The west shore., February 01, 1885, Page 39, Image 9

THE WEST SHORE.
39
expected that it will soon be traversed by a county road,
whioh will aid materially the rapid Bottlement of the val
ley. An effort is being maJa to soouro a mail routo Loin
Ontario, through this region to Harney Valley, in Grant
County, a distance of 110 miles. Many settlers on Bully
Creek, and North and Middle Forks of the Malheur, who
are now from thirty to seventy-five miles from a post
office, would be much benefited by such a route. Above
the canyon the valley land along the Malheur varies in
width from absolutely none whatever to a strip six miles
aoross. Wherever it thus opens out into valleys, facili
ties exist for irrigating, the construction of ditches being
all that is required. The soil is fertile, and enterprise
will soon render it a very productive region. The river
dwindles into three forks" North," "Middle" and
" South." The first two head in the Blue Mountains, and
flow southeasterly till tbey unite with the South Fork
coming from the southwest. Along these three branches
there is much excellent land, similar in many respects to
that lower down the main stream. It is only of late
years that the value of this region has boon reoognizod
and its agricultural possibilities known. Sottlemouts
which have been made all attest its qualifications for
farming purposes. The chiof industry at present is stock
raising, but this will gradually be suporsodod by agricul
ture. Stock raising in connection with farming will always
be a profitable industry, as thore are thousands of acres
lying contiguous to the valleys whioh will novor be valu
able for any purpose but grazing. Every farmer will have
a free range for a limited number of cattle. A few yoars
will see a vast improvement in the Malheur country.
The Snake River Valley, between the Owyhoe and
Malheur, consists of the river bottom and the bench, or
plateau, elevated above the river from twonty to forty
feet, and throe to six miles wide, is composed of what is
callod sage brush land, and is V6ry fortilo whon irrigated,
water for which can be brought from the Owyhoe, and
when done will bring into cultivation about 40,000 acres
of good land. The bottom and low bench land below the
mouth of the Mainour can be irrigated by a ditch from
that river, taken out bolow the butto, and anothor nice
location be made subject to the plow.
The southern end of the county, fully one-third of the
entire area, is drained by the Owyhoe River and its forks
and tributaries Rattlosnake, Jordan, Soldier and othor
creeks. This is a region of short mountain ranges, pla
teaus and vast plains, some of them oovored with the
choicest bunch grass, and others having no vegetation
save the ubiquitous sage brush. Along the streams are
numerous fertile valleys, which form the-hoadquarters of
stockmen, who own the bands of cattle grazing on the
limitless ranges. Much of this region is worthless for
any purpose whatever, other portions of it make excellent
cattle ranges, while there is not a little which is adapted
to the pursuit of agriculture. The great drawback, in an
agricultural sense, is its remoteness from railroads, though
in that respect it is one hundred per cent better than A
year ago, since the Oregon Short Line passes the mouth
of the Owyhee. Formerly the most accessible railroad
was the Central Pacific, far to the southward'in Nevada.
Remoteness from railroads, however, will not of itsolf
dolor buluuib L'oiu Hooking liumua iu luo Owyhoe oouiiiay,
and in a few yoars, when the ohoicor portions of the
county further north have been taken, sottlors will invade
this region and locate farms in wherever a sufficient body
of arable land may be found. Whon this is done it will
be discovered that the quantity of arable laud is greatly
in excess ofjwhat it is now believed to be. Fublio opinion
has been formed from the repoated assertions of the
cattle men that this whole region is worthless for agricul
ture. Just how much salt must be taken with this state
ment the enterprising homestead prospector will ascer
tain whon he turns his attention in this direotion. It is
natural that stockmen should endoavor to discourage set
tlement, in order to rotain free and undisturbed uno of
the rangos as long as possible. Jordan Valley has quite
a settlement, and tho land thore is survoyod, as 1b, also,
that along Rattlosnako and Crooked crooks and tributary
streams.
The stock rangos of the Mnlheur and Owyhoe aro
among the best in the West The climate is in evory
way suited for that industry. But little rain falls in
summer and not much snow in winter. Cattle have grazetl
hore for fifteen yoars without other food than that ob
tainod by thorn on the rangos, and have novor suffered
sorious loss. Generally they are fat and in good condi
tion in tho spring; but occasionally, as during the present
winter, thoy suffer some deterioration. As on all rangos,
a small percentage dio evory wiutor from various causes.
Running water is abundant in the streams, fed constantly
by the living springs and molting snow of the mountains,
and stock do not suffer for lack of water in the dryest
season. It is estimated that 80,000 cattlo are grazed in
tho county, valuod at 12,000,000, though tho Assessor's
returns fall far short of those figures both in number and
value per hood, Forinorly a long drive was nocossary to
got cattlo to a railroad for shipment, but now an overland
road is within comparatively easy roach. The stock in
dustry dominates a largo portion of the county, and how
ever extensive the farming sottloraonU may become in
that region, this pursuit will always be an important and
profitable one. The wool interest are also quite con
siderable, and large bands of sheep grazo on the hills
and in the little mountain valleys. The railroad now
offers facilities for tho shipment of wool not previously
enjoyed, and this industry must necessarily show marked
increase during tho noxt fow years.
The first great industry of this region was mining,
and tho county was first settled by a mining population.
Gold and silver quarts lodges and gold placers have
annually yioldod large returns. Copper ore has been
found in good working quantities, but no ledge of that
metal has boon developed by .working. The groat draw,
back has been a lack of capital by those to whom the
lodges belong and the inability to induce outside capital
to take hold of mines so remote from any line of trans
portation, in view of the enormous expense of transport
ing machinery for the reduction of ore. Now, happily,