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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1881)
I I "tfiLLAMfirlr. PAtlMlti MitlLAT), OUKOO.V, FEBRUARY K, lsVi. tho narrow gauge Bystj-m fin the Went aide of the river, in Vaniliill comity, nn.l this year Irna Ken itt extension from thu point of junc tion on thu Willamette to Silvcitoii, .Scio, Wntion and Hronn.villc, and survoyora aru now looking out tlio Ijett pa.s over tho Cas cades to eairy it another year in n direction to cross tho mountains and make a connection v itli the Nevada Northern at tho State line, nuar Ooosu Like. Tho company's lino to I'ortlaml, on thu West sido of tho Willamette, in on thu in.il, 'mt ""' 'et constructed. At present its commerce with tho metropolis is by means of a lino of steamers on tho Wil lamette to where tho river is to bo bridged, at the junction, anil tho stein lino to I'ortlaml will lie push il through to a speedy comple tion another year. Tho Willamette river is navfgablo at high water as far up as Kugciic, and generally through tho winter to Harrisburg, and oirers n cheap way of transportation liy btcamlioats. J t will Im wen that this valley, forty miles wide, has four railroads ami a navigable, river through itsbest comities, and competition In tr-)lisHirtntion seems to ho permanently cer tain. The river Mas obstructed by abrupt falls, at Oregon City, twelve miles above I'ortlaml, where the hills eloso in and tho liver hoi lied its way through a run row gorgo. This obstruction has been obviated liy tlio construction of a ship canal ami locks, mado nt great cot with masonry, or cut through wilul rock, liy this means steamboats can pay icasonahlo toll for freight actually carried, nun coinpciitinn Is nuureil. lliU great wort has saved Vu farmer of tho Willamette Vol Ivy alieady, during ten yearn, an iminvusesuin in cheapening transportation. IHH'III.AX COU.NTV, South of tho Willamette, Valley, after pass ing by easy grades over tho Calipooia rango that forms its southern boundary, which is covered with magnificent flr forests and con tains much laud that will eventually bo valu able, thu Oregon and California llnilroad winds ilou n into the great Umpmia Valley, which is a region distinct from all others and jMissessing especial valun for tho production of sheep and wool, This county contains 3,700, (HK) acres ifaiea, and has half that quantity of surveyed laud. It covers tho region drain ed by tho Unqiqim river and its tributaries, and extendi to the ocean, but its availahlo lands are found lack from the. ocean chiefly, ns thu UniKu,i reaches thu sea by passing a fearful canyon, wheio it euU its way through thu coast nuigo. l'or its full width of 7 mile tho railroad and stage io.ul pas among Ix'autifill hill and romantic valleys. Coming down from thu Culipnoi.i rango wo enter tho Youealhi Valley, which is one. of thu most beautiful and frit il.i spots in tlio .State. Tho valleys are numerous, though not extensive, and are well cultivated, and tlio bills aro cov eted with scattering oak groves that struck us In '51, when wo wero Irrsh from Kastcm States, with their rcsninhlance to many old New Imgland applu orchards. Kvcn then tho especial Lvuity and fertility irf Yoncalla valo had caused tho Applogato brothers, to well known as Oregon pioneers, to maku their bonus tliero to en .'ago in stock raising. To day tho Uinpqtia alley has but ten thousand inhabitants, while it is larger than at least two Kasti m States and has resources to sup port n heavy population. Tho region may bo ilcciih.d as hilly, but tho hill soil is rich and lasting, while thu valleys that nestle contin uulK mining theau hills posneis every beauty iwtiiio can give mid aro adapted to thegrowth of ult tho cereals, including corn, which ripens with moro certainty than in tho Willamette. Since tho railroad has Ih-vii completed wheat farming has grown in importance and it will lie keen that Douglas county harvest a largo rop of oats. It also stands third in produc tion of hay. Tho stock interests aro para mount. Sheep husbandry is especially adapt mI to this region. After his vico-1'rtsidciitial campaign in I NIC General Jo Lono retired to h:s ranch in the bills of tho Umpqua ami do voteil himself to sheen raising, The ox ccllciico achieved by Umpqua breeders Is nhownby the fact that Umixpia wool rates at tho highest prico paid for wool on this coast. It commands 'J to ,1 cents a pound moro than Willamette Valley wool, and 8 to 7 cents a iouiid moro than wool grown in ICastcm Oregon, l'roltably this excellence is dun both to good breeding of sheep and ex cellence of tho native postures. There aro many ipiito wealthy men in Douglas county, made so by farming and stock raising. Lauds can lw purchased in favorably locations for a very reasonable price, and stock mnges can bo wvured for those who prefer that business. The are of unsettled government land that has been surveyed is quite largo. This valley has especial attractions tj the farmer, and the f i uit grower cannot but like it. Karly vegeta bles come to tho 1'ortland maiket from there and command a good price. Tho railroad is completed to Itiueburg, w hich Is tho county seat and a very thriving place, with cxtentive trade. Along the railioad aro Drain's, You uilla, Oakland, Wilbur, Itiueburg, uul on the stage iwvl south aro Myrtle Creek and Can Vimville. Scottsburg is at the head of navi gation on the Umpqua river and the town of (iarduer is at its mouth. There are other thriving towns in tho county. We canu'it give in a brief sketch anything liko a complete ldi of the importune wf this great valley or ilepict its topographical features. Wo havo manv tuhicmier.i their and know that thev no stirring and thriving' people a.i I h.uc u couhty possessing woitikiful rcsuui ics. hol'iiikiin our.no.v. We have paid little attention to the pre cious metals that are found in thu Willamattu counties and to some extent mined for in tlio Cascado range, but wo aro coming to a part of tho State that has turned out millions of gold in the past ami will be scientifically mined in tho future. Mines aro found in Douglas county, and gold placers have I Ken worked there. Also thcro is a commencement of development thcro in tho direction of gold qusrtz ledges, and wu hear of rich prospects in thu Ciunab.ir mines. Coal is found in Douglas county, lately dis covered, said to possess especial value. South of tho Umjjcjiia mountains we como into tho Itnguo ItlvCr Valley, which is both a rich mining and farining'region, l'lacer mining is earned on extensively in Jackson and Jose phiuu counties, ami Jackson county hns the agricultural portion of Koguu lliter Valley within its limits, Jackson count v has a fair sharo of sheep and cattle, and ini'-e.s some of the best horses to be found on tho Pacific Coast. Jacksonville and Ashl.iml aro very thriving places, and at tho latter n woolen factory is in siicccsiful operation. The eli mato of Koguu Kivcr Valley is wanner than tho UmiHiua. so that com. snruhiiui. peaches and graiies succeed very well, Tho counties south of tho Uinpip.it aio not really tributary to tho Columbia river to any great extent, and do not como diicctly within the scope of our purpose, which is to describe in n scries of articles thu Columbian region, Tho con struction of tho railroad through Southern Oregon would wakothat section to life and prosperity, whilo as yet they aro dependent chiefly on a homo market and tho demand from tho mines for salo of their products. The stock interests have great iinpoitaucc, because they can bo driven to market. LAN I S Oft'KllKI) lllll M.M.K. llesidcs the Government lauds which arc oiTcred on tho usual terms, and constitute the great bulk of lauds unoccupied, it must be re membered that tho Stato of Oregon was en titled to two re'ioni in cjcIi tow i.ship for support of common schools, ami also to GOO, 000 acres granted originally for aid of public improvements. Tho State ins n No a universi ty land M-ant, lands granted for tho Agricul tural College, Salt Springs, swamp lauds and tldo and overflowed lauds, constituting in tho nggregato millions of ncrc.i, which have been elected ami located by tho State and aro now offered for sale at Prices ranging from $1 l!S to $'J 00 per aero. We cannot givo all paiticu lari in this issue, but allude to it tl'crcnt classes of lands so that any stranger who sees this paper can have a general idea of tho sub ject. Tho Oregon and California Itallroad Com pany havo also a large laud grant which they offer for sale at prices averaging $'J CO an acio for tho best, Tli'ir lands extend through for two hundred miles south of I'ortl.ind, to Itoseburg, covering the odd lections of a ter ritory varying from (JO to 80 miles w ide. Tho grant was made in lSOO uild as the liest valley lauds had been claimed More that time by actual settlers, the grant to k only unoccu pied portions, am) mostly His in tho foothill regions of tho C.ucado and Coast mountains. Wo shall allude again to these lands moro particularly. While thu company's lauds me rather remote and gi nei.illy hau to lio clear ed of moio or le timber or undergrowth, we know by personal ex p. nemo that they possess great value fur sentiment. Land grants covering three sections to the mile, have, Wn innde to several wagon load companies One bads from The Dalles south and through tho Illuu mni-.iitaiiis towards lloise City, in Idaho; another road inns from Kucene, across tlio Cascade mountains by t!iu Middle 1'ork of the Willamette, and south to tho Klamath tvuntry, then follows Spingiiu ltiver Valley to tho cast Still another hind grant 'overs a lino from Albany over the Cas cade rangu by way ef I.elumm and Sweet Home, cnukis inubllo Oiegou ru.l to the Idaho line, a tlistaucu of over .'WO miles. These grants now belnnif to piivatu individu als or iorK, rations and aie held puicly on peculation. A 'ami grant also lies on the wagon road constiuctcd over the coast range, between Conallis and Yaquiuu Ri), in lieu ton county, Theiu may be other grants we do not call to mind, i.vnp.s sriivKvr.n s rxcmni. The following table is made up from state ments kindly made by he liegister of the U o. i.aniui!iceaiiircgoii.-,y,iu. ,,--, iLiiiii, and by W. K. llenjainl.i, Im., ItegUteruf the U. S. Land Ollico at llu.elu:gi IWlltotl, . . ll-ukimu, . CtsUop. CtuuibU,. IKiu.'Ik Lsus IJnn Al-uloil, ..... ilullu lush... folk ,.,.. Tltlsaioek . . WuhlllgldO... VsualU TuUlArtL(nit ll'hun)'M!tiV I i,iu;,uo nv.nu .J,0 9V,0l S,7li,er) I.lM.K 0 7M) l., d.00J ll,l J,01i,e..i 137,e-o ts,eoe TJt , JlTK. l.lNi.- I..i. ll,lV t74.e.0 t07,C.O acs.'ioo K,vuO lM,niji;,f.i H'l.e0h,is.0) 5tVvll ,ei ti,m n. ,uki l,v'6,mi iO'.ivii l,7iv.ivi wn.uv IIJ,(k(MiJ,,UO ll. l.tS,'4)l n.v lil,u 37,l IW.IVO iw,ui "IMs V 1,0110 ui,iMll.-J,tAJ jionnrs for draft. I Mr. Jerry l.uckv, u Lino county farmer, is j!-o a Wco county stock-grower, and has a ni'i -h l"-ar I'li-iesxilln, in liastcni Oregon, at Uie hc.i watn ; of tho Deschutes river. He expresses. .urp'. o at tho gteat Advancement mado in our State during tho past eight yearn In the breeding of heavy work horses and bo is well posted on stock matters. During that eight years tho hurso men of this valley have seen S. (!. Heeds' trail Clydesdale stallions brought here from Scotland, and Washington county has had the liencllt of their pretence. ' W. C. Mycr, of Jackson county, has favored thu upper counties by bringing from tho South his magnilicciit 1'eix'heioii homes, White I'lince, (leiiiral I'linry, nnd 1'iideof l'erch, which wero impoited from lYnnee; and G'riciwn and I'ngh went back to tho valley of tho Clyde and brought hero Merry Mnsonnud Itob ltoy. Thei-u were all choice Miim.ils of tliuir race, mid as if to cap the climax. Major lliueo bought his grand stallion, (ilcu Kid, at I'liilaiklphia, whciuitwas one of tho pri?u winner at tlio Centennial. Mr. Lucky has in llaeon's stable in this ilty, waiting transporti tion to liistein Oro son, n gland bono ho purchased of Mr. A. Dodge, of Lebanon, Linn county, for .1, II. Lafollct mid his son, friends of the Taumkh over in Ochoeo Valley. Mr. Wallet has Ih'Mi breeding Noi man hones for yean past and hss now a line lot of well bred work males mil Mr. Luckv his (elected for him lllnck I'rlnce, of Knglish Draft stock, weight 1, 7M pounds and height 1(1 bauds, .'I inches, lllack I'lince is u daik brown in color, long liodied, well tinned bead mid neck -not too large and his frumo woik is stout enough to hold up the temple Sampson tore down. His legs look like thu pillais of Hercules on old Span ish dollars mid nre as shaggy from thu knees down as a liear. He is a magnificent speci men of old lliitish draft stock and his progeny in Limi comity cinco D7S speak his breeding qualities. This horse was I mi Killed to Cali fornia from Kucliiid in lbT.'l bv David Luso and was brought to Oregon by Mr. A. Podge, of Lelmiion, in 1S7S, so lie has made threo iiasous in Linn county. Wo could extend our account of grand draft stallions indefinitely, for thcro aio many, such as IMiiionUon, Kedmond, and many others who own stallions of heavy draft in this valley, and during thu past season we have ntorded tho arrival of many fust-class work stallions, many of whom went up tho river for 1 -is tern Oiegon and Washington, but wo uainu a few to illustrate our improvement. ,Iu addition to these large bleeds our Statu has very many stallions classed tui "horses of all work," and "roadsters," that produce a class of stock needed for ordinary farmingand road woik, that como up to thu best qualifica tions known for that purpose. Of course our breeding mires that now como on thu stage show-tho rll'cct of Xo. 1 sites and we shall rank higher than ever in horse bleeding as a Statu from henceforth. Hunch grass ranges, ICast of tho mountains. produce horses without a dollars' cost from the dav they aio foaled until they aro icady to break, and better horses inter glow than this bunch grass country makes. Witfiinafewycarslt basbecn found that hor se are in a measure natural to the bunch grass country and tbeio are now many iicuoiis who own largo lands of horse mid make a ocial ty of tho business. The bono usually Win- tela well, evtu if he has occasionally to paw nway the snow to get at the dry grass, which cures when it dues und piesirves its nutri tious qualities idlwiutcr.a fact wu hvlicvotruo only ot this variety of native, grata. Kasttrii hoi so men arc constantly bringing good stal lions into the Willamette Valley, which is tho br cdiug ground for good stock of thu whole Columbian rigiou, or they are importing them dliect from California! this insures steady im provement in thu produce, which In many cases commenced with Indian mares, or halt breed fillscs, VALUE OF BEAVER DAM LAND. licavirtoii it sitiutnl on thu West Side railroad, a few miles from I'ortlaml, on thu nlgo f Washington county, and derives its name fioui ll0 acres of rich liottam laud caused by the 1 burs of the hcawr in past ayes. Some of this laud is in gcod cultivation and all of it Las Uei well drained atgieitex peiKu. and i.s cum nt value is. fJOO an aero. Mr. Tuiker, of litate'itou, an old sul&crihcr, during a liuiiu-i cell avo us valuable infor mation ot his m:.-,'i-i. in cultivating this land, of which ! e owns ten ai re , and as there Is siuh l.ii.d to le found in eveiy direction in ti.is vultry, the same will Lo useful to those fin tuiijtt- in bung its owners, most of whom nunly utili.e it lor pasturage without trying to dnii . nnd cultivate, it. Like Libisli, near Sab in. mut haxu oer a tlious.ind acres of such h.nd in one Wly, merely a swamp in which tattle fir I and browse on the swamp growth of bushes. Mr. Tucker my l:o bas-cut four tons of bay to the aero on th.s gia s, but it is too rank to btft'f lint quility, and stock do not relish it as well as g'ii growu on other and dryir, as well as less futile land, and it sells for about $2.00 ton le4 prico tlun good timetby hay. OBEaOH STATE FAIR. Tho board of inanagen ol tho Oregon Stato Agricultural Society met in Salem last weak. Members wero in attendance from all the val ley countis, and somo from dlstat portions of the Stato. Tho meeting was interesting, and the niemncn of the board Bccm to bo well pleased with tho result of thoir labors, Tho reports of tlio secretary and treasurer wo prcseutcd, read and referred to tho finance committee! but as tho latter was only given to the board on the last day of adjournment thu finance commlttco wero compelled to take homo both reports and accompanying papers nnd documents, to that no summary of them can bo given here. Tho secretary, howover, informs mo that tho total receipts of tho fair of 1SS0 were ?I8,M3 somo cents about 8-1000 over last year. Gi.to receipts wero $ 10,0.10 mid some cents. Tho speed prograinino was thoroughly revis ed, and while thu tiiifmcn will profit about the same, a usual, yet, by tho arrangement of thu picmliims several hundred dollam, (aliout $800) wero saved to tho society. Tho prcmiurnis are free for all, with ono excep tion. Tho timo for holding the fair of 1881 was fixed from Wednesday, Juno Stllh, to Wednes day, July (1th, to include a celebration on tho Hfi of July. Liberal premiums wero offered for tho ex hibit of fruits, whilo those for grain in sheaf, tillered last year, weio continued. Several piemiums weiu added to division appointed fur all divisions. The premium list was thoroughly revil ed Geo. Downing, of Sublimity, was re-elected chief marshal without opposition, nnd only ac cented to gratify a special dcsiio of tho board, Ids former economical nnd satisfactory man agement having mot their hearty approval. Mr. W, II. lyowiswasolectedassistantinanhal, and it is thought ha w ill mako an cllicient and accommodating olliccr. Tho lloral exhibit for the fairof USI will lie removed from tho pavilion and placed in the lloral garden ordered by tho lioanl to bo com pleted for the exhibition of next year. A committee consisting o! Henry Miller, of I'ortlaml, S. II. Lamhvrt, of Milwaukio and the secretary of the Society, was appointed to superintend the work. Tho erection and com pletion of tlio building and enclosure is to lio let to tho lowest competent and responsible bidder. Mr. Miller of I'ortlaml, tho chairman, will havo immediate supervision Ho is nu thorirrd to procure from a competent architect in l'or'land, plans and specifications for tho floral hall ami enclosure, and when completed to secure the service of a landscape gardncr to arrange walks and licds for trees, llowcrs, etc. Tho enclosure for tho present will lie 150 feet in length by CO feet in width. Through tho centre, running tho longest was of tho grounds, will lie erected a building, so arranged a not to exclude light or interfere with walks pass-, ing through and across its foundation. Thu ground within thu enclosuro (which will bo '2 feet high) will be tastefully ornamented with trees, flowers and shruhhrvry, set out and ar ranged under tho immediato supervision of Miller. Tho lieauty of the arrangement con sists in tho fact that whilo thu exhibit of llowcrs in hols instead of upon shelves will greatly mid to this feature of tho society's ex Mbit, the growth of the trees, shrubbery, creeping vines, ke from year to year, will soon render it one of the most attractive fea tures of the fair. Tho garden will be so con nected with the pavilion as not to interfere with it cnlargemon in tho future, while tha sire of the garden iwy bo increased to any capacity which may lie desired. Several premiums on How en were added to tlio list, so as to insure the greatest attraction possible. A special premium of $200 was offered for tlio best herd of ten cattle, imported in 18S0 1, and exhibited at tho fair of 1SS1, Several resolutions were addoptcj, and new rules ami regulation made, to coisjvm to the law for tho protection of tho society, which was passed by the legislature at tho session just closed. Incident to our Climate. On thanksgiving day Hon. I. W. Coso of this city had iqiou bis table something which but very few people, in any portion of America at least, can lioast of. It waa nothing less than green corn, fresh and nice, gathered from the corn patch in his own garden. Mr. 1'. H. llagley, of Kuappa, had ripe lt.il t let t pean, the second crop from the same tree tliis year, and there aro blossoms now upon the trco for the thiol crop in I8S0. Up in I'olk county, at Lilncoln, green pe were served, fresh from the vines in the gar den of Mr, Duncan, and blackberries and strawlicrries w ere lacked. Tutting this and that together, reminded as w u are oftlie regions of' Winter beyond the lEockies can any man say, as he wanders away this beautiful day, up or down aa lie may, that he'd rather not say in Oregon ou account of tho climate. Astorun.
