The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-06-29
DESCRIPTION Of BENTON COUNTY.

fertile and Charming valleys of tn
world, the scenery not excelled by an,
the growth Of grass luxsriant, in whic
the wild deer ,gamboled; the margins c
all the streams sskirted with evergree.
trees, often reaching to the hight c
throe hundred feet; the air balmy an,
delightful. to the senses, in the back
ground rises imposing mountains, cloth
ed with living. green, until their sum
mits are lost in perpetual SNOW. Sucl
| was the land described which, brough
SO many early pioneers thousands o
miles away from their native state
to fix their habitation and. build u1
homes for themselves. and their poster
ity in this lovely chine and land, the,
far away from civilization, and on tht
most western verge OF he. Continent o
America. The rail. roads which arr
being builtal overiIlis fair.land;and tbt
many thousand busy hands we find en-
gagged in the active industries of life
prove that their effort in coming to
this favored garden spot of the world
was, not failure, but "a grand. success
Benton County contains LILO square
miles, a. population of about 5000 q
Valuation of taxable property exclusive
Of Indebtedness according to the assess
ment roll of 1Ss2:of s2,357,6o2, and
is located in the heart of the. Williams
cite valley. 1t is bounded on the west
by the Pacific ocean: on the east by the
Willamette river and Linn county; on
the south by Lane counry, and on the
north by Polk county. This county is
celebrated for its richness of soil, min.
erals, timber, and healthful temperate
climate. -.
Benton county was organized under
the provisional government, on Decem.
Der 23d, ,,1S47, and extended from
Folk county to the California, State
line: The present south. line of the
county was established January / 15th,
1851. The county seat was established
at Marysville on January a3d, 1881,
and the name changed to Corvallis De-
cember Goth, 1873.
The State Capital was located at
Corvallis, January 10th, 1855, and re-
located at Salem, December 12th, 1S5s.
During that time the Oregon Statesman
was published at Corvallis by Ashael
Bush, State Printer. -.
. There were four or five claims taken
In the county in the fall of 1S45, but
not moved upon until 1896. During
the latter year the following named
persons made bona tide settlements:
]. G. Avery, VIM. .Whipple,' H. C.
Lewis, Arnold Fuller, Thos. M. Read,
James L. Mulkey, Alfred Rhinehart,
John Stewart, William F.. Dixon, +.
c. A1exander 49, HoviGs, 49,
otemerman, Joseph Hugart, Wayman
St. Clair, John Lloyd, William Miller,
Nicholas 0wnby, A. l.. Humphrey,
FL. c. Buckingham, Nimrod O'Kelly,
Thos. Reeves, Cox ]. S. Kendall,
Alexander Smith, D. D. Stroud, Nee
nam King, Roland Chambers; Aaron
Richardson, Green Berry Smith and
Lazarus Vanbebber. :,
The Oregon State Agricultural Col
ege was temporarily located at CorvaI-
is October a7th,' 1868, and perma-
lently located October 2Ist, 1870;
iince which. time, this institution of
earning: has been rapidly growing in
popularity and usefulness to the educa-
ional interests of the State.
The Officers of Benton County are:
!. R. Bryson, Judge; B. w. Wilson,
Clerk; Sol. King, Sheriff; T.. j. Bu-
ord, Treasurer; E. A. Millner, School
Superintendent; Perry Eddy, Assessor;
'anles Edwards and Caleb Davis,
Commissioners. a !.
Corvallis is an. Incorporated city and
:ounty seat Of Benton county, located
IN the west bank ofthe Willamette riv-
r, on a beautiful plateau one and a.
lalf miles wide, entirely above high
water. For beautiful location, health
illness, temperature of climate and
'ure water it is not equaled in the State.
The county seat was established at
corvallis {then marysville) )in:r851, and
low has population Of about fifteen
hundred. For many years it was con-
idered the head Of navigation, and be-
anne the entrep ort for all goods and
nerchandise intended for the mines in
southern Oregon and Northern Cali
ornia,sa was conveyed thither on
Jack animals. It was then the liveli-
st place in the State. Since the fail
re Of the mines it has not grown SO