Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-08-15
A Letter from, oregon.

was handed US for publication last week.
but owing to.a press Of other matter was
crowded out. Mr.. Harper, the writer.
formerly resided near this place, and has
been long and favorably known, as a
worthy citizen. He removed to Oregon
in the spring and summer of 1850:
PORTLAND, Oregon, June 9Th, 1851.
Dear Brother and Sister.
These are to all our friends. We are
in good health. and hope these will find
you all well. We received your letter,
dated March 18th, May 3lst. II gave
US much JOY TO hear you are all well
and doing well. We are doing quite as
well as we could expect. have got in
about five acres of truck. and calculate
on making from twelve to fifteen hun
dred dollars. from present prospects,
The crops look fine and everything bears
good price, but goods of every kind are
as cheap as in the States.
] must tell you what Betsy is up to.
She started on seven hens, and from
them she has got 100, and more setting.
She says she will make 100 dollars
and not half try, on chickens, besides
the eggs, worth one dollar per dozen,
chickens, two months old, rs cents a
piece, grown 81 90.
/ have got four cows, two giving milk.
Can you guess what Betsy made in six
weeks out of those two cows! / will
tell you. She made $50, say nothing of
that we made use of. A good cow and
calf will bring one hundred dollars. l
sold that bay Mare ! got Of Peter Fisher,
the other day Tor 1920. l could &c.
$500 for Mary or Charley. They have
eat no grain since left Iowa, vet are as
fat as ever. and in good spirits. We are
going to the City Of Portland to morrow.
10 trade. We do all our trading there,
distant about five miles. l. is a grea,
place FOR business. They do more bus
mess in one day than Oltumwa does in
month. Thereare almost always from
six TO ten vessels all the time, besides
steam bots running to and fro constant
ly, and towing vessels. You would be
astonished to see the business done in
this Town. only two years old.
! will give you sketch Of The timber
here. White and Red Fir, Cedar, Balm
of Gilead, Alder, Hemlock. Pine. White
Oak, Ash, Dogwood, Maple, Hazel and
Crab Apples, the frui. is much better
than your Grab apples. you would not
know them, they are about as large as a
walnut, and make good preserves
There are blackberries: raspberries;
straw berries; salmon berries; ,himble
berries; grapes growing on bushes quite
low; besides most other kinds Of wild
fruit. Game plenty, Deer Bear, and
Antelope. Two kinds of Salmon, white
and red, the latter the best. The red
Salmon is caught in the spring, and the
white IN the fall season. | presume
there are all sorts of salt water fish and
oysters too.
You are aware that Fort Van Couvcr
is on the north side of the Columbia
River, aid is owned by the Hudson Bay
Company, the English Fur Company
The U. s. Troops have been called of
TO California TO fight the Indians. The
Troops have all left Oregon
Our election went of on Monday
This is Blackenas county. Columbia
Township, place Of voting opposite Fort
Van Couver on the bank Of the River.
We elected Gen. Joseph Lane, late Gov.
ernor of Oregon, delegate to Congress.
Samuel Thurston died on his way home.
He was much lamenied. for he had a
great many friends here in Oregon, and
did more for the people than had ever
been done before.
All in want Of land should come to
Oregon, where they can get it. ] am
holding $40 acres, too much for one ism,
il! can have one farm on the bank Of
the Columbia where there is settlement.
The settlement back where ! am living
is bordering on the timber, fir and cedar.
larger aud taller than ever saw in all
my life time. l can stand and see Mount
Tom and Mount Helen, looking like a
perfec, snow ball, neither over rs miles
distant. These mountains can be seen
from all parts of Oregon.
live some 10 miles from the mouth
of the Willamette River in The Forks.
Portland is in Washington county, on
the West bank. There are two saw
mills; two Printing Offices; some Is OF
r. a.. l:cI a o