The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-01-15

traffic of the Columbia from its mouth to Wailu
la, distance of nearly 400 miles, and thence up
Snake river to Lewiston, Idaho, at the confluence
of the Clearwater. $50 miles above Wallula and
also that between Monticello, on the Cowlitz, and
Portland. The traffic from Portland, above on
the Willamette and Yamhill and Tualatn rivers,
is controlled by the Peoples Transportation Com
pany. A. A McCully, President.
The climate of Oregon has been so frequently
misrepresented by transient visitors and reckless
tourists that justice requires a reference to the
subject hore. The nickname of g Web-foot Ma
tion has been applied to the State, as II to indi-
cate a condition of perpetual rain The truth Is
that the annual rain fall of Oregon is much less
than that of almost any State in the West, or in
the Atlantic States that it is equal to only very
few, and is greater only than that of California
and Nevada, and, perhaps, one or two other
States. Judged from California standpoint,
Oregon is a wet country, but judged by the
standard of Illinois, New York, or most OF the
States, she stands very fairly in the general aver
age Rain is scarcely known during the summer
months "dry season. in California. In Ore
gon there happens occasional, yet quite rare,
showers during the summer months, and in the
winter months. notwithstanding our high latI-
tude, snow seldom falls to lay beyond few days.
while rain may be called the staple winter ele-
ment. But there is moro healthful, more IN
vigorating, more delightful climate under the sun
than is to be enjoyed in Oregon during the
spring, summer and autumn months. The hot
test days are then succeeded by refreshingiy cool
nights, SO that oyerheated and exhausted nature
be assured sweet repose and sound sleep.
There dense, chilling, penetrating fog
damps during those months; no cold, ague pro-
voking rains but instead there comes, once or
twice each month. grateful showers to prevent
the surface soil from parching, to purify the
heated atmosphere, and refresh all animated ma
ture. And it is remarkable that in the very hot
test mid-days ever known there has never occur
red case of fatal sun-stroke in the State; nor,
it may be added, such thing hydrophobia,
in the fercest of the dog days The ther-
m pfriaa fnr ha
show anything approximate to the extreme
changes which will occur in much lower ATTITUDES
on the Atlantic coast-and the first case of death
from excessive cold weather has yet to be ehron-
ieled in Oregon. Indeed, the winter temperature
is uniformly above the freezing range that
many farmers and stock raisers make effort to
house or provide shelter for their cattle during
the inclement season. but allow them to Craze or
browse in the open fields the side hills.
Violent storms of wind, hurricanes, tornadoes,
gales severe enough to blow down forests, throw
down barns or houses, and to devastate lands,
have never swept this State. Three or four times
since its early settlement by the whites, floods
have washed portions of the upper valley, and
the river bottoms, but the perls from such vista
tons are every year diminished.
The currency is gold and silver-greenbacks
being used mostly for payment of Federal taxes,
revenue, &C., and for the accommodation of those
who prefer to carry them rather than bankers
drafts or checks when going out of the State. But
in every day dealings, in shopping, marketing,
and all monetary transactions, gold and silver
coin is the circulating nedium. The local banks
two in Portland and one in Salem-are sound,
and hold high reputation not only in Oregon but
all over the Pacific coast, and at the great money
marts in the East. The ordinary rate of interest
is from ten to twelve per cent.-the former being
the rate fixed by statute. There is very little
county scrip afloat, as nearly every county is en-
tireiy free from debt, and the State is in the
wholesome financial condition. The aggregate
taxes. State, county and school-will not exceed
fifteen mills on each dollar. and the State and
county governments are administered on an ex-
cecdngly economical scale. The Constitution
prohibits State banks of issue, and the First Ma
tional Bank of Portland is the only institution in
the State which has the authority to issue bank
notes.
Upon the scenery of Oregon it is not the pur-
pose of this article to dwell. That task has been
quite amply aud very well performed by the tour
lists who have visited the State during the past
few years-albet they have done little else. 1t
will suffice here to remark that whether it be of
lovely landscapes, charming wales. magnificent
mountain views, picturesque hill and dale scenes,
grand and rugged river scenery, ajestic snow
peak, or the gorgeous sunrise sunset splendors,
neither Rhine nor Hudson, Ohio ana St. Law
renee, Susquehanna nor Potomac not the valleys
nor hills. the mountains nor snowy submits of
the famed scenic regions of the country beyond
the Mississippi, can excel, in all these forms and
phases OF natures beauties and wonders, the
views presented on the Columbia and throughout
this state-and we simply repeat what the tour
lists of the world admit in this respect.
pleasure in, for the million to taste the joys of
few days snatched from toll, or for the invalid to
seek relief from ailings, restoration of health
impaired by disease, there are the noted Clatsop
Plains, near the mouth of the Columbia, or the
Yaquina Bay, coastwise from Corv allis, at either
of which places grand view of the broad Pacific
can be obtained, and where sea-baths, oyster
catching, fishing bird shooting to be
joyed; or the Warm Springs of the Molalla. or
of the Blue Mountains, the waters of which
delightful for bathing and not unpleasant to the
taste, besides being-so the doctors say-cmi-
nently beneficial to consumptives, debilitated,
and those tortured by acute rheumatism and gout.
The catalogue of the loading and material fea-
teres, characteristics and resources of Oregon
have now been sketched. although imperfeety.
That which the reader in ether sections of the
Union (who might possibly purpose immigrating
hither) would care to know, perhaps more than
anything so far described, is in reference to- the
farming LANDS, the cost of living, and other at
tendant details. This branch of our subject can
be treated in brief but still quite satisfactory
manner.
large portion of the Willamette, Yamhill,
Tualatin. Umpqua, Rogue River aud Iilinoise
valleys, which contain the best farming lands in
the State, wereA taken up by early settlers under
the donation law of 1S50-and subsequently,
amended and extended in 1873 and 1S54-by
which each settler in good faith, and who had
himself occupied the land for four consecutive
years, was entitled to $40 acres if he had u fam-
lily. or 800 acres if single man: By amendments
this law was SO changed that any person could
purchase, after years residence, either $40 or
800 acres, agreeably to the condition he occupied
married or single, at the rate of 81 % per
The law expired in 1885. and since that
time, all lands taken up by settlers have been
occupied and granted agreeably to the general
e-emption and homestead laws If the United
States. Thus, in the portions of Oregon above
mentioned, large proportion of the land is held,
subject to the old donation laws, in tracts of $40
and 800 acres. Unfortunately for the welfare of
the commonwealth, these large tracts owned,
in many instances, by class of men who seem to
think the chief end of life is obtain all the land
possible and to sell, rent, allow its to
any other of their fellow men; and to cultivate
only SO much of all their vast possessions will
secure them support from year to year-say
patch of from thirty to fifty, or, in rare eases,
one hundred acres. 1t is the ayarieious grasp
ing of rich lands, by this class of men, and
their dog in the-manger conduct in retaining
every foot they have located or have become
possessed of, which has done much to pre-
vent healthful and needed immigration here
of the farming, working class of the old Etates,
and in this and other important respects retarded
the growth, injured the prospects, and weighed
heavily down almost every beneficial enterprise
and project for the development of the natural
wealth Of the State, and the advancement of her
citizens in the great onward march which so sig
naliy characterzes the American people, as fore
most in all that invites blessings, wealth,