St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-02-16
Along Pacific Coast.
l. A. Ladd writes of HIS Trip From Port
land to San Francisco.
Editor of CALIFORNIAN:

Editor of CALIFORNIAN:
When leaving Washington for Salifor-
MIA 1t hardly seems possible that you
have journey of 1000 miles before
you. The trains between Seattle and
Portland are always crowded. saw
one family from the Red River valley.
Mimi, who had leased their wheat
ranch and were going to some of the
Seattle suburbs with the family horse,
COW and poultry Also Others from the
Middle West TO various points on the
Pacific coast. 1t is an uninteresting
country going south, having been burnt
over leaving dead tree stumps and
bushes. The settlers are clearing these
away and making farms. On nearing
the Columbia river there is a wonderful
change IN the land. There are good Yer
mont farm buildings, large diaries, and
every indication off prosperous commun-
ity. The railway goes up the North
bank some 80 miles before crossing
and Mount Hood and ST. Helen can be
seen in the distance.
The first thing of note on approaching
Portland is the magnificent bridge cross
ing the Columbia, which has been used
about one year. | was not able to get
any information in regard to it but it is
surely one of the large bridges of the United
States. Portland by what some OF its
citizens say is inclined to be rather con-
servative, more like Spokane than Seat
tie but has grown quietly and surely
since the exposition. 1t has a fine pop
ulation. there were quite number OF
laps to be seen on the streets, but the
cOlored people and Chinese were very
few. Portland ought to have a future
before it with its advantages by the way
of the Columbia and Willamette rivers
and numerous railways. There are
large -four mills. saw mills and other
manufacturing plants. | saw Curtis
Hall Passumpsic boy, who still remem-
bers the old Green Mountain state.
One of the main points of interest is
Council Crest, an elevation of 1900 feet,
which can be reached in a very short
time from the business section of the
city. 1t would be some like taking
trolley car on Railroad street for the
"Knob" only it would want to be higher
than SiIsby's mountain. The cars have
only run there for a summer or two, but
during that time it has been developed
into a large amusement resort with all
the attractions found at such places.
The way this location came by its name,
they say the Indians held their councils
here smoking the pipe of peace or OF war
as the circumstances might be. Whether
they did or not it is worthy of any white
mans attention.
When the observatory has been reached
the city of Portland and the Willamette
liver are before you with Mount Hood
and Adams. In the distance Mount st.
Helen and the Columbia river can be seen.
The wind blew so as to try the windows
of the inclOsed part quite severely and
one could feel the building vibrate.
People who go by boat do not get
much encouragement from their friends
on account of rough seas and bad
weather, but the die was cast with no
7 L. =, -od
and followed. The state rooms have
three berths so one does not know who
his neighbor will be, but a few minutes
before starting was able to arrange ev
erything nicely. The Rose City was some
over three hundred feet in length and
carries full cargo of flour and paper.
The Storage was well patronized by
fortunates seeking a warmer climate.
saw several well-dressed, able-bodied
young men at the office and on the boat
who had hardly a cent after their fare of
So was paid
1t became dark before reaching the
Columbia. The fog began to gather and
soon after reaching the Columbia the
steamer was anchored and we were
there until noon the next day. The small
Ter river boats piled up and down stream
but all used their fog signals very freely
including ours. There was farm house
near us with a small landing on which
appeared young lady and two milk
cans. A boat came, plank was thrown
out and they were quickly aboard and
off Soon after a row boat came in view
with lady passenger and two trunks
which were transferred to a boat going
upstream with the cheers of our boats
people.
I would be pleased to do justice to the
sights seen sailing down the Columbia.
for it is worthy the pen of an artist.
Something new appeared every few min
utes to please the eye of the traveller, es-
pecially near sun down with Mount
Hood glistening in the distance.
The salmon fishing industry is a source
of wealth little realized by strangers,
there being large plants on the river
banks also buildings on piles in the
river. / saw one which looked like set
of farm buildings there were so many of
them. All these plants have plenty of
wharves for the small boats that do the
fishing and the steamers that carry the
packed goods away. A party who had
seen them operate said it was a sight to
see the Chinesemen clean fish. They
would take the heads off, split and cut
the fms at the rate of 80 or 40 minute.
1t was nearly dark when we reached
Astoria. If the PassumpSic river could
be persuaded to flow the other way and
have the freight house used for dock and
shipping purposes St. Johnsburv would
resemble Astoria very nicely. Railroad
and Pearl streets with their sidewalks
would want to be covered with thick
planks to complete the imitation. l
should think Astoria had large Scandi-
navian population by the appearance of
that name over a bank and the business
signs. The stores were few in number
but looked as if they did large business,
one having the largest and best display
of carpenter tools and general hardware.
l ever saw in any city l imagine they
compete with Seattle for some of the
Alaska trade. Iexplored the well lighted
part of the city and there was a large
tent on one of the wharves near our boat,
IL Il.