From Ml Uni0n. THE OREGON COUNTRY.
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LETTER ".

 To Me Editor of the Union.

 SR-The valley of the Willamette is, in extent, variously estimated from 250 to 300 miles in length, and from 50 to 100 miles in width. The river, rising in the Cascade Mountains, and stretching through several degrees in northerly direction, empties into the Columbia 94 miles from it's mouth.

 Nearly all that portion lying north of Ore gon City, at the falls of the Willamette, dis tant about 35 niles from the Columbia, and extending 100 miles from east to west, is heavily wooded with valuable timber, save here and there a patch Of prairie, which is generally of an excellent character, and con. veniently skirted with woodland. The tim Der consists of red and white fir, pine, cedar, cottonwood, a h, maple, laurel, elder, yew, Sc. The surface Is varied, and the soil gen eraly good, as will hereafter be shown.

 The value and extent of the water-power, caused by the perpendicular fall of the river of thirty-eight feet al Oregon City, will be hereafter considered The country, com mencing at the falls and extending south for one hundred miles, in an admirable mixture of woodland and prairie-lhe woodland les sening and the prairie enlarging as we ad- vance southwardly.

 This district comprises four-flihs of the present strength of the American and French populalion; and, as will appear from an array of facts, well has the tilleI and herdsman been rewarded for their toll and care, no people perhaps having, with so limited means, ad- vanced their state so rapidly since the colo nization of America. We will now turn our attention to the upper, and by far the most interesting, portion Of this magnificent valley. Large numbers coming in with ac- counts so glowing, induced me 10 make a thorough exploration of that part of the coun- try, and not only sweep around and approach the base of the mountains, but to ascend and penetrate into the region of perpetual snows, in the stupendous Cascade ridge, thence to explore the source of the Willamette; from whence returning to the settlement on the opposite side of the river, keeping near the Pacific ridge of the mountains, l discovered singular depression in the mountains | which, leading from the heart and centre ol the valley, to the Pacific, over distance oi not more than fifty miles, presents most eligible route for ihe' construction of a rail way, by keeping alongside the banks of the Ougee ri?er, at the mouth of which stream there was discovered safe and quiet ltil, harbor, having at ebb-tide an estimated deptl of from nine 10 twelve feet water over tn bar.

 Of this valley, and especially of the uppc half of it, for uniformity ofstrength and deptl of soil, for purity of water, and extent of wa ter-privileges, for convenience of timber witt prairie ground, for variety of lovely scenery for mdness and salubrity of climate, it is believed saying nothing at present of it's commercial advantages, the earth presents few equals. v

 ELIJAH WHITE. l U n,o IF 1StE