River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-05-23
LETTER From OREGON.
PoRrLANp. OREaoN. Nav Is. 1889.


EDITOR JOURNAL: Dear .Sir--I recall
the pleasant hours l spent in your
beautiful city and the favors enjoyed
in your model office, and propose to
redeem my promise Ivy brief letter
giving my first impressions of the
Pacific Slope, or to speak more accu-
rately, of that part of it locally desig-
mated as 1.-The New Empire" of which
Portland is the commercial metropolis.
left Wisconsin about the middle
of February, stopped over few days
at Spokane Falls and Tacoma, and
then settled down in this city. Wash
ingtOn Territory is much better known
TO the people of Wisconsin than is Ore
gOn, owing to the fact that the North
eTn Pacific Railway Co. has taken great
pains to cover the state with litera-
ture descriptive of the lands they have
for sale; while Oregon, having very
little railroad land within her borders,
has had no one pecuniarily interested
in advertising her delightful climate,
fertile soil and superior natural ad-
vantages. Within ninety days Wash
ington will be one of the States of the
Union, and consider that and Oregon
as the most desirable regions for new
settlers to be found under the stars
and stripes.
The Badgers think Wisconsin is a
pretty large state, and the Michigand-
ers entertain the same opinions of
their peninsula; and yet if you could
drain off Lake Michigan and squeeze
the two states up close together, we
could cover them both with Oregon,
leaving only little margin around the
edges to show what was under it.
The climate of Oregon is delightful
[ arrived in Portland Feb. 90, after
ten days travel in Wisconsin, Dakota
and Montana with the mercury hover
ing about zero all the time; but after
passing through the Stampede Tunnel
in tile Cascade range rain took the
place Jof snow and frost, aud since
reaching this city FEB. 2O) have
seen signs of frost but one morning,
and that very slight. 1t was so dry
during January, February and March
that the croakers flor they exist even
here) began 10 prophecy drouth, and
crop failure; but during the past
three weeks we have had showers
some time during every "a hours, and
now the reports from all sections of
the state promise the largest crops
ever harvested here. Wheat in the
southern part of the state will be ready
for the binder early in June, and IS to
90 bushels per acre are expected.
Oats, barley, rye, flax, buckwheat and
hay are far above the average. The
fruit crop is immense. and if railroads
would make reasonable rates you could
have the best fruits in the world on
your tables all the time for the chill
dren TO eat as they pleased.
Ifan occasional letter of this charac-
ter will interest your readers shall be
happy to write them. and as the Teller
& Stearns Real Estate Co. with whom
| have done some business) have prom
ised me some assistance, l VIII try and
give the readers of the Journal such
facts as will enable them to judge of
the advantages Oregon oilers to new
corners. From my own observations
l am satisfied that it is good place
| for sober. industrious farmers. skilled
mechanics and servant girls, the latter
receiving from $50 to $50 per month.
Very truly yours.
! A. c. SANFORD.