wonderful richness, is the sub
ject of conversational the streets
and at the clubs. This mine,
although a new one, has paid its
owners its cost ;of development and
several large dividends, and with
plenty of good ore in sight, it is small
wonder that properties for miles around
it are being developed as rapidly as
the scarcity of labor thus early in the
season in that section will permit.
"While there is no boom travel,
there is a steady flow of settlers into
Washington and Oregon, especially
into the Yakima valley, where the
transition from what appeared TO be a
barren, unproductive region to a val
ley of fruitful farms and substantial
homes is manifest day by day.
"The situation in Montana is most
encouraging. Placer gold properties
are being developed in many new To-
calities. One of the most recent
camps is Lump Gulch, Is miles south
east of Helena, on the Northern Pa
ci6c's Calvin branch. While the camp
is only few months old, it has about
1000 inhabitants. and gives promise
OF rapid and prosperous growth.
Basin is an older and more substantial
mining camp on this branch, with
quartz properties SO far developed that
the value and permanency of this dis
trict is beyond question. Great rs are
the cattle, mining and timber indus
tries OF Montana, they cannot, and
from this time forward never will, en-
tirely overshadow her agricultural
resources. We are accustomed to
think of Montana only as a producer
OF precious minerals, train loads of
cattle and timber second only to that
of Washington, but it is a fact that
Montana has in her valleys nearly
l,OOO miles OF irrigating bitches, under
which they are able to produce not
only fruits of rare excel ence, but
wheat, oats, barley. fax ami -otatoes
that will rank with similar products
from States supposed to be, from an
agricultural standpoint, much more
favorably situated. The stockmen are
naturally feeling greatly elated over
the mild winter through which they
have just passed and the present fa-
vorable prices. The losses on the
range have been smaller than for
years past.
From 1887 to 1890 the Northern
Pacific Railroad alone carried to Ore
gon and Washington consider rably
more than 100000 people, who bought
our one-way second-class tickets.
Such thing as q land or home
seekers excursion rate was never made
by the Puget Sound and Portland
lines; therefore this emigration could
be due to but one thing-persistent
methodical work, carried on in season
and out OF season, summer and winter
alike, and from year to year. Our
land departments, | think, will tell
you that while we have had no spring
excursion rates they are selling more
land in Minnesota and placing morc
actual settlers this spring than lor
several seasons past"
AN American specialist in astronomy