Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/491

 WASHINGTON (TERRITORY) 471 evergreens, and in the valleys of the streams, where some cottonwood, alder, pine, and cedar are found. In the Yakima, Colville, Palouse, and Walla Walla valleys there is much land adapted to cultivation, and more suited to grazing, cattle flourishing on the bunch grass throughout the year. Large tracts in eastern Washington might be rendered productive by irrigation. The most useful trees of western Washington are conifer, the principal varie- ties being the red and black fir (abies Dou- glasii), often attaining a great size and valua- ble for lumber; the yellow fir (A. grandis), reaching a height of 300 ft. and much used for masts and spars; the black spruce (A. Men- ziesii), also used for masts and spars ; the Ore- gon cedar (thuja giganted), extensively used for rails and shingles ; the Oregon yew (taxus ~brevifolia the yellow pine (pinus ponderosa), the twisted or scrub pine (P. contorta), white pine, white spruce, and hemlock spruce. The chief agricultural productions are wheat, bar- ley, oats, rye, potatoes, turnips and other veg- etables, apples, pears, plums, cherries, cranber- ries, &c. In portions of eastern Washington ludian corn and peaches will grow. Among the indigenous animals are the black bear, cou- guar, wild cat, wolf, elk, deer, mountain goat, beaver, otter, fox, raccoon, and hare. Hawks, eagles, owls, cranes, plover, grouse, swans, geese, ducks, gulls, humming birds, robins, and blackbirds are common. The waters of the territory swarm with fish, of which the prin- cipal varieties are the salmon, cod, halibut, herring, and sturgeon, and with lobsters, oys- ters, and clams. Whales and seals are also found off the coast. The number of acres of land in farms, according to the census of 1870, was 649,139, of which 192,016 were im- proved; number of farms, 3,127, of which 889 contained less than 10 acres each, 415 from 10 to 20, 772 from 20 to 50, 424 from 50 to 100, 575 from 100 to 500, 40 from 500 to 1,000, and 12 more than 1,000; cash value of farms, $3,978,341 ; of farming implements and machinery, $280,551 ; amount of wages paid during the year, including value of board, $215,522 ; estimated value of all farm pro- ductions, including betterments and additions to stock, $2,111,902; value of orchard pro- ducts, $71,863 ; of produce of market gardens, $74,462 ; of forest products, $19,705 ; of home manufactures, $28,890; of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter, $292,280 ; of all live stock, $2,103,343. The productions were 186,- 180 bushels of spring wheat, 30,863 of winter wheat, 4,453 of rye, 21,781 of Indian corn, 255,169 of oats, 55,787 of barley, 316 of buck- wheat, 15,790 of peas and beans, 280,719 of Irish potatoes, 425 of sweet potatoes, 179 of clover seed, 1,387 of grass seed, 1,682 Ibs. of tobacco, 162,713 of wool, 407,306 of butter, 17,465 of cheese, 6,162 of hops, 629 of wax, 25,636 of honey, 612 gallons of sorghum mo- lasses, 235 of wine, and 30,233 tons of hay. The live stock on farms consisted of 11,138 horses, 943 mules and asses, 16,938 milch cows, 2,181 working oxen, 28,135 other cattle, 44,- 063 sheep, and 17,491 swine; besides which there were 2,785 horses and 4,725 neat cattle not on farms. The number of .manufacturing establishments was 269, having 38 steam en- gines of 1,411 horse power, and 52 water wheels of 1,412 horse power; number of hands employed, 1,026; amount of capital invested, $1,893,674 ; wages paid during the year, $574,- 936; value of material used, $1,435,128; of products, $2,851,052. The most important es- tablishments were 46 saw mills, value of pro- ducts $1,307,585; 7 planing mills, $616,100; and 20 flouring and grist mills, $321,103. The production of lumber is the most important industry in the territory. The product in 1870 consisted of 128,743,000 feet of lumber, 17,- 000,000 laths, and 10,450,000 shingles. The quantity of all kinds of lumber produced in 1875 is estimated at 250,000,000 feet, valued at about $3,000,000. The territory constitutes one customs district, that of Puget Sound, of which Port Townsend is the port of entry. The value of imports from foreign countries for the year ending July 31, 1875, was $49,125 ; of exports to foreign countries, $759,230, in- cluding 33,907,000 feet of assorted lumber, valued at $352,510, and live stock, grain, pro- visions, &c., valued at $406,720. The number of entrances was 315, with an aggregate tonnage of 117,062; clearances, 348, tonnage 134,506. The entrances in the coastwise trade were 132, tonnage 75,215 ; clearances, 51, tonnage 22,123. There were 18 vessels built, of an aggregate tonnage of 3,986 ; number of vessels owned in the district, 108, tonnage 26,548. Including domestic commerce, which is carried on chiefly with San Francisco, the total value of exports for the year is estimated at $5,000,000. The fisheries are of considerable importance; their value according to the census of 1870 was $289,746. The product consisted of 1,000 quin- tals of cod, 70,000 bushels of oysters, 2,143 barrels of salmon, and 1,810,000 Ibs. of canned salmon. The salmon fishery, the most valu- able, is carried on chiefly in the Columbia river near its mouth. Oysters are shipped from Shoalwater bay to Portland, Or., and San Fran- cisco. There are two railroads in the territory, the Pacific division of the Northern Pacific and the Walla Walla and Columbia (narrow gauge). The former extends from Kalama on the Columbia river to Tacoma on Puget sound, 105 m., and is designed to form part of the transcontinental line now completed W. to the Missouri river in Dakota. The latter extends from Walla Walla to Wallula on the Columbia river, 32 m. The executive officers are a gov- ernor and secretary, appointed by the presi- dent with the consent of the senate for four years, and an auditor and treasurer, appointed by the governor and council for two years. The legislature consists of a council of 9 mem- bers and a house of representatives of 30 mem- bers, both elected by the qualified voters for