Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1895 — A Letter From Oregon. [ARTICLE]

A Letter From Oregon.

Editor Republican: Perhaps a short letter from this occidental Empire will be of interest to many of the readers of your valuable paper. Many statements are made, by people in Oregon writing to their friends in the east, which are misleading. Oregon is vast in extent of territory, and variable in climate and general contour. While in this part of the Willamette Valley we have had no snow during the past winter, and while the weather has been very mild, it is by no means true of the whole state. Some people, in describing the weather of this valley, are so indefinite in their statements, that the impression goes out that Oregon has a mild, balmy climate. They only mean to describe the climate of the Willamette valley. That vast country known as Eastern Oregon, which includes all that portion of the state lying east of the Cascade .mountains, is as different from the Willamette Valley in general features and climate, as Mbhigan is different from Florida. In the valley the vegetation remains green the year round, while in Eastern Oregon, in the winter, the ground freezes from a foot to two feet deep, and the snow fall is fully as great as

m northwestern Indiana. The past winter has been delightful. The farmers in this valley, have continued plowing all winter. The prospects for a fine crop, both of fruits and cereals, never was better. The material developement of this valley is gradual but sure. The large farms are being sub-di-vided and orchards are being planted out all the time. The orchards vary in size from an acre up to a section, according to the inclination and ability of the men who plant them. I have seen ote Bartlett pear orchard of six hundred acres. This ie in Marion County, near Salem. This winter an orchard of six thousand “Ben Davis” apples was set out at the edge of Albany. Prune culture is' to be the chief fruit industry of the valley I think. Marion county is perhaps ahead in prune grow ing. There are, it is estimated, 3000 acres of prune orchards in Marion county, of which about 800 acres are in bearing. Yanghill county —McMinnville the county seat— perhaps comes second There are at least 6000 acres of bearing prune orchards in the valley, which means, according to the most conservative estimates, an output of from six to ten million pounds of dried prunes this year.

Great preparations are being made, this spring, by the “Mazamas”, for climbing the snow peaks of the coast this summer, and signaling from one to the other with the heliograph. The “Mazamas” is an organization formed for the purpose of mountain climbing. They propose t 6 climb Mount Adams on July 10, and they are making arrangements for small parties to climb other peaks at the same time, so that a chain of signal stations can be established from British Columbia to Mexico. The Mountains that are expecteed to have signal parties on them are Baker, Rainier, —or Tacoma, as the people of insist on having it called— St Helens, Adams, Hood, Jefferson, Pitt, Shasta, Lassin. Diablo, and others extending into southern California to the Mexican line. Arrangments are being made by correspondence for parties to climb the neccessary peaks, except Adams, Hood and St. Helens which the Portland Mazamas will attend to. Rev. N. F. Jenkins, pastor of the M. E. church, Westville Ind. will spend two months with us this summer, and it is our purpose to make the ascent of old Mt*. Hood and spend Abg-' glorioPS fourth” on its summit. I will write you a full description of our trip when we return. I am glad to note, by the Republican, the steady and substantial progress that old Jasper and beautiful Rensselaer are making. I send kindly greetings and best wishes to all my old friends and hope they “may all live long and prosper.” Very truly yours.

J. T. ABBETT.

Albany, Oregon. May 6, 1895.