Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1905-04-13

tion the timber resources of the Co
lumbia river region. The structure Is
206 feet in length by l02 feet in width
and its extreme height is 20 feet. In
its construction two miles of three to
FIVE foot fir logs, eight miles OF poles
and thousands OF shakes for rOOhng'
were used. One OF the monster logs
weighs thirty-twO tons. 1t is the larg-
est log building ever constructed, and
will be a marvel OF wonder to the vlsl-
tor.
Much more might be said in regard
to Oregon, but those who might be in
terested in knowing more about
il should avail themselves OF
the cheap rates given this year, which |
are the lowest ever known to this coast, |
and while you see the country you can
also see one OF the greatest expositlons
ever given in the United States.
A word about our climate. The pre-
vailing breezes from the Pacific ocean
make it milder than the normal for
this latitude. In the western part OF
the state cold waves seldom occur, and
in the eastern section they occur only
when the cold air from the Northwest
Canada provinces drifts southwark over
the Rockyand Blue mountains, over
runs the plateaus and fills the valleys
and canyons of eastern Oregon, So
equable is the climate that several
years often pass without thunder
storms, in the western part of the
state, while those which visit the
eastern section are usually light and
are always welcomed because of the
rain that accompanies them. The main
tempture varies with elevation, closely
approximattng 50 degrees in western
Oregon and that part of eastern Oregon
below the level of 20O0feet. This mean
is slightly higher than that of London
or Berlin, but closely agrees with that
of Paris and Vienna.
The climate is very different from
that in South Dakota. l lived in
Union county, that state, from August,
1876, to August, 1879, and thought there
was no place like it. South Dakota is
splendid state. do not regret hav-
ing lived there, but like Oregon much
better. We don't have the billiards.,
winds, electric storms, ETC., and there
is very little snow here and seldom any
zero weather, especially in western
Oregon. We have some rain, to be
sure, but it is preferable to snow and
wind from my experience. Ihave been
a resident of western Oregon twenty
two years and the coolest weather in
that time was 2 degrees below zero,
aud that only for one day. This win
ter our snow fall was q inches and re-
manned one day. The coolest morning
was II degrees above zero.
Now as 10 prices of farm lands. In
eastern Oregon good improved farm
lands can be bought from twenty to
forty dollars per acre. In western
/
forty to one hundred dollars, depend
ing upon improvements and access
ability to market Indeed there are
numerous farms which could not be
bought for the latter price, but these
as rule are small tracts. Onion land
garden land, three to five hundred
dollars per acre. Hood River valley
fruit land Is equally as high. Unim-
proved land can be had from ten to
twenty-five dollars per acre, not SO
close to rail road or market.
1 Again, what effect has the climate up
on people afflicted with rheumatic or
lung trouble? In reply I can say I
have known many instances where
| persons afflicted with rheumatics were
cured wholly or in part and as for weak
lungs, the change Is beneficial to some
who come here. Two patients have
been pronounced cured of tuberculosis
at the open air sanitarium near Port
land recently. But it is very pecu-
AAcsA 0AGGbk0As wv lab WOulu dDDGdt 10
one case might not in another. My
opinion ID pulmonary disease is less
prevalent here than in the middle
west or eastern states.
No doubt many people from the two
Dakotas will visit Portland this year.
Since January LIST, nineteen visitors
from South Dakota and twenty five
from North Dakota have registered al
the rooms OF the Oregon Historical
society In the City Hall. I have in
terviewed all Of them, or nearly so, and
In every case they expressed them.
selves as favorably impressed with
Oregon and its climate.
Trusting these few lines may be OF
interest 70 those who may chance to
read them, I remain,
Yours truly
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