Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-10-02
HEARD FROM!
A Cosby Letter of Travel
From John P. Robertson
The Sights of 5000 Miles
---HOmeward Bound.

beautiful city lSalem), and | have
travelled over three thousand miles,
over sandy, dreary, deserts, rocky
mountains aud rolling beautiful and
luxurious prairies. Since | left this
country twenty-one years ago, there
has been wonderful changes. Had
been set down AZ my old home,
Cincinnati, iowa, | would not have
known either, country, village, or
people. Where then, was an un-
broken view over prairie, save fences
aud buildings, is COW dotted with
green hedges, orchards of large fruit
Trees, aud beautiful groves. How
little in that earlier day, we knew OF
he resources OF this country, both
above end below ground We
thought then that the tame grapes,
tlmolny and clover, would never
prove Il success here, and that when
he native grass disappeared before
lie tread of the domestic animal,
and the pioneers plow, that the day
of pasturage would be over. Many
regrets we uttered ut the decay OF
the native grass. The cereal era,
/ the era of exhaustion Of natures
st res began. That has now,
happily passed. Fields of corn
and smaller fields of oats are here
yet. But meadows, meadows,
meadows everywl ere, until think
Hne-half the farm area is meadow
and pasiurage. Instead of sale by
! bushel it is now more by the pound
Of beef or pork. Their fairs do not
show better cattle than Oregon fair
exhibit: but on the farms and IN
their pens | see cattle and hogs faI
/ better than ours. But we surpls>
/ them far in horses and sheep, both
/ at fairs and Oh the farms. IN fact
see few good teams here. Apples
are plentiful, but no peaches. Small
fruits have develOt ed pretty well
also, but of course not to compar
with Oregon.
Where we cut of the native hick-
Dry and oak, and also where was the
| nazle, another growth of timber has
/ grown up until it shades the ground
/ killing out the underbrush, and
making the country look very beau
tiful in its robe Of blue grass. This
grass came naturally and is almost
everywhere, growing where there il
early settlers not comprehend the
agricultural resources and capabili-
les of the surface Of the earth but
also as to the iueXhaustiblc wealth
beneath.the surface.
Thirty-fiye years ago ] drove tn,
festive OK prairie team, over the very
-pOt where now is located the fa-
nous Thistle coal shaft, all unsus
pectiug that under my feet 10 feet
below the surface was an almost in
eXhauslible vein of the finest Goa
three feet thick. which would give
employment to hundreds of sturdy
men, and bring back to Ihe country
the wealth of the occident. | was
under the ground for over three
hours, talking with the hardy min
ers learning of their hardships,
hopes and ideas. found them in
this mine remarkably intelligent
and we'll posted on the topics Of the
day, seemingly open.hearted, geniai
fellows. For the life Of me ! |
cannot see why miner cannot be |
an average man. Although it is Il
darE, dismal place to work, and |
dirty work, yet beautiful, at leas 1t
would seem so when viewing the
ruddy, sooty faces, and immense
muscular developement, of the bare
arms and slightly clothed bodies, OF
these hardy miners. They dig for
80 cents ton now which will be
raised To 81 when cold weather be-
gins. AT this good miner can
earn from ~ to $3.50 per
day. If they could have
constant work they could all do well
enough. But work is very uncer-
tain. From one-half to three-fourths
of the time is all they can expect.
1t is probably not very hazardous
prediction, 10 say that the time IL
not far distant when the product
from below the surface will equal, If
not exceed, 10 yearly value, the
product from above.
But farm buildings are not gener-
ally near 50 good as those in Ore
gOn. Many Of the houses are small,
of ancient architecture, or rather of
30 architecture, unpainted, una
dorned and rotting down; aud the
barns are few and inferior ] think
the Oregonian should stop calling
the Oregon farmer a "moss back.n
Yet the pens are full Of fine hogs
and the pastures of the finest cattle.
Fat hogs are worth gross 1918 to "a.
'atlle, stall-fed steers, ~ to $3.50;
grass-fed, from 81 10 $3.50, and the
Iowa housewife sells her butter In
from s to IL cents per
pound.
Land Is dull sale, and low when
sold; but little better than a year
igo, for in this part of the country