The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-05
IN NORTHWEST.
Topeka Mans Observation on
This Beautiful Region.
Has Possibilities That Amaze
the Tourist.
MAJESTIC COLUMBIA.
The Scenery Along Its Banks
Unparalleled.
Garden Spot Of the World Be-
MAJESTIC COLUMBIA.
Garden Spot of the World Be-
tween the Ranges.


To the Editor of the State Journal:
He who goes to the Pacific Northwest,
into this land of large and swift achieve
ment, as student and careful observer,
cannot remain there long before his pen
will be speeding over the page, and he
will find himself sharing the glow and
enthusiasm in which great cities have
grown out of a wilderness in a genera
ton, and from which great lines of
commerce are radiating over both land
and sea to reach the uttermost parts
of the earth
Few countries have in them just now
SO great possibilities, and such open
ingS for the investment of ready cap
ital, and the trying of sinewy arm and
a brave heart. A glance at the map OF
this great domain tells an interesting
story. Here are not only one great
deep ocean harbor but a dozen, and
several of these have already acquired
splendid commerce with the Orient.
Eastward four great continental rail-
way arteries pierce the Rockies and
connect the glorious Mississippi valley
with the wide-Spreading Pacific, stand
ing ready to shift the load to or from
the mammoth leviathans which join our
western shores with those of Japan,
China, the Indias, and our own Philip
pines. An observer need stand but
few hours on the docks of Seattle, Ia
coma, Everett and San Francisco to be
convinced that our Pacific coast has as
sumed the offensive in winning the
Oriental trade for our own land, q. fac
tor which is increasing marvelously
every passing year.
Geograp hically and geologically the
Pacific Northwest has possibilities
which amaze the thoughtful observer.
pair of mountains extend southwark
from our northern boundaries nearly
two thousand miles dividing into paral-
lei divisions the coast country, and each
of these have their different functions.
Facing the ocean is the Coast Range,
not so lofty, but finely timbered and
splendidly watered, especially on the
north. Greater, loftier and more beau
tiful are the Cascades which face the
arid plateaus OF the Interior and De
tween these two ranges is series of
wide and fertile valleys which extend
from Puget Sound southwark until they
cross the California line near Mt.
Shasta only to broaden again into the
beautiful Sacramento and the wonder
full San Joaquin valleys, which uniting
break through the front range and pour
their waters into San Francisco bay
and thence through the Golden Gate
into the majestic Pacific.
Southwark lies California, land of
absolute contrasts. 1t has its low
lands, uplands and mountains of every
height from gentle Sloping hills to
Alpine SUBMITS which pierce the
clouds of the sky and are covered with
everlasting glaciers. 1t has its torrid
wastes and it's Death Valley" its
snow covered peaks and ice cold lakes
of the upper Sierras. Tt is dry here
and wet there. Its plains are drench-
ed in winter and parched in summer.
1t has its marvelously fertile valleys
covered with fruits which command
the admiration of the world, and also
it's worthless wastes and alkali plains,
which in turn dishearten the would-be
settler. There one may hide himself
- love- sr,o SfpI Ia
mountains two hundred miles from a
railroad or he may stand in the open
gateways on the ocean and be a
neighbor to all the world.
Oregon and Washington do not
have these extremes quite so pro-
nounced. However, their splendid in
duStries are fully as varied and invit-
ing as those of their sister coast state.
These two northern states may be said
to stand together, for in their lands, in
their history, in their past, and in
their future, they have very much in
common. Oregon was once the
by Oregon, Washington, Idaho and a
part of Montana. The title of these
lands originally came through Spain;
however in the latter days they fell
to us by the right of discovery CD
and settlement though for long time
they were a bone of contention with
Great Britain, until their ownership
and boundaries were finally settled by
allel of latitude was made the boun-
dairy line of our Pacific northwest.
No intelligent tourist can cover this
noble section of our great domain and
not be impressed with the scenery and
flow of the majestic Columbia river
which bisects this land east and west. !
So charming is the music of the poet
Bryant's line, where rolls the Ore |
gon," that he might wish that the |
word Columbia" had never been |
born. The solitary charm of the poet
has been spoiled by the coming of the |
settler, and never again can the poet
sing:
sfWhere rolls the Oregon.
And hears no sound save his own
dashings.'
The four great rivers of our land
are the Columb ia. Mississippi, st. Law |
renee and Colorado, and they drain |
the four quarters of the country they |
ramify. The first named reaches it's !
long fingers southwark in the beauti- |
full Willamette valley spreading out Il
over the finest agricultural section of
the northwest; eastward by the twist |
ing Snake river all over Idaho and |
into the Rockies in Montana, covering |
a strange volcanic region through |
which the river flows like a dainty rib |
bon. of blue; and northward over the |
international boundary line and into |
the eternal glaciers of the Selkirks of
British CoIumbi
Between the Cascades and the Coast |
Ranges is found the garden spot of the