Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-03-09
OREGON.

of public buildings for the Territory, and the
large increase Of population within the past few
months. OF the great suffering most of the i'm
migrants have endured in their overland route,
he says:
at is our policy 10 encourage immigration
by all reasonable inducements. Our fertile val
legs and magnificent forests, our varied and en-
tensiyc mineral resources; our salubriOus eli
mate, and our maratime advantages avail us but
little, unless men be had to turn them to at
count. 1t is obvious that our numbers must
be swelled chiefly by persons who seek the ter
ritory by the overland route. Tho journey will,
under any circumstances, be tedious, labOrious,
and attended with some risk, both to person and
property. 1t becomes more difficult as our set
Element is approached.
The immigrant then has to travel over lofty
mountains and miserable roads. He is fire.
quently overtaken by the inclemencies OF the
weather when worn down with exposure and
fatigue, and exhausted in means. Our feelings
and our sense of justice revolt at the idea, that
while encounterng disadvantages almost insep-
arabic from the formation of the country, and
the nature Of the climate, he should also, just
upon entering our borders be visited with exac-
tons, and driven to incur expenses which he has
but little ability to meet. You have it in your
these evils. therefore respectfully call your
attention to this end of the overland route, and
ask YOU to adopt such measures as will lead to
an improvement Of the road, and the diminution
of the expenses and losses attendant upon the
travelling over it in the present state of things"
The Governor next speaks Of the Importance
of education. "a fund should be created, and
over it such guard be thrown as to prevent any
mismanagement or waste. 1t must be SO man.
aged as to yield the greatest amount of revenue,
and be sacredly devoted to tho advancement of
the cause of education"
He regrets that many persons are pursuing
the search for gold, and neglecting more perma-
nently profitable labor On this subject he says:
"Icannot but consider it misfortune that the
search for gold, now particularly since increased
population and business has, within the last
two years, afforded us the means of profitable
labor within our own boundaries, led so many
of our citizens from the more stable, and in the
end, the more remunerating labors of produc-
ton. The experience of all nations has shown
that mining population never becomes really
or permanently rich, and it is an unbOunded fact,
that the neighboring State of California, with
all her productions in gold, has not repaid the
capital furnished or expended from the East"
Respecting the products of the territory, the
Governor says that the wheat and other small
grains have become renowned, not only for
quality unsurpassed, but for average quantity,
produced by moderate labor; it may truly be
made to excel all other agricultural regions.
Among the staples for which Oregon is admi-
rably adapted, are wool, flax and hemp, and no
country in the world is better adapted for raj
sing the former, as sheep do not require to be
housed or fed at any time flax and hemp grow
spontaneously in many parts of the country.
His Excellency next aludes to the coal found
at the Cowlitz. He says also that lead and min
erals are found in abundance. Of gold he thus
speaks:
"The gold mines near the Southern boundary
of the territory are being wrought to consd-
cradle profit, and gold in small quantities has
been found on nearly all the tributaries of the
Columbia heading in the Eastern slope of the
Cascade range of mountains. There is consid-
cradle analogy between the tacose and allied
rocks of the Umpqua region, and the gold bear
ing rocks of California; and gold has been found
on the South fork Of the Santiam, East of the
meridian line, on Calapooya creek, a tributary
of the Willamette, and on several other streams
heading in the Cascade range of mountains"