The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-01-06
slbaag greister.
A Chapter Of Its@s.
EDITOR REGISTER:

EDITOR REGISTER:
Having again paid a visit to yeur
county, on a Christmas visit, among
friends and relatives | concluded
to pen down a few things under the
title of "a chapter ofitems."
THE RAILROAD.
We went on board the noon train
of cars at the store and depot ofthe
gentlemanly proprietors- Dayen-
port & Wolford, Salem, whose kind
ness and business tact render them
SO popular. To undertake to write
about the incidents Of a ride, and
the stations along the route, DC,
&C., would be superauous; as these
events are of daily occurrence and
experience to thousands Of persons.
1t might, however, be proper to
state, tina the road and cars, and
the kind and gentlemauly conduc-
tors are all No /. This road, lead
Ing up our valley, and scuthward
to connect the great National Ar
tery-the Union Paci6c-makcs an
important era in the history Of our
country; and will tell upon the fii-
ture growth and general prosperity
of our young and growing State.
The days of our former isolation are
nearly ended and soon it will be
demonstrated that Oregon is not
"cow county, Of California. This
noble enterprise is but the prelude
to other important railroads that
will traverse our State. All the
advantages Of these roads to our
State cannot be shown in this short
chapter. Time aud circumstances
will fully develop the vast value Of
such thoroughfares. 1t is certainly
to the reciprocal advantage Of both
the owners Of the road, and the
people of Oregon to foster and pro-
mote the interests of the road and
of all producers. 1t is to be
hoped that the rates Of passage and
transportation Of freights upon the
road will be reasonable, and such
as will encourage travel and trans-(
portationnpon it.
IHE w EAlnERs
It seems that each tenth winter
rcrnindsus of old times in the west
ern and northern States. The snow,
which fell eight or ten days ago,
was partial to some sections ofthe
valley. On Pudding river, in Ma
rion county, il fell four inches, at
Salem s inches, and at Shedds' sta
ton and on Albany prairie u inch
ca. The recent thaw and rain melt
ed off most of it and raised the
mountain and valley streams, and
covered theslsw lands with "mist."
To-day-C Christmas-the sky and
the earth assume the appearance of
hard set-in of winter. Although
people generally prophesied that this
would be a hard winter, yet lun-
dreds Of tons Of nice, clean straw
were burned in this valley, this sea
son, merelyto get it out oi the way!
Stock feed is very scarce and dear.
And worst of all, there is a
great lack of shelter for stock.
admit that most of writers III Ore
gon have been too lavish CT praise
concerning our mild climate, and
open winters, and green pastures
all the year round. These are gen
eral; but there are striking excep- |
tions," and this winter is one Of
them. When we take into consid-
Grafton, the northerly latitude Of our
State, and the attitudes Of our
mountains, and the lack Of our
knowlege Of the laws which govern
the winds on this coast, and the
wonder is that our seasons are 50
good, and cur winters 80 mild as
they are. Yet, it is worse than iolly,
for persons to meet these winters
without a reasonable amount of
stock feed and good shelters and
other needful family preparations.
Great fears are entertained, on ac-
count ofthe probable condition of
stock, and Of the SHOWS east Of the
Cascade Mountains, at present.
1t is we'll knownt that a very large