THE WEST SHORE.
2th Year.
Portland, Oregon, January, 1886.
.No. 1
ESTABLISHED 1878.
THE WEST SHORE.
4n lllxutrated Journal of General Information, devoted to the development of
ine ureal n eii,
f Subscription prioe, per nnnuni 12 mi
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Single oopiaa !ill
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rosunastftni uhi ptewa Au will reoeire auiMoripuoiui hi aoove raiee.
L. Samuel, Publisher, 122 Front St., oor. Washington, Portland, Or.
table or
" Page
Editorial S
NoU u( the Nortliwmt. . ait
Oregon Sue: A legend of 'M'" .... .8
forimnu (UluslrnlMl)., 11
CONTENTS.
Page
The Dine n.milit 21
Tito Kestern tlraie 8H
The Spirit of the Water 4
The Untune City of Aatoria IW
Htray Luavos from a UaLy's journal. 1 What Kvury One Should Kuuw 11
The West Shoue wishes its many remlors a happy
and prosperous new year.
With the curront number The West Shohe begins
the twelfth year of its existence. Its cnroor hits boon
one of constant progression towards a higlior standard,
resulting in an ever widening field and an increasing
popularity. The expressions of good will and commend
ation from both the press and private individuals and
the number of unsolicited subscriptions received have
been greater during the past month than at any previous
period. The art department begins the now year with
an increased force and additional facilities, so that it
will be able to present work of the highest order of per
fection. As an evidence of this, attention is called to the
colored supplement sent out with this issue, as well as
the numerous regular illustrations. The work was all
done in The West Shoue establishment by its regular
force of artists, and is equal to the finest executod in the
United States. It is the publisher's intention to give
other art supplements from time to time, which will in
themselves be worth more than the subscription price.
In every respect the volume for 1880 will be superior to
its predecessors.
Gratifying; evidences of returning prosperity are
noticeable on every hand. Portland merchants have boon
enjoying a brisk holiday trado and the wholesale housos
have been doing a large business, irom all over the
Northwest come reports of a healthy state of business,
with the assurance that the coming year will be ono of
prosperity. This region was the last to greet the " hard
times," the least troubled by thoir visit, and will le the
first to bid them adieu. The enormous crop of 188.) is
now being marketed at paying figures and a still larger
acreage has been sown for the coming season; now reg
ions are being opened np by railroads; immigrants are
pouring in; the lumbor trade is reviving; sovoral new
raining districts of great promise have been discovered
and are beins raoidlv developed. In view, of these
things, and, the noticeable effect they have already pro-
uoed, it requires neither a prophet nor Lis descendant
to predict for 188(5 a year of groat prosperity throughout
the Northwest .
To HurroitT his ruling that patents shall not le issuod
in pre-emption cases until he has made a porsonal exam
ination, to accomplish which it has boon estimated will
require two hundred yours for tlio cases already before
the department, Commissioner Sparks makes the broad
assertion that from 75 to 00 per cent of pro-omption
entries in Washington and Oregon are fraudulent, and
basos this upon tlio roports of " spooial ngonts." Thoso
special agents rank with the crooked dotootivo and the
dospioable railroad spottor. In ordur to demonstrate a
ueeossity for thoir existence and to porpotuato their hold
upon a "good thing," those Qovorumout spottors find it
nocossary to sond to Washington most alarming roports
of crookedness; yot ovou those xoalous agouts havo not
roportod to Commissioner Sparks one-quarter of the
percentage of fraud ho claims, and his assertion is merely
a broad effort to bolster up his absurd dooisiou. That
the pre-otnption law should be abolished is generally ad
mitted; but that patents should bo withhold from those
who have coinpliod with its provisions as it now stands,
until tlio Commissioner oan investigate thorn, is an idea
too absurd and too full of injustioo to be entertained.
Among tlio numorous handsome and oostly buildings
illustrated in this numlwr is tlio United States Custom
House and Tost Ollioo, showu ou page 7. It is a solid
stono edifice, and was oreetod in 1875 at an expoiibO of
8325,000. Tho growing needs of the city demand now a
still largor structure, and lloprosoutative Hermann has
asked Congress for an appropriation of 1500,000 lor a
Custom IIouso to bo erected in Portland. Tho illustrations
show many other buildings of attractive architocturo, largo
sizo and costly construction, giving a good idoa of the
substantial character of Portland s business blocks.
One of Portland's most worthy institutions is tho
Orphans' Homo, supported by tho charitable contribu
tions of the people, and managed by tho Ladies' lleliof
Society. Some yoars ago the Homo was started iu the
northern portion of the city, but two yoars ago the pres
ent commodious building (illustrated on page 7) was
erected in South Portland, whoro it occupies a healthful
and beautiful site, commanding a view of the river ami
tho country eastward to tho summit of tho Cascado
Mountains. '
"Shadows" is tho title of a small volume of poem
by Goorgo K. Camp. The poems are short, but in them
Mr. Camp displays a cultivated mind and a true poetical
... w . . I. t ' i ! if 11 1k ' n
spirit It is uy lar me domi oouiriouuou uio l ocino
Coast has yet inodo to lyrical literature. A. L. Bancroft
k Co., San Francisco.
i