The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-02-08
Oregon.

hSiOoo luO SOuIllcllt, Ihele hO heo PAN
pared for California, but that Oregon was to
him new revelation. He had not dreamed
of natural beauties so rare, OF resources SO
rich, of a development already so large and
varied as this youthful state displays. Mr..
Bowles went by land from Sacramento to
Portland, thus having an opportunity to study
the varied features of the country, and his
descriptions of its noble forests of fir and pine.
its grand mountain ranges and wide rivers are
exceedingly attractive. ..rr. q. .
The portion of Oregon which at present ex-
hibits the most advanced results of industry
and effort is the long valley of the Willamette
Guarded on either side by walls of mountains
which protect it from the seventies of climate
and pour thousand tributaries into its mag
niticent river, this region is the very garden
ofthe State. The enthusiasm with which Mr..
Bowles expatiates on the beauties and advan-
tages of this favored land is infectious, while
it gives one very vivid idea of the immense
sources of undeveloped wealth which in that
far land towards the sunset await the labor of
the coming generations of America. We
make brief extract: u. -l
We were were led down into this paradise
acal valley through richest groves of oak; the
same are scattered along the foot hills on
either side, or people the swelling hills that
occasionally vary the prairie surface of the
central lines; while the river, strong and free
and navigable through the whole valley part
of the year, and through the lower half at ali
times, furnishes deep belt of forest through
the very middle of the valley. Never beheld
more fascinating theater for rural homes new
er seemed more fifty united natural beauty
and practical comforts; fertility of soil and va
riety OF surface and production; never were
my bucolic instincts more deeply stirred than
in this first outlook upon the Willamette val
ley. The soil is strong, clayey, vegetable
loan, on hardpan bottom, holding manures
firmly, and yielding large crops of The small
grains, apples aud potatoes Wheat and APP
pies are the two great crops at present; much
of the improved land being set out with apple
orchards, that come into full bearing in from
two to three years after planting. Wool and
beef are, also, as in the lower valleys, leading
items in the agricultural wealth of the William
ette The hills and valleys of interior Oregon
furnish almost inexhaustible and continuous
pasture grounds. The spring is too cold and
wet for peaches; the summer nights are too
cold for corn, though it is grown to limited
degree but Isabella and Catawba grapes ripen
perfectly; it is the home of the cherry; and
pears, plums and all the small berries reach
high perfection. The average yield Of 7heat
in the valley is twenty-five bushels to the acre |:
but fifty is often obtained with careful culti-
walton. - I.~Inll - -
Though this valley supports a population of
fifty thousand by agriculture only, probably
not one-tenth of its area has yet felt the pillow,
and certainly not over one-half is under fence.
Its best lands can be bought for from five to
twenty-five dollars an acre, depending upon
improvements and nearness to villages and
river. Only specially favored farms go higher,
as some do to fifty and even one hundred dol
lars an acre. Much of the farming is unwise-
ly done; the farms are generally too large, the
original locations being mostly of six hundred
and forty acres each; and the agricultural pop
ulation are largely Missourians, Kentuckians
and Tennesseeans, of that class who are for
ever moving farther west, and only stop here
because there is no beyond but the ocean,
The eastern men proper in Oregon, of whom
there are indeed many, are mostly in the vii
lagos and towns, leaders in trade and COM
merce, and manufactures, as well as in the
professions. lo sa'l II aIo5t Iii D
The climate of Oregon is much more favor
able to agriculture than that of many regions
of country west of the Rocky Mountains, on
account of the absence OF those long summer
drouths which entail upon the farmer the ne
cessity of employing artificial means of irriga-
ton. This is frequently very expensive, and
offers the cnIer drawoacK sI,r
cess in some otherwise favorable sections
But that tract of country lying between the
Coast Mountains and the Cascade Range is
copiously supplied with rain the year round.
The division of the seasons is, indeed, much
the same as in all parts of the Pacific coast
the winter being one long shower, and the
summer months more dry; yet here enough
of rain falls in the latter season to ensure the
ripening of crops without interfering with the
harvesting Little or no snow falls in the val
leys during winter, only rain and mist The
spring is early, fine weather setting in in Februa-
ry, when the operations of the farmer begin
The summers are long and favorable, with
warm days and cool nights, kind alike TO the
human system and to nearly all forms of veg
citation. The average temperature of the
Willamette valley is put down for the six sum-
mer months, at from sixty-fve to seventy, and
for the six winter months from forty to forty
five degrees. Grass grows all winter.
Portlanders may possibly be interested 10
the subjoined description which Mr.. Bowles
gives of the far-western namesake of their
own beautiful city: ~ -' la1faary9
Portland, by far the largest town of Oregon,
stands sweetly on the banks of the Willamette,
twelve miles before it joins the Columbia
River, and one hundred and twenty miles
from where the Columbia meets the Pacific
ocean. Ships and ocean steamers of highest
class come readily hither; from it spreads out
awide navigation by steamboat of the Column
bia and its branches, below and above; here
centers large and increasing trade, not only
for the willamette valley, but for the mining
regions OF eastern Oregon and Idaho, WASH
ington territory on the north, and parts even
of British Columbia. Even Salt Lake, too.
has taken groceries and dry goods through
this channel, and may yet find it advantageous
to buy more and continuously; such are the
attained and attainable water communica-
tons through the far-extending Columbia.
The population OF Portland is about seven
thousand; they keep Sunday as we do in New
England, and as no other population this side
of the Missouri now does; and real estate, as
you may infer, is quite high,-four hundred
dollars a front foot for best lots one hundred
feet deep on the main business street, without
the buildings. In religion, the Methodists
have the lead, and control an academic school
in town and professed State university at
Salem; the Presbyterians are next with
beautiful church and the most fashionable
congregation, and favor a struggling universe
ty under Rev. S. II. Marsh, (son of President
Marsh OF the Vermont university located
twenty miles off in the valley; perhaps the
Catholics rank third, with large Sisters of
Charity establishment and school within the
CITY. Governor Gibbs, the present Chief mag
lstrate OF the State, resides here, and though
lawyer, owns and runs successful iron
foundry that imports its material from Eng
In neighboring hills "a sing daiIy paper has
two thousand five hundred circulation, with a
weekly edition of three thousand more: and
altogether Portland has the llf and the fact of
a prosperous, energetic town, with good deal
OF eastern leadership and tone to business
and society and morals.
Letter from Canada West
A letter from an old friend now of Ohio