News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-01-22
Letter from Oregon.
PORTLAND, Oregon

| OISSOu.
Messrs. Editors:
For the last two weeks we have
been having a time similar TO that en-
Ijoyed by the monkey and the parrot,
The Oregon climate, which was about
all we had to boast of, has ''gone
back on US" badly. A little over two
weeks ago it began to snow and blow,
and it has kept it up at intervals ever
since. There has about two feet of
snow fallen, and the thermometer has.
ranged from 6 to 20 degrees, not at.
any time going to zero This storm,
which would delay the Central Ver-.
mont two hours, has paralyzed the
whole State The trains on the Ore
gon railway and the Navigation Co.'S.
road have been showed up about 40
miles from this city, and all commu-
nication with the east has been cut off
for the past two weeks. One hun
dred and fifty passengers are in the
snow bound train, and the strongest
men are beginning to walk into town.
The railroad people are perfectly help
less, and are waiting for thaw to re-
lease the train. In the mean time
over 100 women and children are liv-
ing in the cars, crowded together,
sleeping on the wood boxes and the
floor, living on hard-tack, all victims
to incompetent railroad management.
Imagine a train showed up for over.
two weeks anywhere in New England
and no effort made to get it out the
railroad men waiting for thaw.
The storm has suspended all bust
ness in Portland. The street cars
stopped running almost at the first
flake, and are stopped yet. The pub
lie schools closed up, The theatres
closed up for awhile, and nothing
went on except the gin mills. The
old 'mossbacks" are puzzled and sad
ly contemplate the webs on their feet,
and wonder what on earth they are
going to do with them now. One said
to me yesterday, "It's all because of
that pesky railroad to the east. First
we had eastern hard times and now
we've got eastern weather" Another
said ''Its all brought about by the
all-rail connection between the bleak
Atlantic sea board and the once con-
genial Pacific coast. It's the rails
that do the business they conduct
the cold currents of air. We haven't
the country we used to have, and we
never shall again. Once warm; now
cold. The railroads are the cause of
it all. l wish we had the good old
days again when all was warmth,
mists and mud Fright you are"
said another old fellow, chewing
wheat straw. GAS to changes,
claim they were brought about by
these tarnation tunnels. What do
they mean, anyway, by chiseling holes
through the Rockies TO let the cold
eastern winds through" sin five
years" Clipped in third, you'll see
bowling cyclones and devastating tor
nadoes, and the potato bug and grass
hopper. We shall have ice nine feet
thick and Dakota billiards.. Our
rivers will cut up worse than the Ohio,
and we'll have season of grief
"Well L never" said another. SIN
the forty odd years I've lived in Ore
CONDUIT what's the use. Tn clear
broke up; let's have another drink"
One of the big railroad officials is
snow bound at Walla Walla. He is
not on the train with the. blockaded |
emigrants, cold, hungry, dirty and
miserable, but is enjoying the COM
forts Of good hotel. The chief
clerk of his department tendefly So
licitus as to the great mans comfort,
telegraphed to know how the big off,
eial was getting on. The answer
came promptly lam fifteen games
ahead. The railroad men sit down,
play cards and wait for thaw. This
illustrates the average Oregonian
character very well.
The snow has interrupted the
rade of this city, especial in holiday
,oods, and the Hebraic nose takes on
sadder droop than usual. Nine
enths of the retail shop-keepers and
laDy of the wholesalers are Jews.
he Jew is very conspicuous in Port |