The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-01-30
OREGON AGAIN.


it will be found of interest to many of
our readers. Speaking of his journey
to Oregon over the Union Pacific, Mr..
Tuck says:
In crossing the great range of Rock
les, our train was met by genuine
blizzard of the Minnesota stamp, of
wind and snow, and low temperature.
In reaching the summit of the Sierra
Nevadas our train encountered snow
to the depth of feet and one of the
fercest snowfalls I ever saw. At this
point huge, black snow sheds cover the
track for miles on either side of the
mountain. In descending the last
great range of the Sierra mountains,
one hours ride carried us beyond the
snow line into drenching warm rain
storm. 1t was hardly possible for me
to realize the enormity of that change
so sudden, as it was from real win
ter's blast, and a country buried with
snow, to temperature of rain, and a
country overrun with water and mud,
with here and there blooming flower
and patch of green grass. But our
train goes on and at 6 o'clock p. m. on
the evening of the 9th, it pulls into the
great Union depot at Sacramento, Cal
ifornia. I meet here an atmosphere SO
soft as to be very refreshing to weary
body You have read of the great
floods of water which have fallen in
the state of California since the first of
October. Not less than rs inches
marks the rainfall. have read to-day
that snow lies on the Sierra Nevadas
to the depth of Is feet-one foot an
hour having fallen at one time. At the
city of Sacramento I am transferred to
the Oregon line of the Oregon South
ern Pacific railway, which led over an
other high range of mountains. And
here, I am going up to neighbor again
with the friendly clouds of heaven. In
crossing these mountains I am permit
ted to witness by the full light of the
December moon some of the finest
views of the world below and around
me.
But l will now speak Of the village
of Roseburg, Oregon, where arrived
on the 18th of last month. Here I was
delighted to find my good friends, Mr.
Perry and family. The site of this
village is we'll chosen, being an incline
of land from the river Unpqua ives
to the base of high mountain on the
east. This incline forms a complete
drainage to the village for all surplus
water. About 1000 people find home
hero and seemingly to make living
This village has five churches, Ont
schoolhouse costing $4,000. 1t has
many neat and fashionable dwellings,
Has good society and a very healthy
looking population. The young folk
in particular pres mt fresh and unus
ually healthy look. To me this fact i
an evidence of the healthfulnes5 O
this particular part of Oregon. Thi
city is Clipped down as it were tx
fill the great gulch between the noun
tains and hills. It has mountain O,
every hand. This is one of my objec
tons to this locality. Mountain seen
cry is fine to look upon but it will no
bring the bread of life. The Unpqu
river, which is nearly the size of tn
Minnesota, comes in from the sout]
running on the west of the village
turning to the west and northwest o.
it's way to the sea. Fine trout and sal
mon are found in it's waters. The val
legs which form the farming lands il
this locality are narrow and of variou
lengths. At best, not more than on
mile in width, receding very fast a
they look back into the mountains
Two-thirds of the surface of the land
here are thrown into long ranges O
hills and high mountains, SO that brl
cne-third is left for cultivation. TIL
soil of these valleys are of two kinds
the first is of rich black dirt and i
very sticky when wet and it must b
very wet to pillow we'll. The other sol
is of a reddish cast, not so sticky ant
can be plowed when dryer. The farm
er has consolation here. If the see.
must be put into the ground when wet
he knows that he will reap on dry land
Now this soil is very productive if
gets fair amount of moisture at tn
right time of the year. Wheat, corr
oats, barley and fruits and berries Q
almost all kinds yield abundantly. TIL
crops last year were short, there NO
being moisture enough in the gro,m'
for usual good growth. Much o
these lands are being divided into lot
of one acre to so or more if you wan
and are selling for $40 to $50 and pos
sibly 800 per acre. These lots ar
} being converted into fruit and berr,
groves. Some wheat in the fall stoot
two and three inches high before tn
snow came, grass very short but green
They were getting their living, for tw'
weeks the mercury has been 8 and II
degrees below freezing. This temper
allure brought snow and froze the mut
somewhat.
In speaking of the climate again.
would say that it is peculiar inasmucl
as that the winds are most always qui
; ct. Nor are the conditions of the at
mosphere in summer such as to brins
thunder storms; lightning may be seel
in the distance, thunder may b,
heard but no storm of the kind fall
here. These are facts which will bring
comfort to the people who have dreat
of the disturbed elements in othe
parts of our country. The prevailing