Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-20
OREGON.
poarLAND's POPULATION AKD. BUSINESS
PROSPECTS.
Railroad situation-cro Prospects-w Wool
-Sugar-Beets-Poli tics-captain
Connor-The Columbia.
PORTLAND, April s, 1880.

CONGlCu hiAeNA - VIZ -~H -
spring " was in our minds all through the
month of March, for while there were a
few days that were clear, and many days
that farmer could keep his team in the
field if he was actually bent upon having a
crop of spring-sown grain, there was,
throughout, raw and uncomfortable char
acter to the month that was intensely dis
agreeable, and the cold winds of March
made us tremble and SILVER" to the last.
The winter, throughout, was rough on the
North Pacific people, causing great loss of
stock in many sections, and inficting great
pecuniary damage. Spring has come at
last; maple buds are swelling, and yellow
jonquils are in bloom. They are about
the only living thing of the vegetable crea-
ton that are IN bloom, and there is no leaf
to be seen on any tree or shrub, though
the lawns and plats are looking more lux
urious than heretofore. We shall soon
have lilacs and laburnums in bloom and
LEAKAGE in abundance, but the winter has
been so dreary and dismal beyond all for
mer average that we seem to have forgot
ten the pleasures and hope that lie in pro-
spective of spring, summer and autumn
"The sound of the turtle is heard IN the
land" and the stroke of hammer timing
to the ripping saw say that the season
for building up Portland is. here, In full
activity.
PORTLAND.
In 1878 there were nearly LOCO new
houses erected in Portland in 1879 there
were less than 400, by actual computation,
and it remains to be seen what 1850 will
bring forth. Real estate dealers stoutly
assert that property is booming. Perhaps
it is. No doubt there is demand for busl-
ness locations, though there is plenty OF
room for business to spread, up and down
the river and on tine back streets. The
fact is that Portland will have to share its
population and prosperity with East Port
land as soon as a bridge Is built across the
Willamette. That cannot be deferred very
long, and when In operation Will make
available a great deal of area that lies
much better than Portland proper for i'm
mediate occupancy. Another year will
bring the railroad down the Columbia, and
it must come to East Portland, and may
terminate there until some future time,
when connection will be made to the Sound
or to Astoria East Portland will be as
likely as not to have boom another
year, based on its railroad prospects Port
land must grow, continually, because 1t Is
the representative of an imperial region,
but it cannot fulfill its destiny with range
of abrupt hills one mile back OF it, but
must cross the river to spend some of its
millions there. 1t is possible that by the
close of 1881 there will be four distinct
railroads coming into this city. That alone
will feed its pride and aggravate its AFRO
gance. Cities are like individuals, and
when they have everything their own way
are sure to become unreasonably head
strong.
RAILROADS.
The situation remains unchanged. All
along the Columbia river, from the Dalles
to Wallula, work is going on-bridges
being built, grading being done-and be-
yond Wallula the Northern Pacific is con-
structing to Ainsworth, at the junction of
the Columbia and Snake rivers, and 200
miles beyond there, towards Lake Pen
d'Oreille, in northern Idaho. Surveys are
already being made on the line down the
Columbia, from the Dalles to Portland
Surveys are also making ON the Snoqualmie
and Cowlitz passes, over the Cascades to
Puget Sound, where the Northern Pacific
Railroad intends to 90 in good time. Short
roads are being located to reach productive
districts tributary to the upper Columbia,
o,,l IrrOr.y all about "a
between the narrow guage and standard
track roads in this valley. All this means
business and more or less prosperity for
everybody.
CROP PROSPECTS.
1 have taken pains to learn as much as
possible about the crop prospects, and the
general report is that winter wheat is in
good condition, at least fair, and promises
well There is an occasional instance
where complaint is made that it has been
injured by February frosts, but | am in
clined to believe that the average prospect
in this valley is from fair to good. East of
the mountains they have less fall grain
sown than last year, because at the time
when they should have been blowing and
sowing they were trying to haul their grain
to market. The season has been very dry,
also, so as to discourage spring sowing, but
last week they had sufficient rain to carry
them along until the middle of April Ii
they have spring rains to do them they
will have fair crop, but my fear is that
they will not raise as much wheat to sell
as in 1879.
Wool is the exciting topic now among
all producers. The price is satisfactory
and there will be lots of it. Whether more
than in 1879 / cannot say, and am afraid
there will not be. There is some loss of
stock, and lambs that have come before this
have not done very well. The hardships
of the winter may be realized in the fleece
and very possibly the wool clip will not ex
coed the 1000, 900 pounds of the clip of
1879. Over on the Sound they are offering
prizes for excellence in raising sugar-beets.
That is country land so is this) that an
swers the conditions of the favorite regions
for cultivation of the sugar-beet IN Europe,
to-wit: northeastern France, Belgium,
Holland and part of Germany and Russia,
where there is humidity and no long cor
tinued extreme of summer heat. Such a
climate, and heavy clay soils, are said to
favor the perfect growth of that important
vegetable. South, in Rogue River valley,
they are determined to make an expert
ment with sorghum and STE if they cannot
raise it successfully this year. So the first
thing you may know, we may be making
our own sugar and saving the millions of
dollars we send abroad for sweets. The
climate east of the mountains, and of
Southern Oregon, should be suitable to
amber cane that does so well in Minnesota.
We are determined to produce something
besides wheat.
THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES.
The Democratic State Convention was
in session to-day, and probably adjourned
at noon. Its game is made for the cam
paigns of 1880. John Whitaker for Con-
gress was what 1 prophesied in my last.
sold John wrote letter from Wash
ington saying that he was satisfied to stay
on his farm, but they knew he didn't
actually mean it, and also that they
couldn't well do as wellwithout him. He
is a Granger, successful farmer, has been
in public life long while, was the first
Governor of Oregon-from 1859 to 1862
and has been repeatedly in the Legislature
and several times presiding officer, having
been President of the Senate lii 1878.
His mind has been schooled by so much
active participation in public affairs, and l
am told that he has been really a student,