News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-04-22
Letter from Oregon.
HEpNER, Or, Apr. 6, 1886.

HEPNER, Or, Apr. 6, 1886.
MeSSrS. Editors:
/ have noticed several letters In
your valuable paper from Portland,
Oregon, signed Doctor" L MADE
some inquiries to find out who that
Doctor was that has so much to say
about this coast in his last, as well as
other letters, and whose aim has been
to ''blow" the country, as well as the
people. Now if you will allow me to
say few words through the NeaoS
and Citizen 1 will say: l left Stowe
"a years ago and have been on this
coast ever since have seen the cups
and downs" of this country and suf-
fered accordingly, but am yet in good
health. One cannot expect to come
here and make a fortune without some
exertion. If the Doctor is not sue
cessful here, it is no different than is
the case with great many others of
his profession. But, in regard to the
Chinese movement, and the Chinese,
he is very much in error. | have had
thousands of dollars dealings with
| them, and as rule they are honest
in deal, if they can not help it, but
bigger set of thieves and gamblers
cannot be found, nor a more filthy set,
this side of Canton, China. Any per-
son who has visited Second street in
Portland will corroborate my state
ment. l suppose the Doctor has no
chickens for John Chinaman to steal,
for if he had he would speak from the
other corner of his mouth. In re-
gard to white labor, or this not being
hired mans country. AS a rule,
the ranchers in the willamette valley
do not hire by the season, but there
is always plenty of work in harvest
ing, and at good wages If a man
wishes to work by the year he should
go to Eastern Oregon. There is plenty
of work on those stock ranges this sea-
son at $50 and $40 per month and
board. l am in Portland every few
weeks and see men of all classes who
claim to want work. 1t is the same
here as in all western towns-filled
with all grades of society that are
looking for some place where they
can live without work, or any eXer
ton whatever. l know of parties in
Clackamas and Multuomah counties
from Stowe and Waterbury Mr.. Will
son from Waterbury and the Landon
boys and Mr.. Scribner, from Stowe,
who to my certain knowledge are
doing we'll. | was at Mr.. Scribner's
ranch not long ago, and it is one of
the finest in the valley, situated 81
miles from Portland and seven miles
from the willamette river. 1t is bench
land and we'll adapted to wheat, and
fruit of all kinds. He has this sea-
son put out fine orchard, in addi-
ton to his others, of pears, apples,
cherries, prunes, plumbs and no end
of small fruit. His principal stock at
present is hogs, but he is about to get
herd of Angora goats, one of the
finest kinds of stock for this coast.
Although pork is low be has facilities
for raising it cheap and easy. There
plenty of government land within
eight miles of him, and one piece of
160 acres two miles from his place,
one mile from school and church and
one-half mile from post-office. Now
if men coming here want homes, let
them go out into the country and they
can find work as we'll as homes, in
climate, all things considered, second |
to none in the United States.
The Doctor says, 1--WE have lots of
Il. 1t Ill
has never been failure in crops, al
though rancher's produce is low, and |
of course wages must come down ac-
cordingly. Wheat is worth 20 cents
a bushel, oats 35, potatoes 80 and 40.
We are looking for better times in the
future. l have known wheat 81 per
bushel, Potatoea- Sa.-cnzua- a1aO- each
and working oxen $3.50 and $500 a
yoke, and lumber in the rough $40
thousand. That was what | called |
hard for a man without much capital |
to start in business. Now you can
get extra cows for S35, and yoke of
oxen that will weigh 1000 pounds for
1925. You can buy a span of horses
weighing 5000 for 5000; sheep at
$3.50 per head.
1t does not cost very large sum
to start on ranch here at present.
Of course there is plenty of hard
work here, as we'll as east, if one ex-
poets to succeed. / have no object |
whatever in the praise of this coast.
1t suits me, and that is enough, and |
any man in good health can do we'll
here if he tries. Things are different
here than they are east, or at least
different than they were when left.
[ would like very much to see the
changes that have taken place in 81
years on West Hill in Stowe. But l |
am using too much space and will
close for the present. A. LEWIS.