Year: 1868

| resources OF the Northern Paciue
Coasf-AlaskH n Good Bargain.


The Rev. G. II. Atkinson addressed
the Chicago Board of Trade, on Thurs
day. He said that for many years he


had been a missionary in Oregon,
and all aloag the Pacific coast. Latter
ly he had returned to the States with o
view of making public the condition
and capabilities of that vast region. He
had lectured in Connecticut and before
the New York Board of Trade upon the
subject, and desired to spend few mo-
ments in giving his audience some con-
ceptions of what the Northwest is ca
pablo of. The speaker then entered
into brief statement of the various
elements of prosperity which made
that region one of 80 great promise IN
the future. The soil, climate, produc-
tions, all were touched upon briefly.


With regard to grasses, the Indian
horses subsist upon the grass grown
there without a particle of prepared
fodder. Years ago the farmers did not
even attempt to take any care of their
cattle. Where do we find the best
wheat, -four, and corn in the country I
The New York dealers will tell you that
the best ofYall comes from Oregon.
During the past year the people of Ore
gon have been sending wheat 5000 miles
to New York at profit, even to Liver
pool. 1t is trade that goes on.


So, too, with regard to the mines of
Oregon. These are in great part as yet
undeveloped. There is wonderful
wealth vet hid in the mines of that
State.


He next spoke of the climate, and the
proposed Northern Pacific railroad. 1t
is generally supposed that this route
will always be secondary to the Central
route. But this is not so. If great
circle of the earth be drawn along the
two routes, and the distance thus ascer-
tanned, 1t will be found that the uorth-
ern route is 800 or 900 miles shorter.
The snow, too, is much less than upon
the southern route.


1t is well known that the climate is
warmer. 1t is necessarily so, because
of the great disparities in the extent of
mountain country to be travelled, and
also in the height Of the mountains.
Not less than 40 miles of sheds would
be needed along the Central route to
protect it from snowdrifts, and even
then it is doubtful if the thing could
be done. There is no such necessity
attached to the northern route.


But what do you think of Alaska he
was asked. He thought il q good bar
gain, worth five times its cost. The
same aerial river that l have spoken of
will always prevent its being land of
icebergs. 1t is, in reality, warm re-
gion, and the person who expects to
lind it land of bears and icebergs will
be mistaken. The deer live and thrive
there. There are large cod fisheries and
salmon fisheries, the profits of which
are very large. The fur interests are
very great, and its profits to us will be
also very great. There is gold there,
too, and mines which will be devel- |
oped. The lumber trade is large, and,
to close, the purchase is great acquisi-
tion to our whalers. 1t will save vast
amounts to them. Hitherto, when
vessel had completed cargo in few
days, she has been obliged to go as far
as Honolulu or San Francisco, to reship |
it upon another vessel, consuming some
two months and costing much time and
money. Now she only needs to go to
KodIah or Sitka, and be back upon ner
fishing grounds in short time. In
closing, the speaker prephesied that in
side of five years, large distance OF
this northern route would be complet-
ed. And the effects upon the develop
ment of the country would be such in
extent as no one could possibly enter
tain who had given no attention to the
resources of the great northwest
Chicdgo Tribune.