Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-05
OUR OREGON LETTER.
Special Correspondence of the REPoRTER.)

\ on nave PROBABLY nedrd enough
for the present about the fine
scenery and marvellous climate Of
this region, and would, no doubt,
like a little information on other
topics. Since I have been in
Oregon, | have been most forcibly
struck with the apparent neglect
of capitalists to take advantage Of
the surprising facilities for convert
ing into manufactured articles the
the great abundance of the raw
materials produced in the state.
Wool, flax, hemp, hides, pelts,
wheat, oats, barley, fruit hard and
soft woods, coal, iron, limestone,
live stock, fish, and in fact nearly
every material that enters into the
great sample manufactures of the
country can be found here in great
quantity and Of a quality unsur-
passed, in conjunction with numer-
Gus large and accessible water
powers, and yet, nearly all this is
shipped aboard in the raw state,
while millions of dollars are annu-
ally paid for the importation Of
articles made from these selfsame
materials. Although Oregon pos
sesses a large agricultural area,
whose productive capacity is
almost limitless, thousands of
pounds of butter and pork, and
millions Of eggs are imported
annually. Vast quantities of wool
and hides are shipped to the cast,
while wooden goods, leather and
leather products are imported.
With great coal and iron de
posts lying almost side by side,
and with limestone and wood for
charcoal in unlimited quantities,
every nail that goes into thousands
of new buildings erected annually
in Portland and other cities Of
this region is brought here from
factories three thousand miles
away. And SO it goes, from the
top to the bottom of the list;
Oregon produces vastly more than
she can use, but has TO pay some
one else to fit it for consumption.
The reason for all this is very
plain, and is one of the best guar
antees of success to the manufac-
urer who will endeavor to alter the
situation. Until recently, this
region had no transportation facil-
tiles upon which manufacturers
could rely, or by which the vari-
GUS sections could be easily and
cheaply reached. 1t is only five
years since Portland had its first
railroad connection with the east,
and now four great transcontinen-
tai lines are competing for the
city traffic, with a probability OF
two more being added within less
than two years. By all these lines
thousands are annually pouring
into Portland and the tributary
country, creates a home market
for products and manufactured
articles which never existed before.
This demand must be supplied,
and until the various manufactures
are established here, the supply
must come from aboard. The
local market for butter, eggs, ham,
ETC., was not large enough to JUST
fy their production on a large scale
and now that this market has been
SO suddenly and so largely in
creased, the state finds itself I'M
provided with facilities for supply
ing it. 1t can not be expected that
people who have for years been
accustomed to one condition of
affairs will be able instantly to
re-adjust themselves when that
condition is suddenly changed.
This accounts for the fact that
manufactures of various kinds have
not kept pace with the rapid in
crease and extcntion of the market.
The exact situation is observed bv
4 newcomer much more easily
than by the older residents, who
can not easily rid themselves of
the customs, ideas, prejudices and
habits Of thought engendered by
years of living under conditions
radically different from those now
prevailing. 1t is, then, to the
enterprising men of the east who
are looking westward for an open
ing for their energy and capital,
that Oregon offers these most
inviting opportunities.
Portland is a city which, with its
immediate suburbs, contains a
population Of sixty thousand. 1t
has a banking capital of $780,,
100000, distributed among twelve
banks, and a capital of S55,ooo,-
10000 invested in mercantile
enterprises. In 1887 the city
exported products to the value of
SI5,7o3,ooo.oo. and did wholesale
business exceeding S6o,ooo.ooo.oo