The record-union., 1897-03-23

Recent reports concerning OppOrtunl-
ties for settlers in Western Oregon and
inducements for acquiring land in that
section of the State have directed the
attention of the Southern Pacific Com
pany to the resources of the region with
q view to a thorough exploiting Of its
advantages and its capacity to support
an additional population.
In accordance with this design r. l..
Fulton, an expert of the Land Depart
ment of the company, a close and ac-
curate observer, was instructed to make
q personal examination of the William
cite Valley and particularly of the Yam
hill country, and to report upon the
physical conditions, the character of
soil, the latitude of botanical life, the
mineral wealth and such unsuspected
resources as might be profitably de-
veloped. Mr.. Fulton was also directed
to include in his report practical infor-
nation regarding climate, the markets,
transportation facilities, and incident
ally to ascertain the cost of living, the
character of the local and State Gov
ernment, amount of taxes, and social,
educational and religious conditions.
The result of Mr.. Fulton's observa-
the following official report to the head
of the Land Department of the South
ern Pacific Company:
To William H. Mills, Esq, Land
Agent Central Pacific Railroad, room
26, Hobart building, San Francisco,
Cal.-Dear Sir: Western Oregon is a
region abounding in undeveloped riches.
Here are vast stretches of idle lands,
forests of the best timber covering
whole sections and townships, hills
veined and scanned with coal, iron, gold
and silver, water power running to
waste, and a commerce depending upon
its imports for sustenance amid the re-
sources oe an empire.
1t is impossible to estimate the num-
Der of people that might live in comfort
in the Willamette Valley alone if all its
rich lands were made to produce OF
their latent and dormant wealth. This
valley occupies the northwestern por-
ton of Oregon bounded on the east by
the great continental divide known as
the Sierra Nevadas in California, the
Cascades in Oregon and the Selkirks
in British Columbia. 1t is about 10U
miles long from north to south, averag-
ing sixty miles in width, and within its
borders there is scarcely an acre that
is not capable Of the highest cultiva-
ton.
The present population is less than
100000, more than half of which is
resident in cities and towns. The State
of Massachusetts, comprising a similar
territory, but lacking the inexhausti-
bic resources of the Willamette Valley,
lot Of n
quarter millions.
THE YAMHILL COUNTRY.
This valley is watered by the William
cite River, which rises in the range OF
mountains or the south and flowing
northward empties into the Columbia,
near Portland. 1t is a noble stream
constantly supplied by tributaries from
the never failing reservoirs of the
mountain ranges on the east and the
west.
The richest section of this fertile val
ley is ''the Yamhill country" extend
ing along the western banks of the
Willamette River. The soil OF this re-
sion was impounded by the beavers in
dams that concentrated thousands OF
acres of fertile alluvium from the up
lands. This soil Is of indefinite depth
and assisted by climate as genial as
that of any country on the globe viii
produce fabulous crops of every kind
The strength of the soil is best shown
perhaps, by the fact that wheat has
been raised continuously since the set
tlement of the valley, in the early for
ties, without the use of any fertilizing
material whatever, and with no appre-
ci1l Ia III Of ha al
is one of the most debilitating crops
planted. 1t draws almost its entire
sustenance from the ground, while
other cereals subsist largely on the ele-
ments absorbed from the atmosphere
The lands of the valley are for the
most part fat, gradually sloping into
the foothills skirting the base Of the
ranges bordering on the east and
west The central portions of the val
ley are of a rich black loan deeper
than any plow will ever reach, while the
higher lands are of gray clay eminent
ly suitable for the production of wheat
and fruit, The soil throughout is
heavily impregnated with mineral
salts, the best base of all plant foods
The western edge of one of the larg-
est volcanic deposits in the world COW
ers the Cascade range overlooking the
eastern verge of this valley. From the
craters of Hood and Shasta flowed
countless tons of lava, covering ar
area extending from Nevada on the
south through Oregon and Washington
almost to the borders of British Col
umbia. The frosts and storms of ages
have reduced these deposits to fertile
dust and the rivers have carried il
down upon the loWlands to fill the bas-
ins and create the valleys as they now
exist Many of the streams were dam
med by beavers and the silt gathering
behind these eventually formed a sol
of wonderful productiveness easily cul-
tivated, entirely free of rocks and OF
uniform strata from top to bottom
This soil has been compared to thai
of the island Of Sicily, which has beer
constantly titled for 1000 years witt
no apparent loss of fertility.
THE GRAIN YIELD.
The statistics Of the yield of cereals
In the Willamette Valley and particu-
larry in the Yamhill country. are some.
what startling to those accustomed tC
regard the ten or twelve bushels pei
acre of farms in the Middle States, ol