The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-23
LETTER FROM DAYTON. OHIO.


derings addressing you from lovely
city in the "buckeye State" The
country through which we passed in
making a journey of sixty miles from
our last stopping place to the present, is
lovely in the extreme, and shows every |
appearance of the thrift and affluence
that always attends well-to-do farmers |
who understand and apply themselves
to their business. Most of the farmers
along our line of travel have cOmmodi-
Gus dwelling-houses built of brick, and |
many have out-houses of the same ma
terial.
Soon after our arrival in this city,
made my way to the office of the TeIe- |
scope and found the editor, an old ac-
quaintance, by the way, and told him
more things concerning Oregon, its eli
mate, fertility of soil, healthfulness,
commercial advantages, natural re-
sources, etc, etc, than I presume he
ever heard before in like space of time,
for it is a notable fact that persons in
this part of the nation know but little
of its far western borders. They con-
slider that they live tout west" and
have vague ideas of the magnitude,
beauty, and fertility of the Pacific
States and Territories. The friend in
question, Milton Wright, however, was
not one of these, he having been fortu-
nate enough at one time to be for
while a resident of Oregon. OF course,
this circumstance made US feel quite at
home, and having passed Sunday pleas
antly at his house, we went on Monday
to visit the "Soldier's Home" two
miles west of the city. A guide being
procured, we proceeded to look about US
and ask questions. Among the build
ings visited belonging to the institu-
ton was fine stone church, the bell of
which weighs $500 pounds, and was
made out of rebel cannon captured dur
ing the war. The buildings are princi-
pally of brick, and contain a fine Ii
brary, reading-room, music hall, and
theater. The dining hall is 100 feet in
length by 80 in breadth. They use at
each meal 10 barrels of flour, 900 pounds
of meat, and 400 gallons of coffee. 1t
costs 5000 per day to run the "Home."
In the cemetery hard by rest 4SO SOL
diers who will never again respond TO
the call of the drum. They report an
average of three deaths per week. There
I n onnInraH in h,
"Home" 600 acres of beautiful land,
parts of which are adorned in the most
lovely manner with shrubbery aud
! flowers, which at this season lend all
their beauties to the scene. Artificial
lakes, on which ducks and swans sport,
| together with two fine springs-one
mineral-add to the beauty and utility
of the place. Among the relics of the
war here preserved, I saw two rebel
flags and the saddle in which General
Grant sat during many a campaign.
] Returning to the hOspitable abode of
our friend, we rested and dined, and
then went to visit an old cemetery
where, during eighty years. the city's
dead have been placed to await the res
direction. Stately piles of marble
mount guard over many mOuldering
heaps of earth and recite to the passer-
/ by the records of many lives. noticed
some that were of fine Egyptian marble
forty feet in height, and are said to
have cost 100000. Among the graves, l
found those of Vallandigham and his
wife. The circumstances of the
death of this distinguished son of
Ohio are doubtless we'll remembered.
His wife, driven to insanity by his pre-
mature and tragical death, survived
him but two months. From the care
less handling of a pistol he shot him
look with toleration upon Northern
traitors, declared that be grew patriotic
and "shot a rebel"
Two miles further on we went, and
came to the State Asylum for the in
sane. We here found some 600 unfortu-
nate creatures, far more to be sorrowed
over than the Inhabitants of the silent
city we had just quilted. About half of
these were women; some whose eyes
were filled with the Wild light of insan-
ity, some whose appearance betOkened
morose submission, some who shouted
in joy or raved in fury, and all pitiable
to behold. The statistics of this insti-
tuition disclose many remarkable facts
relative to 'the mind-diseased" and the
methods of ministering to it. 1t is said
that it costs the State 100000 per year
to care for the unfortunate creatures
that are from time to time provided
with a shelter within the walls of this
asylum.
On the afternoon of the SOth we went
again to the ''Soldier's Home" to wit
ness the ceremonies of Decoration Day.
1 can only say of this that there were
thousands in attendance to pay this
tribute of gratitude and respect to the
memory of fallen heroes.
We saw on this day a company on
their way to the Centennial from Gin
cinnati, who are going to accomplish
the journey on foot. They were dressed
in fine and gorgeous uniform, and carried