The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-11-09
Alpine.

Apluo.
In the absence of any news in the neigh
borhood worthy of note we shall send this
week briet description of the vicinity from
which we write. Alpine is situated in the
hills short distance west of Monroe in the
southern end of Benton county and is one
of the pioneer settlements of Oregon. 1t is
about six miles square and being almost
surrounded by hills possesses natural
boundaries which give it a distictly separate
appearance from the surrounding neigh
borhood and the rest of the world. On the
south is long evenly elevated ridge which
extends from the Coast Range proper to
the Long Tom south of Monroe, and about
midway along this high ridge rises from it
Round Mt. tall peak, from the topmost
pinnacle of which one of the grandest views
of Oregon may be enjoyed. Fiom here one
can distinctly see Eugene City on the south
and as far as Albany on the north, and all
of the intermediate towns with splendid
| scene of the Willamette Valley and over
and clear beyond stand those majestic
mountains of eternal snow Mt. Hood and
Mt. Jefferson and the Three Sisters. To
the west is the most broken part of the
Coast Range which would certainly afford
rare opportunity for the gifted painter
and this part of the range may be seen from
almost any point in the neighborhood and
from its western boundary. To the north
are low hills forming a boundary between
the Alpine and Bellountain neighborhoods
and on one of these in grove of splendid
oaks is beautifully situated Simpsons
chapel, where the two neighborhoods meet
regularly for worship. On the east are also
hills noted for their autumnal beauty.
| The shrubs and trees which dot their sides
are always this time of the year covered
with leaves of every beautiful tint true
to nature and prettier than the coloriug
from any painters brush. Enter the valley
from any direction you can and the first
view must give the impression of an almost
Infinite variety and richness of landscape,
level prairies treeless or covered with trees,
bald hills or forest covered ones, ravines
opening down from the mountains guiding
the waters out into the valley, fields of
grain or pastures of cattle and hooks and
rarely seen harmonious beauty. When
settlement was first made here the whole
face of the country was covered with a
luxuriant growth of grass which used to
carry the Indians fires in every direction to
the destruction of all small trees and un-
d. IL. L
eaten and killed down till it is no longer
sufficient to feed running fires, here as al
most anywhere in the Willamette valley
growth of willow, ash, alder, &C., has
surprisingly dense and rapid growth of frs
has already in part covered the hills. 1t
seems now as though 1t would not be long
till the saw mills could move in from the
mountains to saw our lumber nearer home
A large and commodious schoolhouse is
very nearly the center of the neighborhood
and has done good service for many years.
School is now in session in charge of Miss
Minnie Frink and she is succeeding well.
Mr.. and Mrs Hi Barber buried their in
FAINT daughter last Sabbath. Rev. P. NJ.
Starr preached the funeral sermon same
day.
Mr. and Mrs. A. c. Nichols have just
returned home from short visit. Miss
Carrie E. Nichols accompanied them home
with the expectation of calling on old
friends and schoolmates in Salem.
| Mics Walfba X Horelav aIs pou in
Salem visiting her brother anu friends.