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 Jackson County 1864 Travelers' descriptions. Sec. 5. The Lake Country--The southeastern part of Oregon may be denominated the "Lake Basin." Commencing at the southeastern corner of Jackson County, and running to Diamond Peak, on the east boundary of Douglas County, and from thence by the heads of the Deschutes, Malheur and Owyhee rivers, to the east boundary of the state, and from thence south and west, by the east boundary of Oregon and the Oregon and California line, to the place of beginning, and we have Oregon's portion of a great internal basin, now, to the enterprising explorer the most interesting portion of the state. It may be generally called a plateau, and is five thousand feet above the ocean level. It is an almost independent basin, few of its waters ever leaving it, but flowing into the many lakes it contains, and are lost by evaporation or absorption. The whole basin is filled with alternate low hills, arid plains, fertile valleys, marshes and lakes. In this basin there are something over twenty lakes reported, varying in size from the pond of a few acres up to "Goose Lake," which is said to be ten miles wide and thirty long. The water in many of these lakes has a saline taste. Most all the land is barren and vegetation scanty. Millions of wild geese inhabit these lakes and marshes, and here, undisturbed by white men, and in the dense marshes distant from the main land, they hatch their young. The whole basin, until this summer, has been in the possession of wandering bands of the Klamath, Modoc, and Snake Indians. Three military expeditions have, during the summer, penetrated the basin, with a view to afford protection to immigrants, prospectors for mines, and to chastise and compel these Indians to respect the property and persons of travelers and immigrants hereafter passing through. With regard to this great basin, and its present condition, I make the following extract from a letter of Capt. John M. Drake, of the Oregon Cavalry, in command of one of the military expeditions, dated Harney Valley, July 2nd, 1864, and addressed to Headquarters : "I have been able, during the time employed in this vicinity, to explore the country thoroughly, and am well convinced there are no Indians in the vicinity. No signs of any could be found except a few camps that have been abandoned at least two months. From appearances, I am disposed to think this valley is not a haunt of theirs. It is probable that a few of them, perhaps twenty or thirty families, winter here, but they do not live here during the summer. "The affair between Lieut. Waymire and the Indians occurred at the eastern base of the Snow Mountains about 50 miles southeast of Lake Harney, in the vicinity of Capt. Curry's present depot. There is every reason to believe that the Indians abandoned the country immediately after that affair. "From prospectors, immigrants from California, and others, I learn that the Indians are quite numerous in the vicinity of Goose Lake, and have committed some depredations recently. A party of prospectors, who fitted out at the Dalles in April last, and traveled with the expedition for some days after starting, came to our camp last night, having two men wounded by Indians somewhere near Goose Lake. "There is a large emigration from Northern California and Southern Oregon through this section of the country to Boise and Owyhee. Quite a number of families are reported to be on the road, and an immense quantity of stock. Large droves of cattle are seen almost daily crossing Harney Valley. This emigration enters Harney Valley by two routes; one, from Shasta, Cal., traverses Pit River Valley to Goose Lake, passes along the lake to Lake Abert, thence across a sage desert ninety miles in extent, intersecting the military road at Pleasanton's Butte; the other from Yreka, Cal., and Jacksonville, Oregon, via Lower Klamath Lake and Silver Lake, across a sage desert seventy-two miles in extent, intersects the military road at Spring Valley, twenty-five miles south of Camp Maury; a branch from this point leads to Canyon City, in a northeast direction--I could not ascertain the distance. These trails have become great public thoroughfares this summer, but I do not think they can be made available for purposes of transportation, on account of the wide extent of desert to be traversed. I have been informed by some miners that the route by Goose Lake can be improved by changing its course slightly. to the west, thus shortening the desert to stretches of about thirty miles each. The Yreka route is not capable of being improved in that respect. "I think I am safe in stating that no practicable route can be found in anything like a direct course from Diamond Peak to Lake Harney, on account of this immense desert. "Lieut. Waymire can avoid the desert by making a circuit to the north and intersecting the military road at Buck Creek, thirty miles south of Camp Maury. "I have found the country over which the expedition has marched, thus far, to be generally unfit for any purposes but grazing, and a large portion of it is desert. This is particularly the case with Harney Valley, not more than one tenth of which is fit for any useful purpose whatever. "I am, very respectfully,
The amount of agricultural land in
this basin cannot now be ascertained. The amount of grazing land must
be considerable. "Your most ob't. servant, "JNO. M. DRAKE." Sec. 6. Rogue River Valley--This valley is located in Southern Oregon, not so much upon the river bearing its name, as upon Bear Creek and Butte Creek, two small effluents of Rogue River. It was settled soon after the discovery of gold on Jackson Creek, in the year 1851-2. The valley, with the neighboring mining camps, is organized into Jackson County, of which Jacksonville is the county seat and center of trade and business, and contains between four and five thousand inhabitants. The valley is exceedingly fertile, producing immense crops of wheat and oats, and probably the finest fruit that can be raised in Oregon. In addition to the common sorts which flourish equally throughout the state, this valley produces the largest and finest flavored grapes, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and strawberries that we have ever met with. It has one serious disadvantage--that of being far removed from navigable rivers and an ocean port; and being surrounded by mountains, transportation is difficult. The people are now engaged in making a superior wagon road from the valley to the great gold fields of the north, which, when finished, will bring their produce into favorable competition with that from the Willamette Valley. It is very favorably situated for the production and and manufacture of wool, and the people of the valley will be careless of their best interests if they do not turn their attention to this branch of industry. It has, during the last two years, furnished immense droves of superior beef cattle, to the northern mines; and may be said to be well adapted to a very economical production of all kinds of stock. The climate is very mild, and is the driest and warmest part of the state. The valley contains about 150,000 acres of arable land, of which about one-fifth is under cultivation. Sec. 7. Illinois Valley--This valley is situated on the Illinois River and its branches, in the extreme southwestern portion of the state. The valley, with the neighboring mining camps, comprise, Josephine County, of which Kerbyville is the county seat, and Waldo the principal business town. The valley is similar, in every respect, to Rogue River Valley, and was settled about the same period, but does not contain more than one-fourth as much good land. Mining is the principal interest, and agriculture only secondary. On the edge of this valley is located the "Queen of Bronze" copper mine, intrinsically the most valuable copper mine on the coast. It will be noticed more at large under the head of mines. The Illinois, like Rogue River, is a bold, rapid mountain stream, and Rogue River, only, is navigable for but about thirty miles of its lower portion, and only for steamboats of light draft. Sec. 8. The Umpqua Valley--This valley is bounded north by the Calapooia Mountains, south by the Rogue River Mountains, east by the Cascade Mountains and on the west by the broken spurs of mountains properly belonging to the Coast Range. It is the largest valley in Southern Oregon, and is second in importance only to the Willamette Valley. It is most bountifully watered by the Umpqua River and its numerous branches and affluents. Instead of being one valley, it is more properly a series or gathering of many small ones, partially separated by low hills, but all connected on the same plain. These low hills form the best of grazing land, and many are cultivated. On account of its beautiful and romantic scenery, it has been called the "Switzerland of America." It possesses an exceedingly fertile and varied soil, upon which everything may be grown successfully which can be raised in any of the northwestern states. Here, as in the Rogue River and Illinois valleys, all manner of fruits grow to perfection. This valley is organized into Douglas County, of which Roseburg is the county seat. Canyonville, Oakland and Scottsburg are located in this county, and are thriving towns. The outlet of the trade of the valley is at Scottsburg, the head of ocean schooner navigation on the Umpqua River. The people of the valley have turned their attention largely to the raising of sheep, and from the annual sales of wool they are all prospering. The immense range of pasture on public lands costs nothing and the sheep require but little attention more than herding. The proximity of the valley to the seacoast brings it within the range of the healthful sea breezes, and renders it probably a more desirable place for residence than any other part of Southern Oregon. The climate is delightful. The valley is reported to contain 225,000 acres of arable land, but I think this is far short of a safe estimate--75,000 acres under cultivation. The California Stage Company's coaches, with daily mails, passes through this valley daily, as also through Rogue River Valley. Wealth and Resources of the State of Oregon, Salem 1864, pages 10-15 FROM OREGON.
Prof. J. Tweed permits us to make the following extracts from a letter
just received by him from his brother Henry, in Phoenix, Oregon:"As I stated in my last letter to you what the scarlet fever was doing to the inhabitants of this county, I will say again it has not let up any yet, and many are the Rachels in our land. It is not uncommon to bury two or three a day in our little neighborhood. Last Tuesday there were three buried, and last Sunday I heard the funeral of seven preached. Outside of the epidemic there is no other sickness. "This valley is as dead as a stump--and why is it dead? It is because of the dry weather during the winter. There was no water to work the mines with, and the most of the miners have [gone], or are going to, the new northern gold mines, and I shall go next fall or spring. Nearly everybody that went from here has, or is, doing well. I don't say this to create a fever back in the States, for if there is anyone that is doing well there, I would say to them to let well enough alone, for I have tried the gold excitement, and I think the biggest fools in the world are those that have been fooled--although I have never been sorry that I took the gold fever." Oquawka Spectator, Oquawka, Illinois, May 12, 1864, page 2
QUEER PROCEEDINGS.--On
last Tuesday evening, when the Yreka stage arrived at Phoenix, having
on board Lisle Lester and a woman from Yreka, a suspicious-looking
customer came forward, paid his fare to Jacksonville and entered the
stage. Before they had gone far, however, the little eccentricities of
the new passenger, in connection with the presence of an unknown
traveler--who had taken possession of the after boot--excited the alarm
of the ladies, and the same being made known to Mr. King, the driver,
he invited the inside passenger to take a seat on the outside with him.
The stage had not gone far until the villainous-looking "individ" had
made several attempts to make the team run away, and had tried to
obtain possession of the lines. Mr. King ordered him off the stage, but
he refused to comply with the request until a cocked revolver in
unhealthy proximity to his head reminded him that "distance lends
enchantment to the view," and caused him to spring off the seat and
retreat a a "double quick."--Jacksonville
Sentinel.
Marysville Daily Appeal, Marysville, California, December 17, 1864, page 3 Last revised July 19, 2025 |
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