The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-09-29
(By II. s. Lyman.)
{, ..nued from yesterday.l }

4 D.4.4lileu from yeSleIuuyJ
Glancing from matters educational,
however, let 1t be obse rived that the
Nehalem is @ grand country, and AS
toria is negligent in not annexing 1t to
herself, or uniting 1t with herself. Crops
over there are prodlgious-so far as
landowners have any incentive to raise
crops. Grass, clover, hay, oats, wheat,
barley, roots Of all kinds, vegetables,
even sweet corn and tomatoes berries
to an extravagant quantity, hops, Or
chard fruit such as cherries, plums,
pfunes, and apples, are prolific, even
this very late and extreme season. Ne
halem apples are the best in the world;
big, fair, and of the highest and rich
est flavor of any grown anywhere. They
are solid and late keepers and free from
any insect pest, Apple orchards flour
ish best on the uplands, with south ex-
posure. A twenty acre apple orchard
in the Nehalem would just about keep
one family in work and In money,
and afford the chance for making the
most desirable of homes. Astoria
should not sleep, at least not more than
eight hours a day, until she puts a
family upon every forty acres of pro-
ductive land in the county. There
ought to be wit enough in this town to
populate the surrounding country, and
then by supplying herself the means of
sustenanca without sending abroad for
produce, and also make some market
for our merchandise.
So far the policy Of Astoria toward
the surrounding country has been that
OF indifference or open opposition, or
contempt. The country has been re-
garded as of too tI'ifing Importance to
merit notice, even less existence. The
Just demands of the settlers, who have
been left to rough 1t alone for easy
communication with Astoria, have too
often been treated as the importantly
OF mendicancy, or the suggestion to
divide" with those more successful
than themselves But this policy of
isolation is already recoiling upon AS
torla. The trade of the Nehalem val
ley, which even now is not inconsid-
cradle, Is mostly done with Portland
through the Clatskanle route, by Mist
In Columbia county. Astoria, as bus
mess center, is almost ceasing to ex-
list, even In her own county, and, one
might say, within her own corporate
limits, The unenlightened course OF
the past, which is now bringing us such
humilllting results, is due both to mar
rowness of mind and lack of informa-
tlon 1t should be broken up somehow,
Tho suggestion, which seems TO be
regarded earnestly by some. at least,
that Astoria consolidate her railroads
and railroad subsidies and build the
road herself, would be In this line, Sub
slides In land could be raised all along
the route. from Astoria to Hlllsboro.
With such backing all that is needed
Ia energy and intelligence and unity
OF Action--things which the town ought
to furnish. Even the sun-kissed skies,
resting down upon forest-robed noun
talns, and the salmon swarming Col
umbia debouching upon the ocean,
whose farther shore laps the Orient, or
eNtravagant descriptions Of rain, win
not induce capitalists to spend money
for us. A little hard sense and hard
work of our own. and such union Of
action as recognizes all parts OF the
county, may accomplish what we need.
Despite the difficulties OF making a
home In timber country, where pro-
visions have had to be packed" or
floated In bateaux down the swift
stream; and lumber must be gotten
from distance OF twenty to forty
miles. or split out OF the logs. there are
inany handsome places In the Nehalem
valley. One Is surprised to come upon
ouch places as Mr. Johnson's at Yes
per. There is scarcely neater. more
homelike or better kept place in the
state. The farm is mainly cleared and
In production. Mr.. Linden's farm, near
BY. is another well-improved place. AIr.
Lindell has some fancy for bees. and
has this season about ton OF honey.
which cannot be excelled. Bees do
well all over the valley. the vine ma
pie, white clover. blackberry and rasp-
berry, and the fre-weeds or epIloblum.
that grows on the burnt ridges, all hav-
ing the best Of honey flowers Nearly