Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-12-31

terS.
Or if he chooses mellow autumn day,
the same landscape is stretched out be-
fore him, clothed in the more substantial
hablllments of the years maturity, sus-
gesting brown and comfortable thoughts
OF contentment, peace and plenty.
Oregon is peculiar in climate, especially
that portion lying west of the Cascade
Mountains, which is affected greaiy by it's
proximity to the ocean. This portion has
climate in raany respects closely resem-
bling that of England. Although in a
high latitude, it is mild-neither hot in
summer nor cold in winter; is damp and
somewhat disagreeablo during what is
termed the Rainy Season, corresponding
with the Winte7' of the East; but delight
ful through the summer and autumn
The climate in the eastern portion of
the State, has some resemblance to that
of the older northwestern States, except
ing the frequent rains which fall in those
States during the period Of the late sum-
hiCI iIOHtuS.
As a whole, the State of Oregon pre-
sCnts SO great n variety of climate, that it
cannot be accurately exhibited under any
general description, and which will more
fully appear from special descriptions.
HISTORY.
The early history of Oregon contains
many interesting features, and many in
cidents that would instruct as we'll as a
muse the reader but the necessary lin
Its of cursory view of the country, rem
der itinadmissibIe it to give such matters a t
length
About the year 1903, after the purch-
ase of Louisiana, the attention of the Uni
ted States government was directed to the
subject of exploring tue newly acquired
territory; and Captains Lewis and Clark,
of the army, were entrusted jointly with
an expedition for that purpose. The vast
region of country embraced in that pur-
chase, included all the lands now owned
by the Government, west of the Mississ-
ippi river and north of the Mexican ter
rltory, and, of course, the district that is
now known as the State of Oregon.
10 explore this country Lewis and Clark
performed an overland journey across the
continent; and gliding down the Colum-
bla to It's mouth in light canoes, they pass
ed drcary winter on the Clatsop plains,
tba oc
time, though few vessels had coasted a.
round those borders, no mark of ciyiliza-
ton was to be seen along the banks of the
second largest river in North America,
and few of the numerous savages inhabi-
ting the wilds of Oregon, had ever before
seen the pale face OF European
In 1911, John Jacob Astor planted a
small trading establishment at the mouth
of the Columbia, from which circumstance
the present town of Astoria derived its
name He was defrauded in this cstab-
lishment in two years, by the North West
Company, who took advantage of the war
then waging between the United States
and England, and forced Mr.. Astor to
yield MS post to them rather than have it
seized by the English Government
Next came the Hudson Bay Company,
and established themselves at various
points on this coast, some of these being
in Oregon.
Missionary stations were founded at a
still utter period, under the auspices of
the Meth 'isG, and perhaps some other
societies. But no real progress in civiliza-
ton was made until very recently. As
late as 1912, only twenty years ago, Sir
George Simpson, on arriving at the Dal1es
Mission, wrote 1--WE were much pleased
with the progress that had been made in
three years. Two comfortable houses in
which five families resided, had been erec-
ted; field of wheat had yielded this year
about ten returns and the gardens had
produced an abundance of melons, pota-
toes, and other vegetables, while the dairy
gave an adequate supply of milk and but
ter. The Missionaries said they were as
happy III their new home, as they could.
expect to be an such uikderness"
At that time question existed between
the United States and Great Britain, rela-
tive to the boundery line separating the
dominions of the two nations The title
to the territory of Oregon was in dispute
and the Hudson's Bay Company held their
establishments here under charter from
the British Parliament
About the same year rumors began to
be circulated in the States bordering A.
long the Mississippi, concerning the WI
lamette valley, which attracted the atten-
ton of those western pioneers, and emf
grafton to this coast became a matter of
general and serious contemplation, and
much tailed of throughout the western
and northern central States And in the
spring of 1913, a considerable number of
emlgrants set out from the Missouri river,
for Oregon, and arrived here late in the
ems uing fall, or rather, in the early part
of winter, to make their new homes in
cline where their national allegiance was