The West Bhoee.
VOL. 9 No. 5.
M front Bt,
TortlauJ, Oregon, May, 1883.
ItuMnMl Um
ft AtuiujM, i Butmm 0uy
Craigie Sharp, Jr.,
Is fully authorized to transact business for this
publication.
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HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
It is a trite saying that " History Repeats It
self," but it is none the less true, and the people
of Portland might profitably study the past of
other cities, that the errors which have brought
disaster and almost ruin to them may here be
avoided. The greatest of these mistakes is the
captious opposition, to every scheme of improve
ment undertaken by incorporated capital, in
which there seems to be a possibility of some
thing being given to the projectors, or some favor
granted them. At all such times the chronic
obstructionist begins to feel his pats and imme
diately starts out upon a campaign of objection.
There is a useful lesson to le learned from the
history of Sacramento City, and there are many
Sacramentans here who well remember what we
state. When Huntington, Hopkins, Stanfoid
and the Crockers, all business men of that city,
undertook to build the Central Pacific, they re
alized the fact that a prophet is below par in
his own country. They received little else than
gloomy predictions of .failure from their asso
ciates. Notwithstanding these predictions, they
made a wonderful success, and then from passive
prophesying the people were turned by jealousy
to active opposition. They were very much dis
contented because these men had become rich in
their great venture, and earnestly opposed every
schema of the comoanv. At that time Sacra-
mento was the operating terminus of the road I
and possessed the general offices of the company,
adding much to its status and reputation as a
business city. But the people were too short
sighted. If the company desired the right ol
way for a side track, privilege to fill In some
worthless and disease-breeding duck pond for
their own use, or any other fcvor, no matter how
much it would eventually redound to the beneht
of the city, ibey met with certain and determined
opposition. At last, completely wearied by this
constant warfare, the company announced that
their headquarters would be removed to Ssn
Francisco; and one fine day the offices were trans
fcrred bag and baggage, heads of departments,
clerks and ianitor to the Bay City. The result
was that Sacramento ceased to be recognized as
the railroad headouarters. and has ever since
been looked upon as a way station, not only by
the railroad, but by tradesmen and the traveling
Dublic
If this does not convey a useful let to the
citizens of Portland, weconsider them Wind irweea.
The Northern Pacific to seeking lo enter this city
by a bridge acre the Willamette just above
Albina, but much opposition to being developed
by parties who consider their interests affected
and by others who have a theoretical idea that a
bridge will injure the city's commercial facilities.
It is a certainty that the railroad is more neces
sary to Portland than Portland is to the railroad,
and the citizens would realize that fact if the com
pany should suddenly determine to remove their
headquarters and offices to New Tacoma or Se
attle, to abandon the hotel project, to ceane con
struction on the Kalama line, and to bridge the
Columbia altovc the mouth of the Willamette,
I low would Portland be situated then? Cap!
talists and business men from abroad would pass
it by and invest their money in property and en
terprises at the terminal city. It would 1 of no
use to lay before them Portland's advantages,
they would simply say, "That is all very well,
but the railroad has abandoned Portland and by
its official acts has declared its confidence in the
other place, and its intention is la make it the
metropolis." Not only new enterprises, but
many already established here would follow the
company to the new location, and it would take
but a few months for Portland lo feel the ills,
astrous effects of the movement.
CcMimmUutrJ.
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
In the case of new countries, thinly settled and
inviting immigration, people abroad often find a
difficulty in discovering what are the real merits
and demerits of the count7 in question. Of the
authorities to whom they are necessarily driven in
quest of Information, there Is always one class
who have dclilieralely undertaken to " write up"
the counlrv. According to them it is an eden ol
beauty, a perfect sanitarium for the sickly and a
certain source of fortune for the well. Its scenery
is the grandest or most picturesque Its climate li
elvsian i its soil is the most fertile on earth t and,
beneath the surface, it it one vast mine or miner
wealth. People who are Induced to immigrate
into the supposed paradise, soon find they have
been deceived and they resent the deception, lo
the great eventual Injury of the country. There to
directly opposite class, i ney enier a new roumry
ith the most Inordinate especial Ions. Anon
Ihey find those anticipations are not realized.
Straightway ihey commence iht most unreason
able abuse of the country which baa had the mlt-
fr.,nn to receive ihem Into Its bosom, and (leery
u i- il.l. av. It would seem to br
difficult, in such cases, to adhere mlctly to Ihe
.l imth and not run lo extremes.
It Is scarcely necessary to say that every sect ton
of Ihe Pacific slope of Ihe Rocky mountains has
h.H trs Danrtrvrists and Inducers, and II was not
to be expected that British Columbia would fart
differently from neighboring states ami territories.
Wrwiher out of opposition to etsggersled state
ments to the contrary, or through recklett Igno-
r.nr. it has bea and still to frequently altera,
that British Columbia It all but valtckst at an
.,iruhural country. Tbit to grost mlsrepre
.ion of the tocta. It to not pretended I bat
British Columbia, as a whole, will compare favor-
lily with the heil'agrlcultural regions of North
America. Nevertheless it is certain that this
... . i a
great Province contains many numirem oi
thousands of acres. which, In fertility and in all
the favorable natural conditions which are requited
to make agriculture a profitable pursuit, are not
surpassed by any lands on this continent whilst
there Is a much larger estent of land of less value
but which can slill lie profitably cultivated. It It
far within bounds lo say that lis agricultural re.
,ourcc alone, even with the skill and science now
in use, are amply sufficient to sustain a popula
lion of five millions. Il comprises a considerably
greater area than the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland. True, a large proportion to
mountainous t but new comers should not keep
their eyes fised on the silver-caped mountain
peaks. There are numerous fertile and beautiful
valleys and plains lielow. r.ven these mountains,
throughout nearly Ihe whole of I Ills eslenl,
are covered wlih growing llmlier, Iht value
ol which It not surpassed by thai of any forests In
the world. And, with such appliances at must at
distant day lie brought Into use, every fool of
that llmlier may lie made available for market.
And, It It said that the mining wealth of Iht
Province, alioul which we used to heat so much,
It "played out." Such an assumption to absurd
In the estreme. In mining esierlence II has, at
yel, scarcely entered upon lis Inlam y. That It
in Inference lioin fails Vhlch n geologist and
mlnerologisl, and even no Intelligent prai Ileal
miner, will venture e gainsay. Gold la only one
of Columbia! mineral resources. Silver, lead,
copper, Iron and coal are known lo abound J and
not IniproUbly each of these minerals will event
unity prove more profitable than gold.
In short, due facilities of ctmmunlrailon lo
hasten Ihe development of her resources by open,
ing up Iht country, art all that British Columbia
needs lo place her on Iht untkvlallng road to
prosperity. Her great trunk highway, the Cams
dian Pacific railway, to approaching completion
at rapidly at human labor and skill can achltvt
that tnd, and other requisites oi tne stmt cms
mutt speedily follow. Henceforth Iht Province
It assured of a continuous Carter ol success.
P. S. II.
Echo, in Umatilla county, to growing rapidly.
It has now a lint new hotel called iht Arlington.
Wasco county to receiving I lit benefit of Imml
(ration thit aetaon to a considerable estent TM
register of the land office at The IMIIct ttyt thett)
trt 4,000,000 acres of vacant land In Iht county.
Near Alkali, Wsalherford Bros, havt 1,000
acres of fall wheat which will avtragt twenty-is
bushels to Iht acre. Thto to on iht land along
iht Columbia that until recently wat cut
sldered valueless U growing grain. Alkali to
Iht largest shipping PM f l Ensttrti
Otero), tnd will forwtrd 6,000,000 pounds that
season. Cast! Rock to ntw stalk that wilt
also ship a great quantity of wool II It buUdJnf
tp rapidly, and ha 1 Sot county bach of Ik