aa6
THE WEST SHORE.
September, 1881
ocronEk.
In (he circle of the months October
plays no common part. Spring it til
promise. Summe follow the bloom
and perfume of May with the ripen
ing influences of July. Autumn fol
lows seed lime and harvest with the
lusclousne of fruition. The sun has
withdrawn from the zenith and surveys
the lately fevered landscape from a
distance. The slanting rays fall with
tempered force. The context now
raging between heat and frost is Imrne
witness to by the rich Oclolcr foliage
that glows on the autumnal air with
the hues of the ripened and dying year.
Ilut time has In unfailing round brought
here again the fruition of all the hopes
and lalxrs of the husbandman, for his
granaries are full and overflowing, and
his barns piled up with plenty. Now
he gathers his reward for the faith and
toil expended through seed time and
harvest, and realizes the delights of
Harvest Home. Like the strong man
who, In his prime, looks back iikhi the
timely laltors of his younger and ma
turcr years to And that well-ex cnlc
t lloit has earned lor lum ami his a re
ward of plenty and abundance, so
grand October, with yet strong sinews,
though his crown and heard are
touched with the frosts of time, stands
like patriarch amidst his children and
his sheaves, and quaffs his willing wel
come in the vintage of the accom
plished year.
Throughout the Northern nations
now, the willing earth pours out its
noble stint of corn and wine. The
squirrel gather in his harvest from the
abundant mast the bee has stored
his wealth of sweets and waits the
Winter. All nature has prepared to
drop its mantling green ; and when
November winds may come, foret and
orchard shall meet them with hare
bought. Hut everywhere, if we but
look, fttiit buds have formed to wait
the coining of another Spring, and,
with the ripeness of another Summer,
turn to luscious fruits. 'Tis well with
all of us when turning lo lite yellow
leaf that maikt the Octolcr of our
live, if the barin boughs tit found
like natuie't wooilands, clothed with
the promise of future life made
precious by the harvest part, and rich
with the wmicd village of a life lo
come.
Henby Vili.aud, Esq., accompa
nied by a numler of distinguished
European and Eastern capitalists,
arrived here on the steamship Colum
bia, on a tour of inspection. Residents
of the Pacific Northwest have every
reason to feel grateful to Mr. Villard
for the prosperity we are now enjoying
and set on foot by him, not only by
his investing his own large capital
here, but by enlisting almost unlim
ited capital abroad to prosecute and
carry to completion the immense rail
way, ocean and river navigation sys
tem mapped out by him. It is safe to
estimate that at present more than
10,000 people find remunerative em
ployment in the Pacific Northwest
through Mr, Villard's various enter
prises, and these 10,000 in turn keep
up large numbers of merchants and
artizans. These all combined are heavy
consumers of the farmers' products,
so that every branch of occupation is
directly benefitted by the pluck and en
terprise of Mr. Villard.
ASTORIA.
Y In this issue will lc found an excel
lent and faithful picture or the best
portion of Astoria ; and the important
relation this city bears to the whole
Columbia tegion justifies that we shall
give fair mention of its present and
prospective importance,
Astoria was founded three-quarters
of a century ago by John Jacob Astor,
as it was the first location made for the
prosecution of the fur trade on the
North Pacific. That early history has
been read in various forms, the most at
tractive being that contained in Wash
ington Irving' charming narrative. It
is still possible to recall the site of the
old structures erected by Astor' com
pany in the outset, by the outline of the
embankment, now almost obliterated,
they threw up around their palisades
Whatever may aflect the commerce
of the Columbia in year to come, we
may look upon Astoria as the pcrma
nent depot for upplie the actual tea
port of the Columbia and the point
where all heavy ships must complete
cargo. Thit has necessitated the con-
struction of warehouses and whtrvet of
great capacity, and they will Increase
in numner and capacity as tl.a mm.
river it concerned, it bears an impor
tant relation to all parts as the depot
for export and supply. We will
briefly recapitulate its advantages.
Astoria has -an intimate connection
with the salmon trade ; the thousands
who man the fishing boats and consti
tute the working force for fisheries and
canneries, make their headquarters at
this place, and from here the great
quantity of supplies needed for these
fisheries is drawn. The lumber mills
along the Columbia swell the Astoria
trade. The shipping that comes and
goes is constantly on the increase ; and
this trade in many lines of goods is im
portant, and demands many vegetables,
fruits, meats, etc., that make a cash
market for products of farmers of that
section ; so that it is understood that
Astoria is the best market in the
State for farm products. The pros
perity of the surrounding country of
course keeps pace with that of the
town. Clatsop has many fine farms ;
up the bays and streams to the south
there is a good country that is devel
oping fast, and all ftlong the river
settlers are making clearings for miles
back, and becoming producers and
consumers, in both of which capacity
they benefit Astoria.
That city is fast acquiring wealth,
and when her citizens gain in fortune
so that they can embark in greater en
terprises, there is certainty that they
will build up their town, because they
possess public spirit to a remarkable de
gree. It will be seen that the various
interests which center here are suffi
cient in themselves to build up a good
business center. But our bird's-eye
glance has not gone out of sound and
reach of the Columbia river, whereas,
we must recollect that Clatsop county
has a good area of soil fit for cultivation
as soon as it can be cleared of brush
and timber, and there is a good section
of country extending north from Ba
ker's bay, with out-put at Ilwaco, that
will eventually trade at Astoria, and
bring its products to that point, com
prising a great portion of Chchalis
county, and all of Pacific county, in
Washington. All things considered,
the future of this city must witness con
tinued progress. .
Let us now look at the expectations
iHatMni al . at . I
....v, .c region ueveion. A an ii. u t !... '
tr m.how. h. favorable potion with the Willamette and Upper Co
theaiyoocupts. So far a, , he lower lumbi. regiom. Tht, railroad ,ptcm