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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1882)
1 84 THE WEST SHORE. October, ,68a FROM ROSEBURG, OREGON TO VREKA, CALIFORNIA. THE UMPQUA AND " ROGUE RIVER VALLEVS. A (he completion of the Oregon and California Railroad, from Roaeburi? in Oreron to Reddin? In California, i now a foregone conclusion, a brief ketch of the country through which it is to pass win doubtless I read with satisfaction. Those of us who have suffeied the agonies of a doien or more trins bv the overland siaie line. , , - o , have perhaps a more vivid conception of what is in siore lor "ye traveler, than he who has never braced against the bruises and tribulations of a night stage ride, over the Grave creek hills, across me suklvou mountains or down the Sacramento He who has gazed with interest, under such circumstances, upon the grandeur, beauty and diversity of the scenery along this route, may well anticipate the satisfaction he will feel when. re. dining on the velvet cushions of a " Pullman palace coach, he is rushing over this self-same country at the rate of twenty-five miles an hour, and inhaling poetic inspiration from the most genial breezes that fan the face of Nature Having traversed the greater part of the Pacific loiw, from Loa Angeles to the Calumbia river, and from the Pacific ocean to the Rnrkv tains, I can safely asseit that no where can be ouni to equable and pleasant a climate, such diversity of scenery and production, more richness w sou or neauly ol land,, than are to be seen on wit route Roaeburg, the county teat of Dniml.. U" wimjf n enterpriiimr (own of inhabtianta. Until a few weeks ago it wa the icrminua 01 the O. 4 C. R. R. It is situated in "e heart of the Umpqua valley on the east hank of the Un.pqua river, two hundred miles oum irom the city of Portland It roues, many gd building, and ha, an eten.i,e trade with the surrounding country. It !o the site of the U. S. I v vriiiLc lur ine -ZL. " l 'ndSf"'"l .pprnpriation - - ""no nonar. was WC(lrH Im . .3 " ly f money, muscle mi aieam, a stramlmi i...i.j .... . - 'to us wharf " '""T- ne experiment, however, . never related .ml b.k.. .... . . ' , " " .-wiuig lapsed into ilt revive! ti i . " fmm h '""rgy, revived j M,im, V. m .1 r Mv "V onj the merchants th,re bll, " SZ'-i,,.:; , points to the south times whitened with snow it is rarely covered more than a few hours at a time. Frosts scarcely ever injure the crops and a great variety of fruits and vegetables grow tn perfection. Annies, nears. Drunes. dums. apricots, peaches, II I ' r ' - herrien rind ornnes. are nroduced in abundance and of the finest quality. This valley ships yearly great quantities ot wheat, rye, oats ana parley. The soil is remarkably productive, and with in creased facilities for shiuDinp and travel, it is destined to take rank among the most delightful spots on the Pacific coast. It is remarkably well watered and the timber is so well distributed that little seems needed to complete its adaptability for the farmer, while the hill ranges furnish an extensive pasturage for sheep, horses and cattle. It is neither a timbered nor a Drairie country. but a harmonious blending of the two. that adds as much to the beauty of the landscape as to the convenience of the husbandman. The timber consists of oak, ash, alder, maple, mountain ma hogany, pine, fir and cedar, and supplies every demand for fuel, building or cabinet work. The North and South Umpqua are large streams, ris ing in the Cascade mountains and flowine in a westerly converging course, until, reaching the center ot the valley, they join and thence flow west to the ocean a broad, beautiful river, but unnavigable by reason of rapids between Rose- burg and Scottsburg, the latter being at present the head of navigation, about thirty miles from the ocean. Innumerable other smaller streams flow through the valley, wending their tortuous course among tne thousand hills, through the grassy glades and groves of oak, cooling Ihe air, and giving vigor to vegetable and animal life. The denirens of the Umpqua have stronr hones nf , railroad that will at no distant day connect them wim ine coast at Loos bay, sixty-five miles dis tant. The surrounding mountains are well .., wnn a variety or game, among which luiiiiu uear ot the prizz v. b UrV and cinnamon species, deer, panthers, wildcats, i.u uiuisiunaiiy a O.ind of e k The streams furnish mountain trout, and salmon p.enuiu, ln the rivers . m. The railroad survey follows the same gen eral course as the Oreron .,H r,i;r.:. .... . . vmiiuima stage ne, varied somewhat, of course, as the face of Z7 , 1 " SeVeral ,hous"l men .re now at work, and the din consequent to rail way construction in this age of Jm, electricity ndg,ant powder, wake. it,. ' . .. exce i ",rCJ0IC,eal,hi8Ps of civilization, STJS"i!r invincible sUge dri. tii ,. SWh" o'io" almost cone, and cIkJ, uuLJ 1 Mt hill., in viunaii M ieu kurotd than thai of iK. -Mliketh, Rogue Ww H e lectrJ i ik. i . A m " ' "W ub- i..i.ii-.nT.T"fr" fiendis ril mCdMi d" with inZg tnnM fned -c-nui L 0 of the town ' Point intol Se" hich crow(is ummitof this ridee we 1. ' achmg the "P Rose!,, L . 'ew the ,and- WMe its 'n Mght and "m"- ''nt cottage,, prosperous looking business tm. . schools, court house, and all that goes to make" a thrifty western county seat, with a laudible In? bition to excel, is spread out to our view and with its shade trees of oak, alder and maple,' nr. sents a, pretty, picture for our contemnl" Bordering either bank of the river. h. .u. v do not crowd too closely, are seen pleasant farm? houses and gardens, with oak and fir covered knobs and knolls for a back -ground. Th. J j. at the roadside tell of one of the chief occuna. ....o v,, ptupic, ucanng as they do stolen fleeces of wool from the sheep that pray. them. Above this point anH furit,., .... ., valley bordering the river spreads its arms frtt,.. to the east and west,' and furnishes broad farm. t level ground and excellent soil. Our road follow. the river, and as we traverse its crooked cou. new attractions are constantly presented. w we are passing around a rocky point, the road a mere artihciat shelf cut in the solid wall, with a mountain above and the roarine river helm. Anon we have passed the point of danger, and me snarp cracK ot the driver's whip rings out on the morning air. We go flyine over a fine level road, with fences, farms and orchards on either hand. Thus m and out, now skimming along the water's edge, lulled by its ripple, aeain at a riHHv height on the hillside, with a beautiful prospect below, or stifled in the dust of some neighborhood lane, our journey is sufficiently varied to keen both ennui and Morpheus at a distance. Oak Urove, until recently the first stage station, is l6 miles from Roseburg. Four miles further on. we reach Myrtle Creek, a pleasant little burg, with a prosperous farming community around it. About eight miles south is Riddleburg, at the present time the terminus of the railroad. Nine miles frpm Myrtle Creek, by stage, we reach Canyon ville, at the extreme south end of the Umpaua valley. This village constitutes the base of sup- plies for a fine farming country, stretching away for miles up and down the Umpqua river, which passes nhout two miles to the north and flows west by north. The railroad will cross the moun tains through Crow creek canyon, about six mile west of Canyonville. , , From Canyonville to the southward our route lies over a heavily timbered and mountainous country, until we reach Rogue River valley. Wt pass occasional settlements nestling at the foot of high mountains and half hid nwav beneath the shade of the ever-present forests of fir, cedar and pine. . Many pf these little vales and yalleyi pos sess all the attractions for which Switzerland i famous, except that which time and an industrious people alone can make. The people who dwell in these isolated nooks are necessarily frutral and industrious, and are fast making some of the aw attractive homes to be found in the state, and only await the advent of the railroad to complfK iheir comfort and conveniences. The soil these little valleys is an accumulation of centime. from the surrounding mountains, and is as pro ductive as any that can be found anywhere. Tbi climate is healthful and invigorating, and allth1 is needed for domestic use, xcept such articles a the latitude will not produce, is raised. Co Creek, Wolf Creek, Grave Creek, Jump-off J' and Grant's Pass are successively the settleroenu passed after leaving Canyonville, and before reach Rogue River valley, a distance of aboat seventy miles. These settlement's are afl H""
