Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-06-26
OREGON.
Its Rxhilarating cIimate-The Columbia River
inducements 70 Bnterprising Mon.


inducements 10 Bnterprising Mon.
Permit me through the columns
of your paper to address letter to q
number of your readers. and thus
fulfill promise made them before
leaving Wisconsin. Besides, | sup
pose the majority of your readers
are in no mood for passing lightly
over report from warmer climate
after the lessons which report says
the last six months has taught them
Still | feel somewhat reluctant know
ing my inability, in attempting to
give anything Of satisfactory des>
cription of this country. On the 9Th
OF April last | left Mount Hope, and
took up my line of march for the far
distant land of promise Oregon, and
thanks to the present speedy meth
DDS of transport, soon the cold ice
bound regions we're exchanged for
the sunny coast ofthe Pacific; which
even then was radiant in its ver-
dant beauty, and to the traveller who
has just experienced the severi-
ties Of n Wisconsin winter it seems
that he has indeed succeeded in find.
ing and entering that blest abode
which is held in reserve for the final
Iy faithful. Or if he happens to be
of suavitive term, it is just posi-
bic that he may be as much enrap-
tured as a gentleman who has lately
como among US from Minnesota, who
expresses himself as being so ex-
tremoly happy that his wife has to
spank him every night with a shin
gle before he can go to sleep! and
writes to his friends, "that while
they are engaged in breaking ice-
cicles from their noses he is summing
himself on a cellar.door." OF course
this delusion is of short duration,
and the adventurer soon realizes
that although he has not as yet
reached heaven, he is in delightful
country, which unfods objects of in
terest at every turn, that excites
ordinations of wonder and admira-
ton. Perhaps no state in the Union
possesses greater diversity of eli
mate and soil than this. Some por-
tions are so heavily timbered that it
seems to be impossible to effect q
passage through it, the trees grow
ing from 10 to thirteen feet through
at the but, and | will not pretend
to say what is their average height,
snffice it to say that it is q neck
breaking process, to gaze at the tops
Of the tallest trees. Other tracts
stretch away for miles in extent in
fine rolling prairies, where timber is
quite an object. On one side rises a
huge mountain barrier, or the other
lies alluvial bottom lands; while o
days travel on foot is sufficient to
take you from where but little is ev-
err known of cold weather, to regions
of perpetual snow. All parts SO far
as l have been able to determine is
we'll watered, and in the main pos
sessed of q heaIthful climate. The
numbering section is confined princi-
pally to the lands contiguous to the
Columbia river, the bank on each
side is dotted with saw-mills which
have the capacity for cutting from
one to thirty millions feet per day,
and their lumber is shipped to near
ly all parts Of the globe. The Col
umbia river affords excellent facili-
ties for transportation, as it is navi-
gable for the largest ocean steamers
to Portland, 100 miles from its mouth,
and for river boats much farther. 1t
abounds with many kinds of fish, es-
pecially salmon trout which forms
considerable article of export.
This part, (the WiIlanett Valley
is claimed to be the richest agricul-
tural district in the state. The land
is nearly all under cultivation and
is worth from s25 to $40 per acre.
| Wheat is the principal crop raised,
and is of very superior quality,
yielding from 20 to 60 bushels per
acre. Fruits of nearly all kinds do
extremely well; manufacturers of all
kinds are in thriving condition.
Nearly all the different religious de-
nominations ere represented, and
the schools will perhaps compare
favorably with those of ether young
states, though | must say there is
room for considerable improvement.
in that direction, as most OF the
schools are supported wholly or in
part by su scription. The principa
| amount of government lands of any
value lies east eff the Cascade range
| of mountains. This is the great
| grazing section of Oregon; it possess
es a somewhat colder climate than
the western part of the state it il
very productive, but to insure a crop
must be irrigated.
The markets here do not material
ly differ from the central states
while labor commands much bet
ter urice. Farm hands are paid