Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-04-22
&2Ges @G I1oeGGGgS Vgqy:
0Fegen--IRleFcSting Letter.

0Fegcn- Interesting Letter.
| We fud the following letter from the
Superintendent of Indian Affairs of Ore.
gon, in tue Cleaveland Herald:
WASHINGTON, March %, 1859.
DEAR SIR: There has been forwarded to
me from Oregon. the letter of E. II Thav.
! er. Esq, with yours attached, asking ques.
tions relative to Oregon.
/ regret extremely. that my time Is SO
/ much taken up while in this city that |
cannot 80 as much into detail on this sub
/ Ject as / otherwise would be inclined to do
as L have good reason to believe shat there
are but few white men living that have
seen as much of Oregon as I Lare
1t was believed when | left. that there
would, within one year. be inhabitants en-
ough to eUtItle Oregon to become a state.
Steps have already been taken to this end.
OREGON spoken of aS whole, is an open
prairie country without timber Still. all
that part OF It lying west Of the Cascade
mountains Is perhaps three fourths of IL
covered thickly with timber. growing very
tall and straight is mostly species
II iir-there Is much white cedar. some
yellow pine-no white pine
The soil IS very good for wheat and 9th.
er grains, (corn eXcepted,) as well as for
tlu of every kind that will grow in
northern climate.
The prospects for the farmers In Oregon
are better than in any other portion Of
country with which | am acquainted Ia
that, labor OF every kind commands high
pr.cys. There are. nevertheless many that
are idle in the towps-such as doctors
lawyers. clerk spectators and gamblers
-taleuted lawyers, however. are doing
well.
The mercantile business is everywhere
oyevdouc.-iarge quan itie= of goods sold at
auction in San Francisco. California are
daily shipped to Oregon, and there sold
Tor less. (in many cases) than the same
could be bought for in New Y rk. Be
sides this, large cargoes of goods are sent
there by eastern shippers, and sold at RI
nous losses t. the owners As soon a,
the merchants of Oregon are permitted to
order the goods that are wanted In the
country. then, and not till then, will
healthy state Of things exist. connected
with merchandise.
The lumber business is of immense val
ue to Oregon Say t your friends from
Maine. that, persons well acquainted with
saw-mIH, who are willing TO work, viii all
do well here The water power of Gre
gon IS immeuse-it Is greater. I think.
than that Of amy State in the Union. On
the large streams. however it is very ex-
peusiye using it, oa aeeoust Of the great
rise and fall IA t.lesls ssreaEs-ss, il the rainy
and dry season4 The Yesssesat anrns,exof
saw mills iu Oregon i ahoat fCD
There are 40 first rate Fs6tl0F mills,
although there are one or tWu tila.esst
enough To be good.
Large quantities Of -four and potatoes
are sent to California from Oregon. as we'll
IS immense numbers Of hogs aud poultry.
besides butter and eggs are items in their
exports
Tue climate Of Oregon is more mild
than any otaer part OF the United States
ia the same latitude There was no snow
or freezing weather last winter Tie grass
was green ell winter, and cattle were in
better condition an the spring tiaa In the
fail before; and this, too, without fcod.
except grass Hundreds Of thousands of
horses are raised in upper Oregon without
ever tasting any other food exec . grass.
My time Will rot allow me to 90 further
into detail, only to say that tic cost of
going To Oregon Is considerable, either in
time or money. 1t takes about > months
- go by land, and about forty days by
the steamcrs-frst cabin passage costs
about five hundred dollars--stcerage about
three hundred
The mail steamers go once in two weeks
from San Francisco 20 Oregon and back
] have the honor to remain,
Your obcd.ent servant
ANSON DART.
Super'dent Iudian Affairs for Oregon
j. = HARaIs, Cleveland, Ohio