The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-04-23
Letter from oregon.

Letter from OreSOns
The following letter from our old fel.
low citizen r. w. Dunbar, Esq, to a gen.
tleman of this county, has been handed US
for publication. 1t gives some plain facts
q bout Oregon, which have been verified by
letters of other correspondents. Bob's re-
marks will be foun interesting:
a OREGON CITY, Feb. 25. 1855.
Mr.. WINTsoN GOULD:
Sir-Yesterdav ] saw your brother Mr.. j.
B. Gould, who only lives six or seven miles
from here. He requested me to write to
you. Until he saw me, he was fearing that
you had started across the plains last year,
and had Jared as many did, "scalped by the
Indiaps," and was going to advertise for you.
He got in the year he come with his stock,
but lost all after he reached the sett DEMENT'S.
He Jared very badly, but by degrees has re-
covered himself, and has now good claim
for which he has been offered fifteen humid
red dollars. He and family have good health;
he says that although he suffered much, were
he back, and knew as much he would make
the trip; so we'll is he pleased with this
country. He wishes you were here, but
says to use your own judgment. George B..
Wagnon and sons, live few miles below
Salem, on the Willamette river, are we'll fix
ed, and like the country well.
am of opinion that for young man of
vigorous constitution, and farmer, this
country offers many inducements. | notice
that after the first and second year are got
over with, that with industry, farmer can
sooner here acquire an independently than
in any other country know Of; but it re-
quires labor, capital and privations for the
commencement.
This country has been overrated by inter-
ested Missionaries and others who have
published false statements about this coun-
try; for instance apples. which have been
represented in such profusion, in their sea-
son. are from So 90 to S24 90 per bushel,
and by retail from S. 90 doz en- to so cents
piece. for little knots which no man at
home would look at. lave not eat a mess
of apples since l left America" The same
may be said of peaches-one or two things
are true.
The weather is fine, and wheat is also fine,
though the amount per acre on old land is
failing from its first yield; corn can't be
raised, other than for garden purposes; the
soil is too cold. The natural grass is fas,
wearing out all over the land, and will have
to be cultivated or the stock must perish
from the chilly rains; it SHOWS but little and
rains great deal, is always cool and some
times cold.
AS the country fills up it becomes more
and more unhealthy. Weak lungs have nc
business here, colds, Group, whooping cough
measels, erycipelas, diarrhea, &C., are com
mon, while fever and ague abound in many
places. Doctors charge from So to $40 Wis
it. Lawyers in accordance with the above
Groceries high-whisky 25 cents per drink
dry goods as cheap as at home; board pei
week Sc 00@7 90 and bed; single meals
from SOC. to 81 90; bacon hams 25c. per ID
beef and pork l4c., on hoof 7@9c., whea
81 25@l 40; oats 40@50; potatoes 4O@50
butter 30@4O; lard %; eggs l6 to 90; chick
ems So 90 per dozen. Day laborers pc
month from $25 to $50 and boarded; pc
day from 81 90 to 50 90, mechanics from
50 90 to s. OO-without board and washing
So 90 per,day; horses and mares, American
from rs to $3.50; these latter must be good
Travelling is awful in this country. So OF
per day for a horse. Steamboats, get wha
! they are mind to ask. The timber is no
worth curse; scrub oak, ash, maple an
willow-large timber fir, hemlock, ceda
q and cotton wood; fire wood 81 90 per cord
ash IS 90.
Yours.
r. w. DUNBAR.