Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-04-06
OREGON.
From the Pike Co. Sentinel.
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| Since wrote you last II ON this country,
| have changed my residence from the
banks of the Columbia to the southern
point of Puget's Sound. Ny old place
found was overflo wed by the spring and
summer freshet, as is the case with nearly
all the Columbia bottom though this is
but small portion of the country, being
generally from one to three miles wide on
each side. am we'll pleased with my
new situation and expect to make it my
home the balance ofmy days. Some think
the land not so good here as south of the
Columbia, but the superiority it has over
the Willamette and other portions south,
in the facilities for market, as well as the
superiority of timber, will make up for any
little deficiency in this respect. Besides
| have one ofthe best mill seats in Oregon,
as all who have seen admit. =
The falls where shall build, next
summer, being about twenty feet high, the
water tumbling into the salt water of the
sound, and admitting of vessels coming
Immediately under my mill to load. 1t is
father-in-law holds our prairie claim about
one and a half miles from The falls where
now live. Ten thousand dollars would
not buy my place to-day. The sound is
deepin every part admitting vessels ofthe
largest tonnage to lie near shore. 1t also
affords US abundance of fish of various
kinds, CLAIMS and small! oysters. think
from the appearance of the soil, that an
average ofthirty bushels fwheat per acre
can be raised and perhaps fifty. They
raise this on the land a little south of me,
the Cowlitz. .s.. .s.
Fort Nisqually is about fifteen miles
east of me on the sound, where the Hud-
sons Bay Company will keep supply of
goods &c, for the settlers. The land lying
around this fort is gravelly and the most
indifferent part of the country and is one
reason why this part of Oregon has got
bad name. But on the Cowlitz & Chihalis
rivers as we'll as other parts ofthe country
lying around the sound, there are large
bodies Of excellent land-boih timber and
prairie. The climate is remarkably mild,
not flake of snow having fallen this
winter, which is now nearly over. Ice
has been formed for few days at a time
but never over half an inch thick on
shallow pools.
South of the Columbia, including the
Willamette Umptqua, and Clamat vallies
lis splendid country and oflarge extent
finely watered and timbered. Lumber
& flour will be our great articles of export;
the wheat crop-unlike that of the States
and also Californik,--never failing in
giving plenteous harvest. The crop of
the past year however. was little injured
by-what will sound rather strange to
folks in the States, as it is the opinion
there that no rain falls in Oregon during
summsr--a rainy August; nearly the
whole north. being very wet.
Our harvest begins in July and lasts till
September, so that farmer is allowed six
weeks to secure his grain. The same
leisure is had in sowing, as wheat may be
sowed every month frem middle of August
till the middle of May and good crop be
reaped. Having wet harvest is however
an unusual thing for Oregon but still we
never have had those long six months
ofdrouth as has been published sf.his land
The springs are usually reasonable until
June or July always late enough to make
all crops come to perfection.
need not repeat to you the productions
ofthe soil, as you are aware already that
we can raise every thing here we wish
even to corn. This does not grow so well
as in the States, but as we have little use
for it, enough can be raised to supply all
demand. Our hogs are fattened ono ammas
and Wappatoes, two excellent roots, and
also acorns. And when put in pen we
feed on peas and wheat. Peas are sowed
broad.cas: like wheat,-fftJ bushels per
acre often being raised. But little hemp
and fax has been raised, but enough to
shew that the climate and soil are both
peculiarly adapted to them. The forest
consists mainly of the different species of
cedar, pine and fir, we also have oak,
alder, maple, &c. but generally not in
large bodies. Garden vegetables of
nearly every description thrive well; some
far exceeding in size those grown in the
States. For instance, turnips larger than
the head of -four barrel and parsnips
and beets as large as q mans thigh.
| Although nearly all who come TO Oregon
are well pleased, and look forward to see
it rich and populous lana in a few years;
yet some Of the sanguins and visionary
persons have not found that paradise here
they hoped to obtain; and many more
who hare their expectations raised too
high will BE disappointed. for where there
( is a spot on earth without some objections
to it Oregon has as few to me as any
countryI have ever lived in.
! | am told wagons can travel from
Wallawalls directly through to Puget
Sould-a distance Of perhaps 100 miles.
The most ofthis distance is an open plain.
The passage thro' the Cascade Mounteins
he;nO the onlv nhstacla intend ,o;rr