Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-09-20
Letter from Oregon.

-AlClcK ArO1u OreSOns
We have been favored with the perusal
Of letter from Mr.. Levi Scott, formerly
Of this county, and now in Oregon Terri
tory. The letter is dated, ."Oregon City,
April 9th, 1885," and was written with
the intention that the information it con-
tanned should go TO the public. We give
the letter pretty much entire, having omit
ted only some unimportant parts Of it.
Mr.. Scott is known 10 many of our
readers as one Of the earliest settlers of this
county: He is farmer and has had some
experience in the settlement of new coun-
tries.-EG.
81 have not explored Oregon sufficient
ly to give full description Of the country,
but as far as my information will permit
viii inform you; ard as / am OILY an er-
plorer Of the country, think l can view
it with ais inrartial-eye.
There is strip of country on the coast
about 200 miles in width and extending
from the southern boundary from four tc
six hundred miles north, aifording fine
timber, first rate water and good soil.
| have explored the country some myself,
and 50 far as | have seen, the soil. and tim
Der are good and the water privileges are
second to none in the world.
l have been up the Wallamet river abol.
one hundred miles from its. mouth. This
river from head to mouth runs in anorth-
ern direction, running into the Columbia
river en- the south side. The. plains ,oi
prairies of this river are from half mile
to six miles in extent. There are in the
most fertile parts Of this country hills ly-
ing prolaiscuously through the plains thin
" covered with short white-oak timber.
and Astounding with first rate grazing
Around and between these hills are beau
liful levels Of first rate soil, sufficiently
large for extensive farms. The soil here
is rich on the most abrupt and broken
lands in the country.
The size and length Of the, timber here
is too unreasonable to describe. have
seen none yet that couldn't see the top
Of by taking three looks up. Stock of all
kiads appears to do well here on the range
the year round. have seen as good beef
and pork here as 1 ever saw any place.
-
The population Of Oregon numbers be-
tween thousand and fifteen hundred
wbites-men, women and children. The
politics Of this country is Hudson's Bay
and anti-Hudson's Bay.
Some Of the people here. are considera-
bly, excited with the proceedings Of the
Hudson's Bay Company. Vancouver is
one Of their principal post, which place
they are rebuilding and foriifysng; mounts
ing several new pieces Of artillery for
which they assign no reason only to enable
them to salute vessels on their arrival.
Now as the fur trade has failed, this COM
pany has put up a splendid Touring mill
and has several saw-mills in operation
They are endeayoring to own an interest
in, OF, the whole Of all valuable town sites:
and are monopolizing all the best trade Of
the country. for the want IF Amerlcanicsp.
italists. There are plenty Of Americans
here that would quit the English and trade
with American merchants if they were
hete. Several merchants might do vel
here in short time as number Of III;
inhabitants will not trade with the Hud
, sons Bay Company only as necessity com
pels them.
The commerce Of this country Is all il
the hands Of the Hudson's Bay Compan,
for want Of American vessels. The ex
potts from here consists pf flour, salmon
butter, cheese, lumber and shingles. Thes
articles bear expectation to advantage.
There is raised here from 200 TO 80
thousand bushels Of wheat per annum.
have seen no poor wheat here; but the hes