New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-01
OREGON.

with emigration to Oregon. We cannot ai's"oi
so r-ecisely as he wished, and know no worA' 70
which we might refer him for all the ii'or'nS'
tion he desires; but We will endeavor to tnro"
some general light on the subject OF oregon
founded on considerable reading and converse,
tion with persons who have made the oVeriana
iosrney and spent some time in that mr-a"a!
reoion We shall speak under different heads
as follows:
cJ;mafe-Orecon stretches along the
To-. coast ofthe Pacific Ocean about 500 miles,
from lat 42o TO 49, North, or say from the lat
itude of Newport, r. l., TO that OF the saul 81
Marie or in fact farther. Bat, owing TO the
neichborhood of the Pacific, and the temperate
Winds thence blowing over il almost constantly,
Western and Middle Oregon are far milder In
climate than the corresponding section OF tue
Atlantic slope Its winters are much like those
ofNcrth Carolina-or rather those oil tbe Moun'
tain region of South Carolina, Georgia ana len
uessee; while the abundance ana aittuue Vi
II q mountains in like manner modliies the nea'
of summsr Cool nights are general, and irosts
quite common, even IN summer while sno"
rarely lies more than few days except
On the mountains or far inland, where the
changes of temperature are very great ana
sudden An carly explorer of Oregon Hall ).
Kclley) saw tie mercury in his thermometer
rise TO 1902 during the day, though water iroze
during the night following. This was OF course
far inland where neither ocean nor mountains
exert 80 signal an influence as near the shore.
3. Soil Generally the soil OF Oregon, so
far as cultivated, has proved very fertile. True,
the best has been tried first, and there is very
much waste land-mountains, ravines, &c
but the prairie and forest lands are generally
Good. OF course, we refer to that halt OF Ore
gcn lying nearest the Pacific. That which
stretches thence to the Rocky Mountains is in
good part composed Of broken volcanic rock,
generally barren, and not likely to be ever Of
much value, unless for pasturage.
3. Productions. belt of land lying be-
tween the Pacific and the Coast Range of Noun
tains is in the main heavily timbered with trees
of gigantic size and stature Between that and
the next Range stretches the valleys OF the
Willamette, Cowelitz, &c.-partly timbered
and partly prairie, having generally fertile
soil. (Here the bulk of the Emigration hlth-
erto has settled) Further east, the land is
barren and less inviting. The Grass of Oregon
is good and Cattle can live the year round
without feeding almost any where. Wheat,
Rye, Oats Barley, &c, grow luxuriously al
most throughout Oregon. Indian Corn suffers
severely from frosts, and is poor, uncertain
crop Oregon Corn so called, has husk
over each kernel to protect it from cold. For
all other grains, and for Grass, Western Ore
gon is hardly exceeded by any country. To
Fruit, we apprehend, it is poorly adapted be-
cause of It's frOsSs though there is as yet lit
tie experience on the subject.
A. Minerals. Goal in abundance has been
found on Vancouvcr's Island, (British) off the
coast of Oregon, and it doubtless will be
found in our territory Cold exists to a con-
siderable extent in the Southeast; but
whether il is generally distributed, and will
justify extensive working, are questions not
yet conclusivey answered Doubtless, other
ores will be discovered as the country is
cleared and cultivated p s. Since writing
the above, we have tidings Of extensive Coal
discoveries in Oregon.
). The Tdgto Get re.--Practcally, there
is none for the poor except by the Overland
Route. To double Cape Horn is an expensive
and tedious voyage, and there is seldom a
vessel sailing direct for Oregon. Our trade
with that region is mainly by way Of San Fran
cisco. BY taking either Of the Isthmus routes,
the time may be reduced TO SIX or eight weeks,
but the cost is from $500 to $500 per passen-
ger. The Overland Route is hard one, bat
il is not impractieable. Whoever would take
this route should start so as TO be at Independ-
ence, Missouri, on the LIST of May, though a
late Spring may postpone his start thence to
the middle Of that month. 1t is good four
months work 10 travel thence 10 the valley of
the willamette; rather more, with family
We consider mules the best animals, though
the trip is oftener made with horses or with
oxen. Light, strong wagons may be taken the
greater part Of the way. II is madness to take
anything but provisions for the journey and
clothing. Load as lightly as possibe-not over
five hundred pounds to each draft animal
Take sloDg new mich cows, especially II you
have children. You ought to have at least
500 in money to start with; for, though your
lodgings Vill be cheap and you must carry
nearly all your own food, you will find money
come in play. We should say hundred
persons in a company Thirty to forty Of them
stloDg, fearless, inofensiye, weIl-arfned men