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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1882)
January, 188a. THE WEST SHORE. from becoming raging torrent, in winter to overflow the valley,. The valuable timber may all be removed as commerce nt'pfls it . i .., 1,r octroying t,.u uUUjj growth by destructive fires the pre- miun 01 which is demanded by every consideration of prudence, economy, and climate j and the thoughtful citizens of Marion county should take a leading part in securing legislative action to protect the timber wealth of the county. The mineral resources of the cour.ty are as yet wholly undeveloped, untouch- ed, unexplored and barely known to exist. Gold, silver, lead, coal and lime stone, have Ijccn found in the Cascade range within the county, and some at tempts have been made to discover the extent of these mineral deposits; but o tar with indiflercnt success. The finest specimens of gold and silver Waring rock which wc have ever seen, were taken from a vein of quarts on the North Santiiim river. Hut a large out lay of capital is necessary here, at in all other mineral regions, to explore these mines by proper shaft and tunnels, to lay bare their concealed wealth. That this will be done when the mining !u siness becomes more settled and freed from the disturbing elements of gamb ling speculation, and interest on money depreciates to the standard of older countries, we have no doubt. The soilsof this county produce finely all the cereals and vegetables cultivated in this region; wheat, oats, flax, barley rye, buckwheat, potatoes, turnip, beets, eas, pumpkins, &c. Fruits flourish in all parts of the county, but csjccially in the oak hills region south of Salem and in the Waldo hills. The soiLin the prairie arc a rich loam, while in these rolling bill region", they show a larger percentage of mineral properties. The soil in the timk-r tails resemble more the soils of the upland, than it doe that of the prairies in close proximity ; clearly showing that the forces' have not lrcn so productive of humut or vegetable matter, defiled in the mil, a tbc grass covered prairies, A splendid exhibition of the capacity of Marion county soil, may lc cn at the seed store of Mr. Dickinson, near Salem, where all varieties of garden scc!t are produced in great quantities .,! of the finest quality, to u-ply the .tm,n,l. of the State. A v't to these interested in such matters; and the con scientious care manifested by the pro prietor, in cultivating only the ttcst, and saving mid putting up only xMteiteil seed commends his goods to the pat ronage of all. There is considerable alluvial bottom land in the county along the Willamette, Santiam and Pudding rivers. This land is a very rich, warm, sandy loam, and produces immense crops of potatoes, carrots, beets, and in fact everything the farmer cultivates. It is also utilised at some points for hop yards, and pro- luces this crop to great profit. Wc know of one man near Silvcrton who purchased a piece of such land on Silver creek, going in debt for bis whole out fit, land, bop roots, and everything; but, by hard work and attention to his hop yard, cleared enough on his hop crop in three year to pay for everything in lull, and put him out of deb), with a fine home and iodccni!cnt for life. Marion county it amply supplied with that pi into ucccsoity to the highest de velopment of agriculture ami the me chanic ails, a general diffusion of springs and streams of water. The mountain streams coursing through the county in various direction, lurnish convenient supplies of water for farm and domestic uses, and also economical Mwer for saw mills, flouring mills fur niture factories, etc. The water power developed from the Santiam and Mill creek, and used at Staytou, Aumsvdlc, Turner and Salem, ha been worth more to Marion county than a million dollars in money donated to her people It has employed great numlx-r of jwo. pie for years, in the saw mill and flour ing mill it ha oieratcl, and in the old woolen factory, beside furnishing a home maiket for wheat, wool and tint Iter. And the value of ihi water xiwvr has iu-l commenced to be felt. A lime rolls on, one factory, ami one mill after another, will I et in motion by (hi tireless inexpensive power of gravila lion, rai-d in fog and vapor to lite mountains mid sent down in the shows, rain and cryMl stream, to the busy wheel in the valley, until thoutaml of people ami million of money will I'm- employment by tbi agency. At Sd veiton, also, there i another valuable water-power which wa lite origin mean of starting town at thai point .. ..I mnA iiuliriu-tlv huit.tino un a nriatfu-roui gardens, or to the cipac.ous ; - " -r- r' " in Salem, will richly repav all person 'place. Ami when rt go back Into th. Cascades, wc find millions of horse. M)wcrs awaiting the hand of enterprise to turn the water upon some overshot or turhinc, and commence the manulncturc f lumber, furniture, etc. All this Is wealth to Marion county. KAXIM1 AND DAinVINO. (Sraxing cattle for liecf is not now so extensively carried on In thl county a formerly, yrt, Messrs. Coolidge & McLane, of Silvcrton, and others have many large herd. (J rain field have to a great extent taken the place of pns- lure fields. While all the farmer raise more or lest stock, having an occasional liecl and some bacon for sale, yet the lock business I not now what It was away back In the fifties. Sheep, alto, for both wool ami mutton, are raised to profit in all part of the county; while many flocks, notably thoe of Mcr. ohn Minto.T. L. Davidson, and other, have Income celebrated all over the Northwest for the purity of their blood and the fineness of their fleece. Mutter and cheese of the best quality is largely produced in several part ol the thy county, but principally In the Waldo hill region and the oak hill country south of Salem. The tlatrlc ami cheese factories of Mer, Ankeny, Cranston, and Calvin (Jeer, have ecur cd wiile reputation for the excellence of their product. The field for dairy and cheese making In IhU county an inviting one. Cheap land can be had in the foothill, where, by slashing off the light fir brush ami sowing gr seed on the ahc of the burn, a rich and perm merit crop of pasturage I easily secured, with ample supplir of hay for winter use. In the same way, and on lands loo rough for the plough ami reaping machine, but wilh rich soil, pasturage can be cheaply srtured for sheep husbandry, and Jul where the beep will have crfct health. TOWN Aftt VIM.AoM. Marion county, like all new countiir, U hl-el with a golly number of these centre of "great ctMit.itioti," Salem the county scat ami capital of lite Slate, I of course lite central point In all matter of trade ami public interest Much of it interetl i well show n In the illustration of ibis article. All the State Institution, except live university, ami agricultural college, are located al Satcm, The State Capitol ami offices, penitentiary, Insane asylum school for th (leaf mute, ami orphan
