The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-09-02
A VISIT TO SALEM.

it IS customary 60 say SO, ana not De-
cause we flew, for We didn't) Arriv-
ing at jefferson we found the Santiam
river still running down stream and
bordered on either side by its banks.
(You see it is customary for editors on
a trip to tell all they see, and as we
do not desire to depart from ''time-
honored usages, We will try to follow
in the footsteps of those "who are
not lost but gone before"-fgurative-
ly spcaking.) The ferry boat was on
the other side. 1--WE desire to ask
here if anybody ever wanted to cross
a stream but they found the ferry boat
on tho other side?') However, in due
time the worthy Charan came over and
took us across the stream and Mr..
Wheeler paid the ferriage-37a cents.
You observe that it is essentially nee
essary that our readers should know
that we didn't pay that bill, else they
might suppose that we were 'fush OF
means" and see no necessity for pay.
ing up their subscriptions.) There
We're about 80 men ut work in con-
Istructing the railroad bridge at Jeffer-
son, aud tho middle pier had just been
sunk to its place and was being built
above the surface of the water. The
pier is octagonal in shape and is conf
cal or tapering as it proceeds upward.
and seems TO be constructed on the
best possible plan to resist the furious
current of the turbulent Santiam.-
The abutments on either bank have
not yet risen into shape, but the tim
bers are being hewn and prepared on
the ground and will be laid in their
places in few days, when all will be
prepared for the bridge proper which
/ is in course of construction at the
Railroad Company's shops in East
Portland. We would probably be
able to give our readers more informa-
ton in regard to railroad matters at
Jefferson, but unfortunately this is ali
we know about the matter, and it was
CLEANED from a small boy who was
leading lame dog by n twine string
past the ferry landing, and to whom
We generously gave rotten pear for
his politeness.
Leaving Jefferson and passing over
an undulating road and through nu-
merously settled country for sixteen
miles, we arrived at Salem, the
capital of Oregon, the Boston of the
Pacific, the Plymouth Rock of the
West, the ne plus ultra piaribas unan
lIatin) of the Western Continent
The site of Salem was wrested from
the aborgines about thirty years age
by some Methodist Missionaries who
came to convert them into Christians
and their lands into money, and what
ever may be said of the success of the
former part of their project, the latter
lportion was certainly not failure
Subsequently Salem was captured b,
the Yankees, who yet form the princi
pal ingredient in its composition, al
though quite number of them arr
limited to within the radius of su
burban retreat, vulgarly termed th'
Penitentiary, where their native inge
nuity is being turned to account in th'
manufacture of brick for the improve
ment of that city. Here we observed
that there was greater uniformity (par
ticularly in dress) than in any othe
portion of the city, and the sad, plac
id, sweet and patient expression o
countenance of all the inmates strucl
US rs being an agreeable trait of tn
Yankee character and one which the,
certainly inherited from that mode
New Englander, Benjamin F. Butler
There was only one trait Of characte
among these persons that we though
reprehensible, and that was an inordi
nate love of jewelry which led then
TO wear bracelets upon their leg
weighing several pounds and havini
their persons decorated with chain
that were conspicuous only for thei
!, massiyeness. This is also said to be
ruling passion of their revered fried
Butler, save that be was more fastid
ious and chose silver instead Of tn
rougher metals which they seem to ai
feet.
j We found the town washing it's face
: adjusting its waterfall and putting o.
, its best bib and tucker for the ponder
|. GUS events which are to infest it's lin
= it's during the next few weeks. ANON
. the improvements in progress we oh
: served magnificent brick hotel, fou
3 tEstories high containing over LOO rooms
which will be the most imposing an
: fspacious building in Oregon whe
! completed. Men were also engage
IL IL