Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-01-14

lily true in respect to the increase of pop
ulation
This Valley is mostly smooth, prairie
land, large bodies of it undulating, but
not billy, intersperced at intervals never
greater than few miles, often much less,
with streams of various sizes, lowing in
| across the Valley from the mountains on
either side. Ranges of low hills, covered
with oak timber are common throughout
the Valley.
Some of t. e largest affluents of the Will
Iamette as the Santam, Y amhill, and Tuala-
tin, are navigable to considerable distance in
to the interior while there is scarcely one
which does not afford an ample volume Ss
water to drive any desired amount of machiu-
cry for milling and manufacturing purposes.
The Willamette, in common with all the
region of the Pacific coast, belongs to the ter
tiary period Shells and ligneous petrifac
tions are numerous, and mammal fossils have
been found in various places. indicating a
very. recent formation.
The soil of Western Oregon may be divided
into four general classes viz:
lst brown clay loan, of good quality,
thinly timbered with oak, producing good
grass, and affording fine stock range. 1t is
found chiefly along the spurs of mountains or
extended ranges of hills-never in the open
pa irie.
I'd dark or black porous soil, forniea
by the admixture of veget ;ble mould with the
clay loan just described. This soil occurs
only in the valleys close by between the
mountains, and is unrivalIed in productive
power Both of these classes are thirsty,
and suffer whenever the summer drought is of
very long duration.
3D. grayish calcareous sandy loam oi
exceedingly fine quality, covered with thick
turf of grass, and admirably adapted to the
cultivation of cereals, especially wheat, oats
and barley This class embraces fve-six tbs
of the entire valley, including most OF the
prairie. and much of the oak-timbered land
1t is little affected by drought, and, though
not naturally porous. is pulverized with great
facility, and is exceedingly mellow.
4th. A strictly alIuvial soil, lying along
the immediate banks of the river, and compos-
ed of sand, vegetable matter, and various de-
composed earths, washed by the current from
above. Most of this class of soil is overflow
ed in extraordinary freshets, which, however,
never occur in the growing season of the year;
and it is unexceled in fertility.
The population of the Willamette Valley
is about SO, ,oOO-scarcely one tenth as great
as it would be, if settled as densely as many
of the States
Portland, the chief city of the State, is sit
uated in this valley and though at consic'
cradle distance from the ocean, is a seaport,
and visited every week by ocean steamers,
besides numerous sailing vessels 1t is grow
ing place, and among all the cities on the Pa
cific Coast, is destined to be second only to
San Fradcisco in size, as il already is in bust
ness. 1t is the commercial emporium of both
Oregon and Washings ton
Salem, the Capital and social metropolis, Of
the State, is delightfully."- located, and is al
ready respectable seity Surrounded by
large and thriving district, it commands an
extensive inland trade, and is altogether
promising place.
up the river, are fouris hing towns, and sus-
tanned hy such districts as cannot fail. to make
them very important points, as the population
of the State increases.
Oregon City, at the Falls, deserves notice
chiefly on account of its water priviledgee-
Here the Willamette River falls about forty
Gve feet, and being divided into numerous
currents, running thu ough rock-bound chan
nels it affords an excellent site for mills and
manufactures When Oregon shall become
a Massachusetts,, Oregon City will be its Low
ell
There are some other places which would
demand notice in a more elaborate place but
those mentioned are the most important.
Many small and very rich valleys lie along
the seacoast and viii doubtless yet become
valuable Among them the Tillamook,
situated on the bay of the same name, the
Siletz, the Yaquina On Yaquna Bay and Riv
err the Coquille on Coquille River The Cog
uille and Tilamook already contain settle
ments of some magnitude.
TO BE CONTINUED.
ST Louis, Dec. 81.