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

with a thin sheet of water for a brief peri
cd. but never entirely inundated, and cap
able Of being easily drained and reduced
to cultivation.
Goose Lake, Lake Albert, and some 9th,
ers of considerable size, lie in the north
ern part of the Utah Basin, and are said
to be surrounded by large tracts of as fine
agricultural land as can be found in the
State. That there is some good country
around these lakes, is certainly true but
enough is not known of this region to
warrant positive statement that they are
very extensive.
Rouge River Valley, occupying the ex-
treme southern portion Of Western Oregon,
and extending into California, is broken
country, or series of valleys separated by
| rolling highlands, covered in some places
with dense forests OF fr and cedar, and in
others thinly timbered with oak and finely
set with grass. 1t very good country
for farming, and superior one for stock
raising. Rogue river is not navigable, on
account of its numerous cascades. Like
all the western portion of the State, this
valley is well watered by numerous noun
tain streams, which are sufficiently large
to afford motive power for running any
amount Of machinery 1t is thinly popu-
lated and would furnish homes for an in
definite number Of immigrants. jackson
vile. its principal town, is place of some
Importance as mining town
The Umpqua valley is beautiful coun-
try, drained by the Umpqua river, stream
of some magnitude, and .navigable twenty
five miles from its mouth for ocea n vessels
This fertile valley contains one million
of acres. 1T is principally rolling or
hilly land, the face Of the country in many
places, forcibly reminding one of the
rugged districts, of Vermont, or the charm
ing stories we read when but child, of
the mountain home Of the Swiss.
Numerous tributaries of the Umpqua,
some Of them qnite large. flow through the
valley, affording excellent water privileges
Perhaps no country is more conveniently
provided with good soil, good timber, and
good water, than tie Umpqua valley. Its
population is about 4,500, leaving ample
room for 10000 more, allowing one hun.
dred and sixty acres to each family of
four persons. Roseburg and Winchester,
the most important places in this valley,
are pleasant villages
But the most important agricultural dis
trict in Western Oregon, and probably in
The whole State, is the Willamet valley.
1t is separated from the Tmpqua by the
Calapooia mountains, densely timbered
belt, having an altitude of 5000 feet, and
extending from the Cascade to the Coast
range This valley is drained by the Will
lamette river, flowing north into the Col
umbia, and which is navigable to the dis
tance of one hundred and thirty miles
from its mouth, direct measure, with only
d single obstruction-the Falls at Oregon
City.
No person can survey the Willamette
valley, with its alterations Of rich medow-
like prairies, undulatiors, and beautiful
streams, without feeling that he behoIds
the most delightful spot in America
The agricultural country lying along the
banks of the Willamette, includes an area
nearly equal to that Of the entire State OF
Connecticut, with a combination Of advan,
tages inferior to no other section of the
United States Mr. William H knight
describes this valley as possessing soil
of unsur passed fertility, mild and genia1
climate an abundant growth of tim Der,
large natural pastures where stock may
range unsheltered the year round, an ex-
client commercial position, superior fac
ilities for transportation, and q rapidly
increasing population. This is stating
The case in rather too strong a light, and
requires some qualification in two of its
particulars. The population Of the Will
lamett Valley has not increased very rap
idly for seme years past, owing to causes
which will become manifest when the
subject of Commerce is discussed. And
the other modification proposed is, that
we sometimes have cold snap" of two
or three weeks duration in the winter,
and the last winter still longer, so that
stock may not range unsheltered the year
round eUery year, and should not be
forced to do so any year, as the continu-
Gus rains Of the winter month are very
injurious to all kinds of domestic animals
Aside from this slight inaceuracy, Mr..
Knights description is certainly a very
correct one: and the impulse given to the
State by the recent discovery of extensive
gold fields on the eastern border of the
State, cannot fail to make it become speed