The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-03-09
BENTON COUNTY.
Description Of Its Appearance and Present
Condition by Voting Precincts.
Written Expressly for the GazetSe py
Thirty Years Resident Of
the County.


Is situated on the summit between
Mary's river and the Yaquina. 1t ex-
tends from the county line on the
north to the divide between Yaquina
and little Elk and extending east on
a corresponding line to Mary's river,
and from east to west from the top OF
the Norton hill to the mouth of Little
Elk creek. being about e miles from
north to south and about II miles
from east to west. 1t is bounded on
the north by the county line. east by
| Kings valley, south by Tum Tum,
| and west by Elk City precincts. Ya-
ouina river enters near the northeast
| corner of the precinct, runs southwest
or : miles through deep gorge IN
| the mountains, when the country be-
comes more open and the bottoms
wider and then passes out at the south
west corner of the precinct. -.-
| Rock creek enters little east OF
the middle on the north line from the
northeast, and extending about mile
| into the precinct turns to the west.
| The Rock creek valley is between 3
and 4 miles in length and Il mile
| wide with low open hills on each side
Between this there is but little bottom:
on the creek until the reservation l:
reached, which is about miles from
the west boundary of the precinct
The north fork comes in from th'
north near the reservation line, on tha
stream is a wide bushy bottom OF
which some good farms can be made
About mile of the lower part OF thl
is in Benton county and IS not take'
, up. Next above, Steer creek come
in from the northeast and Brush cree
!: from the southeast, and empty Int
Rock creek near the lower end {
the valley. On each of these are goo
bottom lands to be taken. The Roc
: creek valley is owned by Wallis Mas
who is improving and making 1t tn
best stock ranch in the county.
l.. Midway between rock creek, an
y Yaquina is high ridge running pa
es allel with them, the hills on each sic
Of of which gradually lower until tt
rs streams are reached. These hills a
rs open and stock can roam on them
,ir will. On the Yaquina after it eme
m m ges from the mountain gorge are ns
It row bottoms, that are in cultiyatlo
1t 1t There are numerous small streams e
by tering the -Yaquina both from t
p p north and the south on all these a
he narrow Bottoms. South of the rlv
;es the hills rise until at distance yal
ing from to 8 miles the divide
reached, which marks the southe
limit of the precinct. All through Il
- cattle range and do well both SUNNI
and winter.
!, The north fork of Mary's river ri
- a little south of Yaquina, and ent
the precinct little south of the nor
east corner, and then runs nea
4 south. This lays about 500 feet hig
E than the waters that empty diree
al into the ocean, this being trlbut
n of the Willamette, The bottoms all
= Mary's river are wide and were
y merly mostly covered with brush N
of which has been cleared and
land brought into cultivation. Th
lands are second grade being Ii
INCLINED to be wet and cold, but ,
= under draining will yield good CT
: and be easily cultivated, On the
adjoining Mary's river near the Sun
q and also on the west slope of the S
. NIT hill are green timbers. From Il
groves the railway company have
ID az drawing their lumber supplies for
Il | Yo.d In one of these groves