Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-05-03
LANDS AND HOMES.

LANDS AND HOMbo'
Marion county is situated in the
neart of the magnificent Willamette
ALLEY the central gem in the clus-
Tor of rich counties that form thal
nrincelv domain, and is the banner
Commonwealth of the great nOrtn-
vest in all the essentials that 60 10
wards making it aprotitable a3lalHg 1iftg
pIace. and a home for the IhIIiIy
! farmer, the cunning artisan anu TIC
industrious mechanic.
Rich in its agricultural resources
in its cultivated and uncultlVate9
| lands in its water powers, anu
minerals: rich in its colleges ana
| scbools of learning, and with Il
climate unsurpassed for its salubrlty,
II presents to the immigrant rom
the overcrowded states, where colu
winters and hot summers, WIN
terrible cyclones, prevail, o Wno
comes to the coast Win soIlle
means, advantages that no oIneI
county in Oregon possesses. ~
| Much has been written Oh lliie
western country that requires
stretch of the imagination to COM
prehend, and numerous complaints
Are heard from the class who have
been misled by them, so in TINS
| brief sketch the writer desires 10
avoid exageratiOn as to its present
and prospective advantages, asking
| those i'm the east into whose hands
| this may fall-particularly those
who have their eyes directed TOWARDS
! this coast-tO peruse 1t carelully,
feeling that it is not written to lure
nmi9rants within it's borders, but
only as a truthful description of
land which, if it does not "how
milk and honey" contains within
! its bosom wealth and resources equal
to any other country on the Pacific
side of the Rocky mountains.
BOUNDARIES.
Marion county is bounded on the
north hy the Willamette river and
Butte creek which separates it from
Clackamas county; on the east by
Clackamas county and the Cascade
mountains, which separate it from
Wasco county; on the south by the
Santiam river and the north fork of
the Santiam, separating it trom
Linn county,and on the west by the
Willamette river.
PHYSICAL FORMATION.
The county contains, including
valley, prairie and mountain lands,
about 100000 acres.
There are two main divisions, the
mountain and the valley. The
latter extends from the Willamette
river to the foot of the Cascade
mountains, distance of about fiji
| teen miles.
The mountainous portion contains
some fourteen townships of mostly
unsurveyed land; lying in n strip
twelve miles north and south 10y
forty miles east and west, and COM
prises all classes of land, from rich
narrow valleys in the passes, up
through all the grades of rolling,
hilly and broken, to that of rock
bound canyons and inaccessible
craggy peaks. 1t is generally heavily
timbered, and in the near futue
will be valuable for its lumber SUI
plies. These hills and mountains
afford a wonderful summer range
for stock, and many of the more en-
terprising farmers are availing them
selves of this opportunity, and when
| the cold frOsts of autumn approach,
the stock are brought out to fresh
pastures, thus enabling them to sur
vive the winter storms with little
care.
GREAT ADVANTAGES,
A decided advantage Marion cOun-
| ty has over many others is the di-
versified farming interest that can
be carried on throught the entire
year; Notwithstanding this is wet
climate during the winter months
| the uplands are seldom too wet tV
work, and long before the prairie
farmers are through with their seed
ing, the hill farmer is preparing for
his summer work. And yet tn,
low lands are much preferred by
many; the yield per acre is generally
greater, and perhaps less labor is re-
uuired 10 place the soil in proper
| condition for crops; and then should
| the season prove dry, the bottom
lands are sure to bring the best
crops. No better farming land cam
be found i'm the United States than
that ON the noted Howell prairie,
French prairie, Santiam prairie and
salem prairie. The soil of these are
wonderfully productive, With good
cultivation, forty bushels of wheat
and sixty Of oats per acre can he
! readily secured.
FACILITIES FOR MARKET.
The Willamette river, with two
lines of railroad running the entire
length of the county from north to
south, with the Oregon Pacific road
! crossing the southeast corner of the
county, affords ample facilities to
reach market in any direction.
SALEM
Is the capital Of the state and
county seat Of Marion county, situ-
Jted ON the Willamette river-and
uu the q. a c. railroad. Costly
| buildings have been erected, among
which the state capitol building,
county court house, Chemekete hotel.
opera house, new public school
! building, Catholic school building,
| Methodist church, Willamette Uni
versity, and many private residences
I and lnafs,a.-s bI,eH--