The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-27

But to come back to Portland, q con-
siderable extent of country centers upon
the Walamet at this place, insuring it
good trade, even if it does cease to be the
seaport of Oregon. Clackamas, Marion,
Ghe capital county,, Lima, Benton, Lane,
and number of other counties, all depend
upon the Walamet for their supplies and
shipments. The only roads are the trails
of the Indian, worn for ages by the rush
ing feet of past generations. Not a car
riage road of any kind is to be found,
over which the pleasure seeker can enjoy
ride "into the country"
The farmers who come into the city
with their teams, can make but about TWEEN
ty miles day, and it seems like taking a
trip over the plains with an OK team for
them to start out.
The pioneers OF this country are very
lazy set OF people. They are too INDECENT
to work themselves, and have become pos
sessed of large tracts of the best land in
the State, bestowed by Congress upon
them, and are not disposed to improve it
themselves, saying it is just one mans
business to "tend to all the chores about
the house, keep the fences up and the
blrn-doors shut" They say to get go d
hand to work the farm, will cost as mu h
as q miners wages, S. to S. per day, and
at the end of the year would fail to make
enough to pay his wages, and therefore
the "web-foot" farmer declares the gold
mines have been a curse 10 the country,
keeping everything in " fiuctuated state"
l have been so sick Of the logic of these
"nud-sills" Of Oregon, Il don't expect to
run for office in Oregon] that | spurn
conversation with them, lately. The fact
is, so far As the agricultural wealth of
Oregon goes, it cannot be beat. 1t is
false that it is the work of one man to do
the chores and keep the barn-doors shut.
Barns are seldom seen-etock, as gener-
al thing, keep themselves in pastures the
winter through, and l know of plenty of
horses now running on ranches, that came
over the plains this season, which are fed
no grain at all. Even now the few who
pretend to farm it, are blowing and SOW
ing. have not seen anyth E like cold
weather yet The winters are generally
wet, but so far, this winter, only about
sixth part of the usual quantity Of rain
has fallen.
The measurement Of rain in inches and
years, in this part of Oregon, fer Decem-
Der, the wettest month, has been, for S57,
$780, 1858, 1869: 1859, 4.75: 1860,
S.75; 1861, 1895; 1862, l.l9; ana nav
igatiOn has not yet been obstructel an the
Columbia this year. Generally there is
no communication further up than the
Cascades, for about eight We ks from the
middle Of December
wa, surprised at seeing hay unloaded
in Portland from a San Francisco bark. for
Use at The stables of this city, and more
surprised to see butter and bacon arriving
here from New York city via the Isthrnus
and San Francisco. Good butter in this
market brings from fifty to seventv-five
cents per pound, but it seems to be no in
centive for the lazy Web-foot to manu-
tacturc and sell that commodity here. |
see it stated in the San Francisco Price
Current that the import Of Eastern better
from January ist to December 1>t was
ga, OIL firkns. If Oregon had the least
enterprise among her farmers, they could
receive the benefits of that market But
they will not. The principal jio5'ie OF that
class seem, to be to settle down in one
corner ot their huts and srumbe 1T the
''specuIator. complain that ''farming don't
pay, and unwilling 10 improve his land,
refuses to dispose of q portion OF it to
some one who is DESTROYS of improving it.
If they would show more fairness and good
sense they could have roads build school
houses and churches, and so turn the sparse
settlements into thriving communities.
1t is rather hard work to open upa farm
here, as the fir trees are OF u dense growth
and large size, and the stumps are very
hard to get out. On the oh Mission Claim
l am told stumps still remain that for
twenty-six years have stood the fires and
the knocks of the cultiVatOr's band. But
when once piece of ground is cleared and
ready for crop, it yields abundantly. |
have seen a single turnip weigh 25 lbs. ; a
cabbage head of 20 lbs, and one stalk of
beans with so pods, containing Ats beans,
but | cannot say thought them much
ahead OF Minnesota. at that, when you
take into consideration the difference
i'll preparing this ground with that which
nature itself has lett almost ready for the
plowshare. The Minnesota farmer is much
better Oft at home than he would be in
Oregon, with all her salubrity of climate
and soil, and he will think so if he will
weigh carefully all the chances of seasons,
and make provision for them. Some are
inclined to hate Minnesota on account Of
her winters, but give me the snow and
trosts, with the merry tinkling OF the
sleigh-bell, and l will say go to the dogs
with your mud and mists of an Oregon
winter, where the perambulator is known
by the euphemism of ''web-foOt"
olympia is the capital of Washington
Territory, and is almost unapproachable.
You leave Portland on small boat about
the size of the Albany, on the Minnesota
river, which takes you to Monticello, at
the mouth of the Cowlitz river. AT Mon
ticello you take two-horse open wagon,
called Stage, and proceed - miles to
what is called ''the foot of the Mountain"
and here exchange your seat in the wagon
for saddle horse, and ride 16 miles over
the Mountain, where you again take
wagon, and if the driver is agreeable he
will let you ride down all the hills; you
never get there the first day, and when you
do, if your feelings are as mine were you
will be overcome" with modification and
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Ro;pr n +,,co in uuaCt Of