Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1852-01-29
INDIANA STATE SENTINEL.
Circular of Hon. Joseph Lane, Delegate from
Oregon, in reference to the Settlement, SOIL,
and Climate of Oregon Territory.
WAsH1xGroN CRY, Jan. /, 1852.

OREGON
cuar such information is usually desired, that may
thus be enabled furnish it promptly and more IN
detail than due attention 10 my other public daties
would allow me- we're to endeavor give written
answer to each hope this course will not be consd-
cred discourteous 10 my correspondents or IN pursuing
IT, will more esctually and satisfactorily serve them,
which IS my chief desire
Oregon is a mountainous country, Interspersed with
MANY extensive rich and beautiful valleys, watered by
cool pure having their among us snow
clad m untuns IL is exceedingly healthy-no country
Is more So The atmosphere Is pure, and the climate
delightful especially during the SKINNER. From April
November there is but little rain, but cool, gentle
breeze blows almost perpetually from the NORTH The
winters are rainy but mild for during this season. warm
south winds constantly prevail
The country is well watered and the soil very fertile
and well adapted the growth OF all the small grains
grasses, POTATOES and other culinary vegetables-al
Welding most abundanty except Indian corn, which IS
NOT regarded rs successful crop Many OF the his
and covered with inexhaustabe forests oil
fns timber generally liz and cedar These forests Ire
auenty skirt the valleys aud streams.
As is well known, the Columbia Is the only great
river the Pacific slope, and stretches from the sea
coast to the Rocky Mountains From us mouth 10 inc
Cascades distance Of about hundred and nifty miles,
there uninterrupted navigation for vessels oil the
largest size. The Willamette empties into the Coum
ba, about ninety miles from its month Inls river Is
also navigabe for the largest vessels TO Portland, h
miles from its mouth, and many have assembled as
high as Milwaukee, seven miles further
At the risk Of little repetition IT may not be
deemed improper unnecessary to give more detailed
and minute description Of the valley OF tins and some OF
the other streams Of Oregon.
The willamette valley bounded by the coast noun
tans the west and the Cascade range on the east
The soil excellent and is not surpassed, equaiied
by portion Of the continents its adaptation 10 the
growth OF wheat rye aud oats Potatoes are rouuceo
in great abundance and 81 superior qualityj wle
wheat is invariably certain CROP subject to none oil
the dis and uncertainties peculiar II II in the States
il natures slowly hence the grain IS always ln and
plump, and the straw unusually solid AID elastic ana
subject fell. In consequence of the cool dry
summers and the entire absence of rain during the ar
vest season. the farmer enabled to gather IN his gram
without
This valley is about one hundred aud fifty miles in
length and thrty-6ve in BREADTH and IS sparsey SET
tied throughout its whole extent. Many hne locations
are vet unoccuped which will richly repay the labor oil
the thrifty husbandman. Natural meadows, as yet IN
touched bv the hand Of cultivation, afford abundant ana
rich pasturage for immense heards OF cattle Inc val
ley is mostly prairie skrted by beautiful groves OF TIM
bsr while through its centre the Willamette river.
The Umpqua valley is distant from the willamette
about twelve miles, and Is separated from it by the Cal
apooe mountains. Ii IS about ninety miles IN ien9'
and varies from five to thrtyhye miles IN wldh IL -
made up of succession OF hills and daes furnishes but
little timber, yet abOunds in natural laxurant growth
Of the richest grass.
lev, and form junction about forty miles from the bay
of the name. The entrance TO this bay IS
found to be practicable many ships and steamers
have crossed the bar at its mouth ndlng IRON three 10
three and a-half iahoms Of upon 1t. without the
aid Of pilots bnoys, light houses lew slight acct
dents however have occurred for the want oil such I'M
~
and appropriations have been made for light house
and fog signals.
This bay is destined to be an important point to the
southern portion Of Oregon here will be the outlet Tor
the produce Of the Umpqua valley and consequently,
here will be its commercial city. Many pack trains are
already employed in the transportation OF goods and
provisions from this point TO the 'gold dlsgngs on
Rogue, Chaste, and Scott rivers.
Rogue river valley, which takes It's name from the
river that passes through it. is about seventy miles by
tie main travelled route from the Umpqua. The valley
br Inrr
orally good and is skrted aud nerSpersed with groves
Of fine timber As it borders upon rich gold rsgon, 1t
mast eventually become densely populated As yet,
however II contains white settlement, oul Is oc
pied by the Rogue River Indians who have rendered 1t
the seat of much trouble and suffering from their dePre
dations.
may almost add of the world better adapted to grazing
than this valley. In extent it is about fifty by thirty
miles Surrounded by mountains the eye seldom rests
upon beautiful, picturesque, and romantic spot.
IL extends to within few miles Of the boundary be-
tween Oregon and California. These valleys all he
Of the Cascade mountains, and south Of the Co.
lumbia
There are also many small valleys rich and FERTILE in
this part of the Territory afording good inducements
To settlers and which doubt will be speedily occu
1ed suitable protection be extended over
them by the government.
very interesting portion of Oregon lies north Of the
Columbia, and is being rapidly settled The Covlitz,
which rises in the Cascade mountains north OF the Co.
umba, runs through large tract OF ine arabic land,
entering the Columbia some forty or fifty miles from IFS
mouth.
A French settlement, of many years growth, CON-
mences near this river, about thirty miles from its
mouth, and now embraces some large and valuable
farms Americans, also, have, within he last six years.
settled between and the ChahaIes, and doing we'll
The country is level and fertile and beautifully inter-
Spersed with praries and timber
The valley Of the Chahales is also fertile. and well
adapted to cultivation Between it and Puget Sound
the c,antry level and well tmbered, with occasional
small praires This Sound is OF the safest and best
karbors in the world. 1t affords fine ship navigation
into important portion Of the Territory. Surrounded
by large district OF country, rich in SOIL with immense
forests of the finest timber in the world and combining
many advantages, agricultural and commercial, it is
destined to be. distant day. OF the most mpor
tant points the Pacific a low pass IN the Cas-
cade mountains offers for good road from the
Sound TO Fort Walla-Waa. on the Columbia. Such
road would be important for military purposes, and
would also be great saving Of distance and time
grants going to the Cowltz aui Chshaes rivers, Pu-
gets Sound, To any other point 7Orf OF the Colum
ba- At present. emigrans com jailed 10 take the
road across the Cascade mountains south of the Coum
ba, 10 Oregon City, from whence it is far, by road
almost implssabs, Puget Sound, it would be from
Waila Wala by the road suggested
There are, aso of the Cascade range, north and
south Of the Columbia in possession of the Indians
large districts of country finely adapted grazing with
occasional good Of farming land which will,
doubt, ere long be occupied by the whites.
Oregon City is situated the Great Falls o. the Will
lamee. Steamboats, daily from this place to Port
land and those Of smaller class also daily up the
river above the Falls from thirty fifty miles and in
some instances recently, | informed, they have
gone up hundred aud fifty miles small iu-
dciOus expenditure would render the river constantly
navgabe for such boats that distance.
The population of Oregon including the immigration
Of the last season. is probably twenty thousand. The
immigration rapidly increasing, owing only the
natural advantages Of the county, It to the liberal
provisions made for actual settlers by late law OF Con-
gress By that law liberal donations of lands are made
all who will settle upon them previous to the FIRST dav