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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1885)
126 THE WEST SHORE. none hnve yet been developed to any extent Capital in roquirod for that purtoa, and good opMirtnnitios exist for practical minors with money. Copper, galena, conl, limestone, tnarhlo hikI iron ore exist in various places. The largest towns nre Cunyoii City, the county seat; John Day mid l'niirio City, in John Dny Valley; Burns, in Harney Valley, and Drowsy, in Mulheur Valley. CII(M)K COUNTY. Crook is a new county cut olf from tlio southern end of Wasco in 1SH2. It lies on the oastorn sloio of the Cascades, in the very heart of Oregon. Its many moun tain valleys and long ranges of rolling hills nre covered with grass, and for years this has 1een a vast grazing ground for iinmense hands of cattle. Prinevillo, the county seat, is the trade ooutre and supply point for this industry, and is a thriving town, situated on Oohoco River, near its junction with Crooked River, a branch of the Pes Chub The country is well watered by the tributaries of these streams. There nre many thousands of mires of valuable agricultural land along the streams and in the numerous valleys yet open to settlement Those lands aro of undoubted fertility. There nre also the vast stretches of bunch grass hinds, which have been generally considered of no vnluo without irrigation. This opinion is being somewhat modified under the exori monU that have leen mado the last few years, and many now Imliove that any soil rich and moist enough to sup jMirt a luxuriant growth of bunch grass will produce good cns of grain when proerly cultivated. As the princiHil industry is stock raising, and as stockmen generally pay no attention to cultivation of the soil, thiNto engaged in farming find a ready market at home for all they can produce, and nt prices thnt rule as high or higher than those of any other locality in the Slate. Only a small ereenUige aro engaged in agricul ture, hence the demnnd for grain and vegetables is equal to the supply of those articles. And while the groat grass region holds good, tilling the soil will be a second ary consideration, thereby insuring the few farmers a ready anle and good prices for their produoo. Such thing should le taken into consideration by those seek ing a home. There are in the county some 40,0(10 cattle and 1 '20,000 sheep. KLAMATH COUNTY. Tlio county of Klamath lies on the southern lxrder of the State, adjoining Modoc County, California, and Jack u County, Ortigon. In the western end aro Rig and Little Klamath lake, from which the county derives its name. It was formed in ISttj out of the western end of Iinke, which lie adjnecut to it on the east The county eat is Liukvillo, on Link Hirer, the short but turbulent stream connecting the two lakes. The leading industry of the county is stock raising, largo bands of cattle, horses ami sheep gnuting ou the bunch grass that grows in great luxuriance on the rolling hills. Along Loet 1 liver, which Hows into Tulo Lake, the original home of the celebrated Captain Jack, aro many ranchers who do a little farming in connection with their stock business. It is only during the jwt few year Uiat much i-ffort has been made to raise grain and vegetables, and ns these have mot with good success, there will undoubtedly be much more farming in the county in the future. The climate is somewhat different from that in Rogue River Valley, just across the mountains, being warmer in sum mer nnd colder in winter, loss rain at any season and more snow. It is loss severe, however, than in other portions of Eastern Oregon. Thore is much Government land unnppropriated that can be used for grazing or for farming, an irrigating ditch being a necessary adjunct to a farm. Thore are also business opportunities. LAKE COUNTY. Tho county of Lake embraces that region of lnrge hikes lying on the' California border nnd between the counties of Klamath and Grant Topographically it is a series of ridges, rolling hills and valleys, nil covered with sage brush nnd bunch grass, interspersed with lakes nnd stronms, making it one of the finest grazing regions of Oregon. It is. pre-eminently a stock raising region, nnd this industry occupies the entire attention of the people. That agriculture can be carried on profitably in tlie val leys is certain, and it is equally certain thnt but little effort in that direction has as yet been made. But little attention has ever been paid to agriculture in the great stock regions, as the two interests are to a degree adverse. Stockmen do not like to see the land fenced in, nnd yet some of it must bo cultivated to supply the needs of the pooplo. Irrigation is nocossnry nnd enn be hnd nt a oom paratively light expense from the many lakes nnd stronms. It is onlv n matter of n few yenrs when the pent-up waters of those lnkes will be conducted over the wide stretches of drenry sage lands, nnd fields of green grnss and nodding grain will greet the eye ou evory hand. Lakoview is the county seat Social and Industrial Summary. Much of interest could lie said of the social nnd in dustrial condition of Oregon, but which can here only be briefly nlludod to. One of the most important considera tions to the mnn of family is the school question, nnd it is a ploasure to bo able to refer to the educational facili tie of the State as ample and superior. The common school system in nil its perfection is found here, nnd tho district school house enn le seen in the most remote nnd newly settled regions, while in the older nnd more popu lous portions are full graded schools with high school department, normal schools, academies, colleges, Stnte University and numerous private schools nnd setninnrios. Schools are supported by district taxes and by apportion ment to each of a certain part of tho State tax. Tho higher institutions maintained by the State are normal schools at McMinnville and Ashland, Stnte University nt Lugeno City aud Agricultural College nt Corvallis. The most prominent institutions of a private nnd denomina tional character are Willamette University at Salora, ."f . ""erHity nt '' Grove, McMinnville College, Ashland College, and others nt Philomath, Wilbur, Wes ton, U Grande, Portland, Salem. Tho Dalles and other points. The Catholics have schools for both Boxes in various towns aud a eolbgo in Portland Not only nro schools numerous, but the qualifications requirod of teacher are high and salaries paid aro good, ensuring eniciency. Some of the edifices are quite commodious, a will tie seen by reference to accompanying illustrations. In religious matter nearly every denomination is repre sented, the five or six leading ones having an organiza tion in all the principal towns. Tho jxxiplo are moral,