Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-08-27
Oregon Lecture,


commenced by reading several certificates
from residents in Oregon. for the purpose
of showing the heal.hiness Of the climate
and the natural produc tons of the soil.-
These certificates showed among the
advantages of the country that the best of
wheat could be raised averaging near thr.
ty bushels to the acre. Esculent vegeta.
bles of all kinds thrive there, and Mr. Wal-
dos certificate stated that 400 bushels OF
potatoes had been obtained from one acre.
Cattle fatien and feed themselves on the
natural grasses-one three year old seer,
belonging to Mr. Waldo on being slaugh
tered. weighed eight hundred and thirty.
four pounds. Mill privileges were nu.
merous and no limit could be placed 10
the immense water power that could be
obtained in Oregon. Mr. d. said that in.
dications Of iron ore and stone coal had
been discovered. Among the disadvan.
tages, Mr. d. spoke of the want of money
as being the greatest. He said in fact
there was none there. Wheat and &C.
cepted store orders were about their only
currency. Goods Of all kinds were worry
scarce and very high. The market for
the disposal Of produce was not good,
and they greatly needed foundries and
Touring mills. Corn would not thrive
there. The facilities for navigation were
described as being quite poor. The
Columbia has formidable bar at its en-.
trance which makes its navigation quite
hazardous. The Willamette is navigable
only a few miles. Mr. D. described the
Willamette and Umqua Valleys as being
exceedingly fertile and beautiful. Pointed
out on the map the localities of several in
these valleys who went from this vicinity.
While he praised these two valleys, one
of which, the William cite, is $50 miles
long, he gave terrible description of the
mountain region. He said that the
greater part Of Oregon was zone internal
desert, the mountains were frightful and
tina. it rained or m onths in the year.
The road 10 Oregon was long and dreary,
being 1850 miles from Burlington. His
description of his descent over the Cas-.
cade Falls, 80 feet, was, according to his
own and the testimony Of his companions
a most daring feat. The whirling Of the
immense ca,aracts of water as they came
sumbling down high and steep precipices
and striking the rocks below, forming
deep eddes and then rushing on with
tremendous force until they reached other
precipices. were dwelt upon and describ.
ed most graphically by Mr. D.
Mr. Davidson appeared in his buck.kin
or working Oregon dress. His manner
was quite energetic and he threw many
humorous and unique phrases into his
lecture which KEEP. his large audience in
good humor all the evening. If he would
adopt more method and throw more
thought into his Lectures they would be
much more instructive. He must, 10 be
successful, digest his subject more thor
oughly previous to coming before an
audience. To be sure, this is a new
business to him, and great allowances
should be made. We have no doubt he
will improve. and il he should appear
before an enlightened eastern audience as
we understand he probably will, his very
psculiarities may be his best recommen-
dation.
On the whole his Lecture must have
made but few Oregon converts. The
inducements to emigrate were by no
means sufficient to overbaance the dsad.
vantages, and from all we know and have
heard about Oregon, we would not give
the half &C Iowa for the whole OF it, even
if it reached as nigh ~ az 81 40. We
think our government has 60! its hands
full in supporting Territorial govern
ment SO remote from civilization. How
Delegate can represent The Territory
faithfully we can't well see. They ought
to have alternates, so that when one
reaches Washington the other would be
on his way carrying back his report TO
Oregon. They could afford to do this
and divide the spoils, if it is true as has
been stated by those who have made the
calculation, that the mileage alone of the
Oregon Delegate will amount to twelve
thousand dollars per session.
Second Lecfure.-Mr DAVIDSON had
another crowded house on Tuesday even.
ing. What he said was more in the form
Of Lecture than the one which preceded
it and was very interesting. We have
room only barely TO notice it this week.
His subject was the route from 81 Josephs
on the Missouri 10 Oregon city. Without
a single note before him he went through