The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-01-19
From the n. York Commercial Advertiser.


From. Oregon.
We have before us long and interest
ing letter from a gentleman belonging TO
the Methodist mission in Oregon, from
which we make the following extracts
am stationed at the Willamette Falls.
This is rather romantic spot, yet many
things conspire to render it rather pleas
ant than otherwise. lis advantages for
water power are very little if any exceed
ed by! those at Rochester. There are
at this place now cooper's shop, two
small stores established, this season, by
two Americans, named Briggs. One is
to be permanent. if circumstances will
Justify. 1t is established by Mr.. Cush-
ion, of Newburyport, Mass. under
stand he takes a deep interest III the af-
fairs of Oregon. We have two mission
buildings.
A saw mill is raised and Touring
mill is in contemplation by a milling
company, formed in the country for the
purpose of improvement-The Hudson
Bay Company have two houses for their
convenience. SO that VIC have quite a
village.
What Of the climate, water, soil, limb
erin a word, advantages and disaGvant-
ages of Oregon, and what encouragement
does the country hold out to emigrants?
The climate is mild, the summers gener-
ally fine, though in the middle of the day
rather warm. The nights are cool, and
very little rain in the summer. This
summer, however, we have been favored
with some rain; it has been difficult, to
secure the harvest; not much, however,
will be lost. This is prolific season
here; crops are very coed.
There are probably fifty or more thou
sand bushels of produce in the country
this year. Last year the Hudson Bay
Company shipped, probably, 10000 to
the Russian domnions and other places, at
sixty cents per bushel.-'The winters are
generally rainy, though there is some
peasan; weather, sometimes little snow.
Cattle, however, keep fa. all winter,
without foddering. This is destined TO be
one of the best grazing countries in the
world.-There are now large herds of
cattle here, and more are annually being
driven from California. Beef and pork
are becoming abundant. Beef 10 6
cents per pound, pork 7 to 10 cents,
wheat 60 cents to one dollar peas about
the same; corn is scarce, 81 TO $3.50
per bushel. Garden vegetables are also
raised. Horses are numerous. | know
OF no country where there are so many
cattle and horses for the population as in
Oregon. Some Indians are said TO own
one hundred and fifty head Of horses.
This summer there have been six or
seven droves by my house to the settle
ment, TO exchange for cattle. These are
mostly from the upper country These
Indians will soon be rich in cattle, &c.
| There are domestic animals, such rs |
have already mentioned, and cats, dogs,
and hens: no tame geese, or very few,
though there are thousands wild also
the swan, bald and gray eagle, vulture,
buzzard, the crow of different kinds, fish
hawk, pigeon hawk, owl, black bird,
robin, wren, and various kinds of other
birds; some Of winch have never seen
in the states. We have the elk, deer,
bear, panther, fox, racoon, wild cat, wolf,
squirrels of different kinds, rats, (bushy
tall mice, moles, beaver, otter, muskrat,
mink, weasel, snakes, rattle snakes
in some places, adder, lizards aud
creeping and flying locusts of various
kinds and coors. Water is abundant and
good.
The streams are generally clear as
crystal; some, which rise in the noun
tain Of perpetual snow, are cold all sum
mer. There are several snow mountains
in view from almost every point, and
greatly, in my opinion, add to the beauty
and graf leur Of the country. The soil
is generally good, some dark loan mix
ed with clay, some sandy, gravel, red
soil; all produce very well so far as they
have been tried. Wheat is sowed here
after wheat from year to year. man,
it is said, has raised seven or eight crops
Of wheat in succession from the same
ground, and the last is said to have been
the best, and all were good. 1t is IRE.
quently the case, when wheat shells con
siderably in harvesting, wha, falls is lef
on the ground and good crop is rcal
zed. know Of no country were a mar
can make farm easier than in Oregon
or where he can live easier.
Mills are rather scarce, though the
prospec, is increasingly favorable. Their,
are no regularly laid out roads the gen