The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-12-31

frat steamboat ever run on the upper
Willamette made its appearance. It
was called the Hultaomaa, and was
owned by Maxwell Il Gray, Of Oregon
City, and built in New York City,
having been brought around Cspe Horn.
The first court house was built in
1853. In the spring of 1855 the first
school house was erected, and Is still in
use us part of tho present Central
school house. The first church Meth.
odlst was built in 1857. The present
court house was begun in 1869 aud fin
ished in 1865. December Sth, 1870,
the smoke Of the first locomotive ap-
peared upon the scene, typical of the
cloud, no larger than mans hand, that
has since developed and branehed out
through the County and State, until
to-day it rises up and vanishes away in
an atmosphere teeming with the happy
sounds of prosperous, busy people.
1t cost the citizens OF Albany $4,000,
and it has yielded many fold. With
the entrance Of the road there came
new enterprises, new energy, develop
ment and progress In 1873 the great
Albany and Santiam Canal was com
menced, and at cost of about S62, 600
it gave to Albany one of the finest
water-powers in the world Elsewhere
we give full description of this enter
prise.
AS we have said, We have not space
to deal long with the past, interesting
as would be recapitulation of the
events of ihe last tbirty-s;x years, of
which time the brief sketch we have
gwen does hut little to bring before the
readers mind The struggles end efforts,
the ups and downs. Of the men who
built up and foslered and cared for the
embryo city, and landed it squarely into
TUE rErsrST,
with hopes as bright, and prospects as
good, and ~ fair field for the energy
and enterprise of their successors as
any city ON the coast. Al honor 10
these men With be tools end mate
rial that came 10 their bands they have
buiIded notify aud yvs,l Entering nlon
thi. New Ytar or 1881 this het;gsge
coues - their Successors full cf newer
aa,i er,,nder opportunities than ever
came TO those of ile Psst With all
the rpo,iern ;.,a'.s of social, religious
anl eiuca iopal a1vencsiaent fairly
~ Aieastized aud ut vott in cur midst.
We have hot these d d.iijeulties to contend
with, and have Lat 10 care f5f aud en-
| joy them Oar seeiety, our clurches,
ani our schools are Of = high or,ie,, and
well sustained. With a population Of
2500 we have among us people from
every State ia the Union, and a consid-
er~nle spriakiirg e foreigners, who are
Foreigners no longer, t'.t among our
best and most enterprisirg citizens.
The object Leiug 10 give brisf
sketch Of Albany as it stands to day, it
is believed no better method Of doing
this present, itself tban that of short
sketches Of our business men and their
interests. Elsewhere we shall make
mention of public bindings and insti-
tutions.
Wheat being at present the princip pal
product of the Valley, naturally enough
our leading interests are those connect
ed with the handling and milling Of
this cereal This interest is represented
by seven Touring mills aud warehouses
with a total capacity for grinding 200,
loco barrels Of -four per annum, and
900 bushels storage.
j Among our leading millers are
uKssRs. JAS. II. FOSTER & CO.,
Proprietors of the Magnolia Mills, 10
Gated at the vest end of First street
, Mr.. Jas. H. Foster came to Oregon
, from the State Of Indiana in 1850, ant
is consequently Old oregoniap,
LIE was one Of the pioneer merchant
of the Willamette Valley, and was en-
, gagged in the general merchandise busi
ness at this place for nearly ffteer
years. The old stand where he carried
on business is now the site of fin
twc-story brick block erected by Mr
Foster in 1878. The new block is al
ornament to the city, and contains fou
! store-rooms, all occupied by leadin
business houses. The second story cor
tains the Y. P. G. A. Hall, and mum
Der Of law offices. The block has
4 frontage on First street of ! % feet sn
j a depth Of 90 feet. The brick Of whic
: it is constructed were burned here, an
{ are Of an excellent quality. Mr. Foi
IS ter is one Of our leading business mel
IS and has been and is connected with VI
e rious enterprises mentioned elsewhel
Ie in this issue. In company with h
e brother he purchased the Magnoli
% Mills Of Crawford Bros. in 1867. sinc
that time Mr. Foster has rebuilt an
e :, n