Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-05-31
OUR OREGON LETTER.
Especial Correspondence of the Northwest.l
PORTLAND, OREGON, May IL, 1888.

Especial Correspondence of the Northwest.l
PORTLAND, OREGON, May IL, 1888.
Ny residence of few months in Portland
has been one of constant delight and surprise.
Coming, as did, from the regions OF mid
winter into the balmy air of spring, almost
at bound, as it were was so forcibly re-
minded of the contrast between the Pacific
coast and the entire region from the Rocky
mountains to the Atlantic. that l am not
likely ever to forget il. For weeks, even
months, reveled IN delightful spring wealth
er, and with the telegraph daily informing
me of cold waves and blizzards, of snow and
ice, IN my former home, watched the open.
ing OF bud and flower, saw the fruit trees
burst into their bloom of white and red, and
heard the cheerful voices of early summer
birds, as they hoped from branch to branch
OF the profusion of shade trees which line the
streets of this beautiful city. Already (the
second week in May) spring is past and sum-
mer Is upon us. The lilacs have long since
disappeared, and the beautiful snowballs,
whose masses of white have appealed to my
eye for admiration from hundreds of we'll
Kept lawns, have given way to roses. And
such roses! The yards of the rich and poor
alike are mass of bloom: carnation. yellow,
pink. cardinal, h, saffron, and all the
glorious hues assumed by that queen OF
flowers. greet me at every turn. The love OF
flowers, evidenced by their profusion and the
attention given them, speaks of culture and
refinement, and in my most pleasant inter
course with the people of Portland | have
found them all that their beautiful yards had
led me to believe. I assure you, it was
novel experience for me to see lawn mowers
in active operation in March. and to behold
the Portlander in April nightly handle his
garden hose with all the care and apparent
enjoyment the resident of Chicago or Gin
cinnati would display in June or July. This
matter of lawn is the Portlander's pride and
one of the chief glories of this most delight
full climate. The sight of green grass is not
absent from the eye from one years end to
another, save, perhaps, during few days
in January or February, when the ground is
covered by light fall of snow. 1t is only a
few weeks in the entire year that the services
of the lawn mower are not required to keep
in trim the constantly growing grass. This
perennial green sward, with almost constant
ly blooming flowers, offers an opportunity
for beautiful lawns and pleasure grounds, of
which the people of Oregon's metropolis
have not been slow to avail themselves.
In the matter of shade trees, the streets
and grounds of private residences appeal
strongly to every eastern man, be he a resi-
dent of the Mississippi Valley, the Middle
States, or of far New England. In Califor-
MIA he sees the ubiquitous eucalyptus and
others less familiar to his eye, less beautiful
in form and color than those of his native
forests, filling him with sense of loneliness;
but in Oregon, and especially in the um-
brageous streets of Portland, he is greeted
by the familiar foliage of his childhood, by
the graceful elm, the leafy maple, the sweet
scented locust, and the glistening poplar.
have been particularly impressed with the
multitude of fruit trees growing in the yards
surrounding the residences. Cherry tree! OF
enormous size and wide spreading branches
now appeal most strongly to the eye, as their
burden is already displaying the rich tints of
the ripening fruit Pears, apples, peaches
and plums hang from the boughs of thous-
ands of trees in an abundance that promises
crop of unusual magnitude, even in this
land so prolific in natures bo1nties.
As said at first, spring has given way to
summer, after holding its own for nearly
three months. Think of it, you who like
myself, have been accustomed to but from
two to three weeks of genuine spring wealth
er; think of vernal season extending over a
period of three months, season of bud and
blossom, of leafng trees and blossoming
fruit, of wild flowers and cultivated bloom,
of clean, dry streets and good roads. of
sunny, cheerful days and cool refreshing
nights, with the air kept pure and invigorat-
ing by occasional seasons of warm and re-
freshing rain. Such was the spring through
which have just passed, and my earnest
hope is that may live long in this land to
enjoy many another like it.
One of the pleasures of the cool, early sum-
mer in Portland is that of driving on the
well paved streets, or upon the excellent
roads leading along the river, or back upon
the hills lying west of the city. To the pleas
ure incident to riding behind a fast horse on
hard, even road, is added the constant pres
ence of beautiful landscapes, glimpses, at
times, of mountains, shading off in the dis
tance from green to blue and purple, and
eliminating in the snowy masses of the Cas-
cade SUBMITS. Along the river bank to the
sout uthward, and passing Riverview cemetery,
one of the most beautifully located and care
| fully tended homes of the dead in America,
| is a most charming drive, several miles in
length. 1t is maintained in excellent condi-
tion by the Multnomah Driving Association,
composed of gentlemen owning fine road
sters. and in the now rapidly lengthening
evenings is crowded with buggies, carriages,
horsemen and bicycles. The word "Multno-
nah" is favorite one here. 1t is the name
of the county in which Portland is situated,
and was the aboriginal title of the river flow
ing through the city, but which now bears
the same name as the great valley-Willa-
mette.-through which it flows. Other drives
lead back between and upon the hills, and in
the particular that they open up to view
grander scenes and more extensive land
scapes, are of greater attraction. One in
particular, leading to an elevation known as
Portland Heights" a beautiful residence
place soon to be brought into easy access by
cable cars, should not be neglected. From
the brow of this verdant hill is presented a
landscape the equal of which, / am confident
can not be found near any other city on the
continent. With the winding Willamette and
the tree-embowered city for the foreground
the rolling hills and valleys, clad in the greer
raiment of forest and field in the middle dis
tance, while the extreme distance is filled NJ
with the varying tints of the nearer and more
remote mountains, above which rise the white
crowns of five great peaks covered with th,
SHOWS of eternal winter, the picture is one O.
grand and impressive beauty. Especially a
sunset does it evoke the deepest admiration,
as the rich tints of gold and crimson ant
purple move gradually upward, finally rest
ing for few moments solely upon th'
snowy peaks before fading into the gray O
twilight. If you were here to see and fee
what I find it impossible adequately to de
scribe, you would agree with me that Port
land is one of the most charming places O
residence in the Union. LIS.
i Inventor Eben M. BOyntOn is at WOrs