Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-29
OREGON.
THE COLUMBIA RIVER AT FLOOD
CROP PROSPECTS.
Freaks of the Election-Pioneer Day-one
of 1889 - The Early Missionaries
Valuable "reminiscences.
PORTLAND, June 81, 1850.


sionally rainy. The spring has lapsed into
the summer months without reminder OF
what is seasonable, for the only warm days
we have had in 1880 came the last week
in April, and since then winter clothing
has been comfortable, and an umbrella is
safe companion to keep within convenient
distance. Here in the William cite We are
watching the weather, and wondering II
July will spread rust over the wheat fields
That is the conundrum that worries the
minds of the farmers of this goodly valley,
for another visitation of the kind will i'm
poverish many who were badly scorched
last harvest. Already hundreds have
abandoned their homes in the Willamette
and planted their stakes in Palouse or
Spokan, removing their household penateS
to that blessed region where as yet trust
doth not corrupt" the ripening grain,
though regret to say, judging by the pa
pers, thieves do break through and steal
every thing parloinable. and occasionally
some murderous deed is done that adds
horror to the shuddering horrors that have
gone before. We newspaper men and
news gatherers of the metropolis open the
exchanges from the upper country with an
apprehension that items are at hand, and,
sure enough, they respond freely. So many
coming here naturally include some who
seek an ultima thule where villainy can
hide itself away, and the railroad builders
include many who are reckless IN the ex-
trene.
VHR RIVER AT FLOOD.
Just now the Columbia river is brimming
full and within a few feet Of where it rose
in 1875, when the lower part of Portland
was afoat. | notice it has raised consider
ably since yesterday. You are so familiar
with floods in Sacramento that it cannot
interest you to hear of the tame back
water efforts of the Columbia and VILLAIN
cite. for with us the food is merely the
water of the Great River of the West back
ing ND the flow of the Willamette. There
is no immense rush of water past this city
no lockwood, composed of uprooted
forests, goes sweeping by; it is simply
the slow and deliberate rising OF the river
day by day, as resistless as fate, and all that
Is to be done is to keep out of its way. The
Columbia spreads out over leagues of what
ordinarily is dry land and goes sweeping
on towards the sea, no doubt intending to
sluice out new channels at the rivers
mouth. 1t is said the channels are chang
ing and interested parties are working hard
to get an appropriation to spend some mill.
ions there, and l rather think a good deal
of the talk is occasioned by the interested
motives. We shall know what-if any
thing-the food of 1880 accomplishes, and
then shall work from that standpoint. 1t
is the interest of Portland to have appro
priations to keep the river navigable from
here to the sea; others want the upper
Columbia and Willamette improved for
the good of the people. so that the producer
can be independent of transportation mo-
nopolies to the south of here they demand
that Yaquina bay shall be improved so that
vessels can come in there, then narrow
gauge railroad will be built from the valley
and the farmers think they will have an
of which city they have considerable jeal-
ousy.
CROP PROSPECTS.
The general report fromsall sections is
that the crops promise abundantly, and
unless they are devastated by rust or
blight there will be an immense yield. So
far there is not any appearance OF trouble /;
neither was there any at this time last
wear. A fruit-grower calls my attention,
as favorable symptom, to the fact that
so far the country is free from the fungus
growth known as the apple-tree blight. 1t
is true the apple-tree louise is at work by
countless myriads, and around him has de-
stroyed all the fruit prospects for this
year, but there is no blight on leaves or
fruit This blight is supposed, by debat-
ers in the Horticultural Society, to have
extern led for years past and o be identical
with what affected the ash, willow, roses,
and, think, hazel whereas this year 1t
has not vet put in its appearance on either.
1t is even suggested that the rust on wheat
NAV have been another manifestation from
the same cause. This may be far-fetched
conclusion, but ! give it for what 1t is
worth. Ny informant thought it might
indicate exemption from rust in 1880, but
it strikes me that rust always follows GER
tain conditions in every country. So |
place very little reliance on this theory.
Fall grain is making a very rank growth
perhaps too rank-and spring grown grain
is coming on wonderfully. 1t is almost
time for hay harvest, but this cool, wet
weather keeps everything growing in too
rank style. East OF the mountains they
talk about myr.ads o. grasshoppers, and
seem to have approximations that they will
devour everything before them, having
commenced with the gardens and made a
clean sweep but so far they have let all
grain alone but barley. Hop-growers are
waiting anxiously to see what the future
has in store for them. Last year they GOT
good prices though they neglected then
hop yards, but they take good care OF them
this year, and have a splendid prospect foI
yield. Hop.growing is carried on rather
extensively over on the Sound and in some
parts of this valley. Large plum and prune
orchards. planted near here, have never
paid profit yet, though eight or nine
years old, because they have met with
some frosty mishaps and this year learn
that they viii only bear sparingly. There
is fair prospect for plums, but friend o.
mine says the only pruue that bears vel
this year is the Petite d'Agen, a great
favorite in California, that IS also very
thrifty here.
FREAKS or THE ELECTIoN.
Lake county is situated on the south, in
cludes the Klamath lakes, next the Modo,
country, andis sparsely settled but strongly
Democratic, yet Lake county sends Re
publican to the Legislature. 40 also Linz
county repudiated a part of the Demo
cratic county ticket, as a bedrocker says
with the intention to wind up the career 0
the machine politicians, which was rathe
effectually done to ali appearances. Vase
county set politics at defiance by the cleo
ton OF several Republicans who were popu
lar enough to capture lots of friends among
Democrats. In one precinct at least IL
Wasco county the Republican eandidat,
for Congress ran ahead ON the protection
dodge, the wool-growers believing tha
their safest course is TO preserve the tarif
on wool General 10 LaLc of Umpqua
who was a hermit from 1861 to 1876 ON hi.
sheep range in that valley, was left behint
the regular ticket, it seems, and badly
beaten as a candidate for State Senator
1t looks as If even Douglas county Democ
racy could not be led away by the ole
Generals gray hairs and Mexican war rec
ord to forget that he stood neutral durin.
the civil war and sent one son TO be a rebe
Colonel.
PIONEER DAY.