The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-09-25

recent date Mr.. w. ;. Cameron, who
for considerable time resided in Port
land, and is remembered by many
there, writes Il long account of Oregon,
which he introduces thus:
Oregon is in some respects more re-
markable state than California. 1t
does not stand before the world with Il
golden haze over it, and it does not
possess a harbor worth mentioning
when the magnificent bay of San
Francisco is thought of. But it is fa-
vored with climate which, year in
and year out, brings to it abundant
and constantly increasing harvest.
It's crops do not show the same eX-
traordinary yield per acre as do the
crops in the state it adioins, when
the season there is favorable, but
nevertheless its soil is marvelously
fertile, bearing the burden of monroe
tation for many successive seasons
without appreciate weakening. In
the matter of freedom from atmOs-
pheric storms Oregon is quite as calm
as California; in the matter ofpolitical
tempest, from which California has Il
great deal more to dread than from
the occasional Fembicr that visits and
cannot be said to affect her, Oregon is,
if not altogether free, ut least altogeth-
er unframed by it. Even the rainfall
in Oregon, which, because it is by no
means meagre, has caused this part of
the Union to be known as the "Web-
foot state,n comes down there as Il rule
with exceeding gentleness-copiously
enough at times, but very quietly, and
with such gratefully warm touch in
every drop, even when the month is
December that one rather enjoys being
caught out in it, and has no more to
| dread from it than from Il shower bath
| in his own house. There is no snowy
place in Oregon like the Yosemite
| valley; that great g!acier-moulded gap
| is one of the sights Of the world. But
neveri heless Oregon is naturally grand
| The scenery of the western and best
settled part of the state is the rural
beauty of England III magnitude. The
| Willamette valley is the great central
plain of Yorkshire spread Out over Il
hundred and sixty miles OF length,
and with 4 varying width of from
thirty to sixty miles, wiz 4 naviga-
! bic river fed by many tributaries rum
ming through il: with R0sebcrrv Top
| ping rising | 900 feet above the sea
| level. its summit over crowned with
snow, its sides covered with a primcVal
forest, and with lesser but wonderfully
| impressive snow peaks along the line
of the Cleveland and IIamblcton Hills
The river that runs through this gar
den valley of Oregon is tributary TO 4
still greater WatercOurSc. ltentcrS in
to the Columbia, and the Columbia,
which forms the northern boundary
of the state, extends two thousand
miles and more beyond the limits OF
Oregon before its source is reached.- .-
With the aid of the Snake river it gives
Il naVigablc course of something like
fifteen hundred miles. In romantic
grandeur no less than in extent the
Columbia exceeds the Hudson. Take
away thc charm OF association from
the European stream, and in pictur-
esque effect the Rhine is not to be
compared to it. The Sacramento, the
greatest of the California rivers, is no
more to be spoken of in the same breath
as the Columbia than isa Dutch canal.
II iS idle, however to compare the
two Pacific states. Each is great in
territory, great in resources, great i'll
expectations, and that, soOneror later,
the expectations OF each will be realized
is as certain as that the sun shines.