The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1890-10-03
ALgAsY
a spie, Letter bs a Californian.

Mr.. S. @, Benson, Of the San Jose Mer
eury, recently IN the ci;y, writing to hi'
paper. gives The following interesting par
iIcnlars about hts Albany vlsit
Albany, the county seat oi Linn county
was reached few minuies before 6 O'Clock
Thursday morning, ,thiay-three hours hay.
ING been spent IN the journey. IL Is 4
beautiful little city, on the banks OF the
Willamette river, with broad aud fertile
prairie surrounding |, In every direction.
'rhe population Is shows by the censns to
be 6ooo, and the townspeopie are not ask.
Ing for recount. There are three banks. q
WOODEN mill, grisl m.li,eiectric light works
aud street car line. The power for all the
machinery used Is water. which is brought
In n large open ditch from point higher
up on the Willamette. This water Is the
property OF private corporation, which In
consideration OF It's franchise furnishes
water To the municipality for all purposes
free OF charge. WITH all the plcn;itude
of water there Is no sprinkling done except
on the main business street. and other
thofoughfares and all country roads are
dusty 10 degree that San Joseans can
scarcely comprehend.
Like almost every other town In Ore.
gon, Albany boasts Its college" and ex-
cellent public schools. Its newspapers are
the Morning Herald (Republican) and the
EVENING DEMocRAr. Both are enter.
prising sheets and published by very
genial gentlemen.
II has already been said that Albany Is
in the midst OF fertile prairie. This Is
true In general sens., but the Land is of
widely varying quality. There is none
that equals the best in the Santa Clara
valley, while there Is much that Is good
only for grazing In price II ranges from
Ss to 5000 an acre, the latter, however,
lying Immediately adjoining the town and
being held for prospective additions TO the
Cit. Fair farming land from five TO ten
miles out Is held at from $a5 to $40 an
acre. The country Is comparatively un-
developed, and Albany will undoubtedly
grow and prosper for many years to come.
The farmers are, as a rule, in easy cir
cumstances. and business generally II con-
sequently good.
The principal crops arc wheat and oats,
the latter being cultivated for hay as well
as grain. There Is also raised considerable
timothy hay, Barley is never seen.
The fruits raised In this county are ap-
pies, pears, plums, cherries and prunes--
the latter the Italian, large and fine look
Ing, but lacking the saccharine quality and
spicy flavor ofthe French. Afew French
prune trees have been planted as an expe.
riment, but they are not success. No
attempt Is made at grape culture and
peaches are too uncertain to be taken into
account, though there are q lew trees
which la favorable years yield some fruit.
We must concede the fact that Oregon
generally excels us In the production of
apples, and they assert that they.can also
do so in pears and cherries, butsthe sam-
Piles thus far seen failto make good the
claim.
The people of Albsry are noted for their
cordiallly and hospitality. Only possess
their confidence anc their homes, their
horses and carriages and their time are
not only at your disposal but are proffcred
you so kindly and sincerely that even the
heart of stole must warm to them. We
were particularly fortunate in falling in
with several former acquaintanses, among
them A S Knox, a Nellsknown San Io.
sean, + NJ French and B F Tabler, former
residents Of San Jose. and II Lewis, a
commercial traveller who makes frequent
visits 10 San Jose, and who Is known from
San Diego to Seattle as prince of good
fellows. Mr. French Is engaged III the
jewelry business, and is doing we'll. Mr.
Tabler has retired from active business, but
takes an active interest in municipal affairs,
both he and Mr. French being members of
the Common Council. These gentlemen,
together with L w Dcyoe, Earl Race. C
w Watts, Geo r Froman, Mr. Curran and
Others gave us welcome, the remem-
brance of which can never be obliterated.
a s Knox, whom all Mercury readers
know, is here on visit to his brother and
20 care for large property interests which