New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-04-26

To the Editor Of The Tribune;
Surprising that some information concerning
this remote and almost unheard Of portion of our
Pacific Territories may not be uninteresting to
your readers, have ventured presuming upon
the favor extended 70 my last communication, and
address you again.
The Umpqus Valley is now filling up with set
tiers at a mos. unprecedented rate. The hrstset-
Element by whites south of the waters OF the VIII
lamette Except single trading post Of the Had
sons Bay Company, established in 1885, was
made in the fall OF ls47, by Capt Levi Scott and
bis two sons, who laid the foundation OF our
present hourishing settlement on Elk River, a
tributary of the Umpsua. Voluntarily depriving
themselves Of the advantages Of what little civii'
cation there existed west OF the Rocky Noun
tsins, they remained alone in their selfimposed
Punishment until late in the fall Of l54S, when
another settler Mr.. Robert Cowan) was added to
the list of pioneers Of Umpqua. The discovery OF
the golden treasures Of our Southern neighbor
about this time, checked for the time the settle
ment ofthis beautiful valley, and no farther addi-
tions were made to the number Of settlers until
the next Summer when two or three more fsmi
lies came over from the Willamette.
Capt Scott, with that spirit Of enterprise which
has ever been prominent trait Of his character,
spent the winter OF l849 and so, in exploring the
country west OF the settlement, with view OF
finding practicable land route to connect with the
navigable part of the Unpqua River and having
Succeeded in bis object. early in the Spring OF
1850 be went to the mouth Of the Columbia for
the purpose Of calling the attention OF the officers
Of the U. s Surveying squadron to the Importance
Of the Umpqua, and to induce them if possible to
attempt the entrance. He had an interview while
there with Capt. Macarthur, the officer in charge
of the Government schooner Ewing, and entered
into an agreement with him to explore the har-
Dor for which service be Scott was to pay the
sum Of s. 600 1t appears to me highly culps-
bic act on the part Of an officer of the u. s Gov.
verDment to exact or receive money for the per-
Torrance Of service included ia his duty as an
officer Capt. Macarthur, however, failed to per-
form bis part of the contract, thereby saving Capt
Scott the expense.
In August, while Capt. Scott, with two or three
others vas encamped at the mouth of the River
awaiting the arrival of the Ewing, the schr Saml.
Roberts appeared off the bar and after a delay of
q few hours, entered the River in safety. The
Samuel Roberts was in charge Of a company OF
explorers who had left San Francisco with the
intention or exploring the mouth OF the klamet
Having failed in their object OF finding that River
and being unwilling TO return empty handed TO
San Francisco they had pushed on and bad finally
reached the Umpqua The schooner Immediately
proceeded up the river to the head OF navigation,
labout twenty miles from the ocean, without diff
fculty The Company selected a location for
city at the mouth OF the river which they named
Umpqua City, and another at the head of nsviga.
tion 70 which they gave the name of Scottsburg,
in honor Of Capt Scott After delay Of q few
days they returned 10 San Francisco, and the re-
port they gave of the river and country induced
considerable number Of persons To leave for the
UmpQua Several vessels loaded with passengers
have since arrived, and our population, which last
Spring did not exceed twenty five souls, now num-
beIs between four and FIVE hundred, and is rapidly
increasing.
The UmpQua Valley nov offers great Induce
ments to emigrantS IL IS considered by good
Judges TO be one Of the richest and most fertile
valleys in Oregon, and an opportunity is now OF
fered 10y the late act of Congress TO all of secur
ing home free of cost in a beautiful region of
country convenient TO the sea board, and IN eli.
mate unsurpassed in point OF mildness and salu.
brity by any in the world There are many thouS-
ands in your crowded cities OF the East struggling
with poverty, and living in wretchedness, who
might here secure handsome competence and
become-what they never can while they remain
where they are-their own masters. The multi.
tudes who are constantly fleeing from tyranny,
l
life of beggary and perhaps OF crime on the Allan
tic shores, would here lind an asy lum where they
might live in honest Independence and provide
for their own support In the decline OF lie.
We have much reason to complain OF the gross
irregularity Of the mails on the Pacific. Letters
20 and from the States are frequently three or
four months on the way, and often miscarry alto
gether More than this, we are compelled TO pay
four times the amount OF postage paid by any
other territory For this there might have been
some excuse when the Pacific mail routes were
first established in the great expense and COM
ptrstively small amount OF mailabe matter. But
this excuse can hold good no longer. Our mails
would much more than pay their expenses il the
postage was cut down to the uniform rate OF ten
cents Utah, Minnesots and New Mexico fall far
short Of this, and are a burden % the Govern
ment Where then is the justice OF compelling
us 10 pay forty cents for the transportation of s
letter which does not cost the department more
than five and exacting from the other territories
only ten cents for what costs perhaps fifteen l
trust that the matter will be looked into and re
NEEDED by Congress at an early day.
The news OF the passage OF the Land Bill by
Congress was hailed with the most eXtraysgant
demonstrations Of JOY throughout the Territory.
The exertions Of our delegate. Mr.. Thunton. IN
its behalf will in the eyes of his constituents
counterbslsnce many of his evil deeds. TIE bill
has, however, in my opinion some Objectionable
features. The reservation OF the Oregon City
claim " for educational purposes can be regarded
in no other light than as an act OF the mos. gross
Injustice to the claimant, DR.. Jno. Mclaughlin.
The claim was taken up and occupied BY Dr. Nc
Lsughhn who was British subject Is early as
lS42, when the country was, under the provisions
OF the treaty Of Great Britain IN the Joint occu-
pGncy Of the two countries and when the mum.
Der o. American citizens in the Territory was By
lar less than the number Of British As soon as
! ire proper officer wAs appointed for Oregon, he
slspihed b'. intention Of becoming an Ameri,an
citiEsn having already Withdrawn from the Hud.
con Bay Company, and ha. aimee in al no;n,s
complied with the laws of both the Provincial
and Terrtoris. Governments. He has expended
large amount OF money in the erection Of mill,
and in making other improvements, and now sn
his land ana improvement are to be taken from
him Any other British subject that h.. con,.