Chapter 257: Oregon’s Fertile Land

Eugene, the third largest city in Oregon in later generations, was still an unknown small village at that time.

The terrain of the Oregon region in later generations is somewhat similar to that of California. The western coast is the Coastal Mountains, and the eastern part is the towering Karst Mountains.

In the middle of the Coastal Mountains and the Custer Mountains is a valley that is relatively livable and suitable for agricultural development. This valley is called the Willamette River Valley. The Willamette River Valley, like the Central Valley of California, runs north-south.

Eugene Village is the southern starting point of this valley in Oregon. This valley extends northward from the Eugene Village area in the south to Portland. It is about 200 kilometers long from north to south and about 50 kilometers wide from east to west on average.

This valley is called the Willamette River Valley. Most of the population in the Oregon region in later generations is concentrated in this valley of more than 10,000 square kilometers.

It can be said that the Willamette River Valley is the fertile land of Oregon.

Eugene, Salem, Portland, the top three cities in Oregon in later generations are all located in the Willamette River Valley.

Compared with the Central Valley of California, the Willamette Valley in Oregon is smaller in area, but it has an advantage that the Central Valley of California does not have.

The Willamette River flowing through the Willamette Valley is the most important tributary of the Columbia River. The Willamette River flows from south to north and finally merges into the Columbia River in the Portland area.

The flow direction of the Willamette River is consistent with the direction of the valley, and the runoff is also sufficient, so most areas of the Willamette Valley do not have to worry about agricultural water problems.

Although the Central Valley of California runs north-south, the rivers in the valley are basically east-west, and the cost of building water conservancy is relatively high.

While Deng Yan led the main force of the California Infantry Regiment to suppress bandits in the Columbia Valley, Liang Yaozheng and the people of the Huaxia Chamber of Commerce, that is, the Chinese representatives of the Oregon Reclamation Group, as well as Sacramento Mayor Sutter and Eugene Village Chief Thomas, conducted an inspection in the Willamette Valley.

"The land here is fertile, the water is abundant, and the terrain is flat. It is a great place for farming."

Looking at the endless Willamette River Valley, Wu Yuanhua couldn't help but sigh.

I thought that there were too many flat and large fertile lands in America. These places on the west coast are already considered to be the most rugged areas in America, but there are still many flat lands suitable for farming.

And many of these fertile flat lands are still virgin lands that have not been cultivated. This makes Wu Yuanhua feel a bit of a waste of natural resources. It is a pity not to use such good land for farming.

"The section of the Willamette River north of Eugene Village is navigable, but Eugene Village currently has only one small shipyard that can only build small wooden boats."

Thomas said to Liang Yao on a small schooner with a load capacity of only more than 20 tons.

"Not to mention Eugene, even Portland can only build small sailboats of more than 200 tons, and due to wind restrictions, sailboats are not as convenient as steamboats. Last year, I visited your shipyard in San Francisco. The loach-class steamboats built by your shipyard are very suitable for inland shipping.

I want to purchase some loach-class steamboats from you, but my financial resources are limited. I hope to get some loans from Bank of America. Of course, I can use my land and forest farm in Eugene as collateral."

Most of the existing settlements in Oregon are built along the river, and inland shipping is the main mode of transportation to connect these settlements.

Thomas has a good vision and sees the business opportunities contained therein.

The loach-class steamboat of more than 500 tons is a little small for seagoing ships, but if it is used as a ship for inland shipping, it is an absolute big ship.

If Thomas buys ships from San Francisco, the ships need to pass through Portland, where the Columbia River and the Willamette River meet, before they can be transported to Eugene along the Willamette River.

As the largest stronghold of white people in Oregon and the seat of the Governor of Oregon Territory, Liang Yao cannot control Portland at present.

"I can personally give you a brand new loach-class steamship as a gift." Liang Yao said to Thomas with a smile.

"There is a great demand for ships in the Oregon region. As the saying goes, it is better to build than to buy. Why don't we directly form a joint venture in Eugene Village to set up a shipyard that can produce small steamships."

"Open a shipyard directly?" Thomas widened his eyes. He couldn't keep up with Liang Yao's thinking.

"Yes, directly opening a shipyard can not only directly solve the problem of insufficient ships in the Oregon region, but also allow people in Eugene Village to work in the shipyard, and the wood produced by the local lumber mill can also be consumed locally." Liang Yao said.

Eugene Village has ready-made high-quality shipbuilding wood, which was originally prepared for the California Shipyard in San Francisco.

Oregon has a demand for inland shipping ships, which at least guarantees that it is profitable to open a small shipyard here.

After digesting the shipbuilding technology of paddle steamers, Liang Yao has now shifted the focus of shipbuilding to dark steamers.

In his eyes, paddle steamers are already somewhat outdated, and it is not unacceptable to transfer a small part of the production capacity to Eugene Village.

Moreover, after the Oregon Colony settled in the Willamette Valley, it also needed convenient means of transportation, and the demand for inland ships would only increase.

Of course, the most important thing is that he can use the shipyard to firmly bind the interests of the important people in Eugene Village to himself, so as not to hinder his reclamation work.

"How do you calculate the shares?" Sutter, who accompanied Liang Yao to the Oregon region for inspection, was instantly excited when he heard about the joint venture. He was very interested in running a factory, especially Liang Yao's factory.

Since he started the factory with this kid, Sutter has never lost money.

His sawmill in Sacramento has become his cash cow. Last month, the sawmill introduced a wood bending machine from Liang Yao, which can directly produce the handles of farm tools, adding another way to make money.

"American Group 40%, Oregon Reclamation Group 30%, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Sutter 15% each." Liang Yao said with his hands behind his back and looking at the calm Willamette River.

The core technology of the shipyard was provided by Liang Yao, and everyone had no objection to Liang Yao's shares accounting for the majority.

The representatives of the Oregon Reclamation Group were originally composed of Chinese businessmen who followed Liang Yao's lead. Thomas was just a small village chief. 15% of the shipyard shares was a big pie in the sky for him.

As for Sutter, his shares were a little less, but he was now considering moving two wood bending machines from the sawmill to directly open a lumber mill in Eugene Village to provide wood for the shipyard and wood for farm tools for the Oregon Reclamation Group.

"A rich man like you, a hair pulled out of it is thicker than my waist. It is my honor to cooperate with you to run a factory!"

Thomas immediately expressed his attitude to Liang Yao.

In the past, Thomas envied Sutter for making a lot of money by cooperating with Liang Yao. He jumped from a farmer to one of the few rich people in the West Coast, and even the mayor of a big city.

Looking at himself now, his starting point was similar to Sutter's, and now the status and wealth of the two can be said to be sky-high and underground.

Liang Yao took the initiative to extend an olive branch to Thomas for cooperation, which was what Thomas dreamed of.

As for the territorial governor Leonardo in Portland, Oregon, Thomas had no good feelings for him.

There was no future for following those poor people in Portland as there was for following those rich people in California.

Moreover, Thomas and the villagers of Eugene Village had accumulated a lot of resentment towards Portland.

The tax system in the United States in the mid-19th century was very chaotic. The tax system in the territories, which did not even have a sound administrative system, was even more chaotic. It could not even be called a tax system, but was similar to protection fees.

The biggest use of tax revenue in the territories was to support the armed forces in the territories and provide protection for small settlements such as Eugene Village.

In the past few years, Portland had obviously not fulfilled its obligations after receiving the money.

The former territorial governor Bernat and the current governor Leonardo were very active in killing Indians, but they were not very active in sending troops to protect Eugene Village, because Eugene Village was very poor before, and Portland was unwilling to send people to Eugene.

Thomas also knew that much of the money they paid went into the pockets of the territorial governor.

Otherwise, it is difficult to explain why Bernat had the money to form an armed force of more than 300 people after serving as the governor of the territory for just over two years.

After the California economy that Eugene Village relied on gradually improved, Portland took the initiative to send troops to protect them.

But at this time, Thomas did not want Portland to send armed personnel to his village.

Because once these people came, Eugene Village would inevitably bleed heavily.

The armed forces of Portland had no patience to protect them, but they had enough patience to ask for money.

"Very good, the first batch of 500 immigrants of the Oregon Reclamation Group have settled in Eugene Village. I hope Eugene Village can elect a representative of the Oregon Reclamation Group as deputy village chief." Liang Yao said calmly.

"Of course, Eugene Village should have a representative of the Reclamation Group."

Thomas agreed, and soon, Thomas saw a group of Indians appearing on the banks of the Willamita River, with at least more than a thousand people.

This made Thomas' nerves tense up, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans oozed out of his forehead instantly. Thomas subconsciously took out the pistol from his waist and shouted.

"Indians"

"This is my man, Village Chief Thomas. From now on, the conflict between the Indians and Eugene Village is over. Do you understand?"

Liang Yao picked up the telescope and saw that Deng Yan was escorting more than a hundred prisoners with the soldiers of the California Infantry Regiment waiting for Liang Yao here.

Before that, Deng Yan had sent a signalman to report the victory to Liang Yao. The operation was very successful. All 355 armed forces of Bernat were annihilated.

Those who survived by chance became their prisoners, and no one escaped.

"Huh?" Thomas nodded in confusion.

"These guys should have been sent to hell long ago." Sartre put down the telescope in his hand and said angrily.

Because of Bernat's extermination of Indians in Oregon, the Indians also launched a retaliatory counterattack.

Sutter, who originally did not participate in the conflict, also suffered heavy losses. His caravan to the Oregon region was robbed several times, and many employees died.

In the end, Sutter had to send his Indian and Chinese employees to take the Oregon trade route to minimize the losses.

Sutter also felt happy to be able to solve the cancer of Bernat.