Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-06-16
A REAL ESTATE REVIEW.
The Spirit Of Opposition; Work being
Done; Try to Keep What We
Get.

within the past three months fully
400 men from points in the east have
visited Salem with the primary
object of seeking homes. OF this
number good minority have made
purchases of lands, etc, in Marion
county, and had it not been for the
spirit of opposition that peryades
the breasts of large number of our
citizens, a much larger number
would have been added to our popu-
lation, during that space of time,
than we are able to chronicle at
present. Surprising as it may seem,
a large number Of persons who
represent wealth in the city, use
every opportunity to give the city,
country, and climate a black eye,
and, sad to relate, they do not
always stick as close to the truth as
would be expected of people of their
standing i'll life.
For instance, few days since Il
gentleman come here from the east,
with money, and a determination to
buy property, and to make his home
here; he had virtually purchased
his proposed new home, when to the
establishment Of everybody who
heard of the case, Il gentleman
whose interests would seem to
prompt him to do his best to induce
immigrants to come here, and to
make this their home, asked: "What
in the world Go you want to stop
any where about Salem for? 1t is
the deadest town you ever saw, and
even if you were to raise anything
on your farm you could not sell it.
Why if a man brings as many as ten
dozen eggs to town, he gluts the
market with half of them, and has
to take the other five dozen home
with him again" Now u great
many of the residents Of this city
would be surprised to hear the
employment in which this man is
engaged, and they would likely feel
very indignant at him, and 50 they
should. At least this gentleman
should stick to the truth in his
assertions about this country, and he
knows that the tale he told this
gentleman was very far frcm the
truth.
But this person is not alone in his
open abuse of Oregon to strangers,
and none of those who do this sort
of "mal-advertising' worry very
much about sticking to facts in their
statements. A number Of men who
have made all they have-and some
of them have amassed pretty fair
fortunes in this city during their
several years of residence here-and
who have made their homes here
since the memory Of the man runs
no to the contrary, go farther out of
their way to tell newcomers that all
the history and description of the
city, and county contained in the
pamphlets published by the board OF
trade is unreliable and untruthful.o
That Oregon is the worst place in
the world for a man to come to; and
all such stuff as that they throw at
every person that comes here, and
falls in their way. OF course it is
our misfortune that those who
should take the deepest interest in
the welfare of the city, and could do
so much for the advancement Of the
material interests of our city, should
make it their business, instead of
trying to help it forward, to keep it
from growing and improving.
The board Of trade has been maxi
ing a strong effort to induce immi-
grafton to come here, and is succeed
inc very well; but after that organiza-
ton succeeds in attracting attention
to our town, the combined efforts of
our citizens, and especially Of our
business men should be directed to
keep the Immigrant and home
seeker here and i'm showing him
where and how to make a living.
Ifit is such a poor town in which to
make living, the writer would like
to know how those wealthy persons,
who had nothing when they came
here, became so well fXed with the
goods Of this world. The writer
saws without fear of successful con-
tradie.ion, that Salem offers more
chances for investment to-day, in
vestmcuts which viii yield large
returns from the start than any
other town ou the coast, Also that
a farmer, q newcomer with fair
means 20 make "a start, can do as
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