Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-09-22
Letter From Oregon.
oaEeos Cry, February %, 1s4e.
From dc Chicago Democrat.


DEAR FATHER, and FRIESDs:-
As the rainy season has set in, the
roads are very bad !, and the country being
new, and the settlers far apart, it is almost
impossible to get from one place TO anoth-
er, except in boats. All the travelling
have done since ] arrived in the valley,
has been on the Willamette and Colum.
bia rivers. l expected TO have travelled
about some, viewing the country, but the
weather is different from what expected;
ever since my return from the mouth of
the Columbia, it has rained two thirds Of
time. Since / returned have been doing
but little, it being so rainy that | did not
like to work out, but now the weather is
getting good, and work will be wanted
1 will have a job in repairing two mills.
situated 30 or 40 miles above here, as
soon as the river is down. In few days
can work on Catholic church, and
have the specie for it by waiting until
October. This country is so situated
that it will be a very rich and populous
State, i it should come under the protec.
ton of the United States. If they do not
protect itself The land is so formed on
the coast and rivers, that it would be next
to impossible for naval force to come in
by water. On all the streams upon which
ships can sail, the banks are very high,
with heavy timber coming down the wa
ter's edge, so that few good rifiemen
would pick every unlucky sailor who
might show himself This Terri! DRY is
so large, have but little doubt that it
will soon declare itself independents
Take into consideration the country OF
California, which is fast settling with EN-.
igrants from the States, who are not fond
| of the Mexican laws and stand ready to
revolt the moment they are strong enough.
If these Territories should ever join as
one republic, which doubt not will be
the case, (unless our government extends
would be one Of the finest on the
American Continent. This is to be one
of the richest lumber countries on the
globe, and as for water power, it cannot
| be surpassed. Almost every stream in
country has perpendicular falls / have
seen number, ranging from 10 to so
feet fall. A respectable gentleman in
Turned me of Red fir which has blown
down, measuring 3l4 feet in length, and
13 feet in diameter. At the mouth OF the
Columbia measured a Spruce, IL feet
on the stump, and 24S feet long, 200 of
! which were intended for Shingles. Spruce
is excellent for boards, being free from
knots, and it works similar to good pine.
There is plenty of pine up the Willamette
and at Puget Sound, Cascade Mountains,
Sant.am river. This wood makes the
best of boards, shingles, rails, &C.
Cedars have been found here measuring
800 feet in length. The natural pro-
auctions are c-ab-apples, cherries, buckle
berries, straw berries in great abundance,
black and red raspberries, cranberries,
and fruit similar to grapes grows on a
small shrub. There is number of other
kinds of fruit for which know no name.
The above mentioned fruits grow here in.
great abundance; the timber land is COW
cred with strawberry. vines. 1t is very
common for farmers to preserve u barrel
here all winter if they choose, and SOW
grain at any time from September till
April / have seen some fields from which
a good crop was taken three years IN sue
cession, without sowing but one. The
rain probably causes wheat to come up
without being sowed but once. Wheat.
was never known to rust in this country.
The soil, so far as have examined it, is
deep and loainy, with clay and gravel bot
tom, generally little sandy. The aver
age crop Of wheat IS Sd bushels to the.
acre. Some paris ofihe country 81 net good
| for corn. but tolerable crop can be raised
with little extra labor. With few ex-
] ceptions the emigrants are well pleased
with the country and prospects. There
are 80 or 10 men going 10 the States, on