Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-06-17
Eroni Oregon.
GRANDE RoNDE, OREGON,
Juno 1869

June /, 1869.
Mr.. VoTER:-Thinking small
communication would probably be
acceptable, ! viii give you someidea
of n Farmers life in Oregon. We
have our crops all in the ground,
and nothing particular to do only to
improve our farms, tend gardens,
and fish and hunt. Game plenty,
and fish to spare.
A company of men under Col.
Hudnutt passed through here, sur
veying a branch Railroad from
Monument Rock to Portland, Ore
gon. Their report is favorable for
Road. think that, taking Il reason
able view of the western trade they
must have, this branch Of the Union
Pacific can carry more freight than
the Central can across the Sierra
Nevada mountains. All the ships
from China, Japan and the Sand
Wich Islands have to run north as
far as the mouth of the Columbia
river, and then coast to San Francis
co, on account Of the wind. There
are copper and iron mines in the
Blue Mountains that can be worked
with u laege profit as soon as there L.
conveyance to take the products to
market; and there are gold mincsyet
unworkcd, that will pay as soon a.
they can be worked for reasonable
pay and conveyance. Heretofore,
mines that would not pay from 81 to
$50 per day to the hand were not
worked on account Of the cost of
board and tools and conveyance.
This country is very productive,
for wheat, oats, barley, and grass
both wild and tame, and very healthy
for stock. There are thousands OF
acres Of land on the mountain, that
have the best of bunch grass. Cattle,
horses, and stock of all kinds that
subsist on grass, get very fat; and
shcep-raising is profitable here.
Dairy business pays well-5O cents
per pound for butter, and cheese at
% cents. Land is very cheap here,
so that every man can have Il home
Of his own. There's are as good chances
hcreas ever for immigrants-pleRty Of
! land to take up yet, and as good as
the country affords; and improved
farms can be bought low.
Oregon contains 9527i square miles,
and hence ranks in extent of area as
the finh State in the Union. Texas
/ is first, California second, Nevada
third, Colorado fourth, and Oregon
fifth. Washington Territory con
tans 6J9J5 square miles, and from
lis proximity t. Or gOn possesses In
general ia" ss,lu" great natural ad-
vantages.
This northwestern territory has
always attracted the attention OF far
seeing statesmen and travellers, who
from its very position on the worlds
map have readily discovered the
promise Of ITS future greatness and
| importance. OF late this interest has
widened, until it reaches every part
Of our country; and i will give such
information as / can to those who
f,,e W.
and children, and desire localities
possessing advantages superior to
such as they now have. And with
no word of depreciation for other
sections Of our country, j may be
permitted to say that well-established
facts prove our State to be behind no
other in its aggregate of natural ad-
yantages. Without reference now
to our mineral resources, pleasant
and healthful climate, numerous
navigable streams, great and valua-
BILE water-privileges, extensive prairie
lands, and vast timbered regions--all
Of which must enter into any and
every computation Of our future
Wealth. will give a few facts pub
Iished in the Willamette Farmer:
A premium was awarded by the
Oregon State Agricultural Society in
1868, to S. w. Carter. Of Washington
County, for the production Of 5l5I
bushels of oats from acres Of ground,
and il2 from acre. Another pre-
MUM was awarded j. s. Bazarth, OF