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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1882)
.. .. :. -.ft tH whv his ine quwuuo vm it neglected the advantage that have been so long in store? Just because pastoral pursuits have discouraged the encroachments of the husbandmen on the grazing fields, as lo the adapta li'uty uftl.e oIl for the growth of cereal or other products a fallacy as the contrary has been proven by experience, f m 1 wrrm altar Wt lt I I MV IIU IIUW, II6- "V w. " population are availing themselves of out the county, and to-day it has sixty school districts, organized and supplied with school buildings, accommodating, at shown by the school cencus, 3,545 tcholars of school age. The great tide of immigration which has been setting in, in the last few years, will not ebb, and it is only reasonable to say that it will increase in volume, and tlii county be, with the whole Northwest, densely populated. There are to mint- imlurementt. the rlimute. though some may uj variable, is neith er too cold in winter, or treacherous in summer, the winter months are never so severe as to l a drawback to any thing. The mow are never deep, and in short the winters are never more thaa tit or eight weeks in length, while on the contrary there are not much over l. 1 .. iiito wku in wrucn the plow could not be run; and more, the stock come out of the winter month with little or no proviMons. The summers are dif ferent from those of Western Oregon; when they have their showers and raiov days, here the rainy days and rwer uc lr frequent'-few-Jur-ng the maimer westerly winds pre sail coming off the ocean, and are L. Jened with raouture which supplies the eed fo vegetation. A failure of crops known since the earli tM settlement, and never will be as long Trovideoce supply the deficiency rogh the agency of the summer wd.tht come freighted with their pttv The Wis apples pears peaches, r -"'apncots and berries are Mewceiledoothe y, v.. iu wiu- udeWW,. re4b are second to none Oa thiag worth r of , - hit pro- dsWtMKwloQs kS greet peas, me cr rrT. aM froca ooe ,0 two waebor, i Westeni THE WEST SHORE. The Prinevilk News says: a WUr. an enthusiastic one. might live with pleasure, and die happy in this place. The physical features of the surrounding country are a study. The theory of the formation ot tnese queer features we have never heard. What are called valleys here, are only depres sions through which the living streams nf water flow. 1 hese valleys in mis vi cinity, and throughout this part of Wasco county, in taci, are surruuuueu by high bluffs, called rim-rocks, which are on a level with the plains, or, as it is called, the desert. This desert is not a barren waste, but it produces an abund ance of erass and timber. The soil in the valleys is about the same as that of the uplands, only it is not subject to drouth as the land on the desert, or table land ii. Not many years ago it was thought that these lands would not sprout peas,even,coinposed as it is of vol canic ashes, but this has been disproved, for it has been ascertained that wheat, oats, and all manner of vegetables can be successfully grown now, when a few years ago 110 effort was made to cultivate anything at all. Good farms can be had for the taking in any direction you may choose. Over on the net-chutes, at Mr. Tether ows. where the soil appears to be noth ing but fine sand, may be seen peach trees in line health and thrift. But Up to the present time but little attention has been paid to orchards, though some are to be planted this spring. The rea sons that men have given for this neg lect are those that have already been enumerated the general unproductive appearance of the land but this is the truth of the case: Men came here, at tracted by the abundance of grass, and engaged in the business of rearing stock, intending to make their fortune, as many have done, and return to a more genii! place to enjoy the fruits of their Uhor. Ience they devoted their whole time and attention to their stock, con tent.ng themselves with cheap habita fcons and very few luxuries. But years of happy life taught them to love this country,, nd within the past two years kL' fin Sw ings have been built. tl'T V V"1? ten, and prepara- cKX 00 n extive scale. hnl??7t.vetoextendS which there w ill g ;,nt0 fo' JorjearT an reasmgde- Kinwill who wMVUt 00 ? need to com. want. That one thiner is iW ut,., ., the people in other places in this stab If wheat was worth one dollar a bush, one year, then the next year those whi had been successful, would devote mon time and money to it, in some case plowing up fine meadows, and turaim under the last bit of grass they hiih " their blind and ignorant race for gai" And there are many who have 3oim this in the Willamette valley, bec'aujt they know how to do only one thing at a time. This kind of farmers will not do for this place, nor will they dp for' any other place, except to make good examples to those . who are capable ot observing, and who have enough sense to profit by others' experience. They make good guide posts. But we want men who know how to' diversify their -labor. Any one coming to this section who is willing to labor for what he'get (and he will not have to work hard enough to impair his health, nor break down his constitution) can make a good living, and with industry, and a proper amount of economy will become wealthy, i A few good cattle (not scrubs), enough horses to carry on farm work, a small flock of sheep, well graded and well 5 kept, and the usual number of hogs, and -poultry will enable a family to live well i and lay up something besides. Butter has not been found in our market for weeks, and a good quality would bring any reasonable price asked. There is not an egg to be found in the land, it any price. Pork sells at uj cents 1 pound. - ' j This is the state of things exactly.and it is always so, and will be so for years to come. For, as has been said, the majority of the residents are cattle men, who will not furnish these commoditio, because they make their money other , ways. They have neither time no? de sire to perform farm work. They do not need to do so. At times in the year ; they have to ride for weeks, and even months, looking after their stock.' Any : number ot agriculturalists would . Mt interfere with their interests, and farm ers would be welcomed by them, -. : t The stream of immigration bears on : its tide many men who are seeking ' K . I . iiuuic a piace wnere they can mane an honest living by the sweat of their faces. This stream . flows directly mrougn this section, the starting p beintr tnmavli. 1 r.i;fnrnii- tt wwvwuwc ui tcuuu and the terminus in the eastern part of T- t .,1 ' asnmgton territory, where are miu- 10ns of arre: nf onnA firmmii and VTtl- lncr lanil a ma ... C I tk frf na ctci iuuuu vu w of the globe. These wanderers com in the fall, and go again in the spring, having seen everything that is bad.vii: the cold winter that is nsiull v exoerieii- ced and thoroughly disgusted of count Occasionally a sensible man comes aloof and eh ti : 1 . Vi - - a ucic is auuui uuc v out of every four who come. The trouble with th u:i. ;. uu- thef 5" Iht "not what we I nt to fiad a paradise soraewhere.wbert