Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-29
Letter from Oregon.
PORTLAND, Oregon. March s.

onS ouoDCCt hCiOs Inv hioN-hohO Va
"Web-foot Nation" has been applied |
to the State, as if to indicate condi-
ton of perpetual rain. The truth is
that the annual rainfall of Oregon is
much less than that of almost any
State in the West, or in the Atlantic
States; that it is equal only to very
few, and is greater only than that of
California and Nevada, and, perhaps,
one or two other States. Judged from
a California standpoint, Oregon is
wet country, but judged by the STAN
dard of Illinois, New York, or most
of the States, she stands very fairly in
the general average. Rain is scarce
ly known during the summer months
or "dry season" in California. In
Oregon there happen occasional, yet
quite rare, showers during the summer
months, and in the winter months, not
outstanding our high latitude, snow
seldom falls to lay beyond few days,
while rain may be called the staple
wintry element But there is no more
healthful. more invigorating, more de-
lightful climate under the sun than is
to be enjoyed in Oregon during the
spring, summer and autumn months.
The hottest days are then succeeded
By rcfreshingly cool nights, so that
overheated and exhausted nature can
be assured sweet repose and sound
sleep. There are no dense, chilling,
penetrating fog damps during those
months no cold, ague- provoking rains;
but instead there comes, once or twice
each month. grateful showers to pre-
vent the surface soil from parching.
to purify the heated atmosphere and
refresh all animated nature. And it
is remarkable that in the very hottest
middays ever known there has never
occurred a case of fatal sun-stroke in
the State nor. it may be added,
such a thing as hydrophobia, even in
the fercest of the dog days. The
thermometrical range for the whole
year will not show anything approx
mate to the extreme changes which
occur in much lower ATTITUDES on the
Atlantic cOaSt-and the first case of
/ death from excessive cold weather has
/ yet to be chronicled in Oregon. In.
deed, the winter temperature is so
uniformly above the freezing range,
that many farmers and stockraisers
make no effort to house or provide
shelter for their cattle during the in.
element season, but allow them to
Craze or browse in the open fields or
on the side hills.
Violent storms of wind, hurricanes
tornadoes, or gales severe enough to
blow down forests, throw down barns
or houses, and to devastate lands
have never swept this State. Three OF
Jour times since its early settlement by
the whites, floods have washed por
tons Of the upper valley, and the riv
er bottoms, but the perils from suct
viSitations are every year diminished
The currency is gold and silver
greenbacks being used mostly for pay
ment of Federal taxes. revenue, &c.
and for the accommodation of thos,
who prefer to carry them rather thai
bankers drafts or checks when goinl
out of State. But in every day deal
ings, in shopping, marketing, and al
monetary transactions, gold and sill
yer coin is the circulating medium
The local banks-three in Portlant
and one in Salem-are sound, AM
hold high reputation not only in Ore
, gon but all over the Pacific coast, an
at the great money marts at the East
: The ordinary rate Of interest is froT
5 ten to twelve per cent. the forme
! being the legal rate-per annum.-
There is very little county scrip afoa
r as nearly every county is entirely FIRE
s from debt, and the State is in til
: same wholesome financial condition
I The aggregate taxes-State, count
= and school-will not exceed fftee
n mills on each dollar, and the State an
: county governments are administers
n on an exceedingly economical seal
i The Constitution prohibits Stat
banks of issue, and the First Nations
Bank of Portland is the only instit
+ ton in the State which has authorit
d to issue bank notes.
Upon the scenery of Oregon it
q not the purpose of this article {
r dwell. That task has been quite al
4. ply and very we'll performed by tt
tourists who have visited the Sta
], during the past few years-albe
u they have done little else. 1t vi
/ suffice here to remark that, wheth,
:, it be of lovely landscapes, charmir
3 wales, magnificent mountain views, pi
d turesque hill and dale scenes, graz
and rugged river scenery, maiest
snow peaks, or Of gorgeous sunrise (
s. sunset splendors, neither Rhine n,
u Hudson, Ohio nor ST. Lawrence, Sr
- quehanna nor Potomac; not the Vi
n. leys nor hills, the mountains n
st snowy SUBMITS of the famed scenic I
at gions of the country beyond the Mi:
issippi, can excel, in all these for1
and phases of natures beauties al
u wonders, the views presented on t
T Columbia and throughout this Sta
and VIC simply repeat what t
tourists of the world admit in this
!" spect.