The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1889-06-07
A DESCRIPTIVE ARTICLE

Wallis and Benton county, has been
received by the publishers of the GA
zETrE, and in each one the writer has
asked fora ''specinen copy of your
paper as we have party to 60 to the
coast, and we want to know some
thing about your country" or 81 am
thinking of going out that way to To-
cate and want to knew about your
city" In order to give them all tie
information possible, the following ar
ticle, taken from the May number of
the West Shore, is here reprinted:
CORVALLIS AND BENTON COUNTY.
Corvallis is the seat of justice of Benton
county, Oregon. 1t is a city of two thou.
sand inhabitants, and is situated OH the left
bank of the Willamette, near the mouth of
miles south of Portland. 1t is at the head
of navigation on the Willamette river, and
the southern terminus of the west side divi.
sion of the Southern Pacific lines in Oregon,
where junction is formed with the Oregon
Pacific railway, extending inland from va.
quina bay, on the Pacific coast.
Benton county has an area of about
twelve hundred square miles, and extends
through from the Willamette river to the
Pacific ocean. The Coast mountains trav.
erse the county north and south through
| the middle, thus giving it widely diversi-
| fed characteristics. On the western slope
there are a number of small valleys that are
considerably improved. Chief among these
| is the Alsea valley. in the southwestern part
Of the county, which is about fifteen miles
| long and four miles wide, and is well adapt
ed to general farming, fruit growing, dairy
ing and stock raising. There are located in
this valley two grist mills, two salmon can
neries, aud several small lumber aud shingle
mills. Coasting vessels ascend the river a
number of miles and ply lucrative trade.
The Yaquina valley, farther north, is sim
liar country, aud it has the advantage of
valley to the bay. Yaquna is a town of
about foul hundred inhabitants. situated on
the bay of the same name at the mouth of
the river; and its shipping facilities as the
terminus of the Oregon Pacific railway on
on tide water make it All important place.
1t has the best harbor on the coast between
San francisco and the Columbia river, and
the neal est harbor to the Willamette valley.
The government is improving this harbor to
meet tho growing demands Of commerce.
The railway company has a line of steamers
plying between Yaquina and San Francisco,
and coasting vessels do more or less busi
ness there. The only bank in the county
outside of Corvallis is located there. A few
miles down the beach is the Seal Rock sum.
mer resort, which Is well patronized every
season and is rapidly gaining in popularity.
Newport is an incorporated town about tn {
same size as Yaquina. 1t is a few miles
nearer the ocean and is quite widely known
as summer resort. The Siletz Indian res.
ervation takes III a small portion of the
northeastern part of the county. The west
ern slope of Benton county is not so vel
settled as that portion in the Willamette
valley, but it contains many choice tracts o
farming land and vast forests of valuable
timber.
In the Willamette valley portion of the
county there are several sub-vall, ys, sepa
rated by low hills that are not too rough fo
cultivation. In the northern part of the
county are Blodget's and Kings valleys
drained by the Luckiamutc river. The
Kings valley settlement is the larger of the
two, and includes a considerable area o
we'll developed country. The Mary's rive
, valley is the largest III the county and com
prises the country about Corvallis and ex
tending westward into the mountains fifteel
|
Tom country occupies an important portion
of the southeastern corner of the county
All these small valleys are merely portions
of the rich Willamette valley, the division
between them being somewhat imperfect,
defined watersheds trending from the noun
tains to the river.
, On the Willamette slope the forests de
crease as the river is approached. TIL
mountainsa are, for the most part, heavil
| tilnbered with white fir, cedar and yew
and down the slopes are maple, ash, OAK
alder and balm. Nearly all localities q
: medium altitude bear a light growth of oa
and maple. All the creek bottoms have ash
alder and balm. This entire list of wood
is suitable for manufacturing purposes. sue
as lumber, furniture, woOtienware, etc.
: A part of the present town site of Corva
lis was taken as donation claim in iS4;
. In 1851 it was made the county seat of Ber
ton, and six years later it was incorporate
, under the state law. 1t was the origin'
n site determined upon for the state univers
/ ty but in the early sos it was agreed tn;
. if Corvallis would relirqush the universit
e the state capital would be located ther
4 Subse luently, however, it was decided tina
the question of the change of location of til
t capital must be voted Oh by the peopl,
g aud, though the result of the ballots was
favor Of Corvallis, it is claimed, still til
territorial officers, for some reason, decline
to remove the capital. Pending the dec
n Sion, a portion of one session of the legisl;
:, ture was held in Corvallis, which was f
that short period the capital of the state
S Oregon. When the state resol we'd to foun
an agricultural college it was agreed that
should be located at Corvallis, and it WI
3. conducted temporarily in conjunction wit
denominatiunal institutions already esta
/ iished there. Last year, however. the cat
l. zens of Corvallis erected a fine brick bull,
ing for the college, which was reorganize
- and more completely fitted for carrying Q,
e the design of the state in founding it..
The State Agricultural college is one !
the most important institutions in Corvalli
= The college building cost S26, ,O90. The e,
:. perimental farm consists of one hundred al
e eighty -four acres of excellent land adjoinir
the corporation limits, the college occup
lS ing slight eleyation overlooking the eli
mediation for about three hundred student
e The faculty at present consist of eight mer
N bers, and the curriculum does not by ar
means ignore the classics, though the di
tinguishing feature is the prominence give
4. to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in a
cordance with the law of congress grantil
aid to- experiment stations in cOnuectit
with state agricultural colleges. The ann
= al income of this college from all sources
D. $32. .O0O-$l5,000 from the government
$40, 600; from the interest on its governme
land sales, and $500 appropriation fro
t. the state. The government of the cole
is vested In a board of regents, consisting
% governor, secretary of state. superintenda
q of public Instructions and the master Of Il
state grange, who, are ex-officio membe,