Pacific coast-Oregon

CHAPTER XXXI.

Nevada- Utah -Arizona-Idaho-Washington Territory-British Columbia and Alaska.

THE vast region lying west of the Rocky mountains, designated the Pacific coast, in which is embraced California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, a part of Montana, Washington Territory, British Columbia, and Alaska, contains an area equal to one-half of the whole territory of the Republic of America. The three States and five Territories in this division belonging to the United States contain an area of 1,259,234 square miles, and British Columbia is estimated at 300,000 square miles in extent.

Until a recent period this wide domain, with its genial climate, vast forests, great mountains, magnificent rivers and harbors, broad and fertile valleys, and great mineral wealth, was comparatively unknown, even to the people of America; and although new States have sprung up, cities been built, rivers navigated, and mountains pierced, and the track of the iron horse is found on mountain side and valley, and the seat of new, vigorous, and happy communities find permanent lodgment in the rich soil of the new civilization of the Far West, yet but little is known of the country, even in the States east of the Rocky mountains, and thousands of well-informed persons in Europe and America have never heard of the divisions of this section, nor know their location nor their names.

In preceding chapters, that portion of the Pacific coast more generally known abroad on account of the

great mineral wealth, agricultural productions, and matchless natural beauties developed and brought to light since the discovery of gold in 1848, has been presented to the reader; and now the following chapters will be devoted to briefly setting forth the physical features, climate, and vast resources and wonders of that wide area extending from the scorching sands of the Colorado to the stern heights of Oregon and the grim, ice-bound shores of northern Alaska.

The area embraced within the succeeding chapters is entirely distinct in climate, soil, productions, animals, fish, and birds, from any section of the United States east of the Rocky mountains; and, together with California, contain more of the precious metals than all the world besides so far as yet discovered, and its still unexplored and unoccupied regions afford the last remaining refuge for that large element of wanderers and adventurers always pushing ahead of civilization, seeking new discoveries, new homes, and new acquaintances beyond the sound of church-bell and the echo of the steam-whistle. The range for this class is still wide. the red man and the mountain deer have still uncertain tenure of the soil, and the stately elk and grim bear look out from their forest homes, tempting sport for the unerring rifle of the frontiersman; and when the vast regions from the Colorado to Behring Strait cease to afford attractions to the pioneer, man's condition will be so changed that the new civilization built upon the lonely wastes will afford him solace; or other planets will be discovered in which the primitive forests and howling deserts will afford him an asylum.

The marked physical features of that portion of America lying west of the Rocky mountains, so well

defined by its volcanic origin and great mineral wealth, as well as by its genial climate and rich soil, give it a distinct character from all that section of the country east of the great mountain division of the continent.

Coal, iron, lead, copper, and petroleum in great abundance, and gold and silver in limited quantities, have been found east of the Rocky mountain chain; but the precious metals of the continent lie west of this division, and are found in and about the Sierra Nevada mountains-the great mother lead of the gold and silver of the American continent.

Brazil, Chili, Peru, and the whole region of South and Central America, rich in gold and silver, and the Republic of Mexico, so famed for its mineral wealth, all go to the Sierra range for their metallic treasures. California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Washington Territory, and British Columbia-some on the east and some on the west of this range of mountains-all derive their gold and silver from the main chain, or from the arms and laterals of the Sierras, which, although passing under different names in different sections, is but the same grand mineral chain, entering the continent at Patagonia, passes northward through the whole of South and Central America, Mexico, California, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska, until, in the distant west, it dips into the sea on the frozen shores of the Arctic ocean.

The early history, acquisition, and settlement of the several sections of country described in the following chapters will be found fully set forth in preceding portions of this volume, so that what follows more immediately relates to the natural resources, development, and material growth of the country.

OREGON.

History--Geography--Climate-Seasons-Forests-Minerals-Mining Agriculture-Rivers-Mountains-Resources-Progress

Area-Population-Cities-Society.

Oregon, as originally organized, embraced, besides the area of the present State, the area now contained within the Territories of Idaho and Washington; and of the entire domain of the American republic, Oregon, as originally organized, was the only portion acquired by original discovery.

The thirteen original colonies were taken from Great Britain by conquest; besides, Virginia claimed, under her original charter from England, an undefined tract, covering what was known as the "Northwestern Territory," embracing the area of the present States of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This claim Virginia granted to the federal government in 1787, and it became a part of the aggregate territory of the republic. The whole territory of the United States east of the Mississippi river, except the State of Florida and a part of the State of Mississippi, was acquired by the United States with the thirteen original colonies. As compensation for spoliations upon American commerce by Spain, the Spanish crown ceded to the United States, in 1819, the territory embraced in the State of Florida and the southern section of the State of Mississippi. The purchase of Louisiana by the American government from the French, in 1803, placed the Americans in the possession of the vast region lying west of the Mississippi, and extending its boundaries to the Rocky mountains in the west, the British possessions in the north, and the Gulf of Mexico on the south.