, 1852-11-13
Iron 1nE " coLUMBIAN.rl

M EbShko. GDllOhS-Ou leCeut ulp u
the Cowliiz, we met and conyersed with a
number Of immigrants whose memories had
been abundantly charged with the same old
stories that have created so strong preju-
dice against Northern Oregon. There are
unqueslionably some men in the Willamette
valley who, judging from hearsay, or per-
haps from hasty visit to our section in an
unfavorable season of the year, and withal
not seeing enough Of the country to enable
them to form a correct opinion Of il, honestly
believe thai Northern Oregon is, and always
must be, destitute Of the necessary resources
to foster and sustain Hourishing commune
ties. Of such we would speak with be-
coming charity, allowing them 10 tell the
immigrant whatever tales they believe 70 be
true, ifthey will do US the justice to tell the
whole trulh-such as the fact, that there
are an abundance of men whose minds are
unbiased by prejudice, who have Travelled all
over Oregon, and have spent months in ex-
ploring Northern Oregon, who assert with
great assurance that there is as much good
land north Of the Columbia river as south Of
it. That Northern Oregon is more desira-
bic is point Of health, in commercial adyan-
tages, and in facilitiSs for lua05eliiGr and
fishing, no one but the ignorant or the bigot
will for a moment deny.
(. Then again there are men in Portland
and other places, who, inAueneedby desire
to get a few dollars more rent, or BY de-
sire 10 get labor few shillings cheaper BY
the day, or in some way make few dollars
of the worn out and discouraged immigrant,
wilfully, maliciously, and knowing the same
10 be untrue, Circulate reports among the
immigrants calculated to prevent them from
visiting Norihern Oregon, or at least delay
their coming as long as possible. OF this
nature is the story OF the MUD MOUNTAIN,
which is represented as an obstacle in The
road from. the Columbia river to- Puget
Sound, in height oyeriopping mount Hood
or mount Rainier, and covered, not with
perpetual snow, but perpetual mud, and the
crossing Of it far more dreadful than the
whole trip across the Cascade mountains.
have passed several times between the
Sound and the Cowlitz, and never heard Of
the mud mountain until was INTERCEPTED
BY an immigrant, with his voice nerved mp
10 the last degree Of desperation, as to its To-
caliIy, and if it was possible for live man to
cross il. then, BY inquiry Of one Of the
first American settlers on Puget Sound,
learned that when be came TO the country
in '45, there was no path known but over
the mud mountain, and that their company
cut the road and took their wagons over i (;
and that while on il they met Gov. Doug
las, now Of Vancouver's Island, who ex-
pressed his surprise at The Americans taking
their wagons where he said be bad repeat
cdly faild in the attempt to pass with mules.
But tits now FIVE or six years since The road
passed over the mud mountain.
Another hobby is that Northern Oregon
has very cold winters. This is readily be-
lieved, as it is farther north than the VIII
lamette but the degree Of latitude on the
Pacific coast does not altogether govern the
temperature. This is Influenced by ranges
Of mountains, the proximity Of the sea, &c.
A highly respectable citizen Of Olympia took
Observations Of The weather last winter, and
the result was that the coldest day we had
the thermometer stood at Ia above zero,
and The average lemperaiure was from 40 ?
to 55 9. From all the information ] can
obtain, believe that stock lives as well IN
Northern Oregon without feeding during
The winter, as in the greater portion Of The
Willamette valley. The old story that
nothing can be raised on Puget Sound,
seems 70 our own citizens too ridiculous to
be noticed. But attempts are still made TO
dupe immigrants with such barefaced absur-
dities. will only state that two Of our
citizens, living near Steilacoom, recently
made BET Of fifty dollars, the one that six
teen potatoes, raised near by, would mike a
bushel, and the sixteen potatoes made more
than buslel, both BY weight and measure
RS