, 1877-10-26
CORRESPONDENCE.

While on my late visit to your
place, although unwell, yet l wish it
distinctly understood, that it was not
the climate of the Sound that caused
INV sickness. ! am satisfied that /
had incurred the affection of my
silment before l left here. l spoke
in a former letter of the kind recep-
tion given me, by different parties.
tits difficult oftentimes to make per-
sonal references in these things with
out evoking feeling that should not
arise. And when / mention that for
Ave years while passing through
much financial embarrassment, al
ways found the Hon. C.E. P. Wood,
of Port Discovery, a friend, and that
now again, when on our late visit he
and his estimable wife, received and
treated us, with our company, in a
most generous and hospitable man.
ner, it is not only natural but meet
that l should think we'll Of, and speak
in becoming terms and regard of him
and his. Our esteem also, of Doctor
ard Mrs. N. d. Hill of your place,
who have always made us so well
come to their home and christian
hospitality, we have no language ade-
quate to express.
Let me here bespeak word in
commendation of Rev. Mr.. Parsons,
your new preacher. Port Townsend
is sertainly favored in securing this
talented young man as a minister,
and its people should certainly rally
around him and give him liberal
support and attentive hearing. He
is no novice in the scriptures, nor is
his efforts that of the school boy.
Since my last the constant rains
have made things quite gloomy.
The sobriquet term "wehfoot," as
applied to Oregonians | think is very
fitting. The manner in which the
people, duck-like, plunge about
through mud and rain, give much
appropriateness to the appellation.
1t seems as though winter had really
commenced, and that too, very much
ahead of the people, for there are
but few who are ready for it, The
fall work q merely began. The most
of the fruit and potatoes are still un-
gathered. A great deal of wheat is
unthreshed, and what is worse is
growing in the stack. Much hay has
rotted in the meadows. However,
the great abundance already saved,
makes this loss trlaing compared
with the grain loss. With all the
injury that the wheat has sustained,
there is n wonderful amount being
marketed. One of our citizens just
down from Walla Walla, saw sacked
aud stack in the open air at the rail-
road depot at that place, over 3OO,-
900 bushels swsiting shipment, and
yet for weeks past, several tons have
daily been carried away by railroad
and boats, while the farmers are
bringing la aud sugmenting tue
amount on hand faster than il is
shipped. When We add 10 these
amounts the production OF the
Willamette Valley, the sum total is
simply enormous.
Yesterday ., : minutes before 2
O'Clock. our city and community vas
suddenly stirred 90 Us very core, by
an earthquake, passing from north 10
tie sout6. II caused Tor few mo-
msnts, intense alarm. The scene
upou the streets presented deep agi'
tauuu and much uild confusion The
people rushed oug from shop and
dwelling only 60 oonfruut each eiheT
viih amaEsd staring Ks relief sub
sded with conscious safety. ~ The
puhllc schools regular pAnics took
piaes, and quite . number OF the
children we're injured by the rush to
gst ogt of The buildings. Glass
~sre vas bruken in a number Of
ssoFes and houses, and also the win'
dow Rlasa iu sofne dwellings. la re-