The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-19

tcorresE9idence OF the iietAid.l


FALLS, March 10Th, 1874.
Letter from an Emigrdnt 10 Oregon to his Friend IN
arkansas, chere 1t arrived in November of last
My DEAR FRIEND JAMES,
For the first time since left the States, have
had the opportunity to fulfil my promise with you,
which was to write to you soon as | could. This
letter leaves me in perfect health, and hope you
will receive it, enjoying the same blessing. landed
in this country on the 18th day of October, after
journey of near six months travelled to Fort Hall,
on Snake River, with the wagons;from there to the
Falls on pack animals We had first-rate road to
to the fort; from there the worst in the WORLD the
wagons got within one hundred miles Of this place,
when they had to stop, owing to the Cascade Noun.
tans, which they could not cross they stopped
Mr.. Perkins mission on the Columbia river; from
there they can be brought by water to this place.
shall say nothing more concerning the route here at
this time, you will be more anxious to hear
description of the country, which will be quite Ii
mlted at this tlme Tor havn seen much OF 1t yet,
but what ! have seen am highly pleased with.
The Willamette river runs through the prnci-
pal part OF this country, forming the VIII
lammette valley, which is made up Of beauti,,
full prairies, with intervening groves OF fir and
oak, with beautiful creeks and branches, flow
ing gently through them TO the river. The land
lies level, and is well suited to cultivation In this
valley Tue cOlOny Is Settleu WneTe lney nave SONIC
large and beautiful farms. They cultivate wheat,
oats, peas and potatoes cabbage, onions, parsnips,
carrots, turnips, NIL Of which grow finely. Indian
corn don't do well. There is some raised in the
colony; il grows quite small, but can be improved
greatly. Wheat produces from Is to- 30 bushels per
acre, and grows to full perfection. measured one
head, which | found TO be six inches long, filled
with the largest grains ever saw There are some
which have fruit in great abundance, both peach
and apple. The general course OF the Willamette
River is from Southwest to Northeast. Twenty
rive miles below the colony, on this river are the
perpendicular and spreads to the width of six hun
dred yards Its general width is from three to four
hundred yards wide. These falls are very beauti-
vet ever seen There are now in full operation
two saw-mills and one flour-mil, and one flour and
one saw-mill more building. Nature has destined
this place no future da to be one Of the
these falls is situated the city of Oregon, on the
South and North banks of the river, and is improving
rapidly. | suppose there are some one hundred
goods stores. two blacksmith shops, one boot and
shoe shop one tailor shop, two bakers, one COOPER
NC. One mile below town commence the Klack-
kamous Rapids, at the mouth of said river. From
mouth, which is some thirty miles. The river from
these rapids bears beautiful appearance and affords
great many beautiful sites for dwellings, and farms
This country is well suited for trade. Shipping can
furnish them with almost every article they may
want for which, in turn, they will leave us the gold
and SILVER. Here, In few years, all the whalers
that sail on the Pacific will come to repair and get
their outfits goods will be cheap, and produce high
Every thing can be raised in great abundance, but
never can overrun the market. The broad bosom
OF the Pacific Is laid open to us, which gives
us access to the four corners Of the globe; here all
harvest Is great, and but few reapers so come all
you industrious and laboring men, and join us in
this grand cause; come and make yourselves rich
height and beauty; the fir and white cedar Is far su-
perlor to any trees have ever seen; / have seen
either kinds of those trees from four to eight feet in
diameter and to the height Of 200 feet, and trunk
without limb, knot, or woodpecker hole, $50 feet.
Besides the fir and cedar. we have the yellow pine
the. spruce or white fir, the hemock and yew,
white oak, ASH maple, dogwood, and alder. Price
Of lumber, fir lumber, $40 per thousand; pine $25
lnabe than cedar; fir shingles, from $4 to SIS per
thousand; cedar, So per thousand. Produce wheat,
81 per hush;oas 40 cents; peas, l;poatoes, A censt
do; pork. 10 cents per h.; beef cents do; butter
price OF stock cows from the States worth from $40
to $6O per head; oxen, 500 per yoke horses
rom $75 to 500 per head; hogs brought
here sows from SO to $40 piece: The general
face of the country is high, mountainous and bro
ken, with pure atmosphere, water Of the best and
pures kind, clear as crystal, and fed by snow all
tunes OF the year. Winters rather gloomy, owing
10 the rainy season, which commences IN NOvem-
Der and ends in February During this time it
rains as much as you have rain and snow in the
States in the same length Of time. Spring and sum-
mer, are delightful summer days not Excess
sively hot; nights cool and pleasant the best
grazing country in the world. | shall leave
this place in a few days tor Astoria, near
the mouth of the Columbia river, where | shall
settle myself perhaps for life. We had some
deaths by the way-some by sickness and some by
accidents. You had better come to this country,
where you can take start again in the world Wages
are good here common labor 81 25 cents per day
mechanics from Ssl 80 to 3 per day. must close nv
letter. hope you will write to me whenever YOU
have the opportunity. am quite anxious to hear
from you please give my respects to all my frends
in particular W. d. Wilson; to Donock and George
You must send as many girls to this country as yea
can !; they are scarce and in high demand here; a
girl don't live single long here, mind l tell YOU
ate friend till death.