The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-11-27


The writer of this drove one of his
fathers OK teams down Laurel Hill
ipto the Willamette Valley the thir-
teenth of September 1853, after n six
months journey across the plains
from Iowa. There was not a foot of
railroad west OF the Mississippi at that
time. The population of Iowa did not
exceed 10000. There were perhaps
dozen houses at Council Bluffs. The
only Omaha i'm sight was an Omaha
Indian. There was a military post at
Fort Laramie and one at Fort Hall.
The Mormon settlement at Salt Lake
had only a small beginning. From
the Missouri River to The Dalles of
the Columbia stretched the Great
American Desert" the land of buff
falo and bunch grass, of sage brush
and jack rabbits. oregon was ter
ritory with less than $4,000 people.
Only a short time before Washington
had been given u separate territorial
existence with n population Of less
than 10, 700. Fort Vancouver, as II was
then called, was a military post, few
houses outside the stockade. Portland
then had a population of perhaps
1900. Milwaukee then had strong
hopes OF being the future city, and Or
egon City had high aspirations. La
Fayette was the only town of any size
In Yamhill County. At Corvallis,
then called Marysvllle there were
perhaps a half dozen houses, Albany
was a small village, and Salem had a
population OF about five hundred.
Note the changes of forty-eight
years Nebraska from. nothing TO a
population OF 100000. The Dakotas
from nothing to $4,000. Omaha from
nothing to $4,000. Denver from
nothing TO $4,000. New York city
from 100000 TO 100000. oregon from
$4,000 to $4,000. Washington from ~
600 TO SIS, 900. Portland from 1900 TO
10000. Salem from 500 to 10000. Seat
tie from nothing to $4,000.
These figures are I'm round numbers,
and simply indicate the general tend
encies of growth I'm the last half CEN
tury. especially I'm the region between
the Missouri river ana the Pacific
Ocean.
A glance at these figures viii show
that, while the Willamette Valley was
first OF the points named TO attract
attention and immigration fifty years
ago, its growth I'm population ana gem
eral development has been the slow
est.
There are several reasons for this.
The region Immediately west OF the
Missouri River was I'm closer touch
with the older centers of population,
and for that reason received the first
and largest share OF the overflow.
Gold and silver mining enterprises
naturally attract more people than u
purely farming or pastoral region.
Prior TO the year 1851 the donation
law gave to each family that settled In
oregon Territory a fun section OF land.
After that date to the time when the
privilege expired, IA half section. This
naturally led to the early claiming Of
the best lands I'm large bodies, To the
wide separation of neighbors, to diff
ficulty In maintaining schools and so
cial relations, and TO the discourage
ment OF subsequent immigration. The
pioneers OF the Willamette Valley We're
home seekers, not adventurers. They
found what they were seeking, lived an
easy life, held their claims. created no
booms. They We're not in close touch
with the worlds markets. Prices
We're high only during the few years
of mining excitement. For many years
wheat was the only product of the sol
readily marketable. TO make wheat
raising profitable large farms seemed
necessary. AS a result a region easily
capable OF sustaining a million peopl,
holds at the present time less than 4
one quarter of that number
But circumstances have changed
Markets are nearer our doors, anC
there is demand for a greater variety
of what the land may be made to pro
duce. Wheat Is no longer the mos
marketable product OF our soil. Hop
and fruits and vegetables and dair!
products are coming to the front W.
have more than hints as TO the futur'
possibilities OF fax culture. The larg
farm is no longer exclusively i'm de
mand. The section may be divide'
by four, by eight, or even by sixteen
and each holder stlll have hopefu
outlook for himself and family II in
dustry and prudence are allowed 4
rule. Country schools countr.
churches, country society, and countr,
highways will all improve when tn
possible increase OF population is real
lied. There viii be more consumer
as well as more producers Towns vii
grow as the country grows, and canno
expect to grow before.
EVEN the king is fed by the field,
as the wise man tells us, and only "a
our agricultural and horticultural pos
sibilities are developed can we hope 4
see the growth OF cities, with larg
business enterprises, factories ant
creditable educational institutions,
To a great extent the problem Is II
the hands of the people already here
What can we do that We may realiz
our possibilitiesi
First OF all we need TO appreciate
what we have In this valley. A com
planning ana pessimistie spirit vii
never attract immigrants.
We need, also. 10 let the outsid
world know OF our splendid possibili
bilitles. OF course, We must do thi
in a modest ana truthful way. some
thing IN this line has been accomplish
Ia by our display at the Buffalo expo
sition Posters and hand bills ana pam