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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1882)
A-il, 1882. THE WEST SHORE. 75 SOUTHERN OREGON. We receive so many letters asking information concerning this part of Oregon that we find it most convenient :.;'v."n"wer tnem in or columns. Our description of Jackson and Josephine counties can only be general without going into minute details. Jackson county embraces an area of twenty eight hundred square miles; Josephine county about thirteen hundred, being jointly about three times as large as the State of Rhode Island. Of this' area there is about one-eighth only cultiva ble, the remainder being mountainous and only valuable for grazing purposes, orforgold mining. The climate varies according to the altitude. That of Rogue River valley in Jackson county4 lying 1,400 feet above the sea, being particularly genial and salubrious, snow rarely falling more than three or four inches in depth, and ice of greater thickness than half an inch being an exception. The same may be truth fully said of all the valleys of Josephine county. The rainfall is moderate, being a mean between the excessive moisture of northern Oregon and the drouth of middle California, but sufficient for crops of every description. Wheat, barley, oats and corn are the staple crops. On the rich bottom lands sixty bushels of wheat to the acre is not an extraordinary yield while twenty bush els on any land is an inferior yield. The other cereals, as well as corn yield exceedingly well. The fruits are apples, pears, plums, peaches, grapes, cherries, apricots and figs, all but the two latter being extensively cultivated, and with the exception of an occasional season when a late frost injures fruit, all bear abundantly. Improved farms can be purchased at from eight to thirty-five dollar per acre according to character of improvements and locality. A few locations may still be found where small tn;:!s of government land may be se: .red, sufficiently large for those who c: ;mplate fruit raising which industry is t stined to become one of our most im artant interests. Timber of the f. t quality is' very abundant, fir y w pine, sugar pine, black and white c ' , ash, laurel and maple being the r 1 common varieties. Saw and grist r ' i are plenty and are successfully 1 'ged. A woolen factory, located it Ashland, produces fabrics of the best c- "'ty and is continually adding to its capacity. Extensive experiments in the culture of amber cane have been made, both in Jackson and Josephine counties, during the past two years with very satisfactory results. The climate and soil are found admirably suited to cane culture and it is safe to predict, that with proper mechanical appliances sugar will be made here in large quanti ties for export. There is a moderate quantity of the finest vine land skirting Rogue river valley inviting tillage, and a considerable quantity of delicious wine is manufactured unntially, nearly all of which is consumed at home. For fertility, the soil of Rogue river valley the largest compact body of land south of the Willamette, is unexcelled and for picturesque beauty the valley has no rival on this coast. Beginning in the angle made by the junction of the Siskiyou mountains and the Cascade range, the valley stretches northward and widens, before the river is reached, into a beautiful expanse of grain fields, meadow and orchard, interspersed with groves of oak and other timber. The valley is highly cultivated and dotted with coinfortuble homes, but is capable of supporting three times the present population, as many of the farms are much too large for the actual wants of their owners. The mineral interest nf this section is still quite important Since 1852 it is estimated that over $30,000,000 in gold has been mined out in Jackson and Josephine counties and there is a large and industrious population engaged in mining and being well remunerated. Iron, coal, copper, cinnabar and marble are among our minerals but for lack of transportation little or no developments have been made. The railroad, now being rapidly extended into this country by the Ore gon and California Railroad Company, is to reach this valley within a twelve, month and its completion will open a market (or our fine fruits and other Croducts and give an impetus to every raqch of industry. Nearly all denom inations of religion except the Fpisco palian are here represented and the public schools of southern Oregon are equal to and, in some instances, superior to those of most agricultural sections, of the country. We do not advise any person to come here expecting a rapid fortune to accumulate without labor but to sober industrious people, willing to work, we say come and share the most healthful climate to be found in Oregon, for there is room for many more. Sentintl. rUGET SOUND. A recent number of the Seattle rost- Inttlligtnctr has the following: ' Passenger rates on the Sound range flOII) 3 lo C CCIltS put' llli'iO ful" filat-CiUa transportation, 4 cents being about the average. These rates arc for travel by rail and steamboat. Rents are reason able. In this city dwellings range from $5 per month to $30 $15 and J! jo being about the average. There is a wider range for places of business. Eligible offices rate at from $10 to $20 for a single room, and from $jo to $40 for a suite, depending upon location and character of building. Tho smaller class of shops can be had at $i to f 35, and good store rooms at from $30 to $100 per month. Rents arc higher here than at other points on the Sound, but for obvious reasons; The town js the largest and best. Business' centers here, and is undergoing an expansion of tho most gratifying character. No place on the Pacific coast has better prospects than Seattle, and we believe no other place has as good. "The whole Territory is now infused with a life and possessed of an activity in excess of anything of the like hereto fore seen. Its population is being rapid ly augmented, and its resources are being developed in a more than corres ponding manner. For all that is pro duced there is demand, and more is pro duced here per capita than by any other equal population in the United States. , The exports by ship of the past twelve months have been about 100,000 tons agricultural produce, 200,000 tons coal and 500,000 tons of lumber, or an aver age of 8 tons for every man, woman and child of our 100.000 inhabitant. All this, besides oysters, salmon, furni ture, barrel material, furs and skins, animals, etc., aggregating in value at least one million dollars. This is a people of producers, and their products go direct to the consumers in California, Mexico, South America, Hawaii, Aus tralia, China, Great Hritain, the At lantic States, etc., though too often under the guise of produce of Oregon. It is hardly possible for one coining here to miss it. A thousand chance are open. Trade is nowhere better. The times arc good, and money plenty and cheap. Wages are high, and land can be got for the asking. Lumbermen, coal miners, bricklayers, carpenters, painters, and mechanics and laborers of all kinds, tire wanted, as well as men of business brains and money. There ore at present but 100,000 of ui while there is room for 10,000,000."