Oregon, there is a range of mountains about 40 miles wide, and they are so densely timbered with cedar, pine, spruce, and fir, that the if density of the wood alone would render them worthless for an age, they were not rugged. But they are very rugged, and the Umpqua and Rogue rivers, in making their way through them, have not been able to get any bottom lands, and are limited to narrow, high-walled cañons. The only tillable lands on the banks of those rivers are about 50 miles from the sea, each having a valley which, in general terms, may be described as 12 miles wide by 30 long. Rogue River Valley is separated from California by the Siskiyou Mountains, about 5000 feet high, and from Umpqua Valley by the Cañon Mountains, about 3000 feet high; and the Umpqua again is separated from the Willamette Valley by the Calapooya Mountains, also about 3000 feet high. All Oregon—that is, its western division, except the low lands of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue valleys-is covered with dense timber, chiefly of coarse grained wood-such as fir, spruce, and hemlock. In the southwestern corner of the State, however, there are considerable forests of white cedar-a large and beautiful tree, producing a soft, fine-grained lumber, and very fragrant with a perfume, which might be imitated by mixing otto of roses with turpentine. Oak and ash are rare. Nearly all the trees are coniferous. In Rogue Valley and along the beach of the Pacific, there are extensive gold diggings. There are also large seams of tertiary coal at Coose Bay. These are the only valuable minerals in the State. The scenery on the Columbia is grand, from Wallawalla, where it first touches Oregon, to the ocean. There are five mountain peaks in the State, rising to the region of perpetual snow: Mount Hood, 13,700 feet high; Mount Jefferson, 11,900 feet high; the Three Sisters, Mount Scott, and Mount McLaughlin, all about 9000 feet high.”

The Columbia River, already described, forms the principal part of the northern boundary of the State. It receives the waters of the Wallawalla, Umatilla, John Day, and Falls rivers, east of the Cascade Range, and those of the Willamette, west of it. The Rogue and Umpqua rivers empty into the Pacific Ocean. The lower part of the Columbia forms a fine bay, and affords an excellent harbor. It is navigable to the falls for large vessels, and above them for a considerable distance for steamers. The Willamette is navigable to Portland for ships, and for 80 miles above the falls for small steamers. The Umpqua is navigable for 25 miles for small steamers, and its mouth forms a harbor for vessels drawing 12 feet of water.

There are several small lakes in the State.

AN OREGON VALLEY.

MINERALS.

Oregon is principally an agricultural State, but mining is growing in importance. Gold exists in the State. The deposits of copper are almost inexhaustible, and there are considerable deposits of coal in the Valley of the Williamette.

CLIMATE.

The climate is mild along the coast, but increases in severity as one proceeds eastward. The winters are very irregular, but are usually short and mild.

SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.

In the eastern part of the State, much of the land is unfit for cultivation. In Western Oregon, the lands in the valleys are among the most fertile in America, and produce large crops.

In 1869, the agricultural resources of the State were as follows:

Acres of improved land (estimated),

Bushels of wheat,

1,000,000

1,750,000

5,200

500,000

8,000

200,000

barley,

200,000

500,000

Oregon has some direct trade with Europe, South America, and the Sandwich Islands, but her principal transactions are with San Francisco, between which city and Portland (Oregon), a line of fine steamships plies regularly. The exports are lumber, stock, hogs, beef, butter, eggs, chickens, pork, flour, and fish. Cattle raising forms an important part of the industry of the State, and large droves are annually driven into California for sale.

Manufactures are still unimportant. The annual product does not exceed $3,000,000.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The internal improvements of this State consist of the works that have been erected by a private corporation for the improvement of the navigation of the Columbia River, and the railroads built around the falls of that stream, and connecting the successive stages of navigation. There are one or two railroad schemes on foot. The principal is that of the Oregon Central Railroad, which is to extend from Portland to the California border, where it will ultimately connect with a road from San Francisco. It has been completed from Portland to Salem.

EDUCATION.

There are three colleges in the State. The principal of these is the Willamette University, at Salem, which is under the charge of the Methodist Church. It is an excellent institution, and has an endowment of $30,000.

The common school system is similar to that of the Eastern States. The Superintendent of Public Instruction has the general supervision of the schools. The counties have each a Local Superintendent, and each district is governed by its Board of Trustees. A school fund has been established, and taxes are levied for the support of the schools. Measures are on foot for the establishment of a State University.

In 1860, there were 339 public schools in the State, with 8158 pupils.

In the same year, there were 11 libraries in Oregon, containing 5300 volumes.

The number of newspapers and periodicals was as follows: 2 daily, 12 weekly, 1 quarterly, and 1 annual, making a total of 16, with a total annual circulation of 1,074,640 copies.

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

The Penitentiary is located at Portland, and is a flourishing institution. The convicts are confined in temporary quarters, due regard being had to their safe keeping, and are required to labor on the public buildings.

Measures are being taken for the erection of buildings for charitable and benevolent purposes by the State, and as soon as the pecuniary condition of the Commonwealth will permit it, these institutions will be provided. At present the insane and idiotic are cared for by private persons at the expense of the State.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

In 1860, there were 75 churches in Oregon. The value of church property was $195,695.

FINANCES.

In September, 1868, the total State debt was $176,156. During the two fiscal years extending from September 5th, 1866, to September 5th, 1868, the receipts of the Treasury were $353,689, and the expenditures for the same period $357,116.

GOVERNMENT.

Every male citizen of the United States who has resided in the State six months, and every male foreigner who has lawfully declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, who is twentyone years old, and has resided in the State one year, is entitled to vote at the elections.

The Government consists of a Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, and a Legislature, consisting of a Senate (of 16 members), and a House of Representatives (of 34 members), all

chosen by the people. The State officers and Senators are elected for four years, and Representatives for two years. The general election is held in June, and the Legislature meets biennially in September.

The judicial power of the State is vested in a Supreme Court and five Circuit Courts. The judges of the Supreme Court are five in number, and are also judges of the Circuit Courts. They are elected by the people for six years.

The seat of Government is located at Salem.

The State is divided into 22 counties.

HISTORY.

Oregon was known to various navigators during the 17th and 18th centuries, but the first white man who entered it was Captain Robert Gray, of the ship Columbia, of Boston, who on the 7th of May, 1792, entered and explored the lower part of its principal river, to which he gave the name of his ship. On his return home he published a description of the river and its valley, which aroused so much interest on the part of the Government, that in 1804 an exploring expedition was sent out across the Continent, under Captains Lewis and Clark, of the United States army. The explorations of this party extended through the years 1804 and 1805, and made known for the first time the vast region watered by the Columbia.

In 1811, the American Fur Company, of which John Jacob Astor was the leading member, established a post for trading purposes at the mouth of the Columbia River, and called it Astoria. It was the design of the Company to make this place an important city, in course of time, but this part of their project failed, and they sold the post to the Northwest Company (of England), to save it from capture during the war of 1812-15.

Having thus secured a lodgement on the Columbia, the British claimed the whole country. The United States, on the other hand, claimed the region now known as British Columbia, and a serious. controversy set in between the two powers. In 1846, however, a treaty between the United States and Great Britain adjusted the difficulty. The United States weakly surrendered the greater part of our claim, and the present northern boundary of Washington Territory was fixed as the northern boundary of Oregon.

Emigration to the Territory began in 1839. In 1850, there