A Report On Washington Territory Part 5

The Blue Mountains which mark the southern limit of the plateau in Washington Territory do not extend more than half-way across the plain, leaving a long projection of the plateau to extend southward into Oregon.

[Sidenote: The Great Plateau.]

[Sidenote: Coulees.]

The shape of the plateau in Washington Territory is an irregular square with a diameter each way of about 150 miles. Followed into Idaho and Oregon, the diameters would reach 200 miles. Its surface is generally smooth, but there are frequent patches of rock, and sometimes large areas are roughened by rocky outcrops. The plateau is elevated and rolling, rising from 1,000 to 3,000 feet above the surface of Columbia River. Its elevations usually are mere swells, except along the precipitous edges of coulees. I know of only one mountain upon it, and that is quite a small one; but it served as a refuge for Lieutenant Steptoe and his handful of soldiers when attacked by the Indians; and hence is called Steptoe b.u.t.te. The surface of the plain is scarred in a number of places with coulees, or dry river-beds, which are cut down twenty to one hundred feet, and sometimes more, and their sides are usually marked by bluffs, often of rock. These coulees are an advantage, or a disadvantage, in road-making, according to whether the road goes with, or across, the coulee. The Northern Pacific Railroad found it convenient to use one of them for a long distance. The deepest cuts in the plateau are made by its rivers. Of these the Columbia is chief. This river, as already intimated, has cut a channel for itself along the north and west edge of the plain from 1,000 to 2,000 feet below the general level. The Snake River, which is the largest affluent of the Columbia, has numerous branches, all cut deep into the basalt which underlies the plain.

[Sidenote: Columbia and Snake Rivers.]

The Columbia and Snake are both steamboat rivers, but navigation is interrupted by rocky rapids, which prevent through lines of steamers.

The Columbia is one of the largest rivers in the world, and has abundant water for steamboats from its mouth to a point in Canada, north of Farwell, where it is crossed by the Canadian Pacific Railway, and steamboats run at intervals to the most northerly point; and there are navigable stretches not yet used for boats which will have steamers in connection with future railroads. The steamers on Snake River are very useful, and run to Lewiston, in Idaho, and perhaps further.

This plateau, or Great Plain of the Columbia, as it is called sometimes, is a most interesting and important region, concerning which I shall have much to say under subsequent heads.

ALt.i.tUDES IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

FEET.

Mount Ranier (Tacoma) 14,444 Mount Baker 10,827 Mount Adams 9,570 Mount St. Helens 9,750 Natchess Pa.s.s 4,900 Stampede Pa.s.s, Summit 3,980 Tunnel, Stampede Pa.s.s 2,885 Snoqualmie Pa.s.s 3,110 Kechelus Lake 2,388 Kachess Lake 2,158 Ellensburg 1,518 Yakima City 990 Ainsworth 351 Palouse Junction 858 Sprague 1,200 Spokane Falls 1,910 Colville 1,917 Fort Spokane 1,300 Okinagane Lake 1,163 Great Plain of Columbia River 1,000 to 3,000 Snake River, N. P. R. R. 358 Colfax 1,941 Dayton 1,360 Walla Walla 1,000 Wallula Junction 326

CLIMATE.

[Sidenote: The Climate of Washington Territory.]

Climate is a matter of temperature, moisture and atmospheric dynamics.

The general law of temperature is that the farther north the colder the weather; and yet currents of water and prevailing winds may give to the country a climate geographically belonging to quite a different lat.i.tude. We know how this is with England, which, judged by lat.i.tude, ought to be colder than Maine, but which, in fact, has one of the mildest and most equable climates in the world. England is farther north than Washington Territory, which latter is in the lat.i.tude of France; but it is also in the lat.i.tude of Montana, Dakota and Maine, States remarkable for sudden changes and for terrible cold. But it is well known that our Pacific States, at least on their western borders, have a temperature free from extremes in both summer and winter. Taking July and January as the hottest and coldest months, it will be found that the average temperature at San Francisco and Puget Sound is from 7 to 14 cooler than it is in the Rocky Mountains and in New England during the same months. And on the other hand, taking January as the coldest month, we find that Bismarck, Denver, New England, etc., are 30 to 40 colder than the points on the Pacific. In other words, that the range of the thermometer between extremes averages near 50 more in the East than it does in the West in the localities named; a very great difference when we consider comfort, health, cost of living, and opportunity to labor in the open air.

[Sidenote: Mild and equable.]

This greater mildness and equability of temperature on the Pacific Coast is to be ascribed to the winds and currents of the great ocean. During the summer the winds come from the northwest, and during the winter from the southwest and south. Much influence in tempering the cold of winter is ascribed also to the j.a.pan Current, mentioned under a former head. It does for the Pacific Coast what the Gulf Stream does for England.

The same causes regulate also the rainfall on the Pacific Coast. In one respect there is the same peculiarity along the whole coast, namely, dry summers and, comparatively, wet winters. There is, however, a gradual increase in the amount of rainfall northward from San Diego to Sitka; so that when we reach Washington Territory we do not find the excessive dryness which characterizes the summer climate of California.

[Sidenote: Rainfall.]

The figures of different authorities do not agree exactly as to the precipitation on the Pacific Coast: for example, in the older volume on Rain Tables, published by the Smithsonian Inst.i.tution, the annual rainfall and melted snow on Puget Sound, measured at Steilacoom, near Olympia, from 1849 to 1867, amounted to 43.98 inches. Governor Semple, however, gives from Sergeant McGovern, in charge of the station, a total of 53.89 inches annually, measured at Olympia from 1878 to 1886. But I find in the report of the chief signal officer to the War Department for 1884, that the average from July 1, 1877, to December, 1883, for Olympia, was 62.81 inches. This difference of nine inches is partly accounted for by the fact that the precipitation in the subsequent years not included in the report of the Signal Service Bureau, namely, 1884, 1885 and 1886, averaged only 41.88 inches, which would, in great measure, relieve the discrepancy. It will probably turn out on further observation that 53 inches is about the total annual rainfall for Puget Sound. But according to the report of the chief signal officer for 1884, we have the following annual totals: San Diego, 9.40; San Francisco, 23.32; Portland, Oregon, 54.16; Puget Sound, 62.81; Sitka, Alaska, 97.28 inches.

Comparing these with points farther east, we have Bismarck, Dakota, 21.35; Denver, 14.97; Sandusky, Ohio, 41.43; New Haven, Connecticut, 51.55; Norfolk, Virginia, 52.14 inches.

The value of rainfall depends more on its distribution among the months than on its annual aggregate. England has but 25 inches rain per annum, but it comes at such times as makes it most effective. The rains on the Pacific Coast are not distributed in the most favorable way for agriculture--the summers being too dry. At San Diego there is less than one-third of an inch in the three summer months, and still less at San Francisco. On Puget Sound, for that time, the fall is 2.57. In Washington Territory the spring rains are as abundant as in the Atlantic States, and the summer breezes seem laden with moisture.

[Sidenote: No blizzards or cyclones.]

[Sidenote: Differences between East and West Washington.]

In respect to cold waves, winds and storms, Washington Territory is singularly favored. There is nothing to correspond with the blizzards, northers, hurricanes and cyclones which trouble some other States. Even ordinary thunder-storms are rare. The climate of East Washington is different from that of West Washington, and yet, when compared with that of Montana and Dakota, it will be seen that it is really transitional and intermediate between the climates on each side. The range of thermometer from the heat of July to the cold of January is, at Bismarck, 65; at Spokane Falls, 45, and on Puget Sound, 22. And, in like manner, the amount of rain is intermediate between the heavy rainfall of the Sound and the lighter rains of the Rocky Mountain country. The explanation of this is, that while the Cascade Range, like all high mountains, condenses the moisture of the air on the windward side and changes its temperature, yet this range is not sufficiently high and cold to have the effect of the Himalayas or the Andes in depriving the leeward lands of rain.

The mountain rim of the plateau country has not the moisture which distinguishes the west side of the Cascade, and it varies in its amount at different places.

Some statements have already been made in reference to the dryness and summer heat of the Yakima Valley on the east flank of the main mountain.

The mountains running along the Canada line have probably a better summer climate than the east side of the main mountain. I do not know how it is with the Coeur d'Alene and Blue Mountains, but the climate of the plateau has no unusual character in the matter of temperature.

Half of the States of the Union have as great or greater extremes; but the plateau has less than half the precipitation of Puget Sound, as shown in the tables given on pages 56 and 57. And the rainfall in the summer is so scant that one would not, _a priori_, expect any form of vegetation to progress at all. These meteorological phenomena render almost unaccountable the facts of agriculture, which will be given hereafter.

[Sidenote: Chinook wind.]

The Chinook wind, which springs up in winter and melts the snow on the plateau, and to some extent in the mountains, is simply a southerly wind, such as is common in the Mississippi Valley and even on the Atlantic seaboard. In the Pacific States it does not, from the descriptions, appear to differ from the breezes of the coast, except in its greater strength and steadiness. I heard an intelligent gentleman, residing in Spokane Falls, say that he thought the Chinook was a disadvantage in winter, as it caused a disagreeable thaw, and so relaxed the human system as to render it more sensitive to cold; but generally the Chinook is enjoyed in East Washington.

SOILS.

[Sidenote: Soils all fertile.]

The arable soils of Washington Territory, so far as I could see, or otherwise learn, may be cla.s.sified as follows, to wit: _a._ Humus; _b._ Alluvium; _c._ Drift; _d._ Loam; _e._ Basalt.

_a._ HUMUS. In West Washington the whole country is top-dressed with vegetable mould, derived obviously from the heavy growth which has covered the surface for ages. Of course there are bare spots, and where the growth has been light, the top-dressing is thin; but the mountain sides, the hills, and notably the low grounds, are overlaid from one to ten inches, and often much more, with this vegetable mould.

TABLE SHOWING THE MEANS OF THE DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES IN DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

The Means are obtained by dividing the sum of the daily readings of the Maximum and Minimum Self-registering Thermometers by the number of days in the month.

====================+=========================================+ 1883 +-------------+-------------+-------------+ July. Aug. Sept. STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ Mean. Mean. Mean. +------+------+------+------+------+------+ Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ Bismarck, Dak. 79.5 55.8 78.6 54.8 69.4 43.7 Dayton, W. T. 87.3 53.6 85.1 53.2 77.5 45.2 Denver, Col. 82.6 58.7 83.6 58.8 74.7 50.2 Lewiston, Idaho 90.0 59.1 87.1 57.6 76.0 47.7 New Haven, Conn. 80.3 62.4 77.6 57.9 70.4 50.6 Norfolk, Virginia. 87.9 71.1 82.4 68.9 76.4 63.8 Olympia, W. T. 76.1 48.2 71.3 55.1 67.0 48.1 Portland, Oregon. 80.0 57.0 73.8 54.2 72.3 52.6 San Diego, Cal. 75.5 64.0 75.9 63.5 78.2 62.9 Sandusky, Ohio -- -- 77.1 62.8 69.2 55.8 San Francisco, Cal. 64.5 55.0 64.4 53.9 69.9 56.3 Sitka, Alaska 57.9 48.1 59.3 48.8 58.9 48.5 Spokane Falls, W. T. 85.0 53.4 83.2 72.5 72.4 44.2 Washington City. 87.7 67.2 82.4 62.7 74.8 56.2 ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+

====================+=========================================+ 1883 +-------------+-------------+-------------+ Oct. Nov. Dec. STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ Mean. Mean. Mean. +------+------+------+------+------+------+ Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ Bismarck, Dak. 48.3 33.4 38.7 15.0 25.0 4.5 Dayton, W. T. 57.8 34.7 51.6 33.3 35.8 18.5 Denver, Col. 57.6 36.8 56.1 31.1 36.8 17.4 Lewiston, Idaho 57.9 39.5 57.6 35.5 41.7 29.3 New Haven, Conn. 58.4 40.4 50.5 34.1 38.3 21.5 Norfolk, Virginia. 68.4 56.7 62.2 45.0 53.9 38.8 Olympia, W. T. 57.3 42.9 50.2 44.9 45.9 35.4 Portland, Oregon. 58.4 45.8 52.8 72.0 49.0 36.8 San Diego, Cal. 69.0 54.7 67.7 50.2 65.7 49.0 Sandusky, Ohio 59.2 47.3 52.5 37.2 39.8 27.5 San Francisco, Cal. 62.9 52.9 58.8 49.4 55.5 46.2 Sitka, Alaska 50.6 41.0 38.6 27.3 41.6 30.5 Spokane Falls, W. T. 53.7 35.0 46.6 32.0 35.6 22.4 Washington City. 65.5 49.3 56.2 39.4 63.1 45.3 ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+

====================+=========================================+ 1884 +-------------+-------------+-------------+ Jan. Feb. March. STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ Mean. Mean. Mean. +------+------+------+------+------+------+ Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ Bismarck, Dak. 14.5 7.6 8.9 9.8 29.9 10.5 Dayton, W. T. 31.0 11.5 24.9 4.8 35.6 19.6 Denver, Col. 25.7 5.3 30.8 10.8 43.0 25.7 Lewiston, Idaho 39.1 25.9 35.1 18.8 53.6 34.7 New Haven, Conn. 32.6 15.8 40.8 24.3 42.4 26.6 Norfolk, Virginia. 46.7 29.9 59.0 41.0 58.1 42.1 Olympia, W. T. 44.7 35.2 42.1 27.5 52.5 34.4 Portland, Oregon. 46.2 33.3 44.4 29.4 55.6 37.8 San Diego, Cal. 64.5 45.6 62.9 48.6 62.9 50.4 Sandusky, Ohio 26.9 12.9 39.0 24.4 41.6 28.7 San Francisco, Cal. 54.7 46.6 55.9 45.6 59.2 49.8 Sitka, Alaska 43.8 34.2 37.8 25.8 42.5 33.3 Spokane Falls, W. T. 32.6 17.5 30.2 12.7 46.4 27.8 Washington City. 49.7 31.8 65.6 47.0 67.8 51.6 ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+

====================+=========================================+ 1884 +-------------+-------------+-------------+ April. May. June. STATIONS. +-------------+-------------+-------------+ Mean. Mean. Mean. +------+------+------+------+------+------+ Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. --------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ Bismarck, Dak. 47.6 30.2 67.1 44.1 81.2 54.8 Dayton, W. T. 43.9 29.6 59.5 40.7 73.7 51.8 Denver, Col. 58.2 39.6 71.5 50.2 81.2 61.3 Lewiston, Idaho 66.6 42.1 79.3 48.9 80.8 57.3 New Haven, Conn. 54.1 37.2 65.8 47.2 78.2 55.4 Norfolk, Virginia. 61.9 47.0 76.9 58.8 81.8 64.6 Olympia, W. T. 61.7 41.6 70.1 43.9 71.5 48.9 Portland, Oregon. 65.1 45.3 73.6 48.7 74.9 53.7 San Diego, Cal. 64.4 51.1 67.5 56.1 72.1 58.4 Sandusky, Ohio 52.1 39.3 68.8 51.3 77.9 62.7 San Francisco, Cal. 61.2 50.7 65.3 53.4 65.2 55.3 Sitka, Alaska 51.7 37.7 51.9 40.8 57.9 46.4 Spokane Falls, W. T. 62.2 39.0 74.5 46.0 78.7 53.9 Washington City. 73.6 54.8 81.4 63.0 87.4 68.5 ====================+======+======+======+======+======+======+

TABLE SHOWING THE AVERAGE PRECIPITATION AT STATIONS OF THE SIGNAL SERVICE,

COMPUTED FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF OBSERVATIONS AT EACH, TO AND INCLUDING DECEMBER, 1883.

TAKEN FROM THE REPORT OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER TO THE WAR DEPARTMENT FOR 1884.

==========================+================+======+======+======+ STATIONS. ESTABLISHED. Jan. Feb. March. --------------------------+----------------+------+------+------+ Bismarck, Dak. Sept. 15, 1874 0.57 0.66 1.21 Dayton, Wash. Terr. July 1, 1879 4.11 3.64 2.04 Denver, Colorado Nov. 19, 1871 0.69 0.43 0.86 Lewiston, Idaho July 1, 1879 2.45 1.53 1.16 New Haven, Conn. Dec. 10, 1872 4.20 4.22 5.29 Norfolk, Virginia Jan. 1, 1871 3.89 3.85 4.35 Olympia, Wash. Terr. July 1, 1877 9.36 10.67 6.20 Portland, Oregon Nov. 1, 1871 7.34 8.11 7.27 San Diego, Cal. Nov. 1, 1871 1.85 2.07 0.97 Sandusky, Ohio Aug. 2, 1877 2.19 3.13 2.90 San Francisco, Cal. March 8, 1871 5.10 3.95 2.88 Sitka, Alaska March 30, 1881 9.44 11.64 9.76 Spokane Falls, Wash. Terr. Feb. 5, 1881 3.34 3.02 0.85 Washington City Nov. 1, 1870 3.16 2.85 4.04 ==========================+================+======+======+======+

==========================+======+======+======+======+======+ STATIONS. April. May. June. July. Aug. --------------------------+----------------+------+------+---+ Bismarck, Dak. 2.94 3.31 3.64 2.21 2.71 Dayton, Wash. Terr. 3.26 2.02 0.86 0.79 0.49 Denver, Colorado 1.71 3.05 1.60 1.89 1.54 Lewiston, Idaho 1.28 1.12 0.94 0.76 0.36 New Haven, Conn. 4.32 3.71 3.80 4.86 5.62 Norfolk, Virginia 4.29 3.54 4.15 5.39 6.11 Olympia, Wash. Terr. 4.34 2.76 0.88 0.86 0.83 Portland, Oregon 3.48 2.44 1.82 0.71 0.81 San Diego, Cal. 0.68 0.26 0.05 0.02 0.23 Sandusky, Ohio 2.79 3.34 5.06 4.06 4.27 San Francisco, Cal. 1.80 0.71 0.16 0.01 0.01 Sitka, Alaska 4.40 3.23 3.13 5.82 5.82 Spokane Falls, Wash. Terr. 1.99 1.38 1.00 1.04 0.25 Washington City 3.07 2.98 4.23 4.08 4.97 ==========================+======+======+======+======+======+

==========================+======+======+======+======+=======+ STATIONS. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. TOTAL INCHES. --------------------------+------+------+------+------+-------+ Bismarck, Dak. 1.34 1.33 0.71 0.72 21.35 Dayton, Wash. Terr. 0.67 2.64 2.55 4.95 28.02 Denver, Colorado 0.96 0.79 0.74 0.71 14.97 Lewiston, Idaho 0.52 1.93 1.66 3.40 17.11 New Haven, Conn. 4.15 3.85 4.15 3.38 51.55 Norfolk, Virginia 5.23 3.96 3.58 3.80 52.14 Olympia, Wash. Terr. 2.98 5.60 8.16 10.17 62.81 Portland, Oregon 1.62 4.95 7.34 8.27 54.16 San Diego, Cal. 0.05 0.40 0.70 2.12 9.40 Sandusky, Ohio 3.54 3.50 3.68 2.97 41.43 San Francisco, Cal. 0.15 1.13 2.70 4.72 23.32 Sitka, Alaska 9.97 9.33 11.87 12.87 97.28 Spokane Falls, Wash. Terr. 1.14 2.90 2.22 2.06 21.19 Washington City 4.42 3.00 2.84 2.92 42.56 ==========================+======+======+======+======+=======+

_b._ ALLUVIUM. This includes the transported matter of the bottom-lands, the swales, and the tidal flats. Here we have humus, not only as a top-dressing, but also intermixed, and sometimes const.i.tuting a large proportion of the soil for a considerable depth. No land could be richer than this, and its relative proportion to the whole is larger than would be inferred even from the great number of streams, for it includes the lowlands about Puget Sound and the lakes. The mountain streams have, with some exceptions, but little alluvial land. There are areas of swale, or wet bottom-lands, which may be drained to advantage. The tidal flats along the Sound are peculiarly fertile, because enriched by both vegetable and animal matter, including calcareous sh.e.l.ls and fish bones.

Owing to this great fertility, and the ease with which large areas are reclaimed by d.y.k.es, their convenience to transportation, and, it may be added, the labor of clearing the forest lands, the work of dyking these flats has been commenced, especially in Snohomish and Skagit counties, and it is thought that two hundred thousand acres may thus be redeemed from the water. Alluvial lands const.i.tute but a small feature in East Washington.

_c._ DRIFT. The origin of these gravel soils is given hereafter, under the head of Geology. They const.i.tute the hill lands, as distinguished from the bottom lands and Sound flats on the one hand, and the mountain lands on the other. They are composed of sand, clay, gravel, and some large boulders. Rarely the gravel predominates so as to render the land unfit for cultivation. Sometimes there are only clay and sand, and sometimes chiefly clay. This soil, though not equal to the alluvium, or to the basaltic land, is much better than glacial precipitate usually is. It gave all the indications of a fertile soil, resembling the best hay lands of Ma.s.sachusetts, which have the same glacial origin. Its natural growth is luxuriant, and when cleared it inclines to clothe itself in white clover and the gra.s.ses. It is said to be specially adapted to fruits and vegetables.

_d._ LOAM. I mean by this a clay soil containing fine-grained sand enough to make it friable. This is the soil made by the slates and sandstones of the coal measures, and is generally found on the highlands above the drift. It is a medium land as to quality, but valuable for the tendency to gra.s.s, which characterizes all the lands of West Washington. Much of it will make good cropping land. There is a great deal of it. It is found high on the cretaceous hills and mountains, often extending to the top.