The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-10-18
OVER THE n. P. r. r.

AiOIo budu cOiunu VI 50 Vi udtieI Oi
the readers of The Pilot. But the travel
er in these regions is apt to make so
many general observations that when he
once gets started it is difficult for him to
stop. I emphatically waive my right to
the responsibility for this third and Ger.
tainly last infection, in favor of the editor
of the Pilot who is the real party to
blame in the matter.
Eastern Washington is part prairie
and part timber land. The timber is
pretty heavy and stands thick. On the
prairies, cattle and sheep are grazed but
not In any very great number. There
is an odd settlement made here and you
strike some very lively little lumber and
mining towns. Wheat is the principal
crop and when the season is favorable, a
very good yield can be had to the acre,
perhaps nearly as good as can be obtain
in Dakota. Eastern Oregon is much the
same as Washington, only that there is
more prairie. 1t is said to be one of the
finest grazing countries in the world.
A large tract of it is covered with sand
which no matter how tight the car is,
will drift in anyhow. 1t is piled up like
drifted snow along the track and there
are breaks to keep it from drifting on
the track, much the same as those found
in Dakota and Montana to keep the
snow off only they are not so high.
These regions have no climatic advan-
tage over Wisconsin. Their winters are
severe and what snow we get here is
only drop in the bucket" when COM
pared with what they get there. The
great draw. back is lack of moisture in
summer.
The Mountainous region of Washing
ton and Oregon comprehends very
large portion of these places but when
you once get west of the Cascades you
strike as fine timbered country as it is
possible to see. Pines here grow from
one to two hundred feet in height are
from four to eight feet in diameter. They
stand thick and the limbs are confined
to the top.
The climate of this region of country
in summer is as good as could be wished
for. 1t is sometimes pretty warm at
mid day but the evenings and mornings
are nice and cool. In winter it isn't SO
pleasant. Here there ere only two
seasons wet and dry. 1t begins to rain
about the first of November and rains
with little internission for six months.
For about four months of this time there
Is no let-up at all. There is either
heavy mist or heavy shower or both,
every day, and every night it pours. Some
of the best farming land in Oregon, stu
ated in the Willamette Valley, is from
five to fifteen feet under water for a
considerable portion of the year. The
soil becomes thus so enriched that very
little cultivation is necessary, ard all
that is needed to have good crop is
an occasional shower Of rsin in the sum
mer. At the time / was there, a drop
of rain had not fallen for over four
months but this was an exceptionally dry
season and the wheat crop is partial
failure.
Wheat, potatoes and fruits are the
principal and almost the only agricultur-
al products although Pugallup Valley in
Washington Territory is probably the
finest hop-producing region in the world.
Last year when hops were failure
almost everywhere the crop here was as
good as ever. Some farmers in that
valley cleared over thirty thousand
dollars on hops. Ordinarily the price
received is from Is to % cents per
pound. Last year they found ready
market for them at one dollar per pound.
Improved land sells for from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars
an acre and sometimes for much more.
Wild land can be obtained cheap but
in the end it is costly. 1t costs from
one hundred to one hundred and fifty
dollars an acre to clear it, and then it is
a long time before it can be worked to
any advantage on account of the roots
and stumps.
Any description of this country which
omitted mention of the picturesque
scenery which is everywhere to be be-
held would indeed be incomplete. Every
little piece you advance something new
and attractive presents itself to the view.
There is an infinite variety of striking
natural curiosities. The scenery far sur
passes that of Montana. The mountain
peaks rise far higher above the surround
ing country than they do in the Rockies.
Their formation is more anomalous, their
vegetation more varied and luxuriant.
At Rinsworth you strike the Columbia
River and the railroad runs along its
right bank from thence almost to Port
land, distance of over $50 miles, it is
a magnificent stream. It's waters are
clear, colorless and tasteless, its current
is swift and in it are innumerable catar-
acts and waterfalls. In many places the
mountains rise almost perpendieularly
from its banks. Where the slope is not
so abrupt "shoots" are constructed by
which timber is conveyed from the sum-
mlts of the mountains into the river
When once started it loses little time in
reaching its destination. There are
numerous streams issuing from the
mountains which flow with little increase
or diminution throughout the year.
About thirty miles east of Portland one
OF those streamlets falls perpendicularly
distance of $50 feet. A good view of
lt can be obtained from the t,ooL