Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-11-22

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Oregon and Washington Terri-
tory.
SEATTLE, Oct Both, 1888.
Ed. Register-At the time wrote
last for your paper, was i'm great
hurry and only described few of the
towns In the Northwest. Although I
havn't much spare time at present, ]
will endeavor to tell something more
about the country, climate, etc. We
landed In Portland the last of May;
the weather was fine, as there had
been no rain during the month (the
rainy season being over on or about
the last Of April.) It continued pleas
son1o means, the pine forests all caught
fire. Everything being 30 dry, the
trees, logs and bushes burned rapidlyl
In short time the smoke grew 60
thick some days we couldn't see the
sun at all, and 1t hurt the eyes almost
as much rs to be shut up IN smoky
room. The roads were 90 dusty that
teams meeting could scarcely see TO
pass without stopping until the cloud
of dust settled, and it remained smoky,
dusty and foggy until about tho mid
die Of September when we had some
light rains-the first that had fallen
since April. But now the rainy sea-
son has set in, and we have q light t
rain or mist about every day. People
that have lived here say 1t will contin-
ue so until April again.
The weather was pleasant most all
the time during the summer. I ex-
pected we would have some of those
scorching hot days like we have In old
Missouri, when il seems almost imp0s-
sible to stay in the sun long and live;
but there was nothing of the kind.
Sometimes in the middle of the day,
for two or three hours. 1t would be
warm, but nothing like what we would
call hot. The mornings and evenings
are always cool and nice, and the
nights are never 30 warm that . pair
or two of blankets are not comfortable
to sleep under. II we could have just
gotten rid of the smoke and dust, moth
Ing more could have been added to our
comfort. When it II clear, there 10 q
fine veiv from the hills around Port
and, Of the city and river, with q num-
ber of sails ships and ocean steamers
anchored ut the docks. Mount Hood,
and several other snowy peaks OF the
Cascades, can be plainly seen. AT q
q glance, they look like white clouds
rising high above the horizon. The
nearest are about eighty miles distant.
The Willamette River Valley is the
best farming section in this part OF the
country. The principal crop is wheat,
which was about an average this year.
l don't think the average yield OF
wheat per acre In Oregon 10 near as
much as represented, and it takes more
labor to prepare the land for sowing
than in Missouri or Kansas.
Before leaving Portland, q friend and
myself took trip out In the country
about fifteen miles. Real estate men
are numerous and our business was in
their line for the day; 80 we had talk
with all the ranchers we saw. About
l2 O'Clock we drove up to q nice little
place and stopped for dinner. Wesup-
posed from the appearance OF things,
the old gentleman had only lived there
a short time and was sick Of his bar
gain. He said he had made all OF the
improvements himself, that there were
eighteen acres In cultivation, and he
had lived there twenty-three years.
The old fellow seem to think he had
been an enterprising, hard worker,
and very proud of it; and when look
ed at the growth Of timber around his
ranch thought myself he had done
we'll. We told him If he lived twenty
three years longer and held his grip,
we thought he would get most OF the
stumps out of his farm.
Afew days later, at 8 o'clock one
cool morning, we took the boat for the
Puget Sound country. There was q
large crowd Of passengers ON board,
gaping around. think they had all
been walked too soon, as there was no
life in any of them. We ran down the
river about forty miles to Kalamma 9
train on the N. p. r. r. for Tacoma
distant about one hundred miles.
Our route, for short distance, was up
the Coulitz River, along which there Is
u heavy growth OF timber, few small
ranches, aud q half dozen little rail-
road stations. When we left the riv-
er, we passed through some prairie that
looked very poor, has clumps Of scrub
by bushes some places, and just under
the surface is q mass ofsmall stone. 1t
is supposed the sound once extended
over this portion of the country.
At four O'Clock we arrived at Taco.
ma. rhe town is built on high bluff
at the southeastern point Of the sound,
and is now the terminus Of the railroad.
The road leading up to the town and
the hills all around, reminded me OF
Kansas City. The population 10 about
five thousand. 1t has one very wide
street, and sidewalks to correspond.
They seem to be trying hard to make q
city of it. We saw great many 1n-
dams in the place, fthe Chinook tribe;
they are low. stout fellows, have fiat