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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1883)
n November, 1883. THE WEST SHORE. 969 Their children attend the public It offers splendid hoinci to (hose who are willing .. " 1 if r .' . r1 . . . " educated. iliouls Wliilc all Uicm and lite alter (lie s'ylc of iheir Caucasian neighliors, the male adults exer cising the elective franchise. The valley was one of the earliest settled of Sutiihern Oregon, loca tions dating hack to 1848, many of the original ottler still residing there and enjoying in their declining years the fruits of their pioneer Inlwrs SALMON KIVEK. From San Francisco to Pttget sound the coast line of the Pacific ocean is rocky and dangerous in the extreme. In this entire distance Ilumholdt bay and the Columbia river are the only harbors Of refuge for large vessels. Crescent City, Port prford, Coos bay, Vaquina bay, Shoalwatcr bay ml Gray' harbor are to a degree lilted for thin purpose, but they nil require the cxiendilure of much money Mure they can accommodate the larger class of shipping. All along the const breakers roll in over ledges and hidden masses of rock, making it dangerous for even a small boa( (0 approach the shore, and the government has established lighthouses on the jutting capes and headlands to warn seamen of their position. Sail ing vessels and even steamers in stormy weather keep well out to se.i in pa'sing up and down the coast. Here and there a river flows down from the mountains and plunges into the sea, its mouth often guarded by huge massti of ruck, about which countless sea lions sport. These huge animals crawl u)on the island rocks and bask in the sun, occasionally rearing up their heads and giving voice to a chorus of roars that would put to shame the jungles of Africa. They are the most exert fishers known, and one of them Weighing 300 pounds will consume his weight in fish weekly. They swim with great swiftness, dive gracefully and can remain under water a long time. A fish selected by one of these amphibious lions for a meal stands but little chance of escaping. Such a pest have they become, that fishermen combine to destroy them, and at Coquille river this year two men were employed to extciminate those infesting the waters there, and succeeded in hooting many hundreds of them, I Our illustrations of the coast off Salmon river (how the character of the shore line as It apears (ir miles. The heavy breakers rolling In amonr Ilhe jagged rocks, however much they apeal to the artist's aenie of the beautiful, find but little lavor In the mariner's eye. Fireplace rock, one irf a thousand along the coast, derives its name from the natural fireplace and chimney in its side. Salmon river enters the Pacific near the southern pud of Tillamook counly, between the Sdclt ami t'estucca. In its course from the summit lidgrs (if the coast range to the ocean it passes through ilense forests ol fir, spruce and cedar, while along Its Unks vine maple and alder grow in tangled luxuriance. The bottom lands heir and there idening out into little valleys become natural meadows as toon as cleared and an indigenous growth of white clover springs up. The soil pro' jd'icea well under cultivation, but because of the abundance of nun water and perennially green Jjiass, this region, like the whole western slope of .the mountains in Tillamook counly 11 eseeially lapted to dairying. This portion of the state, to live a pioneer Ilk for a lew yeais beyond the ' busy haunts of men," and a good living from he start is certain to one who can use the roil and gun. 1-ale in the summer and fall immense n.imlrs ol salmon enler the river from the sea, and push their way over all obstacles to the headwaters of the stream to deiosit their spawn In the sand. Dead codfish along the beach and other nigns well known to fishermen indicale that somewhere off the coast in this vicinity is a codhMi bank, which will no doubt some day be discovered. There is also found hete a fish no one seems able to classify. In shape and color it Is similar to the domesticated gold fish, but is much laiger in si.-e, often attaining a weight of seventy-live HJunds. It is finely flavored ami is an excellent food fish. The piscatorial resources of Salmon river are entirely undcvclocd, but the future will no doubt see important lulling interests spring up. YAUUINA HAY. Yaipiina bay is the seaport of Kenton county, Oregon, and when the government improvements now in progress are completed, will become one of the most Important orls for coastwise com merce on the Pacific sloie. It is situated a few miles south of Cae Foulwcathcr, uion which point is a government light, and into It empties the Yaipiina river, a stream of considerable sire coming down from the Coast Kange mountains. A natural route for a railroad from the valley across the mountains to the ocean is found along the course of this stream, and several yrars ago the Oregon Pacific K. K. Co. was incorioiated to construct a line from Corvallis to Vaccina bay connecting at the former place with the Oregon Jit California. Considerable woik has been done, much material has been brought by sea lo the ocean terminus, several miles of road have been constructed anil some rolling slack has been placed on the hack, Work has progressed slowly owing to the fact that laige enterprises have ab sorbed the attention of capitalists, but the coin plction of this project may be looked fur at any time, When this is accomplished the upper lion of the Willamette valley will have a direct outlet to the sea, indeendent of the long route by the way of Portland and the Columbia river, by which it can ship its products ami receive many of its supplies. The illicit lunge of coast and valley products will lie great, while Yaiulna lay already a favorite summer irsort, will annually be visilcd by thousands of pleasure-seekers Two years ago the government made a lilsrral appropriation lor the imirovrmcnt of the harbor which money has been judiciously espended ly it.. n,ii,irn In rharve. The lal Connies passed no river ami harliot bill, and so the funds ne saiy lo complete the work here have not lrn provided. Though llie system oC pillar has rxH been attended as far seaward a llie plan 01 otr si Ions contemplates, yet so thoroughly has the work been done as far as the means al band per milled, thai much good has hern accomplished, and Ihe temporary ceaall ol work will result in but little of more serious naiure inan ine ai'uravaiine delay. Already the depth of water 1 .... , . 1 1 . 1 ,.,., ,hi,A. i . l.rV ..f iwiihi transportation on the bar luu been increases several .w. !f-..i:.: v.. .1 A t..,..i ni Lsl .Un the completed work creates a channel deep rt, for the most psil. in its primeval coO'lilim. enough lopeiu.it Ihe -a.wge ocean great draft, Yaipiina twy will become a poll of much impoiinnce lo Oregon, not only as a slop ping point but as a lutbor of refuge for vessels naiigating the waters that wash our rocky and inhospitable coast, The climate of Yaquina hay is delightful dur ing Ihe summer months and Is f.ti from tin pirns- ant In winter, The scenery along the beach, of which we give a coupfe of engiaviugs i giand and inspiring. As a summer resort ll presents mure atliaelions than any oilier pail of llie roast, and notwithstanding Ihe dithcutty of reaching il, as already become a (avoiile with many families (tout the valley. The lum'x r Interests ate very estensive. as Ihe country surrounding the bay la ensely covered with magnificent timber. The I'uliing Inlcicsts aie also gieal, and many largo beds of oysters ex'st, fiom which gieal ipianllliea if bivalves aie sent to Ihe Sau Franclsoi maikel. The Ixiltotn lauds ate extensively It ride, alxiund- lug In fine meadows such as render daltyliii! Ihe most prolilablo biisineu the fanner can engage in, The completion of Ihe railroad and the demand for fa 1 in products the Increasing population will create, will enhance Ihe value of Ihese lands largely. There Is ceitaiuly a bright future before Vaiptina bay and llenlon county. MAMAS PASS, llie msa through Ilia main ridge of Ihe Hia-ky mountains al llie headwalrra of Ihe Klalhcad river on Ihe wesl and the Marias on the east, has been esplorcd this summer by Prof, l'unielly In he Interests of Ihe Northern Trant-Conllncnial survey, Helen in naineoil anoui eigwy mile above Ihe lake and entered a gorge walled In by rugged precipices thousands of feel high anil ter minating in sharp rtdgi-aaiid pointed cones This led up In llie summit of llie s where thice main canyons com together, ami from whlih may be seen doren high ami lotky peaks. About fifteen miles In Ihe West wu oliseived a mass of snow-coveicd mountains on whose side is a living glacier about a mile in wkiiii and some jp feet of jieipcndicular height, and from beneath which flows a milky-while stream of glacier water. In he grand canyon In which Ihls glacier lies were observed Iweiily-lwo falls an I cascade over J' si feel in height ami Innumerable smaller ones. I n the eastern side, In descending the Marias the canyon is hounded by lha lofty ami rugged pietipices. Hie pass Is 7,Hii fct alav llie level of the sea, ami Ihe tteneiy Is dnlaied lo l siiicrit lo thai of Ihe famous Yellowstone, ... l I.I.OWSTUSI:. Why and by w limn the Yellowstone river was so named haa been a mailer of lnuiiy In Mon tana, and llie result of In.li.iUil ictiili leaves llie ifucstiirt) slill in doubt. The name I first ferotded In ihe pairnat id Iswit so. I I bike, Ap'd lJ. bul Is tlieie .A.n'4 as Uing but a lian.lalion of A' 'J mm, llie name by which il was known among Ihe French Irappers It is proUhle that litis lit l wot originally bestowed by the trapper because 4 mm markrd feature or incident sKh a gate UK lo Ihe peculiar name ef many of our western streams and U tA a French liantlatlu of llie Indian llile. Thi is evident from Ihe fort lliai the Crows through whose country lbs gieal risrr run, call ll A. in ,klki ki, I ll lltsl.