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

tgrmef, Llt tulllllhE a.
industrious mechanic.
Rich i'm its agricultural resources,
I'm its cultivated and uncultlVate1
lands i'm its water powers, ana
minerals: rich in its colleges ana
.Ebools of learning, and with
climate unsurpassed for It's salubilty'
IL presents to the immigrant rom
the overcrowded states, where colu
winters and hot summers, WlIH
terrible cyclones, prevail VINO
comes to the coast with some
means. advantages that no other
county in Oregon possesses. ,.-
Much has been written OF inns
western country that requires
stretch of the imagination to com
nrehend. and numerous complaints
are heard from the class who nave
been misled by them, so IN thls
brief sketch the writer desires TO
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 directedtoWarus
this coast--to peruse it carefully,
feeling that it is not written 10 lure
immigrants within its borders, but
only as a truthful description OF a
land which, if it does not "fow
milk and honey,n contains within
its bosom wealth and resources equal
to any other country on the PaclIc
side of the Rocky mountains.
BOUNDARIES.
Marion county is bounded on the
north by the Willamette river ana
Butte creek which separates it from
Clackamas county; on the east 10y
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 from
Linn county, and on the west by the
Willamette river.
PHYSICAL FORMATION.
The county contains, including
valley, prairie and mountain lands
about 900 200 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, a distance of about it.-
teen miles.
The mountainous portion contains
some fourteen townships of mostly
uusurveyed land; lying in a strip
twelve miles north and south II
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 inaccessib G
craggy peaks. 1t is generally heavily
timbcred, and in the near future
will be valuable for its lumber sun %
plies. These hills and mountains
afford n 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 tresh
pastures, thus enabling them to sur
vive the winter storms with little
care.
GREAT ADVANTAGES.
\ decided advantage Marion couu-
tv 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 10
work, and long before the prairie
farmers are through with their seed
ing, the hill farmer is preparing for
his summer work. And vet the
low lands are much preferred by
many; the yield per acre is generally
greater, and perhaps less labor is re-
quired to place the soil i'm 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 can
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 be
readily secured.
FACILITIES FOR MARKET.
The Willamette river, with two
ines 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, siu-
aytd ON the Willamette river-and
Ou the q. 4 Z. railroad. Costly
buildings have been erected, among
which the state capitol building.
county coort house, Chemekote hotel
vNcm house, new public school
building, Catholic school building
Methodist church, Willamette Uni,
Nvrsity, and many private residence,
and business blocks, which will
compare favonbly with older and
larger cities.
GENERAL.
An things considered, the Wiuam.
cite valley has the best country iu
the world and Marion county /.
about ccntenlly located therein
To those seeking homes in the west
mo- better opportunities can d,
Offered. than are found here. Persons