The record-union., 1897-03-23

and many of these tracts are quoted at
thousands of dollars an acre, but there
is just as good land for sale at a few
dollars an acre, which in time will be as
valuable as any in the State. Even dis
tance from centers of population means
a future advantage when the whole
country is developed.
At present the best authorities in the
market offer quotations of good land
as low as S5 and even 50 SO an acre.
Some of this land is still in the hands of
the Government and is open to home
stead entry. The railroad advertiSes
lands at reasonable prices and on long
terms and offers special inducements
to settlers on their lines. A friendly
hand is extended to new corners and the
value of the right kind of settlers is
fully understood by all classes.
ROOM FOR A VAST POPULATION.
1t is the general expression that now
is the time to make a move, if ever. 1t
is not expected that land will be cheaper
and it is almost a certainty that it will
go higher. AS soon as a tide of immi
grafton sets in prices in this favored
region are sure to rise, even if there is
no general national or world wide
change of existing conditions. The de-
velopment of the vast stretches of rich
mining country between the Missouri
River and the Pacific must create a
market for all kinds of produce raised in
the valleys of Oregon, thus enhancing
property values of every character.
There is room in Oregon for vast
population, and the Willamette offers
rare inducements for industry and en-
terprise: and nowhere are these induce
ments more apparent or surer of results
than in the Yamhill section, along the
western side of the valley. Taxes are
low. the State rate being i mills, and
Correspondingly low rates in all the
counties. Official salaries in Oregon are
among the lowest in the Union, the
Governor and State officers receiving
about 81 800 and others in proportion.
More money is expended in maintaining
the public schools than is paid for the
maintenance of all the State institutions
combined. Besides the annual tax there
is an irreducible fund which pays in
terest to the several county school
funds. Salaries are ample to secure the
best teachers and nothing appeals more
sponse than the demands OF education
The State University at Eugene is well
equipped for the study of the natural
sciences and the liberal arts, and
throughout the State are scattered nor
NAL schools, agricultural colleges, high
schools seminaries and many private
institutions Of high grade.
Comfortable churches are found in
every section of the State and some of
those in Portland are very beautiful
in architecture and fittings. Services
are we'll attended, the congregations
consisting largely of men, which is not
the rule among the population of new
States. Life and property are as safe
in the Northwest as in the older com
munities of the Union.
WAGES AND COST OF LIVING.
Living is wonderfully cheap in the
western part of Oregon. In the smaller
towns beefsteaks of the best quality
retail for 10 cents a pound, fine roasrs
sell for cents q pound. and -four costs
81 10 hundred. At Corvallis the cost
of meals in the dornitory of the Aeri-
cultural College to the student is
81 % week. At the Normal School
at Monmouth students pay 50 80 a
week for board and room
People live in Oregon much as thew
did in the Eastern States fifty years
ago-on the product Of the farm and
by barter of labor for produce. There
is very little travel for people of this
prosperous condition and consequently
fine clothing and high living are not
fashionable among them
nI~
high as they are in California. and
they are certainly better than in States
east of the Missouri River There is
| probably as little poverty in Oregon as
there is anywhere in the world. There
is so much to make life agreeable i'm
this country, such grandeur in the no.
bic range of mountains out of which
rise Shasta, Hood. Rainier and the
cloud-draped peaks that lie in this n;c
turesque background, such wealth of
forest, such sport for the hunter .ne
fisherman and the explorer. such a
fruitful soil and a market so ready and
rumenerative, that those once ner,na-
nently settled in this region seldom,
care to seek further for the FL Dorado
that lures men to the four corners cf
the earth.
The pressure of hard times and low
prices is forcing land into the marker
and live wide-awake settlers are be-
ing attracted to this section of the
Northwest. There is every indication
that oregon and particularly the Will
lamette Valley is on the eve of a rad
ical transition from farming to manu-
featuring and mixed industries. The
wealth of this section, apparent and
| prospective, cannot be estimated. It's
vast undeveloped resources, however
cannot long remain in that condition.
for busy, eager generation is coming
out of the schools and colleges. off the
farms and out of the cities and towns
seeking opportunities that they viii
never find in the well trodden paths