Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-12-16
For the Journal.
Oregon Letter.
DALLAS. OREGON, Nov. 5, 1880.

Mr.. roR:-Inclosed you win fin
my subscription for the JOURNAL; with
it send few items, thinking perhap
they may prove interestiDgto some o
the many readers of your worthy paper
We left Gallipolis, March 29th, and ar
rived at Dallas, Oregon, April 18th; has
a very pleasant trip, with the exception
of sea-sickness, of which we immediate
ly recovered upon entering the Colum
bia river.
We had The pleasure of the company
of Mr.. George Stout, of Meigs Co., a:
| far as Sacramento. He proved a very
pleasant and agreeable travelling CON-
panion.
have seen some interesting letters In
the JOURNAL written by T.. A. Stone
and he gave minute description of all
the points of interest as far as Ogden
but think Mr.. Stone missed the grand
est sight on the Central Pacific Road,
namely-rounding Cape Horn on the
Western slope of the Sierra Nevada
Mountains. The road is cut In the
mountain side just wide enough for the
track, with the snow-covered mountains
towering in the sunlight on one hand,
while on the other we could look down
into yawning cfasm hundreds of feet
below, while the least obstruction In
the road would have precipitated us
into the almost fathomless abyss. 1t was
magnificent sight for those who had n
head steady enough to look, and they
were few.
The mountain scenery was varied and
beautiful, aud highly appreciated after
the monotony of the plains. We left
the summit of the Sierra Nevada about
noon on April the 8th, where the snow
was fifteen feet deep. and the same eve
ming we passed through the Sacramento
valley, where beautiful flowers were In
bloom everywhere. 1t was like the old
saying, gathering flowers in one hand
ard snow in the other Sacramento
Valley is the most beautiful country
ever beheld; il was too entieing to pass
by hurridly, so we stopped in Sacra-
mento and spent two days in seeing the
sights.
But am forgetting myself; it is not
my purpose to give description of our
journey, but of the country In which
we are at present located. We are
abo fifteen miles west of Salem, near
Dallas, the county seat of Polk, Co.,
village of perhaps 1000 inhabitants,
with railroad passing through it.
The temperature of the place is de-
lightful; being about fifty miles from
the coast, we get just enough sea breeze
to be comfortable. In this immediate
it is rolling prairie, in
with ranges OF hills. 1t is
a level prairie to the Willamette river,
distance of about 10 miles, while far
beyond the snow peaks of Mt. Hood
and Mt. Jefferson are plainly visible.
land ranges from $40 to $75
per acre, owing to Improvements and
location; grub land from So to $40 per
acre.
Mahlon Guy, formerly of Vinton,
Gallia Co., Ohio, lives about one mile
from Dallas; he has u fine situation and
a good farm of 200 acres; he says he
could not be induced to go back to Ohio,
where heat and cold have such extrem-
tiles. This year he harvested 100 acres
of grain.
Wheat harvest commenced the last of
July and lasted till the 20th of Septen-
ber. Wages from 81 30 to 50 90. The
farmers here each harvest from 100 to
500 acres of grain. Where the ground
is properly titled it will yield 20 to 40
bushels to the acre, but where the land
is foul and wild oats get the start, wheat
won't do much good. Such land has to
be well summcr-fallowed, before il ever
does any good. 1t looks odd to Buck
eye to see all wheat and no corn, al
though corn is said to be cultivated to
success in some Of the adjoining coun-
ties.
We have fruits of all kinds in abun-
dance except peaches; vegetables do
well, but most of the gardens have to be
irrigated, owing to the small amount of
rain-fa during the summer.
The State Fair was held at Salem in
July. We spent one day looking at her
They had good display
Of everything except agricultural pro-
duce, which of course could not be
mnch at such an early season. But
they had the finest display of stock
ever saw. They have camp ground
the fair ground, where the
farmers and those from distance take
their tent and camp out during the Fair.
They enjoy themselves and have a Jolly
time in general. On nearing the place
It has the appearance of vast Indian
camp ground, judging from the little
white tents that dot the place.
We were in Salem the other day, and
took dinner with Mr.. Wesley Graves,
formerly of Gallia County, Ohio. We
were Hospitality received and enter
tained by our worthy host; Mr.. Graves
Is doing big business in the hotel
line.
Well, Mr.. Editor, please send us on
the JOURNAL, and we hope 1T will con-
tain items from the different neighbor-
hoods of the county, especially Vinton,
for in this far Northwestern corner of
our great Republic, we yet like to know
how old Gallia is getting along.
Very respectfully,
J. J. COY.