The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-11-18


market at Newport Is supplied through the seasons
with articles Of this class fine be produced
anywhere In the Willamette valley.
When the natural advantages for stock raising
examined. one can but wonder that the business IS
neglected. The hillsides are covered half-s-foot
deep with productive decsyed ASH the remains
of what must once have been great forests Natur-
ally they yield nutritious small grass, but where
they have been seeded by the simple broadcast pro-
cess they produce wonderful and perennial crops.
One man in month could SO .'set" thousand acres
70 grass and would have range which would sup
port without other feed, thousand cattle. And,
too, the region Is wholly free from lasting SHOWS,
the great obstacle to stock raising Is remarkable
Bpt It IL nealscted and 40 eomnIetsly that there
not enough cattle on the bay to supply the small
local market with fresh butter On one two tables
did not find butter at all and Mr. Abby. the hotel
keeper at Newport, informed. me that he conn.,
pelied to supply his table from Tillamook bay,
-- FRUIT CULTURE
Has attracted the attention OF several practical
chardists and two three experiments being
In the line of fruit raising Is that of Messrs Briggs
Denlinger Humphrey. Their place is on the south
bank of the YaQuina river, four or Ave miles above
the river. II consists of 424 acres Of good open
land, about half of which is under cultivation, the
whole being we'll situated for general farming as
we'll as the special fruit enterprise to which It Is
chiefly devoted In March, 1875, Messrs. Briggs.
Denlinger Humphrey, after careful study of the
fruit question. determined to go into the business of
prune raising, and commenced looking about for
location. The eqnable climate Of Yaquina bay aud
the special excellence OF Its river soil attracted their
attention. and soon determined their choice to
location, and Mr.. Briggs, the managing partner in
the company, at once commenced the work of plant
ing, and to-day they have Of the most extensive
and we'll kept orchards in Oregon. Their fields con-
tain $500 italian prune trees, 500 petite prunes 500
plums apples of 10 varieties 500 pears of 10
rieties, 100 chestnuts, almonds and walnuts and
general assortment Of cherries, apricots and small
fruits. The prnnes bore for the hrst time this
son, and though the yield was not large, 1t showed
the perfect healthfulness Of the young trees and
gave gratifying promise for the future. The diffi-
culties and expense attending the establishment of
such enterprise In section remote have been
great. Mr.. Briggs, who has personally labored
through them ALL points with pardonable pride to his
trim rows OF graceful saplings There can be ques-
tion that the enterprise which to this time has been
q constant and severe drain upon the firm, will in
the end yield them rich profit. My visit to
the orchards was of special interest not less that
the venture is an important experiment, than be-
cause two OF the partners in It, Messrs Deninger and
Humphrey, have long been in the service of THE
oREeoNIAS, and are as worthy men ever deserved
well.
DR. Rich, whose place is the north side of the
river, and Mr. Jos. Thompson and others have ex-
tensive and fne orchards: The region has not been
long enough settled to develop important fruit
interest, but 1t has great possibilities. The
COMMERCE. AND TRADE
OF Yaquina bay are quite important. Capt Wynsrt
of San Francisco, with his schooner the Vanderbilt
200 tons, makes monthly trips to San Fran
cisco. He brings In miscellaneous rchandise and
carries ont the various products of the bay Among
the most important OF these products oysters,
found in great supply on the shoals throughout the
bay. Capt Wynant is the proprietor of oystering
headquarters on the west side Of the bay and does
besides a thriving business with general store
which is under the management of o resident agent.
The business OF oysering was carried on some years
ago till the natural beds were exhausted. A few
years Of rest however. have allowed the growth of
Q new crop The Yaqu1na oyster ts about double the
size Of his Puget Sound cousin, wholly free from
coppery taste and fat and healthy.
The little steam and sailing schooner Kate and
Anne, 40 tons makes frequent but irregular trips
between the bay and Portland, carrying merchsn.
disc in and general products out. Another vessel,
hA pfA nah hac ftSnkh hnnr k,rf1t at
Portland for this trade, and made her first trip to
the bay during my visit. There Is regular line
either from San Francisco Portland, rates Of
freight carriage vary according to the amount ship
ped. No regular schedule be depended upon,
and this Is serious embarrassment to business
The greater part of the business of the bay goes
Portland because Is easier to order there than
| San Francisco; but singularly the merchants of
neither place have made special effort to the
| trade. Portland pas the advantage of proximity,
and should properly have the business, but unless
her merchants show better spirit than they have in
the past 1t will go to San Francisco. Capt. Wynant
has done much this summer to direct trade to San
Francisco, and there has been counter offer from
| Portland.
There now eight general stores the bay, be-
sides several small class stores at Newport, aud
their sggregate sales for the past year had been
about sl5o.00O. This business is capable Of impor
tant development and is well worth the attention of
| wholesale men in the large markets.
TOWNS.
The chief town of the bay is Newport. just within
the north side of the entrance 1t has three general
stores, three hotels. four saloons, brewery, two
drug tin store and .rber shop One lawyer
finds short picking but there ia no resident physi
clan in the place. It's stores and houses and
well built and substantial dock gives 8 CONNER.
/ cial air to the place.
Ysquina, the proposed terminus of the Oregon Pa
cic road yet consists of large dock, two large
| warehouses, the customs house, q small wooden
building and two residences. Its site is at the
treme eastern end of the bay, is we'll chosen and
affords room for fine city. Many applications fol
| los in this new town have been made, but AS the
company has not yet selected its depot and other
grounds, they have not permitted sales to be made
| oneatta, mile south of YaquiEa, is simply saw
mill town; Toledo consists OF three of four houses
two OF them being stores: oysterville Is simply an
oystering station and Elk City, at the head OF nav
| CATION on the river. is village of half dozen
hcusts. Asa
SUMMER RESORT
Yaquina bay is already popular, and great numbers
Of people from the Willamette valley visit 1t every
! year The situation of Newport-very like that OF
Fort Candy at the mouth Of the Columbia river-is
| specially adapted for seat of summer recreation
and its hotels always crowded from June to Sep
| tember On both sides of the entrance there are
amply protected spaces for camping and during the
summer months scores of tents are pitched there
1 The beach on the north aud south is hard and
smooth, aud picturesque rocks give the north side
rugged variety. Four miles up the coast Cape Foul
weather pushes out into the ocean, and the msgnif
cent ocean views from 1t fully repay the tolls Of tht
trip. Fine hsh, CLAIMS crabs and oysters are found
/ in great supply.
! The population of Yaquina bay and vicinity Ii
| about 1900. The people are engaged in ranching
IoggtDg numbering and the various branches OF Dusi
ness which have been spoken of above. They art
| az honest, hard-workng people and as q rule well
| to-do Wages are about the same as in the William
ette svslley-for rough labor ~ per day and othei
| sorts of work in proportion
! There is no church the bay and religious ser
| vices not regularly held Schools are not vel
established even in Newport, and many children srt
/ sent sut TO the valley to be educated.
The climate is the usual coast climate of Oregon
| almost exactly like that of Astoria. The summers
/ are cool and the winters mild wholesome sea all
at all times prevails and msaria and similar forms
| CT sickness are holly unknown. People who come
from the valley in languid and dropping condition
/ of health are speedily improved by the bracng
| breeZes. larger population and easy and rapid
! means of access will make Yaquina bay desirable
| place of residence.
The hopes of the people of this whole section are
| now centered In the
| OREGON PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY,
| Which is engaged in the work of building line
This company is by an arrangement of contraeti
and transfers. the assignee of the Willamette Val
lev Coast Railroad Company, organized severs
| years ago by Col T. Edgenton Hogg and others o
Corvallis. BY Its charter, its property Ia exemp
from taxation % from the date of completion
of its line from Corvallis to Yaquina bay, and wher
ten miles Of such line is finished, the company be
comes the owner OF all tide and overfowed lands
Benton county. The original company did SOM
little work. and got hold OF little material in 81
not more then $50, 900 worth. The enterprise Ian
guished for time, till two years ago. Col. Hogg Be
organized the Oregon Pacific and make 1t the assgne
of the W. " O. K. R. Co. .'s property and rights. Th
change Was in fact only achange of name. The ney
company, however. propose not only to build tn
line from the Willamette valley to Yaquins bay bu
to push 1t eastward to meet eastern connection
Boise City in Idaho. took special care to inquir
into the
STATUS OF THE WORK
AS 1t now stands. I travelled over the whole lin
| and found the roadbed for standard gauge trach
| graded for eighteen miles west of Corvallis. TIL
of the distance is surveyed and location of tn
road staked. Between the summit Of the coas
range and the bay, the road must pass throug