The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-07-29
CLATSOP COUNTY.
Tide Lsnds-Diking- ng-Productiveness Stock
Raising-Etc.
(The Pacific Farmer.l

Farmer, reference was made to the tide
lands in this county. The portion of
those reclaimed by diking lie along
Young's bay, from Fort Stevens along
Young's bay adjacent to the Clatsop
Plains country; along Lewis and Clarke,
Young's river, Walluski, John Days
and tributaries, and at Westport and
vicinity. The largest two bodies of re-
claimed land lie on the west side of
Young's bay, to the right and lelt of
Skipanon creek. The amount reclaimed
in the county Is in the aggregate about
5000 acres, nearly one-fOurth of this
amount already having been put into
cultivation in tame grasses, for meadow
and pasture, and small part devoted to
grain raising and vegetables. ID. K.
Warren owns $50 acres of this reclaimed
land, 800 acres of it diked in 1879, and
the remainder enclosed last year, the
old dixie enclosing the first piece being
2A miles in length, with 10 foot base, 5
feet high and feet wide at the top.
The soil in these tide lands is of two
kinds: First, peaty-like deposits; sec
ond, clay land with intermiXture of silt,
being sedimentary in character, largely
from the waters of the Columbia river,
different from the bottom soils further
up the river. To the sediment from the
river direct is added that from flow of
tides and wash down from the local
streams and rivers. Soil deposits from
the flow of tides are of very slow in
crease. There are indisputable evl-
denceS that an old forest of spruce ages
ago grew where this tide land now is,
along the west side of Young'S bay, the
natural surface of the ground in this
forest latterly being about four feet be-
low the present level, having been much
higher during the growth of these trees,
then afterward sunk through some con-
yulsion of nature. The present growth
of timber on the ground adjacent to the
tide land and few feet above it con-
sists mostly of spruce and hemlock-
but little fir. There is also some alder,
crabapple, and Oregon willow. Refer
ring again to the size and strength of
the dikes necessary to keep the tide land
reclaimed, the dimensions above given
have been found sufficient; but for
greater security the embankmentS are
now made larger, usually II to 16 feet
wide at base, 5 to 6 feet in height and
feet across the top, especially where eX-
posed to the heavier wash and tides
along bays and main channels. In the
course of construction the greatest diff
Guilty met with is in filling up the tide
creeks and sloughs sufficient distance
TO support the dixie proper and to with
stand the immense pressure from in
coming tides. In building dixie 214
rods long, extending from TanZy point
on Capt. FlayefS place, to connection
with his old dixie, Mr.. Warren had to
fill deep tide creek $50 feet wide for
about 80 feet for a dixie foundation
strong enough to Withstand the tide.
The sluice boxes in this dixie are built
5xS feet of heavy fir plankS extending
along side the dam, the sluice gates be-
ing placed on the outer ends of the
sluice-ways, hung at an angle, so that
as the tide rises the weight of the rising
tide holds it tightly closed, preventing
the inward flow of water, but permit
ting an outward flow on the falling of
the tide. In diking across wide tide
slough it is usually found best not to
build the sluiceway through the dam,
but outside it in the firmer tide land.
Especially is this the case where quick
sand is found in the channel; otherwise
the least forcing and trickling of water
beneath will be liable to permit en-
largemeEt of opening, and in the end to
carry away the dixie and dam. The
sluiceways are usually put in deep
enough TO drain land enclosed to low
tide. The best material for dikeS and
dams is the tide land soil of clayey
character. 1t is tough and consistent,
packing well together while moist. In
building dams a generous supply of
spruce brush is put in in layers, holding
the earth well together against the wash
of tides during construction. The dixie
completed by several interested parties
last year, ON the right bank of the Skip
anon and extending along YOung's bay
TO the mouth and short distance up the
Lewis and Clarke river, is about six
miles in length and enclOSeS about 1000
acres of tide land. OF this amount John
and Samuel Adair own about 800 acres,
ID. K. Warren go acres, p. c. Warren
20 acres, J. c. Trullinger $50 acres,
Angus Sutherland go acres, and Mr..
Hill 30 acres. The cost of the dixie
amounted to about $1,000 per mile, or
$1,000 in all; and filling the tide slOughs
and necessary repairs and strengthen
ing cost much more than that sum ad-
ditional. On the Adair claim the cost
of filling a tide slough and repair of
breakage and strengthening properly
amounted to about $1,000.
Adjoining ID. K. Warren'S tide land at
TanZy point, Capt. Flayel owns about
800 acres of fine reclaimed tide land.
He owns over 5000 acres of upland with
it.
The productivenesS of these reclaimed
lands when put into proper cultivation
is something wonderful, producing
heavy crops of hay, grain and vegeta-
bleS. Mr.. ID. X. Warren has 165 acres
i'll meadow, and he says he has cut at
least six tons of cured hay to the acre on
portions of it, the usual average being
from three to five tons per acre. He has
raised wheat and oats with very large
yield, but the soil is too rich, causing
The grain to grow too rank, being alto
gether better adapted to pasture and
meadow and vegetables. Thirty to
forty tons of rutabagas is the usual
yield per acre. The pastures and mead
ows on these reclaimed lands are es-
peclally well suited for dairy and other
stock. After the pastures on these
lands are well set in tame grasses and
have become firm and dry enough.
horses thrive here wonderfully. We
noticed several fine ones at Mr.. War
ren'S rolling fat, one fOur-year-old
grade Hambletonian by Josiah Vests
pure-bred HambletOnian; also, fine
fOur-year-old Clyde-Morgan mare, three
Clyde-GeOrge mares, If we understood
properly, and thoroughbred Morgan
mare of good action.
Again, these tide lands which are the
iigheSt are well adapted TO the growth
of small fruits and berries, as we noticed
an Mr.. Matters garden at Skipanon.
In future article we intend to give a
fuller account of this nursery and gar
den.
On many of these farms there is more
or less reclaimed tide land. e. n. Hess
has 150 acres of diked land, reclaimed in