January, 1880.
THE WEST SHORE.
gon possesses over California is the
lower rate of taxation. The only draw
back to Oregon i the wet weather in
winter, but this is compensated for by
the certainty of crops and the loveliness
of the country in spring and summer.
informat-ion'kor immigrants.
Clarke count) is In Washington
Territory, on the north side of the Co
lumbia river, about 75 miles from the
sea coast, and separated from Multno
mah county, (Won. hv thP Pnlnm.
bia river. It has an area of about 670
square miles. Scattered over this sur
face there is a population of 7000 peo
ple; their chief occupation being agri
culture. This county, like the balance
of Western Washington, is a timbered
country; yet there is here some land
that is naturally devoid of timber, but
all of this is occupied. There is a
quantity of unoccupied government
land in this county, all of which is
more or less timbered. Some of it is
comparatively easy to clear, but a large
part of it is covered with heavy green
timber. This land lies chiefly on the
eastern and northeastern borders of the
county, and is, of course, more remote
from schools and market than are the
settled sections. The surface of the
country in the central and western por
tions is level; rolling in the northern
part; and hilly and mountainous on the
eastern border. The soil everywhere
is good, the upland being a clay
loam, along the river bottom a black
sandy loam; in the alder swale lands a
heavy black soil and asrich as the
richest. The soil of the land is good
where grow the heaviest timber. The
soil of the upland prairies is gravelly
and regarded as second quality, but
even here good crops are generally
harvested, and the farmers arc nearly
all well-to-do men. The soil is adapt
ed to grow any product known to the
north temperate zone. The cereals all
do well. Vegetables, as well as any
other plncc in the world, and fruit the
same, apples, pears, plums, prunes,
cherries, &c. All kinds of small fruits
grow and ripen in perfection. The un
occupied timber lands and foot-hills
afford excellent range for stock, and as
the winters are mild all kinds of stock
do well. A good milch cow can be
lought for $J5; an average work-horse
for $75, and other stock in proportion.
Farm laborers get $1.00 per day ami
Vwr4. Wheat f worth $1.00 per
bushel now, has averaged much less
than $1.00 per bushel heretofore, but is
likely to be worth fully that much
hereafter. Potatoes are worth 50 cts.
per bushel and other vegetables in pro
portion. Fruits are all cheap, but
when dried for market bring good
prices. This is a irood countrv for an
industrious man. The necessaries of
life are comparatively easy to iret. The
climate is mild, and in consequence of
me great quantities ot timber, the rain
fall is abundant. Some winters have
freezing spells, lasting all the way
from one to six weeks ; though a six
weeks' freeze-up is of rare occurrence.
Sometimes the winter will pass with
no frigidity in the air, save a few frosts,
and flowers will bloom in the gardens
all winter long. The climate is salu
brious, though the humidity of the win
ter is generally thought to be bad for
persons afflicted with throat and lung
difficulties.
The county has numerous public
schools, and, as usual, in a new coun
try, most of them are of the lower
grade. The people now here arc deep
ly interested in the cause of education.
and the schools are improving every
year.
The timber of this county is mostly
yellow fir, and is goad for lumbering,
ship-huilding and various other manu
facturing purposes. There is some
very fine cedar, some little oak, consid
erable ash and various other varieties
of small timber.
The county is bounded on the south
and west by the Columbia river, which
affords means of transportation to mar
ket hv steamboat. It is 11 miles, bv
the way of the Columbia and Willam
ette rivers, from the southwest comer
of the county to Portland, the metrop-
ons 01 Oregon.
That portion of the county lying
next to the river is subject to annual
overflow. It is excellent grass land
well adapted for dairying purposes.
Farms partially improved can be
bought for $5.00 to $20.00 per acre.ac
cording to location.
There is a IT. S. Land Office located
at Vancouver, the county seat, where
parties can avail themselves of home
stead and pre-emption privileges.
Vancouver, the county seat, is a
town .if Sou inhabitant, beautiful!) lo.
fiid on the Columbia river,and one of
trie most pleasant places to live, in the
Territory.
This county needs honest, industrl
ous men. If they can bring capital
with them, all the better; hero are
chances for profitable investments.
Money loans readily for 1 per cent per
month. The poor man will find this
as easy a country in which to mako a
living tor himself and family the first
year, as any in the United States; but
he must be frugal and willing to work,
and leave behind him all expensive
habits, if he has any.
Lumbering has been, and is irener-
ally, a good business in which to cm-
ploy capital. The Columbia affords
good salmon fishing. Manufacturing
is in its infancy, but the natural facilities
therefor are here in abundance. Me
chanics command from $2.50 to $..no
per day. Professional men have hut
little to do in this locality. Dry goods,
groceries and every thing else usually
kept in n country store, can be Wight
at very nearly, if not quite, us low
prices as in the Eastern Stales.
In conclusion, a general invitation is
extended to all those people in the East
who want to hud a new country, with
room and opportunity to work, to iro
to Clarke enmity, W. T.
1 Til 1
Bl sure and send all your renewals
and new subscriptions for Eastern or
California newspapers and magamics
to this office. You will savemoney by
doing so. As an example, we fur
nish Harper's, Scrttner's, Atlantic
Monthly and Frank Leslie's Weekly,
for $14. If you were to send direct to
each publisher, the price for the four
publications, including the expense of a
xstal order and postage for each, to
say nothing of the trouble of writing
four separate letters, would come to
$16.35 All other publications at pro
portionately low prices. For 1K80 We
have superior facilities, and can offer
better terms than ever. Write your
address on a postal crd, let us know
what publications you desire to take.
and wc will immediately forward you
a return card giving our price for
them.
The cost of the army in British India,
even in time of peace, is $85,000,000 a
year, or 45 iwr cent, of the entire reve
nue. The buildlilt mid fimuthimr ,.1 ..
country house for ihi! imH M"r of Bom
bay cost $075,000. No' worW hr
n a defimt in the ravenu'.'