Page:The Overland Monthly, volume 1, issue 1.djvu/35

 it is capable of going beyond it, it will contain 615,384 souls, more than the whole State of California to-day.

About one-third of the valley is prairie land, the rest of it being more or less heavily wooded with fir, oak, maple and ash trees. Timber and water are well distributed and of a superior quality. The climate is temperate—the mean temperature being about sixty degrees. The mean rain-fall for the year varies somewhat in localities, but fifty inches is not far from the average. The greater portion of this usually falls in the months of November, December, March and April. Rain seldom or never falls in harvest time—from the first of August to the middle of September. The soil and climate are especially adapted to the production of small grain, particularly wheat. The apple, pear, plum, cherry, currant, strawberry, blackberry and raspberry of the best quality, grow in great abundance. There is no better country for the domestic animals, and the Wallamet wool is already famous, and will always rank high in the wool markets of the world.

The valley is drained by the Wallamet river. This river is now navigable from Portland for half the length of the valley the year round and for the whole length during some months in the winter. In the progress of time the navigation will be improved materially, as it has been in the last fifteen years. Eleven comparatively important streams flow into the Wallamet during its course through the valley. Some of these are now partially navigated by steamboats, and may be much more so. Besides, they furnish supplies of water, power for all kinds of mills and machinery. The head of the valley is only about four hundred feet above the level of Portland, and railways can be constructed on each side of the river at a comparatively small cost.

This is a moderate estimate of the country which lies at the back of Portland. It will be seen ata glance that the trade and commerce of sucha valley must in time build up and sustain quite acity. Yet itis not in the highway of the world, no more than Boston or Philadelphia. It will never be the centre of fashion, speculation or thought. Do what it will, it will be comparatively a provincial place, and noted for peculiarities in manners, opinions and_business; but it will be worth more dollars per head than either London or New York, and its good citizens will sleep sounder and live longer than the San Franciscans. In population it may not, in this century, if ever, exceed 50,000, and its strongest sons will often be drawn away to the Metropolis of the Pacific, where they are sure to win the prizes in commerce, the arts and professions. Yet for all that and more, if any young person who reads this is casting about for a place where a fair stock of sense, industry and good habits will, within certain limits, pay certainly and well in any honest calling, let him or her take passage at once for.