Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-02-23
Notes on Oregon.

pondent. the editor of the Oregon Argus givesa
summary of the resources of Oregon, which we
will condense for the benefit of such as are Gu
rious about that ar-off land. Oregon has noun
tains of bastaic rock, very hard and black, but
useful; also some granite, and good deal of
species of sandstone, easily worked, and useful
in wells, cellars and other places not exposed to
the weather, which it cannot bear. Limestone
is abundant but inferior in quality. Stone coal
exists, and iron ore of the best quality is found
in vast quantities. Lead has been found in
vein from five to eight feet thick, yielding 80 per
cent. of lead and silver. In the way Of timber,
there is fir, OAK, ash, maple, spruce, white &C.
dar, and other varieties. 1t is generally very
abundant, except on the prairies. The streams
running down the mountains afford an alum
dance of clear SWEET water, and render Oregon
celebrated for its water power. Water is gen
orally obtained in wells by digging from ten to
thirty feet sometimes it has a dsagreeable min
era taste. Wild and tame fruits are abundant,
such as whortl0berries, awberlies, raspber-
|
the hazel. but other varieties are cultivated with
great success. With deep blowing and proper
cultivation, wheat wi average from thirty to
fifty bushels to the acre corn, twenty to twenty
FIVE; oats, from fifty to seventy; potatoes, from
three to seven hundred bushels to the acre
AS for game, wild geese, ducks, quails, part
ridges, grouse and pigeons, abound generally
while in many localities bears are plenty. Elk
can be found by going to the mountains. The
streams all abound in mountain trout, while
such as empty Immediately into the sea are full
of the finest salmon. Crabs clans and oysters
are found on the coast. There are also several
kinds Of fish, such as sturgeon, cod, herring,
&C., taken by fishermen on the coast. Good
working horses are worth $3.50 to $500; lndi-
an ponies, SIS to SIS; cows $50; working
oxen, 1925 to $l40 per yoke sheep, S. to So;
bees, 500 swarm Bees do well. Saw and
grst mills exist in most neighborhoods, while
threshers and reapers are quite plenty. Grain
is cut tor 81 per acre, and threshed for the
eleventh buFhel, or nine cents u bushe, cash.
Labor Is scarce, good farm hands getting $50
per month, while females obtain So week.
Lumber is worth $12 to SIS per NJ. Land
brings 81 to $50 per acre, according to quality,
location and improvements There is a great
amount of vacant land in Middle Oregon, east
of the cascade mountains, which is subject to
pre- .empton. There IS mail from the East
every fortnight. The Indians are not numer-
GUS or Troublesome except on the frontier. The
country is generally as healthy as any in the
world. People cannot expect to live forever
anywhere. The amount of sickness depends
good deal on the amount of medicines used
Children are liable to Group, putrid sore throat,
and other complaints adults to lung fever, IN
famation Of the brain, ague in mild form, &c.
The editors knowledge Of diseases seem, to be
more limited than on other SUBJ tets. In most
parts Of the country west OF the cascades, there
is sea breeze enough to render it cool and
pleasant during harvest time, In some seasons,
however, there is week or two in July aud
August with scarcely breath of air, when it
is terribly hot-how hot may be inferred from
the following
" We have on one or two occasions mounted
the ftnce adjacent to our harvest field to get
breath Of air, but found the rail to hot to sit
on, and got down quicker than we got up
That is pretty warm, Mr.. Jones, but no warm
er than YOU sometimes have in Illinois. In
some localities where there are gaps or passes
leading through the coast range OF mountains,
the sch breeze commences blowing about two
o'clock In the afternoon, and continues till at
ter sunset hard enough to raise terrible dust,
blow your hat off and wave The grain SO that it
is difficult to cradle it. Some people like this,
while Others think it Injuries their lungs, and
have sold out and bought again Il more shelter
ed and quiet localiy. The hardest winds we
have in Oregon, however, don't unroof houses,
blow down brick buildings tear up whole for
ests by the roots, and after jerking wagon
spokes out of the wheels, slam them against
fellow IS head hard enough to knock his brains
out, as your hurricanes do in Illinois, MIR.
Jones. Then, besides, in our quiet little val
leys, where in the absence Of u strong sea breeze
we have an occasional holiday that nearly melts
a man down in the harvest field, you must re-
mamb II that the painting laborer can look for
ward with assurance to II cool night-so cool
that he can stretch his weary limbs under one
or two heavy bed spreads, and sleep gloriously
till morn, without rolling around and sweating
all night as If in an oven, as you do in Illinois,
Mr.. Jones'"
! -- = ~-.----
BAD FOR THE UNION DocToRs.-The violent
Brown chial affection, so prevalent a few weeks
IL. Il. I.