Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-08
THE OREGON RAILROAD.
A Line n Eastern Oregon-A Valuabl
and EarfiIe Sacffou-

"A Line into Eastern Oregon-A valuable
and Fertile Section.
I The California and Oregon Railroad is
being pushed northward vigorously, and
will cross the klamath river at SCOTS Bar.
From that point surveys have been made
for the road to be constructed up the valley
of the Klamath, passing between upper and
lower klamath lakes, in the vicinity OF
Linkville, the county seat of. klamath
county, Or, and thus penetrate eastern
Oregon. The line of road thus projected
will furnish for the first time railroad COM
munication with the rest of the world to a
country rich in mineral, timber and agri-
cultural resources, $4,000 square miles in
extent, an area twice as great as that en-
braced within the boundaries of the State
of Ohio. The region possesses many rich
+, valleys and large areas of fertile table land,
suitable for agriculture. Its principal
streams are the Grand Ronde, Umatilla,
John Day, Burnt and Powder rivers. The
main and tributary valleys are very fertile,
very extensive, and are inviting a large and
enterprising population. The mountainous
! portions of eastern Oregon are covered with
pine of a very fine quality, also cedar, fir,
and extensive forests of maple. Along the
valleys, and particularly on the margins of
streams, there are forests of birch, aspen
and poplar.
All the intermediate plains and valleys
of Eastern Oregon are covered with a rich
| growth of hardy and nutritious bunch
grass. The soil is very deep, and original
ing from the disintegration of volcanic
rocks, ranks with the richest and most fer
tile soils of California. A very large pro-
portion of these fertile plains and valleys
have been devoted to stock-raising, because
of the absence of facilities for transporta-
/ S,or fAr nn,a,,1t,,r ,.oo~ MI 49,
struction of a railroad into the region will
| open up at once one of the most inviting,
valuable and fertile areas now remaining
in the public domain. The warm ocean
current from Japan, flowing south along
the coast, confers upon Oregon a mild
climate and a copious rainfall, highly ia
| vorable to profitable agriculture. Into this
country, the continuous line of the Cali
fornia and Oregon Railroad will be led.
Many considerations AVE combined to
influence the construction of that route.
The material development of the country
is already sufficient to afford a large traffic,
and is capable of sustaining a large and
prosperous population, with which, under
the stimulus of railroad communication, it
will rapidly fill.
Excluding the Sacramento and San Joa-
quin valleys, Eastern Oregon contains the
largest proportion of lands suitable for
agriculture of any equal area west of the
Rocky Mountains. 1t will, therefore, con-
tain in the early future the largest popula-
ton. The line of the California and Ore
gon will be the pioneer railroad of this
region. except a short section of the Oregon
Short Line Railway, which is situated in
the extreme northeast corner of the State.
The country, thus o to receive the
awakening influences of railroad commu-
nication with the outer world, is capable of
sustaining an extensive local railway sys-
tenn, and the m which will attend
its development will be tributary to San
Francisco.
The construction of theproposed route is,
therefore, IN Inauguration of a new and
important system of Pacific coast railroads,
of which the Oregon and California be-
comes the main trunk, and of which the
city of San Francisco is the commercial
basis and outlets. r.. Bulletin.