The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-03-11
Josiah smiths Experience in Oregon.

Josiah smiths Experience in Oregon.
Mr. Josiah Smith, sometime last Sum-
mer, sold his farm in Martin county.
Minnesota, and during the fall arrived
in Oregon where he tarried some weeks.
spending the major portion of the time ia
Linn county. A few days prior to start
ing on his return to Minnesota, he bar
gained for piece of land near Buepa
Vista, some ten or twelve miles below
this city, paying small sum of money
down to bind the contract; but as his
wife would not hear to anything but re.
turn to Minnesota, he failed to make
good his agreement, and of course lost
the amount he deposited. After Mr..
Josiah Smiths return to Minnesota, he
Immediately rushes into print, informing
the world at large what he knows about
Oregon. Here's what he says
II found but vcrr little good country. COM
pared with Minnesota. and what good land they
have is out of poor mans reach. They will beat
us some raising wheat, but cannot raise as many
oats per bushel rs can here. and they do not
make any effort TO raise corn. The nights are too
cold. | looked the country over in Oregon to my
satisfaction. found lots of cheap land there !;
but their cheap lands are not good for anything.
The good farming land in the Willamette valley
is selling at from twenty five to fifty dollars per
acre, and it is held in large tracts. so that man
with moderate means cannot get hold of any of it,
so I packed my trunks and came back to Martin
county and bought araiu. | have learned a
pretty good lesson. that n poor man in Oregon is
man at all there is no sh W for him t. get
hold of piece of new land and come up with the
country, the same here. They have lots of
fever and ague there"
While here Mr. Moses Pike, Mr.. j..
/ G. Mendenhall, and various other parties
/ spent good deal of time in showing Mr..
Josiah Smith over the country. lie was
| offered tract of ninety acres, SIX or seven
miles from Albany, equal TO the very
| best in the Willamette Valley (and there
! is no better anywhere), at the low figure
/ of SIS per acre, with all the time
/ he wished in which to pay the purchase
money. He was offered a quarter sec
tion in the vicinity Of Lebanon, at the
rate of SIS per acre. lie was offered
land in small and large parcels, the like
of whose fertility he never before saw aud
may never again almost at his own terms;
and vet in the face of all this he menda-
/ ciously asserts that poor man has no
chance to obtain good land in Oregon at
reasonable rates In small parcels. Some
people seem to imagine when they come
to Oregon that they are entitled to free
gift Of farm of their own choosing, with
grub" enough to last them year-lt Is
due them because Of the immense ben
eft the country will derive from their
presence Willie we are anxious to have
honest. indu ,trious, and worthy people
come and settle among US, knowing that
it will be vastly to their benefit as well
as ours so to do, our stock of know -it-a!l
kind of people is sufficiently large to en-
able US to get along very well for some
time without additions We assert, with
out fear of successful contradiction, that
there is no better place on the American
continent to-day, for an honest, industri>
Gus poor man, than Oregon, and, taking
into consideration the richness of the
SOIL healthfuIness Of the climate, etc, ne
spot where poor man can so easily OBJ
tain land, in small or large parcels As
to the fever and ague, Minnesota can
double discount Oregon Such menda'
cious assertions US those Of josiah Smith
will only excite smile Of contempt from
any intelligent man who Las ever had q
glimpse of our noble young State.