The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-12-02

The UMPQUA VALLEY -D0UGLAS
COUNTY.


Since many inquiries are addressed
to us from various portions OF the At
lantic States, soliciting information as
to the Umpqua valley AID Douglas
county generally, as to its area, popu-
lation, arabic lands, amount and KINDS
Of timber, minerals, lime or sandstone
rock. general surface, prices OF inn
proved and unimproyed lands, rainfall
in inches, mean temperature IN summer
and in winter, and of many other de,
tails, we deem it of general interest
that we should answer these inquiries
with all possible brevity, yet accurately
and without bias.
Douglas county proper embraces. an
area Of 1880 square miles. 1t extends
from the Calapooia mountains, on the
north, to the Cow creek hills, on the
seuth-about 100 miles-and from the
Pacific ocean and the Coast range
mountains, on the west, to the Cascade
range on the east and south, varying
from 70 to l08 miles. It is divided
from the Willamette valley by a range
of hills, or spurs Of the Cascade and
Coast range mountains, which are
known as the Calapoias. 1t embraces
all the country drained by the imp
qua river; and hence Douglas county
and the Umpqua valley are known as
the same The Cow creek hills the
south-spurs of the Cascade and Coast
range-the southern boundary, is also
a divide between the waters OF the
Umpqua and the Rogue river. In area
it constitutes an empire within itself
It is larger than Connecticut and twice
the size Of Delaware and Rhode Is
land. 1t has 90 miles of coast line
It's seaport town is Gardiner, II miles
from the Pacific ocean, and on The
Umpqua river, which is navisable foI
% miles, to Scottsburg.
THE VALLEY
is a disappointment to the newcomer
expecting to behold "a wide expanse o
level land. From the foothills of tn
mourtain ranges, it is a collection 0
innumerable small valleys, divided b
rolling hills and ridges, covered mainl
by scattering oak and Fir timber. Fror
Scettsburg to the ocean the vale
ceases, the river rolling seawart
through, in many places, perpendics
lar pass in the mountain OF coast range
HFALTHFUL CLIMATE.
It's warm 81 and more southern latitud
is tempered by the fresh sea breeze
and this with the rapidly fowin
streams into the main Umpqua ahd tn
absence of low, maishy, miasmatic va
lsys, entities the Umpqua valley
rank as among the most heaithful po
tiens of the globe Viewing the la!
statistics within our reach, we find tn;
while the percentage of mortality wa
Minnesota, so; Kansas, l.25; Nebra
ka, 81; Califolni 161; Illinois, l.3
Nevada, Lao; Oregon was only 81
While there was proportion of or
death in 2s3 in New England State
in Oregon there was only one death
527. Taking the locality Of the Um
qua as an instance, the proportion wi
compare still more favorably. The
POPULATION,
two years since, was $3.50, while
1870, ten years previous, il vas 6,0G
while now, since the recent impetus.
immigration by railway extension, it
safe to estimate our present populate
at $4,000. The total vote of Dougl
county at the last June election, W
2,648.
GRASS, ETC.
Every part of the county Is adapt
to grass. Even the highest hills 2
arabic and will in time be utilized
the plow and reaper. Except he p
pendicular cliffs occasionally abutti
on the river, and an occasional b
: short and steep ravine or cenyon, t
Land is tillable, every where, on remo'
in some places, of timber and growi
brush.
THE TIMBER
is found in abundance and assortme
Through the valley, or rather vale
pnd intervening hills and ridges, scs
tering oak and fir abound, with ha
mainly, and numerous other kinds
bushes, while on the mountain sides
spurs of the Coast and Cascade ran
the finest of commercial timber
found. The Port Oxford cedar, VIII
and red, and sugar pine and fir, p1
dominate. This timber, reaching fir
one boundary to the other of the cot
ty, along the mountain ranges and
ten in the valleys and ravines, it wo