The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-12-04
IN THE FAR WEST.
Communicated.

4 i VIII write q rev lines Tor the 0ene-
fit Of friends and neighbors who have
mot had an opportunity to visit the
far west.
AS l am not much of correspOn-
dent I will tell the truth and endeavor
to describe things as / see them. /
Ishall begin with description of
tSalem, Oregon, as Oregon is the center
of attraction at present on account
of the timber boom.
AS you all know Salem is the capital
of Oregon, and has many facilities
and advantages to make it a large
lefty, but. alas, 1 fear that will never
| be. 1t is now city Of few thou.
sand. The Penetentrary, Asylum,
Indian Training school, capital build
Il ings and many other state buildings
must bring in large sum of money
annually, but with it all it is a very
j sleepy little city and when the sun
goes down, there is not even kerosene
lamp on the principal streets to save
one from running into brick wall.
and the streets have never been paved.
| One night l ran into small boy with
a glass jar filled with lightning bugs,
and asked him what he intended do
ing with them. He said he was TAX
ing them to the Mayor to light the
city with.
There are great many stores, and
impossible to find one vacant, all seem
to do a good business In quiet way.
The residences are out from the bust
ness portion Of the city and private
parties do their shopping by phone.
The city is surrounded by good farms,
extensive hop fields and orchards.
The typical Oregon" farmer is tall,
rather thin and of dark complexion
with rosy cheeks and black whiskers,
His better-half Is also dark, as rule.
They make a striking picture as they
slowly drive into town in bare wag-
on with pole seat and two fat horses
with heads almost touching the
ground; the harness consists of a
collar, strap across the shoulders
aud tugs, giving one an impression of
a lady who forgot her hustle. The
farmer carries long limb of weep
Ling willow. asa 'persuader." and he
thinks this very guide" Salem has
tseverai small hutels and one large
one. ''The Willamette" It is also
large in price for which the traveller
gets very little in return. There is
one place called The Cottage" which
serves meals that would do honor to
the President for the small sum OF
1.-TWO bits"
A citizen Of Salem told me one good
thing about Salem, was that when one
earned money they could keep it, ard
I did not dispute him.
People reading the daily papers Of
Portland would naturally think it a
very tough city. AS far as 1 am
concerned L have never seen anything
that would frighten an infant,
must acknowledge. We have three
good daily papers, The Oregonian,
Journal and Telegram. They all
seem to be. under the impression
that it needs blood and thunder to
/ make a city famous, If tired citizen
springs from dark corner and tries
to stop feeting car, the following
morning there is startling article
and description Of a street car being
held up or fleeing from the awful high
way man. Again, il half-drunken
man, after spending hours quenching
his thirst. staggers into friends
arms, who thrusts his hand into his
pocket to see If there remains the
price of bed. the next morning you
may read in red letters a thrilling
account of a man being caught in the
act OF robbery. For the wicked city
this is supposed to be. any timid
woman may walk after dark across
the bridge that divides the residence
portion of the city from the business
part, or west side Of the Willamette
river. with fat purse dangling from
a long chain, under the light of a
sixteen incan lescent lamp which dis
appear every few seconds, without be-
ing molested.
Now what l do know about is the
restaurant and think one could eat in
a different one, one meal a day for a
month without eating twice in the
same place. Indeed, it does not make
any difference, they are all the same
and you are lucky if you can get a
chair. went into popular restau-
rant the other evening about six
thirty. waiter came up and asked
him for four very ordinary articles of
food, Each time he said I'VE are out
Of that" so asked him il there had
been base ball team there from Ely.
He looked at me and 1 told him to
bring what was left. Restaurant
business Is a good and fine one in Port
land and IL they are out of anything
N and Won com MIA N Won aro alco lia hi