Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-11-07
LKDs AND HOMES.

Marion county lB situated IN Tn,
heart of the magnificent Willamctt,
valley. the central gem in the clus.
ter OF rich counties that form that
nrincelv 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 thrifty
farmer, the cunning artisan and the
industrious mechanic.
Rich in it's agricultural resources
I'm its cultivated and uncultivated
lands, in it's water powoEs, and
minerals; rich in it's colleges and
schools of learning, and with
climate unsurpassed for its salubrity,
1t 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
stretch of the imagination to COM
prehend, aud numerous complaints
are heard from the class who have
been misled by them, so in this
brief sketch the writer desires t.
avoid exageTation as to its present
and prospective advantages, asking
those i'll the east into whose hands
this may fall-particularly 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 truthful description of q.
land which, if it does not "foU
milk and honey" contains within
it's bosom wealth and resources equal
to any other country on the Pacific
side Of the Rocky mountains.
BOUNDARIES.
Marion county is bounded on H.,
north by the Willamette river All,
Butte creek which separates it frUl,
Clackamas county; on the east bI
Clackamas county and the Cascad,
mountains, which separate it from
Wasco county; on the south by til,
Santiam river and the north fork Gi
the Santiam, separating it fran
Linn county, and on the west by IT,,
Willamette river.
PHYSICAL FORMATION.
The county contains, incluii.
valley, prairie and mountain lane.
about 100000 acres.
There are two main divisions, 4
and the valley. TIr
latter extends from the Willameti
river to the foot of the Casc;c
distance of about
teen miles.
The mountainous portion cOnt&I.,
some fourteen townships of mos.
land; lying in a str
twelve miles north and south /
forty miles east and west, and cula
prises all classes of land, from r,vi |
narrow valleys in the passes, u |
through all the grades of rollinl, |
hilly and broken, to that of roch-
bound canyons and inaccessil ,
craggy peaks. 1t is generally heavily |
and in the near futi.c
will be valuable for its lumber So
plies. These hills and mOumtail-
afford a wonderful summer rail-, !
for stock, and many of the more e.
farmers are availing then
selves of this opportunity, and wis.
The cold frosts of autumn apprOach.
the stock are brought out to 1rcsl
pastures, thus enabling them to sur
vive the winter storms with lite
lare.
GREAT ADVANTAGES.
A decided advantage Marion couu-
~ has over many others is the di-
farming interest that car
Oe carried on throught the entire
year; Notwithstanding this is Il w,
climate during the winter months
-he uplands are seldom too wet J,.
work, and long before the pra;r.
farmers are through with their sco,-
ng, the hill farmer ig preparing cu
his summer work. And yet thv
ow lands are much preferred by
many; the yield per acre is generaur
greater, and perhaps less labor is r.
luired to place the soil in proper
for crops; and then should
he season prove dry, the bottua
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
productive. With good
forty bushels of wheat
nd sixty of oats per acre can be
eadily secured.
FACILITIES FOR MARKET.
The Willamette river, with two
ines of railroad running the entire
cngth Of the county from north to
outh, with the Oregon Pacific road
the southeast corner of the
ounty, affords ample facilities to
each a market in any direction.
sALEN
Is the capital of the state and
Ounty seat OF Marion county, situ-
ted on the Willamette river-and
N the 0. q G. railroad. Costly
have been erected, among
which the state capitol building,
ounty court house, Chemekete hotel,
pera house, new public school
Catholic school building,
IethOdist church, Willamette Uni
araitN and MANY Vriyyata raaidanOae