Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-12-22
What the Schoolmaster Saw.
SALEM, OREGON, Dec. z, 1898.

SALEM, OREGON, Dec. z, 1898.
In our last letter we left you standing
near the Portland University. Before
viewing the magnificent works ofnature
let us look at what man has done
as it must be so entirely surpassed by
the handiwork of Omnipitence. Look
ing to the south, Portland a city OF
nearly one hundred thousand souls,
lies on each side of the Willamette.
Strong and massive iron and steel
bridges with immense draws for ships
to pass through, connect the two parts
of the city. Over these bridges pass
long and heavy railway trains, electric
and motor cars and vehicles Of every
kind. On the west side the hills rise
nearly one thousand feet and are COW
cred with many large and magnificent
residences, looking from a distance
like the palaces and castles of ancient
times. Portland, for its size, is said to
be one of the richest cities in the United
States. The surface of the river is
only thirty-six feet above sea level.
Moving upon the river or at anchorage
you see vessels from nearly all parts OF
the world. The masts of the sailing
vessels look like forest of fir trees
dismantled of limbs. Near one of the
bridges you see two long black objects,
something in shape like cigar float
ing on the water, these are torpedo boats
not quite completed and intended for
defense of Portland. They look just
like you see them in pictures. May
they never be needed.
Now we will look north about three
miles, Just across the Columbia river
into the state of Washington. Those
house tops you see are in Vancouver.
This place was made the headquarters
of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1923
and is associated with the early histor-
les of Oregon and of Indian warfare.
That we may have better view Of the
mountain ranges and historic peaks
we will change our location about
two miles. We leave the end of the
cable line on Portland Heights and a
twenty minutes walk, mostly climbing
In West Portland, and going over rus
tic bridges and steep ascents, up and
up nearly one thousand feet and you
arrive at the little settlement of Mt.
Zion. Here the road winds around the
hill, but soon you reach the summit.
To the west you can see the coast range
of mountains which hides the Pacific
ocean from your view. You seem al
most poised in mid air, while beautiful
valleys dotted with villages and covered
with farms and orchards are spread in
panoramic array before you. Those
orchards few weeks since showed fine
apples, pears, such as grow nowhere
else; prunes, and such prunes, large
and luscious beyond what one would
deem possible in a prune; not so many
grapes, peaches fine and tempting,
while these fields that look as though
thickly studded with small telephone
poles, are the hop fields of the valley
which yield many dollars to their
owners. But that hop field does not
excite your curiosity as much as that
peculiar shaped looking object covered
with snow over to the southeast. You
want to walk over to it, do you? You
think it is about three or four miles
away. You are poor hands in guessing
distance here. That is Mt. Hood and
it is fully fifty miles away. Grand old
giant! If the printer prints this we
will continue our trip.
w. H. BRINKERHOFF.