Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-01-02

| during the past year, year that has
been as full of elections as q New
York tenement is full of talions. Not
a propltious time to be sure for vast
undertakings, yet the good people OF
Salem and Marion county, with an
abiding faith in the present and fu-
ture of this, the heart of the Villa
mette valley, have accompanied that
faith with deeds of an enduring ma
ture.
1t is commonly conceded that the
awakening of Salem came with the
advent of the paved streets. The
first few blocks were hard indeed to
get started, but once the ice was
broken the rest came easy. So much
in favor are good streets that dur
ing 1910 no less than 121 blocks were
permanently improved. OF these
thirty-four were of bithulitic, seven
teen of concrete and seventy of mac
adam, 1t is doubtful if any other
city the size of Salem on the coast
has improved as much street surface
as this city during the past year.
Over 200 building permits were
issued in this city during the year
! just closed, and in the smaller towns
and in the county at large a vast
amount Of building has been carried
on. The new buildings are largely
Of better character than those here-
tofore erected. They are larger as
q rule, have more style and certainly
are more attractive. This is due in
a measure to the fact that architects
are employed more freely than in
years gone by.
One of the most surprising Develop
ments of the old year is the amount
Of acreage that has been subdivided
and placed on the MARKET Thirty
eight subdivisions, comprising 3,435
acres, have been cut up into lots and
small tracts.
II he who makes two blades of
grass grow where only one grew be-
fore has done so good a work as to
entitle him to be called benefactor
to his race, why should not the man
who makes it possible for fifty famil-
les to own homes on a section where
only one family lived before be equal
ly eligible to a seat in the hall Of
fame? He should be, and he is one
Of the greatest benefactors city or
town can have. No town can hope
to amount to much without back
country, and no back country, how
ever rich in production, will amount
to much so far as the town is con-
cerned until 1t Is settled with what
is termed the small farmer.
! No less a parsonage than James r..
Hill is credited with the statement
that ten acres of land in the Villa
mette valley, properly worked, will
bring as much to family of workers:
as quarter section in some Of the
Eastern states.
If Salem is to continue to grow,
and no one seems to doubt that it
will, 1t will have to thank the man
; who is filling up the small tracts with
the small farmer.
An example may be cited showing
what an advantage it is to a town to
have many small tracts instead OF
larger holdings from which to draw
its trade. Take for instance piece
Of land Of about 900 acres one mile
from the Fair Grounds which had
been in one farm and occupied by
one family. At the time it changed
, hands, last March, number OF per-
sons doubted the wisdom Of sub
dividing so large piece. However,
IL mdD tub up lAlO hlIJ-AlNO tLdCl0
and most of these have been sold,
and large number improved. When
these tracts are all sold and occu-
pied there will be fifty-hve families,
as against one to support Salem. Not
only will they purchase their sup
plies In Salem but they will produce
stuff that is either disposed here To-
cally or through Salem commission
men.
The recorders office, which in a
way Is regarded as thermometer by
showing the amount of business tran
sacted in the realm of the realty mar
ket shows some heavy business deals
for the past year. Recorder Drager,
who has Just closed his term of Of
fee, has had a record year both for
instruments recorded and for fees
received, taken in about $500, as
against $6,700 for 1909. Over 1000
instruments were recorded last year,
as against 6,145 In the year previous.
AS few contracts for the sale OF
real estate are recorded It is impos-
sible to accurately figure on the num-
ber Of sales made in real estate dur
ing the past year, but as large per-
centage Of sales made are done by
contract, 1t is not wild hazard to
say that 5000 papers were issued in
connection with sales that were not
recorded.
The 1909 valuation of property in
Marion county was $32,443, 800,
while the 1910 assessed valuation has
been figured at $34,960,490, with
four to five millions to be added yet
when the corporation assessments are
decided upon, which will be close to
SAC, 900, 900 for 1910.
Nineteen eleven opens up most aus
piciously for this section Of the vail
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