Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/205

NOTES ON OREGON CONDITIONS IN THE FIFTIES. 197 the year ending June 30, 1856, covered 836,036 acres. At this time John S. Zieber was Surveyor-General of Oregon. His estimate of expenses for the year was $89,030. Difficulties with the Indians hampered the surveyors, and when these were not in the way gold discoveries and excitements had like demoralizing effects. The Federal Government was not willing to pay the current wages in the country, nor would it pay as much in Oregon as it would pay for like services in California. The surveys in the latter State were pushed much more rapidly, the allowances for that purpose being three, four or five times greater than for Oregon. Referring to the troubles confronting him, Surveyor-General Zieber, September 17, 1856, reported as follows: "The surveys in Southern Oregon have not progressed as they would have done in the absence of Indian hostilities. Surveyors stood aloof from taking contracts, and those who were in the field, in addition to other causes operating against them, were greatly hindered by an unusual deal of cloudy weather. When Indian difficulties began to decrease, the season had too far advanced to justify the commencement of any new contract. "In a communication from this office, under date of June 17, 1856, replying to your letter of inquiry of April 26, 1856, I gave a number of reasons why skillful and reliable deputies cannot be had at rates lower than those now paid. The partial cessation of Indian hostilities, and, probably, early restoration of peace within our borders, may remove some of the causes which have heretofore prevented a reduction of those rates; but as these occur, others take their places. It is already found that, as in former years, the mines in the vicinity of Fort Colville, and especially those in Southern Oregon, as Indian hostilities abate, draw off laboring men from every county in the Territory. The most exciting reports of success in the gold mines abound, and operates greatly against the deputy sur- veyor in employing assistants, except at prices which are not warranted even by the apparently high government prices of surveying in Oregon. The assistant asks more than the con- tractor himself can rationally expect to clear; he abandons the field, and perhaps both prefer to take their chances in 'the diggings/