Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-04-09
First Epistle OF the Bishop Of the
Church OF Divine Fragmentsto the
Brethren who are In Napoleon and
on the Isle of Patmos and Vicinity.


Church of Divine Fragments to the
Brethren who are In Napoleon and
on the Isle of fPatmos and Vicinity.
PORTLAND, Oregon, March Is.
DEARLY BELovED:-After a sojOurn
OF nearly ten months in this land OF
majestic distances, eternal fOggs and
rain, with occasional glimpses OF sun
shine, / feel IL a duty encumbent upon
me to advise all of the brethren who In
tend to emigrate to this land Of the set
Ing sun TO carefully peruse the 10th
chapter of the Gospel according TO St.
Luke, especially the 9th and 18th vers-
es. For u man on whom old age has
really commenced its march toward
final decay, to anticipate the final grand
round up, to use the stOckman's phrase,
by emigrating while yet in possible
health toward the setting sun, seems TO
me, from the standpoint l now occupy,
to be the height of absurdity Better go
east, north or south.
The local press here TEEN with items
for the benefit of people in the east, ad-
vising them not to come to this coast
unless they have money enough to keep
them six months or a year, aud travel
around and see for themselves, and
then go back if they do not like the
country.
AS for myself, after sacricfiing forty
pounds of flesh, honestly earned In the
forty-nine years of devotion to the cause
Of Jeffersonian Democracy in North
western Ohio, 1 find myself at the age
of 63 of the same opinion of Saul of
Tarsus, viz, that 1t Is hard to kick a.
gainst the bricks,
From the occasional glimpses of Mt.
Hood, through breaks in the clouds
with Mt. Tacoma and Mt. Rainnier as
sentinels, one is apt to form grand
ideas of the immensity of nature and
her works. But the views soon become
monotonous, and we find our minds re-
verting to that land of sunshine known
as the glorious old state of Ohio-the
home of statesmen and brilliant intel
lects. 1t Is we'll known that these Pa
cific states have furnished but few men
OF brains to represent them and their
interests. The Office of senator is put
up at auction to the highest bidder.
A man to announce his name for pub
lie favor with no other qualifications
than honesty, would be an object of de-
risicn. Everything has its price here.
The tide of emigrat ion that Is setting
In towards this country Is simply aston
ishIng. Nearly 100 arrive on every
train from the North. 1t takes but a
few days to convince them of their err
ror. After looking around few days,
all who have money enough to pay the
fare back home utilize it in a hurry re-
turning sadder but wiser men. In fact
not one man out of ten can better his
condition by coming West. would
not give Henry County for the whole
state of Oregon for farming purposes.
Magnificent scenery is poor panacea
for an empty stomach. Although this
is called warm climate, their is not q
day In the year that fires are not neces-
sary and there are only about three
months IN the year that can be called
enjoyable for outdoor amusements.
Many a poor family, after passing
through the valley of desolation and
shadow of death, known as the "Sage
Brush Land" with the hope of carving
out home for themselves and poster
ity, become so impressed with feeling
OF dependency caused by drifting sand
drisling rain and fogs, and absence of
sunshine, that they easily fall victim
10 the suicidal mania; and the Villa
mettte and Columbia are peculiarly
adapted to the furtherance OF such de-
signs as they possess two currents flow
ing in opposite directions. A person
falling in, by design or otherwise, is
seldom rescued. Suicides are very nu-
merous on this coast, some taking the
river route, others the revolver. 1t is
a noticeable fact that most of the sui
cides are people who have become de-
spondent and discouraged after living
in this unhealthful climate.
The revolver is an important factor
in settling all difficulties that may arise
here. Courts are run at great expe nse
and their only utility seems to be In en-
dorsing crime, especially If the crimi-
nal hath plenty of the lucre.
One of the causes of the great rush to
thiscountry is that tourists travel over
the railroads on free passes and give
glowing descriptions of the country as
seen from Pullman car window. Such
tales excite the imagination of vision
aries who form rose colored dreams of
the life they will lead in this climate
of three months sunshine and nine of
fogs and rain.
Some fruits raised here can not be
excelled, as cherries, pears and plums.
Apples are scarce and very high.
This is a mossback country in every
sense of the word; moss covers the trees
and rosfs of the houses. The fog Is the
same as Egyptian darkness as write
it is fog that can be felt.