Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1890 — From Far Off Oregon. [ARTICLE]

From Far Off Oregon.

Ed. Republican:—With your permission I will say a few things through your paper to its many readers, about Western Oregon, our new home. By the term “Western Oregon” is meant the 17 counties lying west of the Cascade mountains. This region includes the great Willamette Valley, the Umpqua Valley and the Rogue River Valley, besides the Coast range of mountains and the Coast region. The Willamette Valley is about 60 miles wide on an average and 130 miles long, extending from the Cahpooias range of mountains in the south to Portland in the north, and contains nearly five million acres of choice prairie land. The Wi Ilamet'te rivhr fioWH from south to north and is navigable for 125 miles. There are numerous small tributaries leading into this main river, all together making a system of subirregation which makes anything like a failure ifi a crop impossible. The prairie soil is of decomposed volcanic substance, with a clay sub-soil. Everything that will grow in the garden spot of Indiana, save corn, will grow here to perfection and in rich profusion. Wheat often yields from 40 to 65 bushels to the acre, and of the finest quality, often weighing 68 pounds to the measured bushel. What is said of wheat is true of all small grain. All the grasses thrive in great abundance also. Hops are an important product and often yields 2000 pounds per acre. Vegetables and fruits of all kinds cannot be excelled anywhere in flavor, size and perfection. The foot-hills constitute a belt of rolling land extending entirely aiound the prairie and verging into the

mountain slopes. They are-cover-ed with small growth timber and are used for grazing lands before they are cleared. Lying betwee i the upper and lower frost belt, these lands are especially adapted to fruit culture; The heavy timber belt, lying upon the mountain slopesthff On spades and Coast range, is perhaps 20 miles wide for the whole length of the valley. These immense forests are largely inaccessible as yet, but doubtless will be developed as the demand increases. The Umpqua Valley is all that region lying on each side of the Umpqua river, which flows from the Cascade mountains to the Pacific Ocean. In early days stock raising was the sole industry, but now agriculture is making rapid headway. The Rogue River Valley lies across the southern part of Western Oregon, extending from the Cascades to the Coast, the entire length of Rogue River. This is a most beautiful and fertile Valley, being especially adapted to fruit culture The valley is narrow and the mount??Trp nr ench sido very high, so that the prospect from the confer of the valley is Alpine. We visited some friends at Ashland. This a beautiful little city of 3,000, in the Rogue River Valley, nestling at the foot of the mountains. Ashland has splendid water vyorks, supplied by the little creek which rises in the mountains 10 miles away at an altitude of 7,500 feet. The water being melted snow is like ice-water, pip--ed into every ones house and door yard. Ashland has electric lights; good schools; numerous churches; two newspapers; excellent hotels and banks. There is fine water power here. Ashland creek runs through the centre of the city. Woolen mills, Flouring mills, Saw and and Plaining mills do considerable manufacturing. Fruit culture is the cheif industry of the

city. Page & Son. of Portland, have a large packing and shipping business here. Grants’ Pass, the seat bf our Annual Conference, is a hew place of 2,000 inhabitants. Its chief in-dustry-kiumber trade. The large sash and door factory runs day and night the year around, and employs frdm 90 to 100 hands. Salein is a very beautiful city. It is situated on the Willamette River 52 miles south of Portland. The streets are a hundred feet wide and shaded with maple, elm and other ornamental trees. In addition to the capital and county buildings, here are the Insane Asylum; State Penitentiary; Deaf and Dumb school; U. S. Indian Training school; Orphan Asylum and school for the blind. There are five public schools; the .Willamette University, with an attendance last year of 450 students; and an Academy of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic institution. There are 13 churches, a fine court house, numerous banks, good hotels, in short every modern convenience for living. All the industries are growing. McMinnville, our home, is a beautiful city of 2,500 inhabitants, the county seat of Yam Hill county, acknowledged to be the best county in the Willamette Valley. In 1879 when the railroad was built, this was a-little inland town. But the building of the road gave the town an impetus which has not yet died out. In 18§7 the county seat was changed from Lafayette to this place, and on the first day of J anuary, 1889, a fine gray stone court house was completed and the records moved in. The present Clerk and Recorder are ex-noosiers, and very tine men. We have a splendid public school witlr 8 grades and fine High school. This county is Republican, I am glad to state. I should like to say somethingabout our journey, the sights we saw etc., but I dare not take more of your valuable space now. I wish my old friend D. J. Thompson to know that finer Trout, Elk, Deer. Bear, and a more hospitable people cannot be found, than here. Yours Truly,

J. T. ABBETT.

McMinnville, Or., Sept. 11, ’9O.