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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1880)
THE WEST SHORE. January, 1880 WHY DO WCUJ AVft UPMMM OWR Kl.ow ? I have UllM lOOU inlcrckl In the Iheratun of this subject lately, and 10 far have nut found anything which agrees vrtth my Uaai on tha iruc cause' I ilir phenomenon in question. I ha hydtoitatk them will account for mini i ilir ericslan well) because that rr nearly always in (Ik- vicinity dI alavatad land, Mm the theory fails nt 1 1-r I In .mount fni springs situated nl tha vn Minimi! of hllU, 01 water sheds, Claai Lake it almoil al the summit ii tha ( as. ada mountains, w ith mi poaaibiliti of .1 higher feeder, and m i ii hat quite a itream Rowing from ii. Keneaaw mountain, in Georgia, lint a heautiful laki Iti lummit And t tic lummll nl the Vandalla railroad aboande in springs. Tha men fact "f theae bodies of water exiiting in these high localities dues away with the by derstatli theory f Subterranean gaaaea have beet) supposed to cauac the flow nl ArtWan weili and high ipringt, l flervetcence would of couraa charac mHm all mch spriaga, Internal heal undoubtedly caueee the gey Kit, boiling springe, ate. Ii letmi like a vary ridenl propoaii thai .ill such springs how an elevated temperature. Then, imw acoounl fbi those which are cold, ami don without giving off gaaaea I Suppose that, in llluatration, m take 1 child'l luhhri hall, with .1 small "air imlr" in hi till tins with water, and n will rapraaeni the mnh, m 1 confined 1rwH.n1 .it water, Bring 1 little pne- mrr In Ix at mi any part of the bull, and yoa ha- n aitrsian well. Add a iiiIk- iii thj aperture, and the watei will flaat Iron 11 freely. The Mow of iiink. an mountain tops can have M otbaa explanation than simply the anight of the luperincumbenl itrata ecrag mi baaiaji ot reservoirs of con. iiliahh- llaO, ami BXparieflCC hu de- iKMuiiatnl that onlj s,h an capabli "f Ntpplywf n nmtinuoui flow. Toe abjection, which will be urgad against theory, la thai r must concede tha settling f thcMiifa... Thialanomon thn what i actuall; taking place , Mahoniaf, Pa, at Virginia City, ami many oihn places, hcic latgc area, have been , t,.. ,, vcirv PorUoM of na coast ink ng fn yean, OWN poftioaja liecoatiittg alavatad. All tiieM- ni.Mii.iams al iiw PaoMa Stoya wen once level land, and unknown agei aftei thi upheaval the slimy deni nis of the sea wen- sporting fathoms deep when the Willamette valley lies with its fields ami fonata outspread to day. Then i no impossibility about the matter " ;i change of elevation ; it is something which is taking place all the time, and it nukes little difference Whether We reason by exclusion, or directly, it is the only cause which can jx.s-.itJv account for the phenomena u In. h wc have been discussing. OREGON AND ITS PROSPECTS. A few words regarding the induce ments held oul by the State of Ongon to people In genenl who are in search of homes. First, as to climate. In Western Or.' rgon, which comprehends the valleys of ihe Willamette, Umpqua and Rogue rivers, il mild and equable, at maybe seen by reference tO the observations made al the United States Signal Ser vice office, which, In spring, is put down at si", in summer '17", in autumn 2", and In winter, jgo, Fahrenheit. The thermometer seldom rises above 90" in Summer, and rarely falls below o" in w mill, so thai out-door labor maybe performed at all seasons of the year. 11 maj with propriety be said that in Oregon there are bul two seasons, the wet and the dry. The rainy season usually begins aboul the middle of No vember, and lasts until early in May, with intermissions of fine weather for daya, even foi wicks. These rains, al though disagreeable, are ,i blessing,since they iiisiuc abundant crops ami plenti ful natunl pasturage. Such thin-; a--mi entire failure of imps in Ongon has nevet been bend of. According to the records kept by the United States Signal Service "Mice for a num bei of years, the nvenge year in On ran b composed of two hundred ami ininj -mree rainless, n hundred ami twenty-two rainy, and ten snowy days. In Middle ami Eastern Ongon then is less rain in winter, bul it is much collier, ami in lummci il is in cr. As health is, or should be, the first consideration w ith all people seeking a new country to locate in, we will state upon the anthoritj of the State Hoard of Immigntion, thai the climate of 1 stern Ongon is unuaually conducive to health, the .111 hem- mvnliarK pure andmtld.yetbncing. TheCoaatRange allot, Is protection from the ocean gales, while the Cascade mountains keep out co . I winds and sow storms from the north and east t it putf ,.vu.llt Tlu. "ml iromaharp winds and violent changes of temperature, thus secured, renders the inhabitants fat less liable to ''.oat and hiag troubles, rheumatism ..n.i inflammatory diaeaaes generally. Western Oregon is not entirely exempt l," ey an of a mild -, type, and yield readily to treatment. A resident physician for twenty years says: "For our exemption from mala rial disorders we are indebted to our northern latitude, to the daily sea breeze, to our cool, bracing nights, and to the medium temperature of our warmest days." The soil of Oregon, for fertility, is unsurpassed by any State in the Union. At the Centennial. Exhibition in Phila delphia the State was distinguished by more awards for the excellence and va riety of its products than comparatively any other State. Whatever seed is put into the ground and cultivated is sure to return a rich reward. There never yet have been any failures. This is a inost important consideration no drouths, no blighting winds, no grass hoppers, no anything else to destroy the fruits of the husbandman's industry. Good lands can be cheaply acquired, and held under simple and secure titles. Unlike in our sister State of California, the lands are not monopolized by a few owners, with no Mexican or Spanish grants to render titles insecure. Lands can be had of the Oregon and Califor nia Railroad Company, at low prices, and on favorable terms, and an abund ance of government land can be had under the homestead law. For timber and water Oregon is un surpassed, and challenges comparison, liesides her navigable rivers, so well know n, beautiful streams of clear, cold w ater traverse the State in every direc tion. Springs also are to be found in great numbers. Immense forests of hard and soft limber are to be found in every part of the State, which supplies the markets of California, South Amer ica, Australia, Japan and China with lumber. In the valleys are to be found different varieties of ash, oak, maple, balm and alder, as well as fir, cedar, spruce, pine and yew. In the foot-hills scattering oaks and firs, with a thick second growth, are found. The mount ains are mostly covered with tall fir, pine, spruce, hemlock, cedar, larch, and laurel. Two kinds of cedar, three of In and three of pine are indigenous to Iregon. Trees here attain to an enor mous height and great straightness, firs measuring from one to two hundred and fifty feet. In minerals Oregon is extremely rich, but for the want of capita) impcr fectly developed. Gold, silver, iron, copper, coal and many other minerals exist ,11 great abundance. Iron ore is plentiful, and from tests has proved of superior quality. For Ihe raising ofliva stock 110 coun try can excel Oregon. The natural -1 asses arc ol a fine quality, and retain their fatten ng qualities until late in the' season The wild pea also gnm great abundance, In southeastern Oft -gon there are xxuxto acres of naftf' ' I pasturage. One very important advantage Ore-
