Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-05-25
LANDS AND HOMES.

rrinceiy domain, and is the banner
Commonwealth of the great north
west in all the essentials that go to-
wards making it a profitable ABIDING
place, and a home for the thrllty
| farmer, the cunning artisan and the
industrious mechanic.
Rich i'm its agricultural resources
in its cultivated and uncultivated
lands. in its water powers, anu
minerals; rich in its colleges and
schools of learning, and with
climate unsurpassed for its salubrity,
il presents to the immigrant from
the overcrowded states, where cold
winters and hot summers, with
terrible cyclones, prevail, who
comes to the coast with some
means, advantages that no other
county in Oregon possesses.
Much has been written of this
western country that requires a
stretch of the imagination to conf
prehend, and numerous complaints
are heard from the class who have
! been misled by them, so in this
brief sketch the writer desires to
avoid exageration as to its present
and prospective advantages, asking
those in the east into whose hands
this may ALPHABETICALLY those
who have their eyes directed towards
this coast-to peruse it carefully,
feeling that it is not written to lure
immigrants within its borders, but
only as a truthful description of
land which, if it does not "tiOw
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 by the Willamette river and
Butte creek which separates it from
Llackamas county; on the east by
Clackamas county and the Cascade
mountains, which separate it from
WascO county; on the south by tie
.Santiam river and the north fork Of
the Santiam, separating it from
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 CascaG,
distance of about e.
teen miles.
The mountainous portion contains
some fourteen townships of mostly |
Unsurveyed land; lying in a strip |
welve miles north and south by !
,Orty miles east and west, and com !
priscs 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 !
and in the near future !
will be valuable for its lumber sup
plies. These hills and mountains
GfOrd n wonderful summer range
Tor 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-
~ has over many others is the di-
versitied farming interest that can
be carried on throught the entire
year; Notwithstanding this is a wet
climate during the winter months, /
the uplands are seldom too wet a. |
work, and long before the prairie
farmers are through with their seed
ng, the hill farmer is preparing for
his summer work. And vet the
low lands are much preferred hy
many; the yield per acre is generally
greater, and perhaps less labor is re
luired to place the soil i'm proper
condition for crops; and then should
he season prove dry, the bottom /
ands are sure TO bring the best
'rops. No better farming land can
)e found in the United States than
hat ON the noted Howell prairie,
French prairie Santiam prairie and
salem prairie. The soil of these are
wonderfully productive. With good
forty bushels of wheat
md sixty of oats per acre can be
eadily secured.
FACILITIES FOR MARKET.
The Willamette river, with two
Ines Of railroad running the entire
sngth Of the county from north TO
outh, with the Oregon Pacific road
.rossing the southeast corner of the
'ounty, affords ample facilities TO
each a market in any direction.
SALEM
Is the capital of the state and
.ounty seat Of Marion county, situ-
tied ON the Willamette river-and
m the q. 4 &. railroad. Costly
have been erected. among
which the state capitol building.
ounty court house, Chemekete hotel, ,
'pera house, new public school
building, Catholic school building. !
Methodist church, Willamette Uni :
.ersity, and many private residences
nd business blocks, which will
ompare favouhly with older and
arger cities.
GENERAL.
All things considered, the William.
Z f.t Nra1 1la.s haa 81. - D