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About Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1846)
I E- h I i M m &bF THE SPECTATOR, W. a. T VAILT, KDITOIL Oregon City, Thursday, Feb. 19, IN 10. WILLAMETTE RIVER. It will probably bo interesting to many, and particularly so to those who anticipate visiting Oregon at some future time, to know something f the Willamette, the Great Falls of which arc now so rapidly coming into no. tice, and to learn something of the ineny cities that are pringing up in the neighbor hood of.thc most important water privilege west of the Ilocky mountains. The Willamette river takes its rise in '.lie California mountains, in almut 4.1 degrees of north latitude ; its course is nearly north, winding through leuutiful fertile prairies, now and then skirted by lofty forests of lit, pine, and cedar, receiving many considera ble tributaries both on tin: cast and we-t all of which have traversed their whole length through a rich and fertile country, and, in many places, we might say, bounded with beautiful and lu.uiriont meadows, encircled with the lofty fir, and interspersed with beau tiful groves of oak. But to describe the Willamette in its de. scent, time and space will not permit u to enter minutely either into a description nf the river or the country adjoining. On arriving near the Falls, " the river spread out into a wide, deep basin, and runs slowly and fily until "within a half a mile nf tluj about eighty houses, to-wit : Two churches, two taverns, two blacksmith shops, two coop, or shops, two cabinet shops, four tailor shops, ono hatter shop, uo tannery, three shoo shops, two silversmiths, and a number of other mechanics ; four stores, two flouring and two saw mills, and a lath machine One of the flouring and one of the saw mill", together with the lath machine, were erected and put in oeration by a company of Ameri can citizens, associated together under the name of the " Oregon Milling Company," .and until within a few weeks past, the Hour ing mill was conducted as a public mill, grinding for the settlers for toll; it, however, I has la-en changed from doing custom work to that o! exchange, giving a certain num ber of pounds of llour for a bushel of wheat. The mill owned by Dr. John .McLaughlin has never done any custom grinding, but e. changes flour for wheat. We arc satisfied that the march of im. provement would have been much greater at Oregon City, if nuil and paints could have been obtained sufficient to meet the de. nmnds'of the citizens. 4 On the west side of the river, immediate ly opposite the falls, the land is claimed bv Robert Moore, Ksi who has also laid rt.it . ..iff ....II. l t im. f'itf n.ul il.itiri tv-ii- , wl'tlMI mentsar'e goinu' ahead. We are informed i ' w l;""idcl, we are informed. .,n. . that Mr. Moorr has sold one half of the in- siting the ulmve, that live fu.nili.-s him terest he claims in the water Kiwcr at the ' uln-oily h.cate.l iiiiiiir.liiit.-h on tli.-S.miid. falls, to a Mr. l'almer of Indiana. From j (r ' A Subscriber," who miil.i s the in- NORTH OF TIIK COLUMBIA. We am informed by a respectable gentle, innii, w ho has just returned from exploring the north side of the Columbia river and Pugot's Sound, that the. exploring party ure highly pleased with thn country. North of the Columbia, particularly in tho vicinity of Pugct's Sound, tho country, susceptible of settlement, is much more extensive, and thu soil much better thun before, represented. Splendid prairies, surrounded with the finest of lir, pine and cedar, with a great many beautiful wuter courses, sufficiently largo for steam bout navigation, and iKNwcssing water n)verwcll calculated to proM-l uny kind of muchinnry ; of these Frazicr s, Snohomus, hiynllup, Cowlitz, Chchulun utul Nt-squiil-la, aro tho most considerable. The last named stream empties into the Sound, which TIIKTKi('L INTKM.HIKNCK. TKIIAIIli: ON WiAllll II. II. M. S. MI'lll.NTK, VS coiivmi. A sailor's lift is one of excitement, nml Jitrk is generally far more lumpy on his bri uy element, than leading the lilii of a fornix, num. Tim happy crew of the ulove ship liuve had u spell of xhnrr.foinK (or the lust two months, but to break in upon the inn. imtouy of waddling through the mud, they formed u little theatrical purty mining them selves, (the first, by lh bye tu Oregon,) and lime performed twice since the new year, sustaining lliei'v characters in the must cre.l itabh; manner, that even had Will Shnl.ri jirnrr liiiusi If li"li:d up, he could not sa nay! I'pon Tii.-mIuj the Hd inst., under the pa iromige ii'('ait;iiii llaillie and theoiru-erM.il' the ship, and before a lull and iesM-ctuLU audit-net', was pei'f.iiui.-.l the comedy nf Vm' inrk.t nl'lir Mnrriiiiii-, billowed bv the lifuvi" i in linn, and the Mayor if durrnll; and In forms one of thu best barlmrsiui the I'acil'n-. 1IVI, mi. u,,. .,, rl'o'iuii-rs lln-ir due, w Hitherto tho country has been unexplored , limt sii that we have witnessed hit ml'. bv emiL'rants wishin" to settle. ! rior acting b ihcdiih qualified "('. Dm Wp arv well satisfied, from the iiiformu tiuii received that, that region of c.ninti- ' . muliiur. W e must lint spi-al ol tin- si i hits iiliililcil li lhi-iii' lvi- .1 is r. iiiiv l-Mlllillll. 'I'll.. lllol.I'MII I "IIIIHI .1 Itlld slll north ol tlio loluiiihiii, as tur us i-ruzi.-r s i j.,,,, ))V M,-. I'.-ttiu.in. cli. it.-.l u r .tt (ilitii rier, will, in a short time, be nipulated ; his u hiding tit no- thai "M.l--ii with the cntcrorishiL' emiirunt. who niitici- ! w.i-"uir ship, iiii.I .. un in." w.i- - pates and intends M realize the u.liuiilng.-. ' "11""ll ."" '".. ..lu.ni.s w.ll .,..i ,.- , 1 , . . . i i i-n nut ii' t" till..- ii"iu i- nl i i in t"r iiiii wi ..I a location ut or neiu the harlir ..I 1 uget i... i...i.. .i ,i i...n. To show that the above eonc liisious smoothly Falls, when its velocity incre diminishes, eddies arc forme ill liower i eases, its wiiltri ' i i i .ii ' tavern, d, in which il , If" lien- to sii-, t'n- w hub- -I tb. in .I. r- t!n- hi I" -' i ' .'Mini inl.ili'iii. Tin- . I- ii.i. -i i i I" Sir ( 'bar. i alnl La.lv Ii.ii l.i-tt win ii'ih u-tiiiu.-.l. Mi- lli-.l-.-i .I k . IWiini li.-i 'i !l iiii'lil In- pr ml ol in i l,.i in l tin f.'. .inmi.' In i lin ; 1 1 1 I r.iL'i . a-i ijin-iti-. U-.l.rt- Ihi !' ii w.i asi i hi-ii . . I Ii iiioiy, a- l.i i m i . I'lil.i I nml ihil hi pari wi!l, lot it i will. lli m 111 p"Wi I's nt' this ''i ii!i lii.ill w. Ii.im ! ' tin an tru! .tilnii i :i !! and w'c w-ail-l ii'. I I .. ;i -1 :i i j i. l ! put h him . i ; . 1 1 1 1 -! a I'fii luiii. i a H'im'ji. Mi". Mb ii. as Ihn.it.i, wa.lnit -ii bail i.i ln sp'-Ki Hither Ii w Mis. I.lmil. as Ainu V, wa- ni.o U" tin ..I in hi I wa!l..ii' w.i- i-Milli'tt. 'I'll'- pail- "I f'uiiiii 'I'liiiifu r ..I 'I V'lii" 111 'Ii--. Ii Mi l. S'llie lll. .ll.ll I ' I 1 1 I. -, ni ii- ii.hs! r. -!.. c .. i .1 sii -t:i hi. il. ,i ii'l in i.. ,, u.ah Citv, laid out by Hugh Hums, F.s,,., i,. (W Kllitk,s '., j, Unu, H. mlUtl )Ul ri ; ' '" r !' '"; 'I''- - " '"" ' ross tile ; , . '. . , . . I ' ' . cat.- li K'l-sli-. (Iii i lis apiM acini i- mi its futo I wl',c,y ljHMr L' titv, and opH,s,t,. tl)lll ,. ,1UI. thnl pHlllllIllty. Jiiv lh i,(((i ,..' I, ... v., . to Oregon fefl on a lieauui time, L-iVs name. The ty. .Multnomah Lity is locuteil ul site, ii ml must, in a short citv III OCTli. our lir.srnuinlH.r, we publish. -hi..- ""..1. .w.i .- .-(gn lav bh In 1 In... 1... . r.....r I I., in.rli. .... .il.. ill .ii''iii ..ii.... in. i..i...ii.ii..'ii i I iririiiiu i.u in mi! in isiuiiiLi i.ii ii iiiiii'iii . UDtMiiiraiicn Qs we us . " cluu.-il with the . IMil.tr coiueilx name. 1 lie lulls ot tilts w.iiametle niloriis 'in. .In U'filoi- firii'lli.rrr.4 Cur llir .r'ftliill if , . - ", . . I of the citizens who have not bad an uiiimr machmerv of everv ileMirintion. to anv t-x-1 '.' tent desired; and we believe thut, in u fi-w our acquaintance with Mr. l'almer, we ,jry f,r uiHirmatioii. can h;ie bis und.-i feel warranted in saying that he will, at an .iudiii! briiihteiieil bv reiuliii'' the "lh in 1 1 eaily time, prosecute, with energy, the ereit- t.,. f the Constitution nf the Oregon I'nnt. ' inn ol machinery on the west side n the jL, .ssocialinn, as wr liiive in In-v"M-rin ! rier, unless prevented by the government hv that Constitution. In im ease will w.-. of the 1'nited States, reserving the water : kiiiivitil , violate it. We gave our r. as.ms power nt the falls. Linn City contiiins one tt( u. thought it bud iMiliey to airitate 'li- one chair manufactory, one cabinet tjc ; t. cilumns nf the Sn-ctiitni-, nml we ' 1 !r.r. i.tir. frillilnllli klii.ti mill film Utlllllll !.. .1' .1 :..!.... . .ill !... il' il... . t. J -p i.i . . ,l. .1. . I '" li '" t,in-"." .-., . - -.-j.-.. reu inn 01 ill.- saini- 'Iniiiiio sun nui n iu- water turns bad: as ir loth to make tin-1 ..... .... plunge; but is forced forward bv the watei . Mll,ll0. !m, ,,.,.,,.,. ,,, Mljr.i(.lth kllwi.i il-'"1" '" ''"'- ' lr' "- '- -'- mine rear, ano wiieiisnii nu-arei, u nu-uns upon the volcanic rocks scattered across channel, and then, as if resigned to its fate, smooths its agitated surges, and precipitates down an almost perpendicular of twcnty-live feet, presenting a somewhat whitened col. uinn." The rising mist, on a pleasant day, forms, in the rays of the sun, a beautiful Ihiw the whole forming a sight, the gra; dour of which has to be seen to be appro, ciatcd. Below the falls, for the distance of half a mile, the channel of tho river is confined by ledges of basaltic rocks to about two hun dred yards in width. About one mile below the fulls enters the Clackamas river from tin fast, which takes its rise near Mount Hood, one of the perpetual snow peuks of the Ca cade mountains. Here are the Clackamas rapids, another obstacle in the navigation of tiie Willamette; but the difficulties here pre. sentcd are of minor importance at almost uny stage nf water, the boats of the Hudson Hay Company nscend and descend with but little difficulty. From this place to the mouth of tho Willamette, a distanco of twcnty.fivc miles, navigation is good, as the tide runs up to tho foot of tho Clackamas rapids. The Willamette, running Its whole course from south to north, enters the Columbia in about latitude 40 degs. DO rnin. north, longitude 122 degs. 20 min. wost." On the cast side of tho Willamette, at the falls, the land is claimed by )r. John Mc Laughlin, who laid out Oregon City in tho year 1842. The many advantages present ed for tho growth and prosperity of a manu. facturing city, is manifest to the most casual observor. We aro informed that where Ore gon City now stands, irwus, thrco years ngo, a denso forest of fir and underbrush. The march of improvement haKbecn with gigantic stride. The city is now iricorporotcd with a population of not less than 000 souls, and I liu 'iiiur ..-pi in a i -hi years, there will In- constructed a cuual on each side of tho river, commencing r.t tho head of the falls and locked down for a dis tance nfouo mile, which improvement would afford power for the manufacturing of every thing necessary for internal purees, as well as transportation. Willi these advan tages, together with the great quuntily of timber immediately in our noighborl.noi. a heultby climate, a productivo soil, mid min erals yet to be found, we uro sanguine that the time is not far distant when wo must be. come great, and we hope, good. IiASTWAni Hound. Hugh Hums, Ksq., informs us that himself and party will leave early in March next, for tho United States. Their route will bo across the Rocky inoun. tains by way of the South Pass. Persons wishing to send east by the party, would do well to avail themselves of this opportunity. Finn ! On Suturduy the 7th instant, the plunk kilo of IV. John McLaughlin was (lis covered to be on fire, which was, however, soon extinguished by tho united efforts of the Americans, English, Irish, Kuuukas, (alias Sandwich Isluuders,) and Indians. On that occasion it was hard to tell which nation had tho reference. It was a perfect hcterogo. neous rnawof conglomerated guttural sounds. " Hiadt 'ituck!" was tho only uudiblo sound we could hear, and that wus from tho doctor himself, which means hurry! water!! Loss sustained about 1000 feet of lumber. of Oregon. The Land Law ison-unic, mid rc,irrnii. and tin- h..ns.. :. no ilouot, will lie reuil with intcicM liy miiiiN -liiual mar ! 1 . 1 1 1 h t . i limn In .'iiiniii-j I end. i-,w ry .un- ilel tin n p. tit alui'.M I. mil I...,.!- L-. ......I I... I,...- ....,. .1... ui.l....... '-. "' we e.imini M" ci.ni, i . iimm- ..,",,. , , , K'i!i.-rts us inimitalili- m . m Snml. -it ol land claims. It appears that a coim.I. U(((i) (.U ( ,,, M.1111 lllln , ,., ,, erablc business is going on in the territory mil j,,.,;,,.; Milli.e it t,.sa. w.-, v.-u .Imil.t in the traffic of laud claims. The most im. if the great l.itmi hiuis.-ll i-nuhl un as portant change of ownership we have hcunl he did. in tb mi.-ul twist ..fth.- niu-i ul.n of latelv, is that of Cam. Disum-ointmcnt be. ' i'r," i""1 1,is "rtt '""' " " '.' '' ,ft""'.' , , ,, ' , ... .. I iilllliist sent eerv ill!- into hts It Wlls thnl ing purchased by Mr. Ogden, one ol the lac ',,.. ,.,.M,.lu,.n ,....., wn, tor.N of the Hudson Hay Company. ,,!,,. v, ,, ,. j i. 1,1- faculties l,.iuU i-viir ' 71 ' i T ii- .- I so in-led uiill. Mr. Union's Sniillr w lis ahu OCTWeguv.' notice in our lust publication ,.',.. ., ' ' , , . , iii ,'"1"' '" pelleclion the gisli-s lllnl ,n that the Kistmuster general hud contra, ted ,..,, ial ,.v,. S11ll(. ,- ,M. .Inldreii with H. Hums, lw;., to curry the mail, lor lall.-.l nut '. ul ihr i.mii muhiui' .(." one triponly. from this place to Weston, Mis. I Tin- on-hi-sini was well got gp. wnh vi-ilm-., wmrl lluil l.M..r Miiili.il lit ni.v of ill.- ..Hi. H'lte, lllnl the hiiriiwilllill.1 bll'MUp. s. Messis. I'ostii.'e '''',,,l,m" !""' P'-HHian's snugs wen- highlv uppluudcd the foriner's "'Virnwgi llir irnnil" ccs, Ksi paid, would be forwarded oniy iniy corns on single si.eeis. Wlw ttl.,.tv iu M.Uiitifiill n miiiu. utul d. Wo understand the construction given by im-im-.II nieurcil the luttc'i's " .Im math' some is, thut .Mr. Hums receives the fifty given with much zest, but we would i.-cuu cents for his pay for carrying the mail. This is a mistake. The postmaster general, wi hope, will inuke better contracts than thut for the department. The terms of the contract ure : Mr. H. re coives 2.r pur cent, on tho amount of iostuge thut the department receives for sending lei. tors eust, and only fifty cents can bo char ged for a single sheet. Hai.sam. On Suturday the 1-lth instant, somn wood choppers having cut into a small sized fir tree, standing on thn town plat, they discovered that it emitted large quantities of balsam. After considerable loss, prcparu. tion was mudo for saving it. During tho duy about forty gallons wero saved. Wo huvo no doubt but tho balsam thus obtained from the fir in Oregon will hecomo valuable. mi-nil less i the sereiiuiiiig in i-lmi using pmirJerc uiiuli. We cniiclude by su ing that we wish these suppnitc rs nf the drama every prosperity and success, and hid them iml speed! (.ratified, I think, I may safely sav, in my own name, with that of the other sA tiers in Oregon, shall we be, when we shall see the "nirliiiii nM" in our infant city', aniL cntertuimneut allbrded us equal to that of rt? "Moilrxt" blur jnrbls. " lLLLA7rVN(.,0iri:il. Captain Haim.ik and the gun-room officers of IL It. M. S. Modesto, entertained ii nu merous circle at a ball here, upon Wednes day evening There wus a brilliant assem blage of tho "fair sex" of Oregon ; and al though in the fur ircxl, yet from the gay dis. play that night, wo aro proud to state that tho infant colony can lioast of us pretty fuces and handsome "figures" us the mother coun try. Dancing commenced tit H o'clock, ami it wus pleasing to sco tho tripping on the