Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-07-22
LETTER FROM OREGON.

ting facts our readers will not regre
the space it occupies:
PLEASANT VALLEY, o. T., April 25, '52.
DEAR BROTHER: = = YOI
request me to give you, from time Il
time, sketches OF Oregon. | will
cheerfuIly comply, and also give yol
extracts of my Journal over tht
Plains. There is Comparatively
nothing known OF the journey tC
Oregon, or Of Oregon, in the u
States. | have been at great pain:
in keeping an extended journal o.
the water courses, scenery, grass,
mountains, valleys, last places Of en-.
campments, Indians, distances from
point TO point, weather, &c, from
Council Bluffs, TO Salem, in Marion
County, o. T. My description o.
Oregon will be based upon actual
observation, and from relia b | c
sources. The soil, water, timber,
climate, grass, navigation, gold, gen.
eral productions, society, prices. and
general description of the country
here, will be noticed in turn.
SoIL.-There is a variety Of soil
in Oregon. In the valleys there is a
deep black vegetable soil, very loose
and easily cultivated. The under
strata OF this soil is clay. Upon the
ButteS or little hills, the soil is red
dish clay loan, and very productive.
Upon the mountains, it is sometimes
black and sometimes reddish, aud also
quite productive. have seen as rich
land, in large bodies, in Oregon, as |
ever saw in the United States. 1t is
true that Oregon as whole, is not
generally a farming country. All
our eastern border is totally unfit
for settlements, as it is mass ol
black oasalt rock, and volcanic ruins,
affording no timber, except wild sage
and greese wood, which are shrubs,
and answer for fuel in cooking. but
for no other purposes.
WArER.-The water of Oregon is
Justly celebrated as the most pure
and healthy in North America. All
the waters Of Oregon take their rise
in those snow capped mountains,
which run north and south, and
parallel with the sea coast and with
each other. Innumerable springs
gush forth from the mountains and
hills of Oregon, and rushing down in
beautiful rivulets, form creeks, and
these uniting, form rivers-amongst
the principal oi which, are the Co.
Iumbia, Willamette, Cowlitz, Ump-
qua, Rogue's, river, Shasta, Jehalas,
and several others OF less note.--
The amount Of water power is un-
limited here. The Willamette river
al lis falls--(Oregon City, affords
sufficient water power 10 propel 2OO
pairs of four feet burrs. The river
there affords as much water as the
Ohio river at Wheeling, and is COM
pressed between solidibluffs Of volca-
mic rock, 200 feet high, and rushes
down over a precipice 25 feet high.
Oregon City is in narrow bottom,
on the east side of the river, and,
from its superior water power and
location near the head Of ship navi-
cation, will become a great CITY,
All the creeks as they leave the hills
fall over precipices, and afford excel
lent mill seats. The waters Of the
creeks, are as cold as ice all the
year, and clear as crystal. They
abound in the most excellent Salmon
and other fish, and numerous aquatic
fouls.
TIMBER. And here | feel that
am on part Of my subject matter
which exceeds belief with those who
have never seen The timber OF Ore
gon!
The principal bodies Of timbe
here, are lound on the Blue Cascade
and coast ranges Of mountains; a
also on the vaIlies of Columbia, VIII
Iamette, Jehalas, Sonoma, Chicales
Pudding, Santiam and other rivers
The quantity per acre would excee,
10 fold any timber in Ohio. Th
growth is white. red, and yellow FL
pine, cedar, maple, ash, dwarf whit
oak, like apple trees. alder, yew, dog
wood, cherry, chittim, hazel, an
used for broom sticks and hoop pole:
elder 8 inches in diameter. The Fl
grows from $50 to 300 Ieet higf
and from ] to Ia feet in diameter
perfectly straight and tapers TO
point like cane. These trees groN
: nearly as closely 10 each other a
) canebreaks and afford saw logs, rail-
shingles, clapboards, framing timber
and ship nasts. A fence of thes
t rails will last, with good care, z
{. years. From 10 TO 80 rail cuts ar
taken from single tree, and spl
y Uery WE'LL Oregon affords enoug
= timber to supply herself, and all Cal
fornia and the Islands Of the Pacifi,
which are destitute of timber.
: have l4O acres Of such timber and
Q superior mill seat on it. There al
Il IL -orfe 1f n-.-- Il.