Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-11-24
From the springasld journal.
An INTERESTING LECTURE.
ICnncInded. ]

The lecturer at length reached the CO.
lunbia river. Untilthe present year, the
emigrants have taken boats and gone by
the river to the Willamette. After this,
however, they will proceed by land. By
the time emigrants reach there the pres.
ent fall wagon road will be opened
through the Cascade mountains. This
work is TO be done under contract, by s.
K. Barlow, late of Fulton county Illinois.
The Legislature of Oregon have allowed
Mr.. Barlow, for the completion of this
work, the privilege for two years ofex-
acting for each wagon which passes o.
yer the route, five dollars, and for each
person and each animal, twelve and
half cents. This road will enable the
emigrant 10 avoid the most tedious and
expensive portion of the journey.
Mr.. d. said that all the small grain
grew i'll great perfection in the WalIa-
mette Valley. Corn, did not, however,
succeed so well on account of the COOL
ness of the nights; but there were some
instances of handsome crops being raised.
Every description of garden vegetables
succeeded we'll, He had himself seen
cabbage heads so large that the best OF
them could not be put into half bushe /;
and four hundred bushels of excellent po-
tatoes grown upon an acre of land. He
insisted that the soil of the Willamette
valley was equal in fertility to any por-
ton ofIllinois. He knew this to be the
truth, and every we'll informed citizen of
Oregon would attest to it.
He had heard much said here of rains
in winter and droughts in summer in Or
egon. They had rains in winter, They
were necessary for the development Of
resources of the soil--to cover the earth
with green heritage for the beast, and to
facilitate the labors and secure the sue
cess of the husbandman's tolls. But the
rains of winter were not as continual and
heavy as had been represented. The
farmer loses but little time for outdoor Ia
Dor in winter. Ifhe chooses be can pillow
make rails, put up fences, build cabins,
or perform any other outdoor labor which
may be necessary. There are times in
winter when the weather is most beauti-
full. In summer the rains are not too Of
ten, but seasonable. August was the dri-
est month. He5had heard thunder and
saw lightning but twice during his resi-
dence of eighteen months in Oregon
The Indians, In their superstition, con.
nected the appearance ofthis phenomena
| there, with the coming of the whites
The rains did not beat or gully the earth.
The streams were high in winter, as
might be expected. He had not heard of
crops being lost in the growing or har-
vesting by rains or drought. Wheat was
sure crop. The native grasses we're
abundant and nutritious and cattle were
fatter in winter from feeding ON them than
he had seen Stalled cattle in the States.
He recommended no man to go to Or
egon who was lacking in energy of char
acter; who was not Industrious; or would
not sustain those moral and republican in :
situations on which the we'll being of CON-
munity was based. There was as talen-
ted, well educated, refined, moral, and
religious people in Oregon, as in any
portion ofthe United States. He believ-
ed that in the qualities which make up
good lleighborhoods and good settlements
the people of Oregon were in advance
of any new settlements in the United
/ States.
The journey to Oregon was greatly pro.
motive of health. He had known feeble
men, women and children, in the com.
mencement of the journey unable TO take
care of themselves, before its conclusion,
| become entirely robust, and are now sue
cessf1lly cultivating farms in7the Walla.
mette valley. He gave the names lofsev.
eral persons and families who had thus
re-instated their health.
/ Families should be well prepared who
took the journey to Oregon. lfthis was
done, and the emigrants made the best o
every thing, enjoyed the varied scenery
curiosities and occurring incidents efthe
trip, the journey would not, on the whole
be an unpleasant one, but would graft,
in high degree, the admirers Of the
4 grand, the sublime, and the lovely scenery
of nature. ne -
i He was enthusiastic in describing The
gem of Oregon-the valley of the Walla,
mette. Allthat was lovely and grand in
!, nature could be seen here. The Lofty
]. mountains, with their snow clad SUBMITS
the lesser mountains, covered with ever
], green timber; the hills and butes on which
were copses of oak, and other deciduou
forest trees which resembled beautiful
q parks; the prairies, the river, and ths
! creeks which thread their way to it, nov
glittering in the Sun, now leaping in falls
now murmuring inrippless pure and swee
as heavens own fountains-all these ex
s. hibltions Of nature and others which tn,
I want oftime did not permit to mention
were enough to arose the most solder
spirit, and to kindle into emotion all tn,
sensibilities of mans nature. He love,
,lthat beautiful valley. It should be hi