Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1892-01-17
a ser,asn.. opinion Of Oregon,

l.
r;nr 20 my letter OF last April. Shere-
"a 1 requested you 70 forwerd the
I,psPESp-Sr to my address at this
n,.ca. I noticed TINT / p,omiSed TO
o:.e The many readers of Yoar inter-
o,,in, papsr the benefit OF my obEer-
vations at Some future time as 10 my
impressions OF Oregon and her people
Twill now Try aud make good that
promise by bricay stating some OF the
general facts reiatisg to the soil,
ci, aaie and natural resources Of this
,lantry win . Ta:ersrco 10 tho nd
>4acei can3i son OF the Ioiians on
tho Reservation. Asa matter OF fac:
ny duties. 1uire meto be upon the
.,.letz Reservation aud I will first re-
flrto this piace-iour.ffLhs of which
.uT,r5 in,tbs-couuty Of Tiilamook'
md oan-E;tn ia ala ananJy or pruJvu
-r,audet'on the Pacific Useau rUT
somo 33 miles and carrying u breadth
OF is miles eastward containing over
a5OJg accss, over thren-four:hs of
winch is covered with heavy timber
aaa 7 Gecso E.:ic-g-owrh through
which it ia impossible 10 many places
TO penctrste Without cutting a path
WY through. The density IL the
underground is equal to - Eas'
Iudia jnagle. The face Of the cnun-
try is mountsinou7, that is the wcst-
ern portion along tie. coast. These
49, ,,,,k 10. ar,,,
in Which numerous streams n"w
WI en- empty into the Sile,z river
theuce 70 tne ocean. TIE trees are
immonse ia size rnd mary reach the
Insight Of 30 feet and measure as
much as Gttecn feet III diameter 4 feet
fro iheground.
There are eoYe- thirty-siI different
tribes located on this Reservation.
about one-t third 81 which are kno~n
"a haii-brecjs-,noEe than two.thirds
snOl!s good Enelisb and all dress in
citizeus Qarb. 'Ihey are AS o class
very intelligent ana n large number
can read, write and figure-iivs in
ga.d Substantial N aud two story
h1nses. They nuve i.rge Il dancing
hall OF lheir own in which they held
their nee.ib.s aud have their parties.
Nearly all the men eau play the violin
and some arc experts in iandiiag the
tSw. They have some grand balls.
particularly on the ith Of July and
Christmps, tho young ladies dress
quite styIisnly particularly the half
breeds. The men are good farmers
and fne mechanics, and in my opin-
ion the most advanced Indians in the
UCited Suites outside OF the five civil
lied tribes IN Indian Territory. The
coil Is highly productive OF oats,
wheat, potatoes, and many of the
garien vegetables. Fruit does not do
very well on account Of tho short
r.nson and the continuous rains
vhich gives it a SOUR, watery taste,
excepting Ike nppIo which IS excel
lent. The piums, pears aud primes
are very fair, the cherries are small
rnd sour AID the peaches are Il fail.
ure. ! am iniusnnd However that
the southern portion OF the State, in
clIiinG the Willamette Valley, that
nil kinds OF fruits anu vegetables
grow in uper.nbundance. The great
drawback TO the Ttp& settlement and
development OF this country is the
ever continuous down pouring of rain
aad when no. raining the Whole coun.
try is covered with u dense fog. |
have been hero over eight months
AID dur,Dg the Whole time there has
not besn over ivo or Elk weeks OF
Clear weather. This weather condi.
ton impart' to everything in and out
or doors u damp, musty, mOuldy feel
ing. The roofs % the houses are
covered with moss, tho trees also. ]
VS. hare three months before / ever
Lad a .giImDse Of tho moon or stare
hgl p1ce IN a whilo the sun would
$50 = :. force It's way through the
tnountaiuDas bank Of clouds aud take
y brief peep III Us here below. Poo ,
pie here cannot DO any outdoor work
OF am kind from October to hlay
unless they work in heavy rajus hence !
80 many people arc poor, which al
Ways will bc \ drawback 10 this ror. |
tioa Oi Ofpgon. Another great
hindsdncc 70 ito developmo II is the |
gFoit cost 10 clear iaul and bring /,
ubdor cultivation. II costs from $40
10 @I21 por aero to clear land for tho
pipT aud some places much more on
account of The heavy growth Of dead
aud standing timbsr AID tho d.nsc
uGigraragth Which Is SO thiclt in
tommy places that q bird cannot fy
~{df7lgb il rbe low price Of the
"a product viii not justify the out.
lay. hence q great deal u this land
put Terrain 10 It's present condition
!Jr s"yerli generations. Tho people
~, 90 poor Had INDECENT To under.
tutp ia T~oyladlltjon. The land cults
tit'd b? oatlf farmer does not exceed
~ D2p gcIOs. inirty auIos is con
I. iigfe1 q largo tract OF cleared
lRai-anb This 10 called former cult.
YATES abJDt5 or . acres Ia oats. g OF 8
&ctesiH .,hoat, 3Dr ten acres in lny,
wish q small patch OF potntoos aad n
Gn.1en. Tho ubJYe is about tho ont
tGtot q ~ellto do former OF Benton
AGd Iiilan0ok counties. Sometimes
tb6y have a Hmai orchard of 20 or 90
trarI. This 10 their solo dependence