The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-04-27
A COMPARISON OF CLIMATES.

One OF Une DeSC clalmS our country
must have to the regard of people east
of the Rocky Mountains will be the i'm
mnnity we enjoy from storms of dis
astrous nature. During half century
the history of our region shows that
only one storm ever did damage of
q serious character, and that occurred
in January, 1880. Even this storm
did no injury to compare with what
we continually read of as happening
in the east; and while we have had
one severe blow in all our history
storms, cyclones, tornadoes and hur-
ricanes are reported as continually oc-
curing in all the west and northwest,
through the south, and even through
the Middle States, while the Atlantic
Coast is often ravaged by fierce gales,
and its shores strewn with wrecks.
For some time past the dispatches
have been burdened with these stories
of death and disaster. Taking up the
New York Times, we find it contain
ing columns of such news, coupled
with many deaths from the terrible
changes that have followed decetful
pleasant weather. We venture to as
sert that no single week passes, in all
the year, when the eastern journals
do not record numerous storms and
land disasters, as well as ocean losses
of life and property while the journals
of our western coast have no such
tales to tell, or few in comparison, and
the Columbia region, in all its en-
tirety, is free from them. We do not
easily realize the advantage we pos
sess in this respect, and in many olhe
respects, until we meet and conversed
with some man who has slived in the
west and narrates the suffering and
loss common to that country. Com
pared to that part of our nation Ore
gon and Washington must seem like
paradise. 1t is true that Western
Oregon sometimes has tedious rains,
but they are delightful in comparison
with the vicissitudes OF an ordinary
winter, and besides this they insure
to our farmers more reliable crops
than are realized in any other state in
the union. Our winters are mild, and
so are our summers T',S.e is seldom
excess of cold or heat; seldom q time
when the earth is frozen, or time in
summer when the harvester melts
with undue heat, while our summer
nights are so cool and refreshing that
they rapidly repair the frames that
are exhausted with labor in the har-
vest field. Take our seasons all
through, they admit of more working
days than are known any where else,
even in California. Our planting sea-
son is so prolonged that our wheat
harvests last from July to October
Free from elementary strife, our cli-
mate favors the laborer in making
himself a home and farm. All things
considered, we may safely claim that
this Pacific northwest has more and
better qualities to invite population
and development, and to enable our
people to win success, than any other
portion of this continent can offer. 1t
is we'll enough to keep these facts in
view, and let the world know the very
great advantages we possess in respect
to climate. The soil is unsurpassed.
Other regions may have fertile soil,
but they have not such certainty of
harvest, such salubrity of climate,
immunity from atmospheric changes
and disastrous war of the elements.
Here man has only to possess and en-
joy, and the fruits of his labor are sure
to come in due season-Fdrmer.