The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-10-21
THE CAPITAL.
AN INTERESTING MELANGB OF SOCIAL, EDUCA-
TIONAL., TEMPERANCE, RELIGIOUS AND
POLITICAL NEWS FROM SALEM


The Capital City of Oregon, at all times favor
te resort for the friends of good cheer, is at no
other time so interesting socially as during the
sessions of the Legislature, when the wit wisdom,
dignity and fashion of the State are congregated
within her limits to enjoy the hospitality of her
open doors free churches, and the general inteli-
gence for which her denizens are universally dis
tinguished Prominent among the new features
of her social life the different interests that
combine around the Woman's College, of which
mention has before been made in these columns.
The Dean and the boarders of the college occuDv
the spacious house erected by the lamented Nj
Wilson, original town proprietor of Salem. This
building is rendered historic by the fact that II
was the residence of Col. F. d. Baker during his
never-to-be-forgotten soiourn in our State. TIE
stormy time in politics that resulted in electing
the Gray Eagle of Mt. Hood to the Oregon Senate
forms interesting in the history of the
State, and Is the date from which the present pO-
litica formation of her public interests is chiefly
enumerated The halls are spacious and the
rooms singularly large and lofty for old house
built at early an in the history Of the
State, when facilities for building were limited.
1t was the good fortune of the undersigned to at
tend sociabe in this college fortnight ago,
which was in every particular complete success.
Among the ladies particularly interested in the
college sociabe were Mrs. J. J. Murphy, Mrs. $.
c. Adams, Mrs. Professor Van Scoy Mrs. G. H.
Jones' Mrs. G. w. Gray, Mrs. f. Miner, Mrs. f.
( y. Cooke, Mrs. T. McF. Patton, Mrs. DR.. Row
/ land, Mrs. f. Strong Mrs. +. II. RoOrk and many
others The rooms were tastefully decorated with
flowers and autumn leaves, and the tables were a
/ triumph of the culinary art. The spacious rooms
were crowded with smiling guests, who were en-
tertained by speeches, music social intercourse
and supper. The college bids fair to be success;
and certainly parents can do no better than to pat
ronze it if so situated that they must send their
daughters away from home to attend school. The
home influence here is unquestionabe and the
rates of board are moderate.
/ The mute school, conducted by Rev. and Mrs. P
:. Knight, is institution worthy Of State
patronage a. the orphan asylum. The latter, Un-
der the guidance Of ladies, is in iourshing con-
dition, and it is hoped that the former may re-
eeive necessary legislative aid to enable Mr.. and
Mrs Knight to keep it going Mr.. X. breaches to
the mutes on Sunday in sign language His heart
is in this work, and he deserves great credit for
/ his devotion TO it.
An attempt was made, early in the legislative
session, to organize union temperance meeting;
but, after hours contention over constitution
/ and bylaws, the comparatively few who remained
/ to the close of the meeting We're compelled to adj
nit that about the only thing they had witnessed
/ was Parliamentary coulhdl hetNteu Il lew cltil-
cal gladiators If Rev. Mr.. Dennison will 90 to
work here, on his responsibility, as he did in
East Portland to organize and maintain tenn
perance meeting we see no reason why he should
not succeed; and so, in a city rs large as Salem
might other clergymen; but the beautiful saving
of the olden time, showing chow peaceful ana how
/ pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together liz
unity" does not seem to harmonic with the see
tartan spirit of the nineteenth century The
clergy i'm general need great deal more religion
and great deal less of what may properly be
called chureh-anity before they will unite their
forces to accomplish any lasting good.
Mrs. L. NJ. Lowe, a noted spirit medium now
soiournng at the Capital, delivered interesting
temperance address at the Opera House on Tues
day evening before a small but appreciative audi
ence The lady's manner is pleasing, and her
voice, though weak, is clear and distinct. Those
who believe that nothing good can come out of
Nazareth should go and hear her.
The Congregational Society has recently pur-
chased the little south church and added it a
parlor addition to their former house of worship.
A sociable was held i'm the double church on Fri
day evening, which was extensively patronized
by the eating as well as the thinking classes. The
bill of fare intellectual and eatable accepted
with evident relish and the receipts of the enter
tainment were quite substantial
There are more private boardlng-houses to the
square block in Salem than anywhere else in
Oregon, not even excepting Forest Grove. Mrs.
A Hicks. Mrs May, Mrs. Riley and Miss Waters
excel i'm this business and all of them are wise
enough to know that they want to vote Dress
makers also abound and the most of them seem
to be prospering Evidently there are some
: women who are supported by men, else so many
of them could not afford to hire dresses made.
a. :. D.
Salem, October 10, 1880
The number of women who have entered the