The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-07-21
The Price Of Land In Oregon.

The Price Of Land In Oregon.
We find in convcrsing with parties
from the Eastern States, who daily visit
our Office, that the present price a, which
| land is held in Oregon, is above what
they expected to fad it when they started
to this country, and some think above
| its real value. Now, We are not sur
prised a, this state Of things 1t is just
what we were expecting; it is the legiti-
mate result Of the system of over rating
everything connected with oregon, which
has been practiced for the last few years,
by parties interested in getting up large
emigration TO this country, that they
might profit thereby, regardless of the
real interests Of the country. Men 10 the
Atlantic States have been led to believe
that our best lands could be purchased
at from IS TO SIS, per acre; that plenty
Of government land could be obtained 10
favorable localities upon government
terms, all OF which they find, when they
arrive here, to be untrue; and is it
strange that "they become disgusted," as
some Of our local papers say they have
done, in some cases, Sat the high price of
our lands % We think not.
/ But is il true tha. our lands in Ore.
gon are too high? Is it not just possible
that these gentlemen, although disnp-
pointed in finding matters just as they
expected TO find them, are yet mistaken
when they say our lands arc now held
above their real value Let us look at
this matter calmly few moments, and
see ifthis be really true. Improved lands
in Linn county are now held at from 81
TO $50 per acre, as per location, quality
of lands, improvements, &c. Now take n
farm which We hold for sale at $50 per
acre, containing 392 acres. This farm
wonld cost sl1, ,7G0. 200 acres Of this
farm is in cultivation, the balance, 1872
acres, in.pasture, orchard, &c. Now lei
a man purchase this farm, put the zoe
acres in wheat, and suppose it yield, 20
bushels to the acre, he would have 1000
bushels then suppose he sells at rs cts
per bushel, he will realize $4,000 fol
his crop, and in four years he will have
s12 900, or s240 more than the whole
farm cost him, saying nothing about wha
the orchard, pasture, dairy, chickery
garden, &C., might yield above the fami
ly expenses. But add to this calcula
ton another year, and say that it takel
FIVE years to pay for his farm, which il
clearly safe calculation, and is this lane
too high at $50 per acre? We thinl
not. II a man can buy good $4,000
farm and make the money to pay for it il
five years, and have the farm left, great,
enhanced in value at the end Of fv,
years, it seems to US he ought to be salts
fed and there is no vague speculation
in this calculation-the thing can b
done. This is not an extravagant calcu,
lation, neither is this an extraordinar,
farm. We have several such for sale
! that man can purchase at the price de
: manded, and pay for them out Of tn
! proceeds of the farm, in three to fiv,
years, provided he has most Of the re
quired labor within himself or under hi
own control and if wheat was to re
main at its present price, he could hir
! the work done-and we do not expec
ever to see wheat as low in Albany as
has been in years past. We were the
dependent entirely upon the Willamett
river as our avenue to market, and tha
controlled by monopoly, and always 0
its lowest stage Of water during the latte
part of summer and early fall, SO that GU
s wheat must necessarily go TO the garne
/, and remain locked up, while the othe
, sections of the country were taking th
cream of the market But that day ha
e passed. We now have the advantage {
f both river and railroad. We can no
/ load from one side of our spacious mills G
D storehouses into boat, or from the oI
i posite aide into the cars, and in from fou
d to five days our wheat is in San Frar
e cisco, or four or Eve hundred. miles OF