Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-02-12
There is no portion of the Terri,ory.

!" V'Ss ct"Ni auapsru ~ grazing tDaH
this valley. In exien. i, is about fifty By
thirty miles. Surrounded by mountains,
HE eye seldom rests npon more beau
uful. picturesque, and roniau,lc spot--
II iexiends to within few miles of the
boundary between Oregon and Califor-
mia. Those valleys all lie west OF the
Cascade mountains, ana south of The
Columbia.
There are also many small valleys,
rich and fertile. IN this part Of the Terri
tory. aflorjing good inducements to set.
tiers, aud which no doubt will be speed.
lily occupied 80 soon as suitable protec.
ton can be exsnded over them bv the
Government.
very interesting portion Of Oregon
lies north oe the Columbia. and is being
rapidly settled. The CowIitz. which
rises in the Cascade mountains, north of
the Columbia. runs through large irac.
OF fine, arabic land, entering the Colum-
bia some forty or fifty mics from lis
mouth. al
A French settlement Of many years
growth, commences near this river, a.
bout thirty miles from lis mouth, and now
embraces some large and valuable farms.
Americans also have, within the las, six
years, settled between is and the Cha
hales, and are doing WE'LL The coun-
try is level and fertile. and beautifully
lnierspersed with prairies and timber.
The valley of the Chahales is also
fertile. and well adapted to cultivation.
Between il and Puget Sound, the coun.
try vs. level and well timbered. with occa-
siunal small prairies. This Sound is
one Of the safest and bes. harbors in the
world. IL affords fine ship navigation
into an important portion of the Terrific
~. Surrounded by large district Of
country. rich in soil, with immense for
ests of the finest timber in the world:
and combining many advantages, agricul-
turai and commercial. il is destined to be,
at no distant day, one OF the most impor
iant points on the Pacific coast A low
pass in the Cascade mountains offers a
route tor good road from the Sound 10
Fort Walla- Walia, on the Columbia -
Such a road would be importan, 70. mil
uary purposes, and would also be a great
saving of distance and time 10 emigrants
going 10 tie Cowlitz and Chahaies nv
ers, Pugrs's Sound. or to any other part
North Of the Columbia. A,presen, EN-
igran,s are compelled 10 take the road
across the Cascade mountains. sonth of
the Columbia. to Oregon City, from
whence it 10 as far. by road almost I'M
passable 10 Puget Sound, as il would be
from Walla- Walla by the road sugges ted.
There are, also, Eas, OF the Cascade
range. North and South Of the Columbia,
now 10 possession Of The Indians, large
districts Of country finely adapted to
grazing. with occasional good tracts Of
farming land, which viii. no doubt. ere
long be occupied by The whites.
Oregon City is situated at the Great
Falls Of the Willamette. Steamboats,
run daily from this place TO Portland, and
those of small class also run daily up
the river, above The Falls. from thirty 10
fifty miles. and in some instances. re
Gently. as am informed. they have even
gone "p one hundred and fifty miles. A
small Judicious expenditure would rem
der the river constantly nayigable for
such boats tina, distance.
The population of Oregon. including
the immigration OF the last season. is
probably twenty thousand. Tie. immi-
grafton is rapidly increasing, owing not
oGly to the natural advantages OF the
country. bur the liberal provisions made
Tor actual settlers by la,e law OF Con-
gress. By ,ha, Law liberal donations 0.
land are made 10 all who win settle upon
them presious 10 the LIST day Of Decem-
.ber. 1883 To a single man one hun
dred and sixty acres, and TO a married
man three hundred and twen.y--one
half in his own right. and the other half
to his wife in her own right. upon condi.
non that they viii live upon and cultivate
II for four years.
The population is Of substantial char
ac,er. much better than is generally found
in new countries. The people are enter.
prising, industrious. frugal and orderly.
MANY OF the earliest settlers have large
well cultivated farms; indeed; agriculture
everywhere in the Territory may be said
To he in flourishing condition. remarka.
bly, so for new country. California
and the Sandwich Islands afford markets
and good prices for all our surplus pro.
duets, and will undoubtedly. for years
10 come.
Many Of the various religious denom-
nations have established churches in The
Territory, TO some one of which he ma.
jority Of the settlers belong. Great In
,erest has also been manifested by the
people in the establishment of good
schools. and admirably have they sue
ceeded in :heir laudable efforts. The
Institute al Salem, under the patronage
Of the Methods, Episcopal Church, and
the Academy al Tuala,in Plains under
the control of the Preshy terians, are
excellent and fourishing institutions
There are also two female institutes in
Oregon City. Portland, Lafayette, and
other small towns have good schools
Indeed, they are common in the country
wherever the population will Justify
them. A grant Of land was made by