AMERICA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9609, 30 December 1891, Page 5

AMERICA.

NOTES BY THE WAT.

[By William Mobley.] IV. A NEW STATE AND A VIBGIN SOIL.

A little more than a hundred years ago the representatives of thirteen American Colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. These people and their descendants have grown and spread, until to-day there are in the Union over which the Stars and Stripes wave no less than forty-five separate States and five Territories. Each of these is of considerable extent, and the whole form a magnificent Empire. The process of growth seems to be this; A few adventurous spirits leave the old centres of population and settle on unoccupied lands. Others hear of their prosperity, covet their freedom and join them. Presently towns grow np. Communication is maintained with the outer world, and government is found to be necessary. Presently it is proclaimed a Territory. A Governor is sent hy the President, with a staff of officers responsible for the maintenance of order. The settlers shortly desire the privilege of electing their own officers, and to enjoy the opportunity of voting for the President. It, therefore, becomes a State, a Republic within a Republic, deciding for itself as to the laws necessary for the regulation of internal affairs, and in general matters subject to the authority of the Union. The latest instance of this development is in the State that bears the name of “ The Father of his Country.” WASHINGTON. Situated in the extreme north-west, abutting directly on Puget Sound, and bounded on the north by British Columbia, it has evidently before it a great destiny. Only explored in the early years of this century, the place where John Jacob Aster laid the foundation of the colossal fortunes of his family from 1810 to 1820, the great seat of the fur trade fifty years ago, it is to-day the chosen home of a busy, active and enterprising people, who are literally gathered from the ends of the earth. It is a country 340 miles in length by 240 in width, and has an area of 70,000 square miles. Ten years since there were m it only 75,000 persons all told ; now the population is 860,000. This in itself is a remar liable testimony to its prosperity and attractiveness, for population does not grow by nearly 500 per cent in a single decade unless there is some strong inducement. Directly through the centre of the State runs the noble range of

THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS, averaging some four thousand feet in height, but occasionally towering up into peaks that are three times that altitude. These mountains divide the country into two distinct sections, of which, speaking generally, it may be said that the eastern is devoted to mining and growing wheat, while in the western dairying, fruitgrowing, the timber trade and fisheries are the principal industries. From the mountains there descend on either side innumerable streams, and there are fifty rivers of more or less importance. These not only give variety and beauty to the landscape, bat are utilised by the settlers for sawmills, and the production of electric light, it being no uncommon thing to see a village of a few hundred inhabitants thus brilliantly illuminated. The climate is considerably more humid than that of the Eastern States. The proximity of the Pacific and the sky-piercing peaks of the mountains account for this. The advantage of it is seen in the freshnes of the people’s complexions as compared with those who breathe constantly the dry and heated air of the plains.

THE BESOUBCES of the State are very various, and practically inexhaustible. It is estimated that in the forests there are one hundred thousand millions of feet of timber of good marketable quality. The consequence is that what is known in the States as the lumber trade has attained very large dimensions, and gives employment directly or indirectly to thousands of people. The first sawmill was started only thirty-eight years ago; now the output of all the mills together ia two millions of feet daily, and even yet less than one-thirtieth of the whole has been cut. The known coal lands amount to one hundred and eighty thousand acres, and from these was raised last year over 800,000 tons. The bulk of this is shipped to San Francisco, Portland and other cities on the Pacific Coast, while three railroads operating in the Pacific States also derive their, supplies from thence. As there are also large iron deposits, and copper, silver and gold are found and worked to profit, there seems no reason to doubt that the predictions of its most far-seeing citizens will be" realised, and that Washington State will become THE PENNSYLVANIA OP THE WEST. Rieh mineral deposits, abundant water supply and timber, good means of communication, and a rapidly growing population on the Pacific slope, will inevitably cause an inflow of capital, and the establishment of manufactories for which ample and profitable employment will be forthcoming. The soil in the valleys and river bottoms is alluvial, and that in the uplands a clayey loam. Wheat growing is prosecuted with success, and the estimate for the past year is eight million bushels, or an average of twenty to twenty-five bushels to the acre. Hops are also grown extensively, and English fruits of all kinds come to great perfection. Stimulated by a liberal land law.

SETTLEMENT is rapidly spreading. By the laws of the General Government, any head of a family, or single person who is of age, may obtain the fee simple of 160 acres by settling upon and cultivating it for five years. Such persona may also purchase an equal quantity of timber land at 2£-dol per acre. The result is that in every direction, and especially near the lines of railway, lands are being cleared, houses erected and communities built up.

TWO FLOURISHING CITIES, Tacoma and Seattle, each with a population of forty to forty-five thousand, have sprung up within the last ten years. Tacoma, on the’shore of Puget Sound, and the terminus of the Northern Pacific Railway, owes much to its fostering care. It has large sawing and mills, extensive wharves, and is a busy and flourishing city. Seattle, some fifteen miles distant by steamer across the Sound, and twenty miles by railway, is delightfully situated. Rising hills, every one of which gives a view of the blue water, afford splendid sites for houses, and three or four lovely freshwater lakes in the immediate vicinity add greatly to the beauty of the landscape. Seattle, it will be remembered, was almost utterly destroyed by fire two years ago. But no trace of the destruction now remains. Indeed, substantial blocks of stone and granite buildings, five and six stories in height, give the impression of a much older place. Each of these cities hAs cable and electric tramways running in every direction, also telephones and all the latest appliances of civilisation. There is a keen rivalry between these two cities, which is sufficiently amusing to a stranger. A resident of Tacoma will assure you that it is the only place which has a commercial future, while a Seattle man will discourse of the beauty of its situation, and state with the utmost confidence that for shipping and trade Tacoma ia nowhere. So far has this been carried that it is extended even to natural objects. A magnificent mountain peak of the Cascades, 14,000 ft high, ia visible from both; but while at Seattle it is Mount Reinier, on the other side of the sound it has become Mount Tacoma. At present both places are suffering the reaction from a boom, but in the days to come both will he important centres of trade and commerce ; and both—judging from the taste shown and money spent in the erection of public buildings and private houses—very pleasant places of residence.

OTHEB ATTEACTXONS are found in the fact that a'good system of public schools has been established, and high schools and colleges are in active operation. Newspapers abound, and at the time of my visit the Association of Journalists, numbering several scores of ladies and gentlemen, was holding its annual state convention. The wonderful

beauty of that inland sea, known ai Fttfol Sound, with wooded islands scattered IA profusion, and its active life, ranging f«W» the twenty-knot passenger steamer to til# Indian's canoe, most be seen to be appreciated, The Indians are still in thin neighbourhood in considerable numbers—the men grave and taciturn, tad the women the patient slaves of their lords. The fact, too, that Paget Sound is in the direct line of travel to Alaska, the irondet* land of the American Continent, is sure t» bring an increasing stream of tpusiati there. From what I Saw, I j nag® that lot the ordinary immigrant, os the young and active man of business, none of the newtaf States offers the advantages of Washington. For the next fifty yearsita populi* tion will rapidly multiply in a land where there is ample room and -an honourable subsistence to be gained by every willing toiler.