The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-03-12
The Albang 8egister.
Oregon-Its Resources.

ia paper, 1t is pretty fair notice, and
he Herald is entitled TO credit for it
Oregon contains 96,274 square miles,
IT 90, ,975, $50 acres, and is little more
han twice as large as the State of New
York. It possesses milder and more
varied climates, and richer soil, and is /
variety of products. The discovery of I
rich and extensive placer mines, some
nine or ten years ago, caused large in
flux of immigrants, who Immediately be-
came consumers, and were producers only
of the means to purchase their supplies.
This stimulated trade aud commerce, and
led TO demand for increased relations
between Portland and San Francisco,
which was supplied by putting on addi
tional steamers, and augmenting the num-
Der of sailing vessels engaged in the
trade. At present writing there is one
regular line of steamers, and one of sail
ing vessels plying between the ports
named, and considerable number of
other sail craft engaged in the transient
trade, besides these regularly occupied in
the lumber business.
Portland also has a regular steam and
sail communication with Victoria, the
steamers making three trips each month,
and carrying flour, butter, eggs, cheese,
oats, dried and green fruits, &C., and re-
turning with coal, limestone and dog-fsh
oil, which last is extensively used for lu-
sailing vessels plies between Portland and
Honolulu, exchanging lumber, flour, and
other Oregon products for the fruits OF
hA TeIo il. i OIL rfarn
loaded direct for China, but the bulk OF
trade between our sister State and the
Orient goes by way of this city Six to
eight sailing vessels arrived from Port
land to New York last year, loaded with
Eastern and foreign goods consigned to
Oregon merchants, and freighted back by
them. Many cargoes OF lumber are sent
direct from Oregon ports to the western
coasts of Mexico, the Pacific Oceanica,
China, and other places, besides San
Francisco, which last year took l36, ,0O0,-
600 feet of lumber from Oregon and
Puget Sound.
There are several safe harbors on the
coasts of Oregon, accessible to crafts
not drawing over eight or ten feet, and
located in fourishing districts The
principal Of these, after the Columbia
river, is Coos Bay, extending fifty miles
in the interior. Large supplies of coal
and lumber are received from that point,
Last year we took Is, 900 tons of Coos
Bay coal Another harbor is found at
the mouth of the Umpqua, one at Va
quina Bay, and one at Tillamook Bay.
Since powerful tugs, managed by skillful
pilots, have been placed upon the Colum-
bia, the dangers of its bar have been les
sened to a remarkable extent. There are
five fathoms of water on the bar, at low
tide, and the channel is more than half a
mile wide.
Oregon contains about 120 saw mills,
a number of them being of large capaci-
ty, but the majority saving lumber prin-
large and increasing. All of those mills,
with the exception of enc, are driven by
water power, which is more abundant
and can be operated cheaper than by
steam. Recently, large steam mill has
been erected on the north bank of the
Columbia, at cost of S131 900, incluo-
ing lands, wharves and improvements
1t has capacity to turn out 10000 feet
daily, and is fitted with two sets of. saw
ing apparatus, besides the machinery fol-
lath cutting, planning, tonguing and groov.
ing. Connected with this is a barrel
factory and cement mill, the product oi
the latter being of superior quality
Government has contracted for this ce
ment to be used in erecting all Govern
ment buildings in Oregon, Astoria and
Washington Territory.
Six wooden mills are in full operation
in Oregon, two of them being of large
capacity, employing an aggregate of three
hundred hands The whole number
work up about 100000 pounds of WOO
per annum. Besides these and the saw
mills, above mentioned, Oregon boast
a number of tanneries, several larg
foundries and machine shops, a pape
mill, a large iron manufacturing estab
lishment, factory for making wooden
warea one for inseed oil, and one fo
turning out turpentine and rosin.
The Oswego Iron Works is a most i'm
portant industry, and promises to becom
one of leading interest. The iron is Q
very superior quality and almost illimit
able in quantity. We have receive
from this source S25 tons pig iron, equa
to any imported into our market Wit
lower rates of wages, these works ar
capable of supplying large amount c
superior iron, at a profit to the manr
facturers-
Our sister State possesses great natur,
advantages for manufacturing purposes
and is steadily turning them to good ac
vantage. Her immense water privilege
enable her to grind -four cheaper than W
can, and, as consequence, nearly all tn
wheat is ground up there and exporte
in the shape of -four, which is of superio
quality. There is not less than sevent
Touring mills in Oregon, all of which
except three or four, are propelled
water. These mills have an aggregat
capacity for grinding more than doubl
the amount of wheat now grown in tn;
State. The Salem mills can furnish SO
barrels of -four per day /; several other
can turn out from 200 to 400, and lare
number from rs to $50 barrels per da,
The following are the receipts of leac
ing articles of Oregon produce at Sa
Froncisoa dur;noy tha voar 1890. Elo,