climate of sections of this western region are susceptible of development making them in localities worth hundreds of dollars an acre. Yet other tracts in close proximity are not and probably never will be worth a hundredth part of such values. Then, too, lands still retaining the natural growth of giant forests are in this age of approaching timber famine becoming of astounding value. The experience of the early Oregonians, however, had been with the lands of the Mississippi valley. The level and rolling valley lands of Oregon, productive with ordinary cultivation and the natural rainfall, they could appreciate. These lands had largely passed into private ownership before effective steps were taken to secure state lands under the different grants.[1] Small scattered tracts that had been overlooked by the individual settlers were selected by agents of the state as indemnity school lands. Little expectation was there that the smaller isolated valleys, the timbered mountain slopes and the vast stretches of the semi-arid country east of the Cascade range would yield wealth and be brought into intensive cultivation.[2] Successful farming at the Whitman mission station might have assured them of the productivity of this eastern section of the state, yet there was the isolation with the lack of transportation facilities that nullified the other element of value.
Not until the later sixties and the early seventies when there were considerable accessions of settlers from the devastated regions of the South, and the settlements were extended into the northeastern and south central portions of the state, was the value of the lands of these sections demonstrated so that
- ↑ Governor Whiteaker in his message to the Legislative Assembly in its first session, July 8, 1859, after enumerating the grants to the state, said: "Although this grant appears liberal and generous, yet, it may be difficult to find lands in any of the valleys west of the Cascade range of mountains of a desirable quality, unoccupied, subject to be located. . . ." H. J. p. 27.
- ↑ Governor Gibbs in his message to the Legislative Assembly in its third regular session, September 15, 1864, in commenting on the condition of the Agricultural College grant, said: "As will more fully appear hereafter, there is great difficulty in finding lands subject to location in this state. I have considered it of paramount importance to first select lands for the benefit of common schools. Enough of that class has not yet been found to make up the amount to which the state is entitled, therefore no lands have yet been selected for the benefit of the agricultural college." Appendix to H. J., p. 5.
