Pioneer Character Oregon Progress 251
It was indeed well understood that there were great natural resources here; but the demand for consumption of them, or the modern market, was unknown. Many towns were founded, but it was scarcely expected that any one of them would become a great city. The effect of this impression is seen today in the manner in which Portland is laid out. It is a village plan, rather than a city plan. The small block was intended for a single house and its vegetable garden.*
The wealth lying in woods and fisheries passed unnoticed ; but, after the discovery of gold in California, demand for lum- ber there created some traffic between San Francisco and the Columbia River and Puget Sound. The sawmills, however, were of the most primitive description, and their output was extremely small. Squared timber was prepared with the axe. Very small vessels sufficed for the trade, and their north- bound cargoes consisted of provisions and the ordinary goods required in pioneer life. Some wheat was grown in the Ore- gon country at an early day, but not nearly enough for the demand that ensued after rapid settlement began. Five dol- lars a bushel was no unusual price for wheat, and pork in the barrel, shipped round Cape Horn, was a great price. Money, after 1850, when California gold began to appear, was com- paratively abundant, as may be inferred from the prices of commodities. Oregon set up a mint of its own,^ but pieces stamped by private firms, in California, was a long time the principal money supply. Gold dust was, however, often weighed out for pajrments. In some localities this, indeed, lasted many years. The treasure of gold found in California stimulated the search for supply in Or^on, which, in various localities, was rewarded largely. During many years the country produced little for sale but gold ; and it is an economic law that this product alone is never a source of permanent wealth to the country that yields it. It is spent for consump-
5 The blocks are 200 by aoo fe«t, with an area of nearly an acre.
6 The Oregon mint was owned by a partnership consistinir of W. K. Kilbome, Theopbilus Maernder, James Taylor, George Abemethy, W. H. Willaoo, W. H. Rector, J. G. Campbell and No3res Smith. Tb« coins of the company, made in 1849, were called "Beaver" money.
