The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-02-02

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will probably never be extensively
applied to grain raising, especially near
the ocean beach, but all kinds of veg
etables do remarkably well. Straw
berries and in fact every variety of
small fruits have proven very success
full. Stock raising has been pro6tably
followed Bee keeping has not been
| very extensively tried, but has been
found very remunerative, and probably
no portion OF the state gives better
promise in this line than that portion
of the county bordering on the coast.
Salmon canning has not been tried,
but enterprise in this direction would
not be without hope of reward. But
the business of the AIsea bay will un-
doubtedly be numbering Spruce and
fir timber of the best quality cover the
hills surrounding the bay, and fir and
cedar timber extends to the summit of
the coast range.
The Alsea river is particularly
adapted for running logs. The banks
are high and the current rapid so that
logs can be run almost from the sum-
NIT of the mountain. Beach mining
for gold is carried on all along the
beach, there being but few points where
gold can not be found. The popula-
ton is ssat this time about $50 but is
rapidly increasing.
There is one general merchandise
store, which is doing profitable busi-
ness, the supplies for which is brought
in by the steam schooner Kate and
Ann, which makes regular trips with
out any difficulty. There is one post
Office at Waldport supplied by two
weekly routs one from Newport the
other from the upper Alsea. There
is large portion of the lands in this
precinct still subject to premption and
homestead especially on the Yahuts,
and short distance back from the
coast both north and south from the
mouth of the bay, also toward the
head of Drift creek. There is one
school house, but we believe efforts are
being made for another
TIDE WATER PRECINCT.
This precinct is so closely allied and
SO similar to the Lower Alsea that
the description of that will apply in
almost every particular to this one.
Being situated just east and up the
river from that. The upper portion of
the bay extends into this gradually
narrowing until 1t becomes well de-
fined river. As we leave the coast the
country becomes more open. Land
suitable for cultivation is more abund-
ant, and as the country is more open.
the stock range is extended, and grass
much more abundant. The cereals are
proftably cultivated. The tame
grasses are easily started, and as the
summers are moist and the winters
mild, seldom being cold enough to
interfere with the growth of grasses,
pastures keep green throughout the
year. Some fifteen or twenty miles
from the coast the river makes a sud
den detour to the south for four or
five miles, and at the most southerly
point is joined by Fve-rivers. This
stream gets it's name from the confu-
ence of five small streams. The sur
rounding Five-rivers country has just
been surveyed and is attracting consid-
erable attention at this time as it
probably embraces some as good land
as there is in the county for settlement.
Ascending the Alsea river above Five
rivers the bottoms widen very much.
The soil is a deep alluvial, covered
with brush not very hard to clear, and
being very productive. Near the
eastern portion OF the precinct Fall
river puts i'll from the north; on this
stream are wide bottoms for short
distance up, which are mostly in cul-
tivation.
Tide Water is situated on the north
bank of the river About twelve miles
from the ocean and promises to be.
place of importance at no distant day.
At this place is a good saw mill owned
by William Peak; as no effort has been
made to ship lumber he has simply
aimed to supply the local demand,
which is rapidly increasing. Att this
place is the only postofice, the mails
being supplied by a weekly rout from
the upper Alsea to Waldport Near
Tide Water is the only school house in
the precinct. The people along the
Alsea river have been working as they
were able for some years on the con-
struction of wagon road from the
Upper Alsea valley. This has been
completed for only a portion Of the