Morning Oregonian., January 01, 1902, SECOND SECTION, Image 18

THE MORNING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1902.
stable lavas and basalts -which generally
form Its bed.
At the International boundary the hills
are close to the river on both side, with
little or no bottom land, and this con
tinues to be the case, more or less, all
the way up In British Columbia to the
Canadian Pacific crossing: at Revelstoke.
The hills gradually Increase In size and
grandeur until at Revelstoke they assume
the height of mountains. Descending the
river, the hills decrease in height until at
Little Dalles they take the' shape of ele
vated terraces, which, when cleared of
timber, make productive farms. Near the
boundary line the Pend d'Oreille River, or
Clark's Fork, enters the left bank of the
Columbia, flowing over a ledge of rock 16
feet in height, which extends clear across
from bank to bank. At the high-water
stage the Columbia rises above the level
of the Pend d'Oreille, backs it up, and
not a vestige of the waterfall a to be
seen.
As soon as the boundary line is passed,
coming down river, level terraces com
mence, and, with the exception of a few
places, continue all the way, either on one
side or the other, and very frequently on
both. They range from 300 to G000 feet
In width, and are composed of excellent
soil for farming purposes, orchards and
vineyards, for which also the climate is
admirably adapted. The Spokane River
seems to be a natural division between
the timbered land to the north of It and
the untlmbered land to the south. South
of the Spokane River the country is prai
rie, sometimes rolling and in many places
terraced up and back from the river,
showing the different heights of the bot
torn of the river in bygone ages. The av
erage height of the prairie when first It
becomes prairie is 1000 feet above the
river. It then rises as it recedes.
From measurement made as near low
water as practicable, and making due al
lowance for a further fall to low water,
it has been ascertained that the low-water
flow In this portion of its course is about
50.000 cubic feet per second. In the same
manner, by measuring the flow as near
high water as practicable, and allowing
for additional elevation to full high water
and Increased velocity, it has been deter
mined that the high-water flow Is about
300,000 cubic feet a second. Throughout,
with but few exceptions, there Is ample
depth for all purposes. Between the
boundary and the Okanogan River there
are 30 principal obstructions to naviga
tion. From the mouth of the Okanogan to
Colilo the distance is 334. miles. Of this
.stretch, the CS miles from tho Okanogan
to Wenatohee arc navigable. The stretch
of 57 miles from "Wenatchee to the head
of Priest Rapids, and the" stretch of 19S
mllos from the foot of Priest Rapids to
Celilo, arc navigable under favorable con
ditions. Between them are Priest Rapids,
where for 11 miles navigation Is ob
structed by a series of rapids seven in
numbor. From the boundary as far south
as Priest Rapids the river flows at a level
of several hundred feet below that of the
plateau it incloses. Over this whole reach
and as far down as the foot of Priest Rap
ids there is no flood plain. The river is
still expending all its energy in cutting
downward. This, taken In connection with
tho fact that outside of flood stages the
river carries but little sediment, would
eeem to Indicate that the average slopr
of thc( bed Is considerable. Tho reach oi
river extending from the head of Rock
Island Rapids to the foot of Priest
Rapids, a distance of GO miles, covers a
line along which the Columbia has cut
Its way through a broad spur of the Cas
cades. Steamers have made the run be
tween the Okanogan and Pasco, but it is a
hazardous undertaking.
Between Celilo and The Dalles are 13
miles of obstructed river, and from The
Dalles to the mouth of the Columbia 190
miles of open river, made open by the
completion In 1S96 of the canal and locks
at the Cascadest
Portland's Position Strengthened
by Development.
There have been many changes in the
period covered by river improvement on
the Columbia. Colorado, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Montana, Washington,
"Wyoming, Idaho and Utah, all Western
States, and all buyers of the products
of Oregon, have been admitted into the
Union since the Cascades locks improve
ment was projected. Five great transcon
tinental lines the "Union Pacific, the
Southern Pacific, the Great Northern and
the Canadian Pacific have built their
roads Into the basm of the Columbia,
either on the American or the British side,
and all of them are in Portland. Two of
the lines, the Union Pacific and the South
ern Pacific, have been merged Into the
Harrlman system, which recognizes the
Columbia River as constituting, with San
Francisco, Its chief ports on the Pacific
Coast. The closing months of the year
found the Northern Pacific seeking inde
pendent terminals at Portland. Water
navigation has ceased to be the main
method of transportation! Land once
thought to be sterile is planted in cereal
crops, orchards and vineyards. There
have been, in fact, too many changes to
enumerate, but they have not affected
Portland's position. It Is today, as it was
In the time of the stage coach and the
steamboat, the leading city of the North
west, the center of finance, commerce,
education and population. When the
Northern Pacific was completed, a little
over IS years ago, the prediction was made
that it would not be long before Tacoma
would be the metropolis of the Northwest,
but In the decade ending with 1900 Tacoma
failed to hold her own in Washington
with Seattle, to say nothing about con
tending with a stronger and greater city
than Seattle, for supremacy in the' North
Pacific When the Southern Pacific was
finished In 1BS7 some said that the rail line
would take all the profit cut of the ocean
route, and that the San Francisco mer
'chants would drive Portland out of South
em Oregon; yet the ocean steamers are
still running, and Portland holds her own
in Southern Oregon, and manages also
to sell quite a bill of goods to Callfprnia
In competition with San Francisco. The
same argument was heard when thp Ca
nadian Pacific was built, but Portland has
lost nothing. When the Great Northern
was built, thp Puget Sound towns began
a scramble for Portland's trade in East
ern Washington, but they have not cap
tured it yet. and one walking the streets
of Tacoma or Seattle may see n front of
the stores piles of boxes, bales, bags and
crates bearing the trade-mark? of well
known Portland firms. Commodities that
cannot get shlproom at Portland are
shjpped in vessels from Puget Sound, and
enter largely Into the foreign and coastx
wise trade of that customs district. Se
attle and Tacoma are in the foreign ship
ping business in wheat and flour, but
Portland still enjoys the hulk of that trade.
No addition to the material wealth of the
Northwest, no matter where made, has
Interfered with the growth of Portland.
Every railroad built, every steamer
launched, every foot added to the chan
nels of the rivers, every orchard planted,
every foot of ground cleared, every manu
facturing industry started, every building
erected, every store opened, every dollar
brought Into the country, no matter where
or by whom invested, has added to the
growth and prosperity of Portland and
contributed to make her more secure In
her position as the chief city of the
Northwest
r
OREGON TO THE HOMESEEKER
The Two Principal Advantages, Says Governor Geer, Are
Reasonably Cheap Lands and the Certainty of Crops,
THE advantages which Oregon offers
to homescekers are many, but the
two principal ones are reasonably
cheap lands and the certainty of crops,
two essentials not to be overlooked.
While good land already in cultiva
tion beara a fairly good price, there
are thousands of acres of the most
productive land In the state yet Jn
Its virgin condition, covered with timber
and brush, easily cleared, and waiting for
a greater population to bring It Into the
uses of civilization. Considering that Port
land baa been growing for DO years, and
that It is now o city of nearly 100,090 people,
It seems Incredible that as soon as you
enter its suburbs In leaving by either tho
southern or western route, you at onco
begin to travel through thousands of acres
of the finest lands to be found anywhere,
but which are covered with brush and
timber which would readily yield to the
efforts of the industrious homobullder.
In all parts of what Is called the foot
hill country adjacent tothe Coast and
Cascade Mountains there are each year
cleared and reclaimed hundreds of acres
of land, which .requires vastly more labor
than would easily transform the timber
and brush lands near Portland into The
most productive and attractive farms.
Certainly, much of this land must be held
for higher and speculative prices, for it
must be equally sure that, lying as it is,
no Income whatever Is realized by Its own
ers. This condition Is always noticed by
visitors. Is a source of Inquiry as to Its
cause, and really gives an unfavorable
Impression to many who pass through our
state on their Western tours. Those of us
who have lived here since the beginning
have become so accustomed to traveling
through the woods by rail nearly half the
way from Portland to Salem, or from
Portland to Hillsboro, that we accept It as
a matter of course and as a permanently
established condition so firmly established,
in fact, that many of our people seem to
be fully convinced that there Is very little
room for any considerable Increase in our
population.
The fact Is that It Is possible for the
Willamette "Valley to" sustain a popula
tion fully Ave times as great as that
which it contains today. The time is
coming when the entire country from the
Cascades to the Coast Range, and from
the Columbia to beyond Eugene, will be
an unbroken panorama of splendid farms,
equaled in no other part of the United
States for either the beauty of its land
scape or the fertility of Its soil.
Perhaps no state In the Union furnishes
a better object lesson as to the possibili
ties of applied effort In the matter of res
cuing lands from the encumbrance of a
heavy growth of timber than Ohio. When
first taken possession of by the early set
tlers that state was an almost unbroken
forest of walnut, hickory, oak and other
timber, difficult to remove from the land,
but today It is next to impossible to And
an acre of land within Its borders that Is
not in cultivation, save only the acreage
of timber necessary for domestic uses. To
be sure, Ohio has been settled more than
twice as long as has Oregon, but the re
sults brought about there within a hun
dred years only go to show what possibil
ities are In store for our own state within
the next few decades. Taking Ohio as a
sample of many of our older states, It
shows what three generations of men can
do, and what three generations may and
will do for Oregon. We have ample room
for hundreds of thousands more people
than we have at present, and when they
come and become a part of us, and not
until then, we can reasonably hope to per
manently reach that degree of business
life and prosperity which marks the east
ern half of our country.
But population, without other consider
ations, Is not all. There Is population
and population. Coxey's army, or the ma
terial that would make one. Is not want
ed. It requires people who are not afraid
to work to make a new country and to
properly take care of an old one. More
people like those of the pioneer age of
Oregon are wanted, men who will adapt
themselves to the necessities of their sur
roundings and are willing to carve them
selves homes from the abundant material
which a bountiful Nature has furnished.
To the pioneers thousands have since
joined themselves, but there Is room for
hundreds of thousands yet who are will
ing to labor in a country where the land
Is always productive and where the recur
ring seasons pever fail to respond to the
efforts of the Industrious husbandman.
CnpnblltteH of Oregon.
It Is entirely proper to say, because
truthful, that no section of the United
States, offers such an encouraging pros
pect for the investment of capital as does
the Northwest Coast, and especially Ore
gon. No other state can furnish such a
variety of raw materials for the manu
facture of the very manufactured pro
ducts we consume, neither can any state
be mentioned which Is a greater consumer
or user of the necessaries an.fi luxuries of
life, according to its population, than ours.
If one steps Ipto an ord.innry hardware
store, for lnstar.ee, wherfe there arc thou
sands of articles of everyday use, more
than 99 per cent of them will be found to
have been manufactured elsewhere and
Imported to us. The material for their
manufacture can be fdund, as a rule, in
abundance within our borders, yet, for
reasons not altogether easily understood,
we continue year after year and, what is
worse, decade after decade, to buy abroad
In apparently undiminished amounts.
Scores of articles made entirely of wood
are sold to our peoplB in generous quanti
ties, while the entire western portion of
the state abounds In several varieties of
hard woods. There Is no doubt that Iron
and coal abound Jn our mountains espec
ially, and no doubt in many other portions
of the state jn great quantities. In fact,
these two specially staple minerals are
known to exist in many localities, and it
only remains for those who have idle
money waiting for profitable fields for In
vestment to turn It Into these most profit
able sources of revenue.
Why capital seeking for remunerative
employment hps so long neglected this
promising and undeveloped field has been
a source of wonder to our people. Year
after year we send to other parts of the
United States millions of dollars for manu
factured products, paying the freight
tharges for several thousands of miles,
and the labor entering iqto their produc
tion, while the material used In their man
ufacture Is in many cases more plentiful
within our midst than where they wore
made. This is Industrial suicide, and could
not long be maintained except In a coun
try of boundless resources. But even this
country cannot always prosper under such
perversion of natural economic laws. Hap
pily, circumstances now prevailing and
prospects in view seem for thp first time
in our history to promise relief from this
custom- or condition, which leads surely
to Industrial atrpphy. The clouds which
have so long retarded our development
along this line are already lifting, and
each effort mad bv oijr neonie to spread
abroad in our owtveountry the opportuni
ties for the investment of capital
In manufacturing enterprises serves to
bring nearer the time when we will
buy less from other states and sell
them more. This realization will, it
appears to me, be tho first and
most Important factor leading to the lift
ing up of our state to that standard of in
dustrial and commercial activity which
permanently characterizes the older set
tled portions of the United States.
Orrgroa Reeds MaaafsetvrlBgr.
This state needs, first of all, manufac
turing establishments enough to produce
all the articles we consume that are com
posed of materials which we possess with
in ourselves. It really needs thU mora
than It does more people to engage in ag
ricultural pursuits. The system of send
ing all our money away for the purchase
of articles we can as well make at home
Is a form of Industrial tuberculosis that
leads to but one termination. No commu
nity can permanently stand up under Its
exhausting consequences.
But the opportunities existing here for
capitalists who are looking for them can
only be made to attract public attention
by attracting public attention to them,
and this Is not done In the most cffectlva
manner by Eaylng nothing about the sub
ject. Nothing the state has ever done
j has been so Instrumental In helping In
I this direction as our exhibits at Eastern
j expositions. When the casual and proba-
visitor at Buffalo saw a salmon which
weighed 50 pounds or more, he had abso
lute faith that Oregon had salmon that
weigh 50 pounds: whereas. If he had mere
ly seen a statement to that effect in some
paper he would be quite likely to conclude
that It was the exaggerated advertisement
of some professional boomer. From a
merely utilitarian point of view nothing
is truer than that "advertising pays"; but
no kind of advertisement pays so well as
an actual exhibit.
Incidentally, it may be here remarked
that the State of Oreson has never under
taken a public enterprise so far-reaching
In its beneficial results as the proposed
Lewis and Clark Centennial. To be sure,
the state has not yet Indicated Its purpose
to assist this patriotic as well as com
mercial exposition, but that it will cannot
be doubted. The state can well afford to
be liberal, though guarding against ex
travagance. In the support of yie effort to
celebrate this great anniversary, for the
reason that the money spent In that di
rection will be returned In after years a
hundred fold. It will attract thousands of
visitors hither, and, since "seeing is be
lieving," it will be a master stroke in di
recting the very best class of ordinary
homeseekers as well as capital this way.
For Instance, there is no greater Industry
awaiting the future development of Ore
gon than that Involving the conversion of
our vast forests into merchantable pro
ducts. This state at this time has a
greater area of untouched first-class tim
ber than any other In the Union. From
this time on it Is certain to be a wonder
ful source of revenue to the people of the
state. As wo look at this sea of virgin
timber it is almost a cause for regret that
itxshould not be allowed to stand, but It
isonly when removed and converted Into
the usesof man that It Is of any value
whatever,, except as a necessary portion of
It is used as reserves. Its value consists
wholly In using It, but all the publica
tions yet Issued concerning the excellence
of our timber resources are not to be com
pared as to their effectiveness In attract
ing attention this way with that partic
ular log at Buffalo which measured nearly
SO feet In length and something like three
feet square. There were two sawed planks
there 73 feet long, 20 Inches wide and two
inches thick, without a knot In them.
That was more of a curiosity and of really
greater value to visitors than all the
buildings combined, and which consumed
millions of dollars, the tangible disappear
ance of which the stockholders are sin
cerely mourning.
Suggestion for the 1005 Fair.
The Lewis and Clark Centennial mana
gers may take a hint from this experi
ence, and squander very little money on
Ane buildings. These can be seen at any
time every year In Ronjo, London, Chica
go, or even In Portland. People do not
care for fine buildings. They can be built
in any country with money, and do not
in any way show in what manner that
country exceeds any other. Nothing that
can be devised would bo more attractive
and unique to visitors to our Centennial
than one or more log-houses built en
tirely of our mammoth logs. It would be
something new and educational at the
same time.
The Umber resources of Oregon are not
confined to any one section, for both the
Eastern and Southern divisions of the
state are blessed with heavy and valuable
timber belts. There is no better field for
Investors anywhere than in these last
named sections, not merely n timber re
sources, but In many others. The pre
cious metals, especially gold and copper,
abound here in great quantities, and
countless fortunes are yet to be made In
their discovery and utilization. These will
require effort and a certain degree of risk,
but great fortunes have always been maa'e
only under these very conditions. No fact
can be more certain than that Immense
ledges of valuable minerals are lying un
discovered in many parts of Eastern and
Southern Oregon, where thousands of
men now drifting idly through life, com
plaining of lack of opportunities to "do
something," might be profitably and use
fully employed.
At the last session of tha Legislature
that body accepted tho offer of the general
Government to undertake through individ
ual or corporate agencies the reclamation
of large areas of arid land In Eastern
Oregon. If this results successfully It will
largely Increase the population and wealth
of that Immense and valuable section of
cur state. It s In a measure experimental,
but Is well worth a fair trlaj, though alrea
dy the attempt to divert the water from
streams that have been for many years
used for irrigating purposes by stockrais
ers gives promise to regretful litigation.
Here are two conflicting interests In the
same section of the state, but In the out
come the success of tho reclamation of
vast arid regions must depend upon water
secured from other sources than the
streams which have been uued for years
by prior settlers. The ultimate solqtlgn
of the attempt to reclaim arid lands In
large quantities will undoubtedly be
through the storage system of surplus wa
ters, but It will be an Important feature
in the development of the eastern section
of our state.
The value of the different kinds pf pro
ducts of Eastern Oregon has grown to
Immense proportions, and has not by any
means "reached Us growth," Through all
the years since its first settlement it has
been seriously handicapped by Its distance
from the seaboard and, the consequent
cost of transportation to market of Its
products. This has In many Instances
amounted to a practicable embargo. Grad
ually this condition has been Improved,
but relief will only come through a con
tinuously opek river from Lewlston to the
sea. This will give a water level grade to
the sea for many parts of Eastern- Ore
gon and a great measure of relief to all
of It, and la a proposition of such great
importance that It has the support and
encouragement of every citizen of the en
tire state.
Stale ilRR Prorats-lai? Fatsre.
Not to oe tedious, then, It can be gener
ally said that the future of our state is
most promising. Eastern Oregon will al
ways be a most desirable location for per
manent homes, for It is great agricultur
ally, for mineral deposits and for grazing,
although, as It seems to me, the Interest
of the latter Industry cajls for a persist
ent and earnest protest against the leas
ing of the public domain, for grazing pur
poses. Southern Oregon has a most equa
ble climate and Is specially adapted to
the raising of various kinds of fruits
as well as for its great agricultural and
mineral resources. The Willamette Vol
ley is tjoted for Its varied resources agri
culturally and In its possibilities In the
line of frult-ralslng, and In addition will
tome time bo one of the most prosperous
dairy countries In the United States. Its
climate and soil form a combination In
this respect not to be surpassed In tho
world. All sections of the state have won
derful possibilities In the way of manu
facturing facilities, not only as to raw
materials, but when considered in respect
SECOND DRIVER OF
The Columbia and Its Principal Tributaries Have 2132
Miles of Navigable Water.
AN ESTIMATE by Captain "W. W. Harts, United States En
gineers, of the volume of water flowing in the Columbia River
Is Interesting, In comparison with the volume of the Missis
sippi at New Orleans. Captain Harts made his observations at
The Dalles. At low water ho found a flow of 103,000 cubic
feet per second; at high water. 1,600,000 cubic feet per second.
At low water the discharge at New Orleans Is 250,000 cubic
feet per second; at ordinary high water, 1,000,000 cubic feet, and
at extreme high water 1,200,000 cubic feet per second. To
these figures from 10 to 15 per cent should be added for the flow
through the Atchafalaya. This estimate as to the Mississippi i9 from
Johnson's Cyclopedia, copyright 1804, complied from the "Journal of
the Association of Engineering Societies and Other Sources."
The mean annual discharge of the whole Mississippi Basin into
the Gulf of Mexico, including that by the Atchafalaya and bayou out
lets, is estimated at 675,000 cubic feet per second. It is larger, proba
bly, than the mean annual discharge of the Columbia Basin, but not
greatly larger; for the Columbia flows at low-water etae not more
than two menths In the year, and at the high-water stage It carries a
greater volume than the Mississippi. Below the Ohio the Mississippi
gains little In volume, losing by seepage and evaporation about as
much as it receives from Its lower affluents.
The flow of the St. Lawrence much exceeds that of any river In
North America. Various authorities agree that the mean annual dis
charge Is In excess of 1,000,000 cubic feet per second. The volume at
Niagara Is estimated at 390,000 cubic feet per second. It varies
little throughout the year, since the Great Lakes above regulate the
volume and give it an even flow.
NAVIGABLE WATERS.
The Columbia Itiver Itself.
Miles.
Mouth to Willamette River 102
Mouth Willamette to The Dalles SS
The Dalles to Celilo, obstructed for 13 miles
Celilo to Priest Rapids 193
Foot Priest Rapids to head rapids, obstructed 11 miles
Head Priest Rapids to Wenatchee ; 57
Wenatchee to mouth Okanogan River- .'. 68
Mouth Okanogan to Spokane Rapid3, navigable at great risk only; a
distance of 109 miles ".
Spokane Rapids to Rickey's Landing ...., 56
Rickey's Landing to Marcus, Wash., not navigable, 11 miles
Marcus to Robson, B. C C3T
RobEon, B. C. to Arrowhead Landing, B. C. 124
; '
Total navigable waters, main stream , 75G
THD MAIN TRIBUTARIES. -
Snnlce River. ;
Miles.
Mouth to Rlpar.'a ." 67
Riparla to Lewlston .7. .- 73
Lewlston to Grand Rondo River 25
Grand Ronde River to Ballard's Landing, obstructed 173 miles
Ballard's Landing to Huntington 75
Total navigable waters, Snake River 240
"Willamette River nnil Tributaries.
Miles.
Mouth to Corvallls 113
Corvallls to Eugene 53
Tualatin River, mouth to- head navigation 25
Yamhill River, mouth to McMinnvllle IS
Long Tom River, mouth to head navigation . 10
Total navigable waters, Willamette and tributaries 224
Other Tributaries, Columbia River.
Miles.
Clatskanle River, navigable on tide above mouth 3
Lewis River, mouth to La Center , 7
Cowlitz River, mouth to point 10 miles above Toledo 40
Lake Chelan, Lakeside at foot lake to Stol ''kin 50
Pend d'Oreille River and Like. Lakevlew to Box Canyon 116
Box Canyon to Metalline, navigable at high water at great risk only, a
distance of six miles
Cocur d'Alene, Lake Coeur d'Alene City to head lake 21
Coeur d'Alene River, mouth to Mission Landing 32
Upper and Lower Kootenai Rivers, Golden, B. C, to Jennings, Mont.. ..253
Jennings to Bonner's Ferry, not navigable, 75 miles
Bonner's Ferry to head Kootenai Lake , ,...239
Nelson to mouth at Robson, 25 miles, not navigable ...?
Okanogan River, mouth to international boundary S7
International boundary to Pentlcton, 37 miles, not navigable
Pentlcton to Okanogan Landing 55
Total navigable waters, other tributaries .- 912
The total navigable waters of the Columbia and its tributaries aggre
gate a mileage of 2132. ,
Parts of the Columbia and Its tributaries marked thus () are navi
gable under favorable conditions. Practically all these stretches of river
could be made open for boats at all seasons of the year at comparatively
small expense, should traffic conditions render this Improvement neces
sary. The Columbia and Snake Rivers, for Instance, were formerly navi
?;ated throughout the year, except during occasional blockades from Ice.
rom Celilo clear through to Lewlston. It will be noted by report that
part of Snake River from mouth to Riparla, is now marked, "navigable
under favorable conditions,"
9-0-- HMHMHHtHM8MHHM
to the generation of cheap power. The
day Is not far distant, certainly nearer
than most of us mny suppose, when every
waterfall which Is now merely a thing of
beauty adorning our mountain sides
everywhere will be utilized In propelling
the wheels of vast manufacturing con
cerns. Who knows but that within the
lifetime of some of us the Immense and
practically inexhaustible water power at
the da)lcs and Cascades will be used for
propelling the dally railway trains from
Portland to Huntington? Stranger things
have happened within the past 20 years,
and wllj happen within the next. There is
enough power of this kind going to waste
In Oregon every day to drive all the fac
tories In the Mississippi Valley, and yet
the great and populous states, comprising
that magnificent country have not enough
water power to satisfactorily propel a
threshing machine. Oregon ha not only
the- power to run a great number of In
dustrial entarprls.es. but raw materials to
supply them. No state In the Union Is so
capable of manufacturing (Jevelppment on
a large scale. It is clear that a great In
dustrial era Is dawning for this Ktatc.
The great markets opening up to us In
the countries west qf us across the sea,
and which are now In their Infancy, arc
yearling for the products of our state
whose manufacture Is patiently waiting
for ap answer to our earnest appeal for
recognition, as we Invite Eastern capi
talists to "come West" and give us that
helping hand which, at this stage of our
arrested development, will not only repay
them, but will make a stronger argument
to present to the farmer, horticulturist,
miner and all other classes of home
builders who, in the aggregate, make a
cultured, contented and prosperous com
monwealth. T. T. GEER,
Salem.
r
GARDEN SPOT
No Place So Homelike as the Willamette Valley Large De
velopment Must Result From General Forward Movement
ARTICLES descriptive of the physical
characteristics of the valleys of tne
Nile, the Jordan, or the Mississippi,
which fall to give some of tha history
which has made those valleys famous in
the history of the world, would fall either
to interest or Instruct. The same Is true
concerning the Willamette Valley, situated
taetwecn the Cascade Mountains upon the
east and the Coast range on the west. It
represents, with its connecting valleys, an
area of 5000 or C000 square miles of the
moat productive of sedimentary soils,
yielding liberal crops In response to the
labor of the husbandman In nearly all
the products essential to a comfortable
existence. Tho climate Is temperate and
not subject to cither Intense heat or
cold. The annual precipitation of moist
ure is sufficient to make sure the claim
that crops never fall In Oregon. This
villey, which Is one of tho picturesqus
and beautiful spots of earth, was at one
time nearly all thai was known of the
Oregon Country, which covered a region
now constituting threo of the States of
the American Republic.
The settlement of this valley and sub
sequent political subdivision Into coun-
THE UNITED STATES
T
--9
j ties enabled mankind to appreciate Its
I extent md deflnp. Its nartlpular nlane In
j !ic Oregon territory. I will not assume
j to write the history of this valley by the
light of prehistoric evidence as the scien
tist has discovered It written In Its ceo-
L logical formations, and stamped upon Its
once buomergea rocKS ana peaxs. it win
be enough for present purposes to review
some of the natural conditions and po
tent Influences that have, In their opera
tion, deyeloped the present and pros
pective political, social and commercial
Importance of this portion of our Na
tional domain. As a result of exploration
by the authority of our Government, and
tho enterprising trader and trapper. It
became known that there was a valley of
vast extent, fertile In character, and
beautiful for situation within Its moun
tain environments, lying In the North
west territory over which National title
was yet Jn dispute. This was about all
that was known about Oregon by the ad
venturers and enterprising settlers who
left their homes In the East and trav
ersed the almost trackless plains and
mountains lying between the Mississippi
and the Pacific to secure a home In this
beautiful spot.
Trials of the "Soonen" of 1843.
With that early immigration and occu
pancy of this valley begins a portion of
our history which has been left for later
generations to arrange with reference to
the Importance of Its bearing upon our
National nnd state life and character.
The privations they endured, the institu
tions they established, and the success
to which they attaine'd In laying founda
tions upon which to erect the highest or
der of family, community and state life
Is something which has but recently de
ceived the attention which Its superior
character deserves. The Oregon Histori
cal Society has begun the work of collect
ing material that Is yet In existence In
documentary records, and rpminiscimt
narrative from survivors of the early set
OF THE WORLD
j
tlement of the Willamette Valley. Every
lover of Oregon will be deeply Interested
in the accomplishment of this work, and
find In the quarterly publications of this
society much that will enlighten and stim
ulate admiration for the character or
those early settlers.
Our forefathers who came In the May
flower and established a settlement on
this continent came as the subjects of
Great Britain, to settle upon territory to
which the mother country held undisput
ed title. The first settlers In the Willam
ette Valley knew not what the termina
tion to a controversy between England
and the United States might be concern
ing title to all that region west of the
Rocky Mountains and north of Califor
nia. Undaunted by such a situation, they
took claims and went to work like the
true representatives of a democratic gov
ernment, not doubting but they would ul
timately be taken Into the sisterhood of
states and become a part of tho American
Union. In 1843 when there were but a
few hundred settlers nearly equally di
vided between Americans and those hold
ing allegiance to other governments, a
Provisional Government was established
by a small majority agreeable to the dem
ocratic policies of the United States ovr
those of other nationalities. This win
loyally sustained by the Americans and
respected by those of other nationalities.
Thus, for a period of nearly six years
the settlers maintained a little democracy
of their own until the settlement of title
and the act of Congress of 1819 providing
a territorial form of government went in
to effect. In all these proceedings there
was a devoted loyalty to the spirit of
equallty among men and the right of
choosing forms of worship suited to their
own conscience and intelligence. Various
sectarian jealousies were apparent, but
they met these by diplomacy so skillful
that a spirit of fraternity was fostered
where bitterness might have been.
Development of Institution!.
We are justly proud of the Willamette
Valley and her institutions, but we must
not forget the heroic and sterling char
acter of her beginnings. Existing con
ditions, from the formation of the tlrst
government to tha present time, afford
all necessary evidence that, while the set
tlers of this valley were bending their
backs toiling for the requisite shelter and
the means of sustenance for themselves
and their families, their minds were also
struggling with the problems that should
determine the moral, social and commer
cial destiny of the people who had, or
might In time to come, choose a home
among them. Opposition was. and always
will be, met against a policy so gener
ous by those whose only mission in life
seems to be to keep things just aa they
had them when they were young; bqt this
did not deter the laying of the founda
tions of our institutions, or their support
by those who knew that the American
youths would require better things just
as fast as they came In sight.
As the needs of the settler grew into
the noeds of tho community, and then
tho state, cities and villages equal to
the demands of a thriving people sprung
into being, churches were organized and
fraternal societies were established In
the Willamette Valley before Congress
assumed to prescribe and administer the
laws. Today there is probably no place
in the world where Institutions for the
moral, fraternal and Intellectual develop
ment of the people hold so large a per-
centage of the population In their mem
berships. The school, academy, college
and university came as fast as there
were children and students to need them.
These are so distributed that no place
Is far remote from the enjoyment of their
benefits. From liberal sowing and care
ful cultivation, a civilization has grown
up which Is remarkable for symmetry In
all Its parts. Tho teacher, philosopher
and scientist Joined hands with the forces
In agriculture, mechanics and the arts,
thus perfecting a harmonious union,
which will continue to conquer all ob
stacles limiting human knowledge or op
portunity. What once seemed Insur
mountable obstacles to the settlement
of this region have all been overcome by
people who think while they toll. En
gineering skill has scaled or tunneled
through mountain ranges to reach a re
gion of such vast productive capacity.
The Atlantic and Pacific are bound to
gether by bands of steel and the elec
tric cable, and we are brought Into com
munication with all parts of the world.
Modern Tendencies in Oregon and
the Nation.
Industry, under Intelligent direction and
Integrity of purpose, has accomplished
what in any other time previous to the
last half century would stand among
the wonders. There seems to be an
Inevitable destiny attending the activi
ties of Amorlctn brain and muscle which
no man may assume to change or hiu
der. The union of forces that have .bean
developing the resources of this valley
will continue until 10 husbandmen will
flourish where now there Is but one. The
vaht timber resources which were once
considered worthless for want of mar
ket are receiving official care to protect
them from the ravages of the hunters'
and cimpers torch. The mineral wealth
of our hills and mountains will be
brought forth by a union of capital and
labor, which Is everywhere making tho
discovery of Its presence.
Our Increasing commerce Is attracting
the attention of Congress, and demand
ing the Improvement of our rivers and
harbors, enabling the ships of the world
to anchor within them and receive the
cargpes prepared by our Industry from
the vast resources of the Northwest, for
distribution to all parts of the world. To
any one disposed to regard the signs of
tho times, this is no optimistic picture.
At the northern limit of this valley, the
great commercial city of Portland, with
an enterprising population of 100,000 peo
ple, has grown under influences before
enumerated, bringing It into its position
among the great export cities of the
Union. Herp we are placed In touch with
the activities of the world through a daUy
newspaper which has but few equals In
America, Iri discerning and supplying the
needs of the people with a knowledge of
the Important Bvents of each day. What
the future may bring forth Is clearly
foretold in activities and conditions re
sulting from the Irrepressible tendency of
American enterprise to develop resources
and have something to selL The great
commercial Interests of this Republic are
beginning to look westward from our
shores for routes by which to reach the
markets of other continents and islands.
These are tendencies that are awakening
the Industrial Interests of this Nation to
an understanding of the necessity of an
isthmian canal to meet the demands of
a mighty commerce between the west
coast of the United States and Oriental
countries, which now seems one of the
assured conditions of the future. Some
may yet be disposed to resist Its construc
tion because It would be chiefly beneficial
to the Interests of this coast, but that
delusion will soon pass away whpn man
ufacturers Oi. the products they buy from
us, and the merchants distributing tha
goods we buy from them, discover the
necessity of either moving their manu
factories and warehouses to this coast,
and shipping through our harbors, or
building that canal, even though they are
required to build It themselves.
Iotv I the Time for the Homeaeekcr.
Conditions resulting from Influences now
In operation are speedily carrying us on
ward to & realization of our magnificent
re-sources and enlarging opportunity.
"Where rolls the Oregon and hears no
sound save Its own dashing" was appro
priately written three-quarters of a cen
tury ago, but now we hear the Inspiring
sounds of human activity constantly
swelling in volume by the instruments' of
Industry and commerce, moving In obedi
ence to the demands of Increasing popu
lation and production. There never was a
more auspicious time than the present.
and no place of which we have any knowl
edge that offers greater inducement for
settlement than Is offered here. Here Is
a situation that Is fast becoming more
central In the business intercourse, that is
rapidly growing between the nations of.
the world. Here we find a civilization
abreast with the best thought of the
world, ready to do Its part in lifting all
mankind to higher .standards of charac
ter and usefulness. Seekers for homes
where they may secure them at a price
that must certainly advance under the de
velopment which is going on. a place
where they may secure religious, Intel
lectual and social advantages of the high
est standard, can find no other place
whero their desires can be so nearly filled
as in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
S. M. YORAN.
Eugene, Oregon.
BENTON COUNTY.
Wide Ranee of Productive Pursuit
Offered to the Honicseeker.
Benton County, comprising an area of
440.000 acres of land, lies in the center
of the famous Willamette Volley. To the
north is Polk County; to the south is
Lane. The Willamette River, navigable
for 40 miles above Corvallls, the county
seat, forms the county's eastern bound
ary, and the summit of the Coast Range
mark3 Its western limit.
From the river the land stretches In
bottom land of sandy loam and prairie
of black alluvial deposit back from 10
to 20 miles to the foothills, then rises over
hillside and bench lands of brown and
red loam to the high mountains. Tho
silicious matter of all Benton County soils
is basaltic, and as basalt bears a majority
of the constituents requisite to fertile
soils, it follows that our lands- have a
natural and abiding fertility. Under her
favorable conditions of soil and the In
comparable climate, common to the entire
valley, Benton offers to tho intelligent
and energetic man an exceedingly wide
range of productive pursuits.
Agriculture, the chief Industry of our
people, Is engaged in throughout the coun
ty. Wheat, oats and barley yield from
20 to 60 bushels per acre of very plump
and. heavy grain, oats not Infrequently
weighing over 40 pounds to the bushel.
The crop of these cereals for 1001 aggre
gated considerably over 1.000,000 bushels.
Corn grows luxuriantly and much of It Is
raised for silage and green feed, but as
a grain crop it is not widely grown. Hops
of the finest quality are grown at the
minimum cost. Four hundred acres of
yards In the county produced last year
about 250,000 pounds of cured hops, all of
which rated first class. Experiments with
flax show this plant to give a remark
able growth of straw, carrying a fine,
soft fiber of excellent quality for tho
manufacture of fine linens.
The clovers and grasses grow remarka
bly well and yield Immense crops. It Is ngt
uncommon for a farmer to harvest four
tons of clover hay to tho acre. A field
of 40 acres a few miles south of Corval
lls yielded last year 120 tons of hay and
160 bushels of seed, the product of the
field being worth approximately 51SQ0. An
other farmer grew 108 tons of timothy
hay on 20 acres, and sold the product at
a figure which yielded him ?59 4u per acre
for the 20 acres.
Potatoes grow to perfection and in fa
vored localities yield from 300 to 500
bushels per acre. Field root crops, such
as mangels, carrot3 and turnips, produce
from 20 to 40 tons of excellent stock feed
to the acre. Garden vegetables of all va
rieties produce excellent crops of supe
rior quality.
Tho horticultural interests of the coun
ty are large. All the fruits of tho tem
perate zone are grown Here with a pro
fusion which astounds the man from the
East or Middle West. The leading com
mercial varieties of apples, such as the
Spltzenherg, Spy, Baldwin, Ben Davis,
Red-Cheeked Pipln and Rambo, grow to
full maturity and have excellent color
and flavor. These bring top prices in the
markets of the world. The pear find
here a moet congenial Jiome. Our Bart
letts and Fall Butters are prime for des
sert, and for canning and Winter use the
Winter Nellis is superb. Cherries yield
abundant crops of excellent fruit. The
Oxheart. Royal Anne, Black Republican,
Governor Wood and Late Duke produce
excellent results. Plums of all klnd3 grow
In the greatest abundance.
The principal horticultural interest of
the county is prunegrowing. There are
In the county 1300 acres of bearing or
chards, valued, with the accompanying
evaporating and packing plants, at 5300.
000. The leading commercial varieties of
this fruit are the Italian and the Petite.
The Benton County Prune Company har
vested last year from their 156-acre or
chard 25,000 bushels of green prunes. The
crop of this fruit for the county last year
was approximately 150,000 bushels.
Peaches and grapes do well In favored
localities, and all kinds of small fruits
grow In the greatest profusion.
The topography of the countryt charac
ter of the soli and abundance of vegeta
tion, all contribute to make the condi
tions ideal for stockgrowlng. Herds of
cuttle are found everywhere throughout
the county. There were sold out of the
county last year about 2000 head, worth
160,000, and the numbor still remaining In
the county Is 5561, worth 5100,000.
An excellent type of all classes ot
horses are grown here, the conditions
being especially favorable to the develop
ment of horses with superior feet and
limbs, as well as plenty of energy and
great power of endurance. There are now
In the county 2011 horses, worth ?100,
000. A few days since a team of draft
horses, sold In Corvallls for ?40O, and
a span of roadsters brought ?50Q.
That there Is money in good horses goes
without saying.
Sheep do well and are found to be very
profitable. A flock of ewes can be count
ed on for 100 per cent Increase annually,
and some flocks gave last year as hgh
as 150 per cent. It Is not uncommon for
growers to clear from 50 to 100 per cent
each year on their Investment In sheep.
.The number of sheep in the county is
25.000. worth 575,000.
The brush lands of the valley and moun
tain slopes are the natural habitat of
the Angora goat. These are very profit
able to the farmer as weed and brush ex
terminators, and at the same time they
yield a handsome annual Income from
their mohair and Increase. Benton Coun
ty has the largest flocks and best graded
goats In the state.
To the dairyman this county offers Ideal
conditions. Our mild Winter weather
eliminates the necessity for large amounts
of food to keep up the heat of the ani
mal's body, while the cool days and nights
and comparative absence of Insect pests
enable the cow to expend her energies
naturally In the production of milk, rather
than In an unnatural fight against adverse
weather conditions and swarms of In
sects. The warm, moist climate insures
abundant and nutritious pasture most of
the year, while the cultivated land yields
large crops of leguminous plants, rich In
the essentials of milk production- and
making excellent silage for Winter feed.
Throughout most of the county there is
an abundance of the purest water fur
nished by sparkling mountain streams and
perennial springs, and where these are not
accessible, good well water Is found at
a depth of 20 to 40 feet.
The milk product Is free from unde
sirable taints and flavors and exception
ally rich In butter fat. An average of all
the tests of the Corvallls crca-mery for
last year showed nearly 4 per cent of but
ter in the milk brought In. Many only
fairly graded cows yield from 250 to G00
pounds of butter per year, and some ex
ceptional milkers yield 350 pounds. Butter
prices range from IS to 30 cents per
pound; cheese from 12 to 15 cents, the ex
treme prices prevailing for about the
same length of time. From this data it
will readily appoar that a single cow will