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About Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855 | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1847)
"Mr.. AJAJf," ' -"'', l-Vv teAf-r1 lw - SL'i f' i Oregon Spectator, Z,rrmmmfhU, - Wsttaa es f iMknOabn. v. s Sanaa aSBBeBBSBl HB BSSjaBBBa BBB eBTeBBB "- r a rms-Tiui !& H. --- 1 i-i .ii - hEeaeOaaalawi . i s Waa tmeses efi Nwl rsMtaa Jlafte Om'pfaMlMMwaWlHlMtoMt rVessOisfta tOAD TO OIEOONN 4. From the crossing of the fUera Nevada to the entrance of the most dirrcl linmigranl route into Hear river valley (called Green wood's cut off.) is on a straight tine accord ing tn Mitchell's late map, shout 445 mile. The immigrant route is south of a right Hn to ab-wt the Vad of the Csje ux of Raft titer, where it crosses to the north aad remains on that Me the remainder of thr distance. To the hed of the Raft river, it taoa a straight line S0 miles-1-end by the way bilU of the rotd WO mile. The' mad from the paw of th Siera run in a southeasterly direction to Ogde.n' rtvrr about 140 miles; the first 70 mile of this distance, whieh reaches a large grav plain, n a pond road, and well sup plied with grass and water the remainder of the distance to Ogden's nvrr, which include all the long camps on the mute, is as follows. From the grassy plain above alluded to, it i 3 mile to a fine spring with sufficient grass for a camp From this it is 1" miles over a level, hut in places r. heavy road to the hot springs at the foot of ; Black Rvk ; these springs extend alone the foot of the moun tain about 5 miles and the extensive fields of grass produced by the spreading of their waters over the plain makes this a good re cruiting place after the privations suffered in srnv mg hen from Ogden's river. From the Black Rock to Ogden's river, it is about 45 mile; there arcalfcngthe road two springs at convonfiit ditanee for camps, but owing to the extreme drouth of th la41 season, but one of these atlorded sufficient grass and water for a camp, and at the other some of the immigrants could only get a mall sup ply of water for their teams, making the dis tance of H.'i mils over a level, but'iri places a heavy toad without camping To avoid this "I 'tig stretch the country north of Og. dn' nil" u as examined for about 50 mil s al-ovethe leaving point, but no grass or wa ter could be f iiind to supply the necessary camps. Tlie remainder of the road to the head of Raft river, a distance of about .TJO miles, is in a northeaocrly direction. The grass and wi'er is plenty and at convenient distances, and the road is go, lying most of the dis tance in the Ie.l green alleys along the streams. s this part o ihe country is broken into detached mountains and level handy plums, in the season of floods, the wa ters collect in larger or smaller basins, but drv up a the summer advances: the little brooks which collect m the mountains, most ly sink in a short distance form their sources. It is doubtful whether an immigrant route can be made mm h shorter than the present, as Ogden's river alone adonis a connected chain of terdant plains supplied with water- mrougn this arH region : but a trail mad may be taken over level plaint on nearly a straight line. From where Grernwood'a cut off entra the Bear river valley, U is about a N. W. course to the Soda Springs, 90 miles ; thence nearly in the same direction to Fort Mall, 00 miles. Hrre the road turns down Snake river, in a southwest -course, to raft river. A0 miles, and up Raft river, on a course nearly outh, 30 miles, to a point nearly due weat, and on a straight line, QA mileavfrom the descent into Bear river valley. Before the kcientifle mur of Capt. Frerrwnt, to the Salt Lake in I9M, the true position of this coun. try was not known, ami the reason the road has not been imnroved in ihl nan hMMtnlnm has twin mainly owing to the ignorance of tor relative position o ,n ilifterent polnta '? Hear river, ..f those who have attempted The Soda Springs, instead of being on he 1-.M parallel, nd Fort Hall a few min ulr north of jt. as laid down on the old map, ,M H. 9hm Olt,, r.) Tknlty, Am II, int. .. . km tmmi tMa trat hm In Raar rivtr valley thrw patlM satli ml mrnkk't fcrk to lai. n (fctwi ft aaiawtaa 47 aaanaaW ad af tM RMa BMbaja to a 4t aWrtea at muv Mtea W mvmmt, and Fast H from th axeMJaaef tadraatural diapoakloa to plunder, and m taw ar at nZT7ZZ cause wkkk it U --1Tn ? to -J-.tnn htet.4IaW. fNl9l MHMIM 89 BaMHM9 Uapt. V. ale fcaaaj a asoalkat aaaa tarasjgft the raat ofaaasantaJna wtat at Rear nver Uirrctly oa tha 4W parallel (tea iour- nai pafe 00) aad fraaa Use broad graasy val ley of the Koaaaua or Reed river, a coun try acariy (aval aad wall supaliad with sraaa aad water axteoda over le the forka of the. Cajesu ; there ia alae good road from Bear river valley to the nea4 of the little lake knows to the traaawra, aa Saake lake, which leave a diefaaea of k$a (aea 35 utittM a rx- . That a road niaaing nearly oa the 4'id parallel aaay be found uniting these two potata, now scarcely admits of a doubt, aad that it will be well aupeliad with the im portant requisites lor aoimaia is certain ; nd allowing 'Id mile to cover the crooka of tan road, there will yet be a saving ia dis tance ol 100 mile. It is a remarkable fact, that through all the ranges oi mountains west ol the I'mted States, there are good pasara at or near the the 42d parallel ; though no examination has been made expressly for that purpose, it baa nevertheless been fully proved by Capt. Fro ntout to be the cac in respect to the Rocky mountains, the Bear river mountains, and the Siera Nevada or Blue mountains, and the recent expedition prove the same to be the case in the Cascade range ; and as the Rogue river valley extends down the river to the Pacific, the coast range is also open on this parallel. Aa theae natural passes. Tailing upon a right line, across the continent, must ulti mately have an influence in fixing the great thoroughfare from the United States to the shores of the Pacific, it may be of iutcret to the public to know how far the southern route to Oregon departs from this parallel. As I before remarked, Capt. F. crossed the Siera north of the wagon pass, and direct--d hit course for Ogden's river, but broom- mg discouraged with the appearance of Ihe country to the eastward, he lost all hope of reaching that nver and bore off to the south ward : and as hit description of the country along the route he travelled it most accurate, it ia easy to determine the point at which the two routea come together and ?eparate. The wagon raad comet upon his route on a remarkable little stream, which from the high walls of tassalt which inclose it nar row valley, ia called the kanyon the route pass the same noted aoint to the Hot Spring at the foot of tne Black Rock. Here Capt. F. bore off to the southward, and the wagon road keep it easterly course. The arosW night after passing the Blark Rock, Capt. F. find the latitude of his camp to bo 40 do. greea 48 minute 15 seconds, being 11 min utM 45 arcoade south of the 41st parallel, 'And aa he had traveled a day and a half snath from Black Rock, it is evident that where the road leave Ogden' river, which' ia but little south of tho Kocfc, cannot u far from the 4lat parallel, those who with further to satisfy themaelvea will aee Capt. Fremont's journal, from the 90th Dec. to tha nd January inclusive. Tho curve made In the road by following down Offdea'a river to the 41t parallel, aa It .. . ... .L L... nit necessarily Increase it lengin oui SO milea, ia mora thaa oomptaaated by tha fine traveling and pasturage oa that atraaaa, and a good camp wing at aay time to be had, la of great advantage to caravaa. Though the southern route to Oregoa, aa faT aa traveling ia concerned, U aaitca au perioVto the northern route, yet uader pfaa. ent circumstance. I should nealtate te a. viae immigrante to travel it, particularly It their destination be to the northern pM of the territory. Tha Indiaae !) route not being depaadeat upon aay H establlshmenthave nothing to reetreJa taem 3Ss& eaH-itil' par iaaeerkl haahel at Uasaa. M aaaal mtmmmr-4gmt D. daiit." ,h M 7"aBatIJaiaaUiartWaeaa of the WBlaawata rfrtr, aad aaaaa f art awtwitr, aad ea,aaUfaaa. ceaaibU to shfaaang m W aTiae latter pUee. AtthUa4ae ()lamaVaaya,taeT have neaivad em t,00t kaaaata; aad ff taay deal oat eveahaaded Jtiatlat la all their eaetemera, h would be but fair te Mapaea that to otata ia goad U their ajaibwiai eat illy dieaoaad towarda aa, k reouiraa vigi. Ije to arevaat their dearedailoo.. Though ao far from aafag formidable that aartieaof 5 aad evaa 4 aaaa ka. ir..i their ooaatry ia iu whole extent ia safety and without the Idea of a aiagte article, and have sawtinrf atatioaary for weeke ia the midst of them without aeiag molaated, yet Urge partiaa of iiamigraau were not equal, ly aucceaaAil. Immigrant may embody for the protec tion of their property but from the natural repugnance with which a free people aubmit to any kind of discipline or coatrol,the duty of guarding it, whieh is iu only security, will be negligently performed or wholly aeg. lected. Aad besides (ailiag ia the object for which they unite, they will be subjected to all the tardiaeaa aad dianaaiona of a large uadiacipliaed aad dlaoordaat maaa. The diligent will be withheld from prosecuting the journey, by the slothful and indolent, more inert from the knowledge that they will not be left behind. . Far um Orsgsa SfscUtor. Ma. EotToa In the Spectator of March 4th, I noticed a communication over the aig nature of ' Obeerver,' which the writer a. turcs us is the reault of researches made with the express object of testing the accu- racy of statements which appeared in the Spectator of the 4th of February last, and the information given on every point, he as tures us may be " regarded at unquestionably authentic." One of my earliest lessons, Mr. Kditor, wa to receivo with suspicion tho statements of the individual who was tho harbinger of his honcty or correct state, menu, and I confess that observation ami ex perience has had no tendency to lessen my confidence in these earlv precepts ; he asures us that he " speaks the truth and may be unquestionably relied upon." Very well, we have his testimony and that of other individuals which we intend to furnish the public with, and leave them for their impnr. tittl consideration. In the first place, to have the public believn the H. B. Company had not received 40,000 bushels of wheat in 184C, a statement is given of tlie amount taken in at three of their granaries, only carefully avoiding two important receiving point a well as that grown on their own farmes, to wit that of Vancouver and Cowlitr. : at the latter place, I understand that between eight and nine thousand bushels waa rvcefv edon the previous year but suins wo-m re ceipta at the three granaries at 30150 bush els. We now believe the amount grown by them and purchased would be nearer 50,. 000 than 40,000 bushels. But enough up on suppositions. Again, our " unquestiona. ble authority" aaya, " I found the II. II. nnmnanv have bouffht ell their wheat at the rate of 80 oeata per imperial bushel of just 63 lb, and continue to pay ine aamo price; bm it coete them tl 15 cent per bushel before it can bo prepared for ship, meat. During my absence, aome of my friends fumuhed me with certificates with permission to use them, which will give some luht nn this aubiecl. and I shall make a few extracts from aome of them, reserving thorn s . at .!. tw He all lor tae sapec;ion i -votcner, . wishes them. Henry Buxton, jun. testifies that "he delivered to Ihe II. D. Company a araaary at Linton, last fall, 63 bushels im- aerta! measure, wss in "yr-y r arte, aat ealy for their wheat delivered at Liwtoa, bat far all wheat delivered ia a Ilka eoadkleafarsaiaatas. vBut Observer aava "taey pat aa cents for aiaa-teatfaa af tha wheat purchased atCieMeeeeV'aaa toaaew tha deception there ie aractiaaa la tab tt aeata, are propoea to bring fig urea to t aid. The H. B. Co. have a store at Oregoa Cky, and aa we have frequently heard k said, far the aocommodation of the Amaricaa mar vhaats; they hare added at this store 47 per cent oa Vancouver prices, for example com moo ooroeroy pantaloons are aoM at Van. couver, where wheat ia paid for at tha rates of 60 cents in merchandise, at t 40 aeata; but if sold at Oregoa City, SO or 4t milea nearer the farming eommuaity, where It la said 80 cents is given for wheat, they era sold for 85 00, being an advance aa before stated, of just -47 per eeat. upon Vancouver trices, ana leaving a balance against tha armer who tells his grain in Oregon Citye at 80 cent for goods, of just 14 per cent ; or in other words, if paid for at Vaaeouvar prices, where' 60 cents k given for wheat, 5 bushels of wheat will pay for them ; hat if sold at their store at Oregon Cky, where it is said they pay 80 cents, it then requires 6 J bushels to pay for them, making aa ia plabt to be seen, lea than 60 cents per bushel for nine-tenths of the whest received at the Champoeg granary. That the imperial bushel weighs just 68 pounds, we give the Rev. Mr. Griffin's testimony upon the sub ject. J. S. Griffin testifies, that be "has a sealed American measure which baa beea used frequently by hi neighbor for tha mat 3 or 4 years in measuring wheat to deliver to the H. B. Company, and on inquiring how it held out with the Company' measure, waa told that in a few instances ten bushel made nine, but in most casts, not so favorably. I have frequently weighed on a good pair of English steelyards and on scale, a bushel of wheat from my measure aad found it to weigh from GO to 0.1 pounds; to which add one-ninth of a bushel to make it equal to the imperial, and it would weigh 70 pounds." The sale price of flour at Vaa. couver, say Observer, "is H cents per jwund, or til 60 cents per banvl."' But Or. egon City U the place where thy sell their flour to the citizens of Oregon, and the first intimation the public had, that dour would bo sold at 3 cents was caataincu ia the Spec tator which published the comniuaicatioa Observer' is respoadiag to, aad the paper had hardlyiched its subacriben ia the val. ley before thexpuWic were informed that it had again risen to 4 cents ; but we hare aaaaa testimony MitneTaacouw-pricee for aVatr. Daniel Clark certifies "that in the fall of 1944V he purchased at Vancouver at least .0tt poimosoi nour, rrceinis; !" wi aa tlO per barrel, the balance at 4 eealaj par M la merahaadiae 80 cente per bushel, to ow. lag them nothing at the Uiae-algned "II. Buxtoa, jua." Mr. Hall, memhar of our last leaialature, says, i oeiiverru i -T.lTLTut mjasura to the H. B. Co'a gran- arvLlaton, fcrwWfc tftf ff. aa'r haahel n goods In the fali of 1846 lJdL. HaTUath March, 1847." An- nnnnd. naid for at the time In gold aneaUvar signed, " D. Clark." Mr. Mousey teatl. lies that ifi November and December, 1848, he purchuscd a quantity of flour, for waiea he paid 84 per hundred at tha time In aahi and silver, or if in barrels ai $10 psrkr. nl. I waa also told that the last flour ahia. prd by the H. B. Company, waa ia the month of Feb. 1846 alnoe which time, 'Observer' says none has been shipped. But we lad in he Polynesian,' of Honolulu, 16th Jan. uary, 1847, a statement that tha Vaacou- ver, ope oi ino n. w'r"; "r brings 50 barrels of flour, an article much needed here." We have never heard that their rules were violated by shipping far ..-n not connected wiia we compear. Observer' saya "the wheat deUvawaJ at vw Archanael. a dangerous voyage of front otterTand'l will atop on this subjaet Clark testifies, that in ie n D. received o . k ntonths. is sold by them there mr.4l 30 cents per bushel. ' I njfvd JfNar from a friend of oura in CallfcrnJa, by tto late arrival of ihe Toulon, wMehtaav give - itokt m tkU subiect: I awato hie la. ruase.-" Several taeasa.biisaUef wheat Ravi bean shipped from here (CaHfbrasa) to j!. iSKl!2r. ii mii mmir um ins ri71a more for whtat? WetraalaWtoM 1 m M Is.i i i! n fix ! i; ii " J- H mi i ! um m f WJZ Ha . I