Carver_OR
07-14-2002, 06:41 PM
I read alot of early northwest history and thought people might enjoy this letter. It's written by a pioneer that moved to the Willamette Valley in 1844 talking of his early years.
Here's what John Minto said:
"About the decline in fowl and fish, Minto wrote to a friend in 1910:
The salmon, seal, and water fowl, seen in a canoe trip from the present position of Portland to the west side of Young's Bay were so much more then they are now... The abundance of life in and on the waters of Oregon in 1844 will never exist again.
This is in 1910! Probably only 50,000 people in the whole state and it's was going down hill!
He was a farmer in the Valley and seen a huge change from 1844 to 1910 as the valley was being turned into farm land.
He wrote this to a friend talking about the effects of farming and inhabiting the land.
The general effects is that the Willamette Valley has largely ceased to be home of the crane, curlew, gray plover, and even the snip, as well as the beaver, muskrat and wild duck. these damp-land and water fowls and animals, which once found here their breeding places, have gone forever, unles farmers in the near future construct artifcial fish ponds, and reservoirs for irrigation when needed.
I like this type of stuff..thought some of you might also.
Here's what John Minto said:
"About the decline in fowl and fish, Minto wrote to a friend in 1910:
The salmon, seal, and water fowl, seen in a canoe trip from the present position of Portland to the west side of Young's Bay were so much more then they are now... The abundance of life in and on the waters of Oregon in 1844 will never exist again.
This is in 1910! Probably only 50,000 people in the whole state and it's was going down hill!
He was a farmer in the Valley and seen a huge change from 1844 to 1910 as the valley was being turned into farm land.
He wrote this to a friend talking about the effects of farming and inhabiting the land.
The general effects is that the Willamette Valley has largely ceased to be home of the crane, curlew, gray plover, and even the snip, as well as the beaver, muskrat and wild duck. these damp-land and water fowls and animals, which once found here their breeding places, have gone forever, unles farmers in the near future construct artifcial fish ponds, and reservoirs for irrigation when needed.
I like this type of stuff..thought some of you might also.