St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-25
Oregon Affairs.

Mr.. Elijah Smith, president of the Ore
gOn Railway IL Navigation company, ar
rived IN the city yesterday from Portland,
Or, where he has been since the annual
meeting of that company Interviewed by
a GLOBE reporter, he said: Il made quite
an extensive trip through Oregon and went
to California principally to view the country
and get correct idea of what the general
outlook for business was. | found things
very promising indeed, the prospects for
Oregon being especially encouraging. The
wheat crop is a splendid one, the best ever
raised in the state. According to the re-
ports and estimates given. the wheat crop
of Oregon this season viii amount to be-
tween 500. 900 and $780, 900 tons for export
which is double that of last year. Harvest
commenced ten days ago and a small guam
tity of wheat has already been
taken into Portland. The average
to the acre is something prOdigiOus.
On one farm of 10, 900 acres, the average
yield was forty bushels to the acre. As soon
as the wheat crop is harvested shipping will
begin, and about one thousand tons per day
will be shipped into Portland and thence
to San Francisco, and there it will be re-
shipped by boat. The Oregon Navigation
will haul nearly all of the wheat. The
Northern Pacific will not get much Oregon
wheat, but may do well with Washington
| territory grain.
"a BRANCH LINE
is being built from Palouse Junction to
Moscow and Pennington, and as soon as
this is done the Northern Pacific will have
a good opportunity to extend its interests in
the Oregon grain haul. The Union Pacific
| is also making efforts to secure a share, and
over its Baker City branch will probably
get considerable The wheat crop in Cali
fOTnia is almost failure, and on this ac-
count the outlook in Oregon is quite bright,
as it will and can ably supply that states
wants.
The stock interests of Oregon are almost
beyond comparison, and her markets and
means of transportation among the best and
are daily being improved. Improved farms
can be had at very reasonable prices, and
good government lands are yet open for set
Element under the homestead, presumption
and timber laws of the country. The roll
| ing hills and slOping mountains are covered
with millions upon millions of feet of tim
| Der, comprising that which ranks high for
! furniture and manufacture, and majestic
specimens of trees that scale SO, 900 feet
Her mineral wealth is both large and di-
veTsifed, the estimate value of gold and
| silver annually produced being 81, 500, 600,
while coal, iron, copper, lead, tin, zinc and
many other useful minerals only await the
| advent of capital The salmon catch will
! be greater than that for 1884, which was
SO. 600. 600 pounds, which will amount to
considerable in the earnings of the roads.
| The wool clip will also be heavier this year,
and may reach about $4,000, 900 pounds,
! and it ranks A in the markets of the
world.
| ''THE RAILROAD MILEAGE
has rapidly increased during the past
few years. In 1879 there were only 295
miles of road in the state, but in 1884 it
was increased to l, 1855, and many miles are
/ still under construction. The earnings of
the Oregon Navigation are increasing and
| are liable to make splendid showing at
the end of the year. They show for the
/ first two weeks of July an increase of $780,
| 600, and promise a larger increase from now
out. The Northern Pacific shows a good
prospect for an increase of earnings. The
merchandise being taken west over the
line exceeds that for the year previous and
the east-bOund shipments are a little
heavier"
In regard to the leasing of the Oregon
Railway & Navigation to the Northern Pa
cific and Union Pacific companies, Mr..
Smith said it was impossible to say when
the lease would be cOnSummated, as it has
been hanging fire so long. The terms of
the lease, as has before been stated, will be
5 per cent. for the first three years and 6
per cent. thereafter. Mr.. Smith will go
direct from st. Paul to New York, and will
leave to-day.