The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-03-28
BEAUTIFUL WILLAMETTE.
An Enthusiastic and Entertaining Letter
from Mrs. O. h. Dye Of Oregon City,
Ore, Formerly a Resident Of
Madison.

Mrs. G. H. Dye, pleasantly remember
ed by the ladies OF this city, was chosen
one Of the correspondents Of the ladies'
edition Of THE DAILY LEAEER, but IN
fortunately her contribution arrived too
late for publication in that issue. As
the letter contains much information Of
interest. we produce it to-day:
OREGON CRY, Ore, March 10, 1885,
Dear Friends at Madison: Your request
of March 4th Is at hand. We are glad
to learn that you remember us SO kindly
and that the old church, or rather the
new church, is so 1ourish,ng. We have,
however, never regretted the move to
Oregon, from financial, health, educa-
tional or other points of view. We have
built us q beautiful home overlooking
the Willamette from whose windows al.
| winter I have had view OF Mount Hood
lifting it's snow peak to the clouds.
Westward the river winds toward
Portland Heights, purple in the distance.
I never expected . home where ] could
SEQ q snow peak and q lovely river from
the same window. And directly oppo-
site in the next lot there 10 q fr grove
forever like . classic painting to the eye.
We have had an ideal winter-tiowers
ever in bloom, grass green and sunshine
every day. Very exaggerated stories OF
Oregon rain are circulated in the east.
We thought it would be rain all the
time, but it is not 90, although there are
times when it rains steadily for several
days, but not worse than often occurs in
Iowa or Illinois. Many Dakota people
are here; many from Nebraska, and
every where. We have q Chautauqua
Assembly at Oregon City LOT which Mrs.
Dye is the secretary-ED.] very similar
to the one at Madison. There are sew.
eral Circles in town and great activity
along these lines.
/ know that before we came to Oregon
we would have been very glad to obtain
an authentic, unprejudiced view Of Ore
gon as a state 70 live in. It seemed so
far away; 80 unreal. All the bugbears
imagin able came up to alarm. 1t is not
damp here a. some feared; the soil dries
of quickly. At this moment the dust is
flying in tho streets. 1t is not cold. The
Thermometer has never been lower than
ten degrees above zero since we came
here. Zero is practically unknown
The soil is very fertile and not half
farmed. The fruits are many and de.
liclous. I thought Of you this last sum-
mar when whole orchards Of delicious
pears ven to waste. In June I
went a mile out of town to a cherry
orchard OF hundreds Of trees whose own.
or said it did not pay to pick the fruit.
We actually get tired Of pears, and yet
these pears are simply Undesirable.
Prunes r here Il greatest perfection.
Canned prunes are lit for an epicure, far
better than the dried ones.
The factories Of Oregon City deserve a
chapter by themselves. Do you know I
have an awful suspicion about some OF
these factories? They are largely owned
by nonresident capitalists who are lay
ing the foundation Of tremendous for
tunes by keeping the special advantages
just as still as they can until they get q
monopoly Of the great water power here.
Millions are in it. The paper factories
alone in time will command the world.
Mills east are running at q constantly
increasing disadvantage on account Of
the increased cost OF wood for pulp.
Here wood lies on every hillside.
The sea tide comes up to the very
gates of the mills. Opportunities for
manufacture and N are unsur-
passed in the world. Already tho output
OF these mills are taking the markets
hitherto monopolized by England and
the east. Experts cay this will become
the paper city Of the world.
The electric system here has Q plant
second only to that at Niagara Falls.
Its lines are but in their infancy; lines