Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-03-25
OREGON AND DAKOTA.

MT. Frank Hofer, who has spen
three winters in the Willamette valley
at Salem, writes to bis home paper, th,
Glendale, North Dakota, Leader
among other things, as follows:
This winter has been truly glorious
and as an Oregon winter, has been ar
exception to the rule. received a let
ter only few dayN ago in which the
weather, Z r two weeks ending Feb
Sth, averaged q below zero.
Sitting here before the blazing fire OF
fir wood, In an open CRATE aud in per-
feet comfort. 1t actually makes one
shudder to peruse such report, and
one wonders II this eau really be. bot
II must be true az 1t came from Dakota.
Now II q person were to attempt tn
keep warm by an open crate fire under
such frlgld atmospheric pressure, with
the usual wind blowing, he would
surely freeze on one side while he was
getting warm on the other, and the
chances are, he would, considering the
usual draft in Dakota, go up the fiue
and probably pull the hUe up after
him. All joking laid aside this makes
one think Of old Dakota seriously, and
| have already been planning W hat
farming operations will carry on next
season. One Of the first things that
suggests itself Is, how much crop will
you put In and what kind, and how
will I overcome the one great obstacle,
the Russian thistle. II have a kind of
Il feeling 10 my bones that there will be
a big crop this year, and SOW every
thing that you can."(You have prob
ably heard this expression.) There is
an unexpllcable fascination about this
that can only be enjoyed by the native
DakotaD, which no doubt, most farm.
ers have many times enjoyed. / will
wait, however, till am again sham
bling among clOds aud thistles before
finally mature my plans as to next
years crop; 1t may materially change
them.
Many people here are questioning as
to whether we will have any more
rain this season. Ask an Oregonian
aud you invariably get about the same
answer, 1t is about like this: "All
other things earthly may fail, bat the
rain falls on the just aud the unjust
alike In Oregon, and especially in the
Willamette valley, just as sure as the
seasons come and CO." Thus Il may be |
seen that the average Webfoot, never
fears q drouth, especially at this season
Of the year.
Grass has been good all winter and |
stock has done very finely and Is gen.
orally In good order and has been
practically on the range all winter.
have seen good many Dakota
people this winter, and somehow they
all have longing to talk about their
old home, the land of cyclone and
blizzard, and where the will l.o'. the. wisp
has lead many good man astray. On
one point they all agree, that If they
had put In those years stolen from their
prime, In Oregon, instead Of in Dakota,
they would now be independent. l
saw honeet John Richie the other day
and he WAS as happy as a clam and he
said that lat never saw a country In his
life, where twO-bit piece would 70 as
far rs right here In Oregon. This is no
doubt true, for you can buy o5 loaves Of
bread for one dollar and sack Of the
best -four for fifty cents. also saw
fred Brown and Mr.. Hart the other
day, the latter Was nelghbor OF the
Caldwell boys In the early days aud the
former was generally known as Phil. ,
Brown. He looks ten years younger
aud is as tat As badger.
The intense cold weather in the east
Ibis winter brings In prominence the
vast difference there is In the ex pense :
'Ill Of the family. Take a period Of 25
iears and you have u neat little cum. ,
Yet while taking into consideration the J
'ery cold weather OF the east, there "a
onsolation for every one enjoying this 4,
Italian climate, where one has but 10 !
ca,ch Mother Earth aud she is sure
o respond with AN abundant crop. I
'hen, too, while the fruit crop OF the d
ast, has In many places been totally q
estroyed by cold, here II will be a.
leptlful ~ ever. The eastern states II
Iill ~, have TO depend largely upon u
his region for their frult supply. 4,