Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1865-09-20

From the Springfield Republican.
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

OVERLAND TO OREGoN-NoRTHERN CAL
IFoRNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGoN-THE
WILLAMETTE VALLEY-PoRTLAND, ETC.
PORTLAND, Oregon, July 20. 1865.
Twas prepared foe California. But Or
egon is more of revelation. 1t has rar-
er natural beauties, richer resources, a
larger development, aud more promising
future than had learned Of The dazzle
of gold and silver has made California
more conspicuous in eastern eyes. Our
visit here has therefore had the always
delicious element of unexpectedness in its
pleasures. There was some robelllous
flesh among US when we were told that
to see Oregon we must take another week
Of day and night stage riding; much OF
| it OH rough mountain roads, and in a
mud wagon" at that We thought to
have been through with that sort of trav-
el. But no weeks riding has given us
greater or richer variety of experience
more beauty of landscape; more revela-
ton of knowledge; more pleasure and
less pain, than this one up through north
ern California and middle Oregon, be-
tween the coast mountains and the Sierras
Nevadas.
Our point Of departure was Sacramento
and the distance to Portland from there
is 600 miles due north. Two short bits
of railroad put us forward in the Sacra-
mento valley about fifty miles; at Oro-
vile we began the stage road proper, up
still for another 100 miles in the broad
and generally rich and beautiful valley
of the Sacramento and its tributaries
sometimes rolling in waves of earth, then
fat and wide as the fattist and widest oi
Illinois prairies often treeless aud uncul.
tivated, though not uncultivatable; and
again charming with old oak groves and
and fruitful with grain6elds and orchards
that yield an increase unknown in all
eastern or western valleys.
At Chico, we took supper with Gen.
Bidwell, one of the pioneers of the Pacif.
ic coast, and now member of Congress
elect. He came out Young rover in
l84l as one of secret filibustering party
who intended to get up revolution against
Mexico, then the parent of this region
and join California to the then lone stal
republic of Texas The scheme was fruit
Iless, but Gen. Bidwell became the owner
of one of the famous Spanish grants Of
Hand in the richest part of this valley
and now has farm Of 10000 of 1T
acres. of which 1900 are under cultivation
His crop of wheat was $4,000 bushels !.
1863 from 900 ssSSres of land, or at tn
average rate of 40 bushels to the acre
This is poorer grain year. and his whea
will cyerage but 30 bushels per acre, III
general average Of the valley is % bush
, els. OF barley and oats. his other prin
cipal crops, ne usually harvests 30 bush
els to the acre. His garden and orchard
. cover 100 acres A largo Touring mill !
among his coucerns. and its product IS tn
: fayorite brand of the state. Add to thes
; illustrative facts Of his wealth, and of tn
beauty and productivenoss of the country
!. that Gen. Bidwcll still seems youn
man. ia fresh and handsome aud OF wiz
ming manners---a bachelor, and intend
to keep house iu Washington during 6l
congressional term. and do not ! equal
interest farmers, statisticians and ladie
of capital society?
On through like productive country
crossing streams whose banks are line