Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-03-13
INTO the azure blue almost three perpenc ocular

INTO the azure blue almost three perpent ocular
miles.
with powerful feldglasses we could define the
outlines of the central cone. The snow and ice,
in some places being 100 feet in thickness, pre-
vented our seeing the course Of the flow of lava.
heavy growth of timber extends upward about
5000 feet from the base small trees and bushes
nearly 1000 more, while the rest of the surface
being white with snow ard ice, reflected the RAYS
OF the morning sun like polished silver In the
ages past, too remote for history to r. cord old
Shasta threw its sulphurous lightfar out over the
ocean waves; he stands at the head OF that I'M
equaled quartet-Shasta Rainier, Hood and Ba-
ker, whose voices when in action, were
heard, and their presence felt from the Rocky
mountains westward far out on the Pacihc's
crest and more than 800 miles up and down the
coast. What lighthouses Of mans construction
In modern times can compare with these old
flashlights now lying dormant and peaceful,
marking epochs IN the history Of the world that
can be read only in TIE science Of geology.
Having now passed the divide, 'our course lay
directly north, following noisy little strea
that soon, by the assistance OF several ambitious
neiRhbOrs, develops into Rogue river a beautiful
stream whose placid waters and fertile valley,
after we descend the mountain heights, remind
one of the WiRooski. Men were blowing the
small fields with one pair of horses the houses
and outbuildings were, of decidedly New Eng.
land appearance, while thrift and contentment
were seen on either hand. The river soon turned
to the left. seeking its home in the Pacific, 100
miles distant, while we rol ed on to Ashland the
first town over the border in Oregon. The wealth.
er was cooler, but the cattle and sheep, with
young lambs fr1sking about in the green pastures,
otthltu slIhHEtll Oul OF season IN February.
Oregon depends greatly on her lumber products
and agriculture, she has few mining interests
and less manufactures. The valley Of the William.
ette is very rich and productive and EXTENDS near
ly across the state the river emptying into the
Columbia, which is the northern boundary of Or
egon. For several years Oregon farmers have
made specially OF cultivating hops on enor-
nous scale. The consequence has been that the
market IL now ovefstocked, the price has fallen,
and many producers are financially ruined.
Hops are worth in Portland three TO five cents
per pound, and the great hop fields are being
plowed up and not much can be done with the
land this season.
she raises, which, 1t Is well known, has sold at
ruinously low prices for the last two years the
trelghts on farm products preventing sending
anything East. The rates of interest are higher
than in Vermont, and my observation is that the
farmers are more in debt throughout the state
than in New England. The assessed value of the
state, including Portland is sI59 100000 while
Portland pays more than one. third Of tue amount
OF taxes raised in the whole state. l trust your
next correspondent from Oregon and Washing
ton viii see these states in better financial cond-
tion and the people Invested OF the decisions re-
Rarding what constitutes values pertaining to
money, for | have nothing but pity to offer for
the ignorance which prevails In this country es-
pecially among the unfortunates who are hope
lessly IN debt, told several Of the farmers to
go into the dairy business and stop the importa
tion of butter from California. Good California
butter sells IN Oregon from 30 to 30 cents per
pound. Will they do il!
The city Of Portland is prominently the fore.
most on the Pacific coast after San Francisco
The situation Is unique, the surrounding country
Is excessively fertile, the navigabe waters Of
the city, including the willamette and the Colum.
bia and tributaries, being more than 1900 miles
while she is sole mistress of all commerce west
ward. liz miles, TO the ocean. The city has ex-
pended, CONFORMITY with the United States gov
eminent, nearly $1,000, 900 in improving the chan
mel of the Columbia from its confluence with the
willamette to tide water and they now have a
permanent highway with accommodations for
vessels drawing p TO 80 feet OF water One item
of statistics will here give showing something
OF the commercial Importance OF the port of
Portland for 1898, The number of vessels clear
ed from Portland for points beyond Cape Horn
during the year was l05 the cargoes consisting of
5123O31 centals of wheat, lS1 9S3 barrels of -four
150,39S centas of barley. aud 1898 cases OF
salmon. The Columbia is the largest river in the
United States excepting the Mississippi. 1t is
navigable 9Oo miles above Portland, and drains
more than 50,0O0 square miles The salmon fish
cry last year amounted to more than 100000
in value and gave employment TO 1900 people
Bidding many new friends good morning we
take the cars OF the Northern Pacific for Tacoma
Washington. Our course lay down the south side
of the Columbia for 20 miles, thence across the
river into Washington on huge ferry boat and
on down the river 10 the celebrated and fertile
valley of the Ross river which we follow in a
northwestern direction for 80 miles. There are
no large towns this route between Portland
and Tacoma, Olympia lying few miles off the
direct line. There are numerous settlements
most Of them small and exceedingly limp. but
rich in their great expectations, and possessing
all the charact- risics of such frontier towns in
new country. The largest of them are composed
VI ullllS nOttls generally
sistng of ten foo:er'0 with a fetching title
like Squirrel Tail, - "Chirping Cricket, Glover
Blossom" etc, small tradesmen with signboRrd
on tree stumps, boarding houses without boards
in wall tents, milliners, perpatetic doctors and
lawyers who advertise their profession on the
board sidewalks, walking delegates of both sexes
who congreRate when the traics arrive where
the new station is to be built If times are bet
ter, and so on ad nausuam, until you reach the
suburbs among the blackened cedar stumps that
stand around as active and interested as so many
policemen. Repeat this 20 times, with slight va.
riations, and you have a picture of the entire
route from Portland to Tacoma
The story of a big beet, and how it came near
heating your correspondent, may be of interest to
Valley Fair contributors At a place not far
from the place of the date of this letter attended
an exhibition of the gardeners art in the rooms
of the chamber of commerce. Among the speci-
mems a beet with its genealogy weight
length, etc, given on a card with the admoni-
tion mot to handle the exhibits" The length Of
the monster four and half feet weighing
$50 pounds. Here was a chance to reegate all Of
Prof Roel's past efforts into obscuTity but alas
my idol was broken, when, by chance | learned
that beets grew summer and winter year after
year IN this country and this par ticular one had
been the rounds Of the Chicago Fair, had done
time at different great fairs in many cities, re.
ceiving fresh coating of varnish at each ship.
ment, and was probably planted by the first
Spanish monk that ever visited this part of the
country.
| give, freely, the readers of The Phoenix the
benefit Of my experience.