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,