Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-12-13
LINCOLN COUNTY, OREGON.
THE YOUNGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE.
"A 0rief Description of Lincoln County. Oregon,
And its Rich, Undeveloped Resources.

lNVoLN COUNTY was created BY an act Of
the Legislature on February Is, 1893, and
was formed from territory detached from Ben-
ION ana sllllamook counties. II is bounded on
tne east by Benton and Polk, on the south by
Lane, on the west by the Pacific ocean. and on
the north by Tillamook and Polk. The county
mas coast line OF fifty miles and an area of
i'44O square miles, and q population Of about
o,Vo inhabitants. The temporary county seat
Ioledo. The permanent county seat location
VIII be finally determined at the regular June
election in 1896 The act creating the County
provides that the candidate for the county re-
ceiving majority of all the votes cast shall be
the permanent county seat. At the regular
election in June, 1894, there were four candi.
dates in the field for permanent county seat,
ana no place received majority vote, hence
there was no election. At the next election
the two points receiving the highest vote at
last election will be the only candidates; and
therefore decision will be assured The two
conteSting points will be Toledo and West va.
qLI!G.
Ihere are four bays within. the limits of Lin.
coin County, all abounding in fish of all kinds.
Salmon river, or bay enters the ocean near the
northern boundary of the county. Along this
stream are fine tide lands and rich bottom
lands, soon to be opened to settlement.
seven miles south Of Salmon river the Siletz
river, or bay empties its sparkling waters into
the old Pacific Ocean. This stream drains n
large scope of country and affords the largest
volume of fresh water of any river in the coun.
ty, having many feeders. For this reason it is
said that more salmon enter it than both the
Alsea and the iaquina combined. The Siletz
river heads in and near the summit of the Coast
range Of mountains in Polk county and runs
nearly all the way through the rich valley of
the Siletz, now an Indian reservation, soon to
be thrown open to settlement
Twenty miles south of the Siletz Bay the now
famous iaquina Bay mingles her commerce.
laden waters with the old Pacific. Yaquina
bay proper ia about Il miles long, but Is navig.
able for small crafts for thirty miles from the
mouth. There are many tributaries emptS sing
into the iaquina, and many fine farms dot the
valleys and hill sides. Eight miles above New.
port are large bodies of rich tide lands extend.
ing on up the Bay for six or seven miles, many
acres of which are being dyked, reclaimed and
cultivated, and when once cultivated are said
to be'the richest lands in the world the soil in
many places being sixty feet deep. The lands
are admirably adapted to raising all kinds of
beets, ROOTS mangel wurzels, etc., and particu-
larly to the culture of sugar beets, The anal.
ysis of beets raised on the tide-land near Tole-
do showed 16 per cent OF saccharine matter, be.
ing the highest percentage obtained in the
state.
Leaving the tide-lands and for ten miles on
up the Bay or now the Yaquina river, are large
sandy bottoms in and around Elk City, the gar
den spot of the county. Above Elk City and on
up the faquina river and along the line of the
o. p railroad are fine bottom lands. On these
bottom lands fruit of all kinds do remarkably
well. Several hop yards have been planted
on these bottom lands and the result has been
very satisfactory. Hop culture promises to he
one OF the prosperous and profitable industries
of the county at an early date. At Nashville,
near the east line of the county, are large or
chards of prunes, apples and pears, showing
that fruit will do well even so near the summit
of the Coast range.
Eighteen miles below Yaquina Bay the Alsea
river and Bay empties into the Pacific ocean.
The Bay is of a considerable size and the en-
trance is deep enough to permit coasting ves-
sells to enter and carry away the products of the
fertile valley of the Alsea river. The country
contiguous to the Alsea river resembles that of
the Yaquina very much. 1t is settled with in.
dustrious and thrifty people. and promises to
develop rapidlyit latent resources.
The Dairylng Industry.
Liucoln county is admirably adapted for
dairying. With our mild climate, where snow
never lies on the ground to exceed one day,
cool nights and abundance of pure spring wa
ter, 1t is an ideal dairying country. The eli
mate is such that grass never dries up but re-
mains green during the entire year, thus af-
fording annual grazing and reducing the cost
of feeding to a minimum. Glover is naturally
adapted to this country, growing on the high
est hills or the lowest bottoms, wherever the
seed is scattered Frequently our farmers cut
two crops OF clover from their meadows in one
year, and have been known to cut three. Silos
cGn he built and three crops can be obtain
ed annually for ensilage. Steps have been TAX
en- to establish creamery plant at Toledo, and
there is but little doubt but that creamery
will be in successful operation here at an early
date, With the creamery business once estab-
lished at some place within the county, the in
dustry will rapidly develop. 1t is admitted in
all markets that butter and cheese produced
from the milk Of cows that Craze upon the sue.
culent grasses cf our country exces that of any
other region. The day is not far distant when
the dairying resources of our surrounding
country will be a source of large annual income
to our people.
Timber, Coal and Granite.
Commencing three miles north of Toledo and
extending on through Lincoln county is the ia
nous green belt of fir, spruce, hemlock, larch
and cedar timber, only awaiting capital and
enterprise to manufacture it into lumber and
place it on the markets of the world. 80
Two and one-half miles from Toledo, on the
headwaters of Depot Slough are the richest un-
developed coal mine in the state OF Oregon.
local company have thoroughly prospected this
coal belt, and numerous assays have been made
the last by California experts, who pronounced
1t as being the only coal on the coast suitable
for steel works.
North and east of Toledo are located granite
mines in unlimited quantities equal in quality
to the Maine and Vermont granite, with water
ipyNtT .., 49, riG...asa s-..sl.-. l., 80. go.
necessary to furnish rock for build.
ing and monuments.
Towns and Villages.
YAQUINA CITY Is the terminus of the oregon
Pacific railroad It has two hotels, three stores,
a church and school house. An academy has
recently been instituted there, and promises TO