January.
THE WEST SHORE.
9
LINN COUNTY.
To farmers with means no locality in
this state offers superior inducements to
Linn county. It is most admirably located
in the heart of the great Willamette valley,
the "garden of the world," most of it
being within easy access to market. It
contains 1,850 square miles, a large part
of it open prairie, and in some sections
heavily wooded. The Willamette river,
with steamboat navigation most alt the year
round, flows along the entire western end
of the count)', and the Oregon and Califor
nia Railroad Company's trains make two
trips each way daily through the entire
length.
The following is the census report of the
assessor for 1875: Legal voters, 1,180;
males under 21 and over ten years, 1,281 ;
under ten years, 1,460; females over 18
years, 1847; under 18 and over 10 years,
737; under 10 years, 1,313. Total popu
lation, 9,845.
Acres of land under cultivation, 79,688;
bushels of wheat raised, 998,626; bushels
of oats, 519,694; bushels of barley, 13,213;
bushels of rye, 645; tons of hay, 10,148;
pounds of wool clipped, 168,893; ounces
of golJ dust taken from the mines, 744;
bushels of corn raised, 5,328; bushels of
potatoes, 29,014; bushels of apples, 164,
708. Number of sheep, 4,406; hogs,
8,217; horses, 6,527; cattle, 12,559; mules,
109. Pounds, of tobacco raised, 2,529;
iounds of cheese made, 850; pounds of
butter made, 169,152. Feet of lumler
manufactured, 2,500,000.
The county papers, however, insist, very
satisfactorily, that the assessor must have
made a mistake, and give the population
up to 14,000, and give the amount of
wheat exported and stored for export of
the 1875 crop at 1,500,000 bushels.
Most of the lands to be had in this
county are improved farms, which can be
bought at reasonable prices, considcirng
the amount of improvements made on
them. There is some government land
yet unoccupied, which can be had at usual
gonjjiment prices; but it is somewhat fur
Ihii "jmoved from the advantages of the
tlii' kly-sittled portion than some people
would fancy, esecially such as dislike
pioneering.
Minerals of different kinds arc found in
the Cascade range, which divides this
county on the east from Wasco. Placer
mining is also carried on with fair success.
The county is well watered, and several
varieties of a superior quality of timber are
found in profusion.
Churches and schools are numerous.
Mail facilities arc excellent, there being
twenty-three post-offices, the largest number
of any county in the State.
The princial town and the seat of
county government is
ALBANY,
one of the liveliest and most progressive
towns in the State. It is located on the
Willamette river, and has two passenger
aod one freight train daily to Portland, a
distance of eighty miles, and one passenger
and one freight train daily to the southern
part of the State. It is particularly noted
for its public-spirited and enterprising citi
zens, who have contributed liberally and
spared no expense to make the city a place
where religious and educational advantages
may be enjoyed. The following incident
sjicaks volumes for the inhabitants of the
place: About three montlis ago a fire oc
curred in the town, and one of its citizens
lost his place of business (a liver)- stable)
and all its contents, including horses, wag
ons, etc. Early die next morning a sub
scribtion list was rapidly circulated through
the city, and before many hours had
elapsed over $1,500 had been subscribed
to assist him in rebuilding and recom
mencing business. Several gentlemen gave
I too each, another gave a good liorse, a
number of meclunics, unable to give
money, agreed to donate their labor to
ward rebuilding, and the most praiseworthy
act of all was the one of W. R. Cannon,
who, although engaged in the same line of
business, gave $50 to assist in building up
an opposition to his own trade. With
such high-minded citizens it is no wonder
that Albany is going ahead and is sought
after as a desirable place of residence.
There are several churches and some
excellent schools here. At the head of the
latter stands the Albany Collegiate Insti
tute, under charge of the Presbyterian
Church, and the only institution of the kind
in the State. The Institute is attended by
about 130 boys and girls from different
parts of the coast, and is in a very prosper
ous condition. Prof. R. K. Warren is the
president. He publishes a neat and inter
esting monthly paper, Our Cclkgt Mam,
in the interest of the institute.
The city also boasts of a very neat
county court-house (an engraving of it a
pcared in our October number), built of
brick, and costing $40,000.
The residences are neat, and surrounded
by little gardens filled with choice shrub
bery, denoting taste and refinement.
The Albany and Santiam Canal fur
nishes unlimited water-power, turning the
wheels of numerous manufactories, and
there is room for ten times as many.
Messrs, Brown 4 Stewart, publishers of
the Albany daily and weekly Democrat,
Origon Cultivator, and the proprietors of
the most complete printing office in Oregon
outside of Portland, also avail themselves
of the above-named water-power, and run
their large cylinder press by it as well as
the smaller job presses. This is the only
newspaper on the coast using wattr-pint'tr
(no pun intended).
Besides the above publications, Coll. Van
Cleve publishes the Albany Rtgitttr, a
news)-, spicy and thorough newspaper.
In the hotel line we find two very good
ones the St. Charles (the largest), kept
by Mathews 4 Morrison; and the Ex
change, by E. S. Merrill.
An excellently-conducted banking house,
with abundant capital, presided over by
Mr. John Conner, is also one of Albany's
institutions.
In the mercantile line we find R. Cheadle,
with an ample stock and doing a very
large business.
As before stated, many manufactories of
different kinds are located here. The
principal ones are: Beach 4 Monteith's
Albany City Mills, manufacturers of the
well-known "Baker's Extra;" A. F. Cherry's
foundry and machine shops, doing a thriv
ing business, and as complete an establish
ment as any in that line in Oregon ; M. B.
Rogers 4 Co.'s sawmill, conveniently lo
cated, thoroughly cquipcd and doing well.
J. F. McCoy 4 Co., in the saddlery and
harness line, do a good share of busi
nesst are very enterprising and deserving of
success.
F. M. Rumuuugh, broom manufacturer,
docs perha; a larger business than any
one else in the same line in this State out
side of Portland,
E. Carter 4 Co.'s planing mills manufac
ture sashes, doors and blinds, and supply
all the wants of Linn count)' in that line.
Althousc, Backensto 4 Ketchum make a
specialty of putting up grain sciarators,
and in fact do all kintls of mill work.
The Alden Fruit-Peserving Comany,
started here on the I91I1 of August, 1875,
with Allen Parker as president and Eli
Carter as secretary and stierintendcnt.
The capacity of the drier is 150 bushels
per day.
In the eastern part of the town is located
the Albany Farmers' Co. warehouses. Mr.
D. Mansfield is the secretary. They not
only do a general warehouse business, but
sell all kinds of farming implements.
C. D. Simpson also does a general ware
house business, and deals in shingles and
salt as well.
G. W. Collar, in the furniture and bed
ding line, does a good business.
Tileston 4 Scott, formerly of this city,
are in the same line of business yet as
gunsmiths and general machinists. Their
shop is conveniently located in the princi
pal business part of the town.
John Briggs has recently completed a
neat and substantial business house two
stories in height for his own use, wherein
he at all times keeps a full stock of stoves
and tinware.
M. S. DcPew, in the same line, also
does a very good business and manufac
tures tinware of all kinds on an extensive
scale.
W. H. McFarland, one of Allnny'a
pioneers, occupies a sulistantial-fire-proof
brick building, stored with stoves, tinware,
pumps, etc.
Titus Bros, jewelers and watchmakers,
have an elegant establishment, and being
located here for a number of years, have a
flourishing and constantly-increasing trade.
Bell 4 Parker's drug store, although a
comparatively new firm, enjoy a fair share
of public confidence and patronage.
K. 0. Smith, dentist, has a vet)' neat
office in the new "brick row," recently
completed.
J. Foshay, druggist, in the postoffice
building, also deals in books, stationery,
paints, window-glass, etc.
G. W. Gray, a well-known dentist, who
has furnished to the State Dental Associa
tion several very interesting articles on
"Surgical Dentistry," hits an office over
the postoflkc.
G. W. Baker, formerly of Portland,
keeps a dollar store, whcrcinhe displays a
full stock of goods usually kept in an es
tablishment of that kind. II c uses printer's
ink liberally, and does well.
S. W. Mclan, a merchant tailor of more
than ordinary ability, has a comfortable
shop, and receives the latest patterns as
early as any establishment in that line in
Oregon,
J. Joseph has a full line of groceries,
toliacco and cigars, and gentlemen's fur
nishing goods.
Monroe 4 Staigcr's marble works, a
branch of the Salem house, do some very
fine work in their line, and supply the
entire upper Willamette valley.
Willcrt 4 Busch manufacture wagons
and carriages on a large scale, and do a
general blacksmilhing business,
Wm, Lister, an enterprising and go
ahead business man, has a full stock of
groceries, crockery and glassware, atid
doing business on the cash system, is natur
ally successful.
K. B. Purdon has a picture gallery, and
manufactures picture frames of all kinds.
R. Jacolis gives all his attention to the
cleaning and retiring of gentlemen's
clothing.
E. Boyle, bootmaker (the principal one
in Albany), las a large run of custom.
His style of boot is aluays in demand.
The Beehive Store, containing a large
stock of groceries and crockery, and pre
sided over I')' 11. Weed, its gentlemanly
proprietor, is, as the name of the place
implies, a busy institution, but, unlike
other beehives, is all honey and no stings.
The Albany Brewery,' of which Mr.
Clias. Kiefer, is proprietor, is a popular
place. His beer is of a superior quality.
Schmeer 4 Miller, of die Empire Bakery,
supply an excellent article of bread and
cakes, and have also recently oned a
coffee and refreshment saloon.
Frank Wood is a general blacksmith
(CouthJtJ on fagi 1 1.)
AT THE CE0S8 BOADS
fa yBfo if
THE LITTLE STUDENT.