A Trip up the Cowlitz River to the Puget Sound
By John R. Jackson
Oregon Spectator May 18, 1848

Mr. Editor Sir, according to your request, I communicate a brief description of that portion of the Territory lying between the Columbia river, and Puget Sound, and the country immediately joining. The Cowlitz settlement is in a prairie district, situated on the Cowlitz river, about thirty miles, by way of the river, from its mouth. The settlement is small as yet, and composed principally of Canadians, who are excellent citizens. and for industry, not surpassed by any citizens of the Territory. 

The soil in the neighborhood of the Cowlitz river is extremely rich and covered with timber up to the settlement. In passing up up the Cowlitz river, twenty miles from its mouth, strong signs of lead and iron ore appear, which continue as you proceed up the river. Stone-coal is found here in great abundance, and from the usual indications and the opinion of intelligent men who have been conversant with iron districts, it is supposed that iron ore exists here in abundance, and of excellent quality.

The river is now navigated by bateaux's from its mouth to the settlement, and it is said by more experienced watermen than myself, that it may be navigated by steamboats for the same distance, six or eight months of the year. The distance from the settlement to the Columbia river, is estimated at twenty miles, over which a wagon road is practicable. The settlement has a saw and flouring mill. To the east of the settlement, and also to the west, in the direction of the mouth of the Columbia river, the country is diversified with timber and prairie, the plains are small but beautiful, the soil excellent.

Ten miles north from the settlement the road leading to Puget Sound reaches the, waters of the Chehalis, and five miles still farther, reaches the main, river, thus far, the soil is similar to the soil of the Cowlitz, and the country conveniently interspersed with beautiful plains. Down the Chehalis, upon said road, for fifteen miles, the character of the country and soil are admirably adapted to agriculture and grazing purposes; at the expiration of this distance, the plains expand, and the soil is composed of sand and gravel intermixed with clay.

The Chehalis river is about 150 miles long; Gray's harbor is within its mouth, its banks are smooth and beautiful, and altogether, it is one of the most sale and easy streams in Oregon for navigation. In passing from Chehalis to Puget Sound, fifteen miles; the soil for the first ten miles is composed of sand and gravel, and the last five miles of sand and black loam. There is a small American settlement at the head of the Sound, which also has a saw and flouring mill. 

The settlement is called New Market, and I have seen as good vegetables growing there as I ever saw on the continent of America. Probably, the prairie land in the vicinity of the Sound is nowhere excelled, in those qualities which are peculiarly adapted to the great growth, and rare perfection of vegetables. The growing crops of wheat there, look well. Ten miles from New Market, is another small American settlement, on the Nisqually bottom, formed in 1847; the soil here is equal to the soil in the Cowlitz settlement, and three miles beyond it is Fort Nisqually.

The distance from New Market to Fort Nisqually, by water, is about thirty miles, The soil about Nisqually is a gravel, but gravelly as it, is, I have seen It produce 20 bushels wheat to the acre, and of as good a quality as any in the Territory. The timbered land in the vicinity of the Sound, is strongly impregnated with clay, and the timber is very fine. North from the Fort there is much land of an excellent quality; to the east towards the mountain is the most beautiful landscape I have seen in the Territory, and near the mountain the soil is principally clay, and produces camas plentifully. 

The soil of Whidbey's Island, laying off the mouth of the Snohomish river is very good, and this island will afford a fine settlement. There are several other smaller islands in the Sound possessing soil of excellent quality. Water privileges for mechanical purposes, in the vicinity of the Sound, are as good as can be found in the world. Puget Sound is a beautiful sheet of water, more than one hundred miles in length, which, with its numberless bays and harbors, will admit of the settlement of one thousand families, on a section each, and each having ship navigation at their own door.