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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1886)
THE WEST SHORE. 237 wide prairies nnd through the pnasos of hor hills, the iron track is laid and the screaming of tho hoarso ihroated engine tells every few minutes of boiuo station reached. The stage coach, that surprised tho natives, has given place to steam, as that must in turn give place to eleotrioity. The telegraph flash ncroM tho wires news of the Old World; we are so near New York as to publish the same day the snme news its great dailies is sue. Roller flouring mills use the flow of rivers di verted from their courses to do good to man. Saw mills work up and digest the mighty forests that once grew here, and the world of to-day bears little semblance to the "long ago." This is no longor a new country, but boosts schools, colleges, asylums, prisons, churches and hospitals. Every Juno old and wrinkled and gray haired men and womon assemble to talk over the old times and old friends, many of whom are gone and this is the pioneers' reunion. Salem is the second town in Oregon, with six thou sand population in town and suburbs. It is the most home-like place in the state, with less pride and artifici ality than the metropolis has. Spreading maples, natu ral to this region, are planted alonq its wido and uni form streets', water from the Santiam is brought in in two streams that afford six mill sites. Great flouring mills grind immense quantities of wheat, and other in dustries do their part to build the town. The future will see here in harmonious combination great mechani cal industries, schools and colloges without superior on tho coast, and state institutions that will do their share to make the city prosper. Its common schools aro fine buildings and toachorB who deserve high merit conduct them. Willamotto University is a thriving college. Tho city spreads far; has generous lot and wide streets, and leafy maples shade tho walks. Such as it is, the MothwliBt mission founded it, and it keeps pace with tho growth and proHerity of our slate. Halem hits far the handsomest court houso in Oregon, a building Hint cost over $100,000, and is truly olegant in npponranoo. At the upper end of the avonuo on which it stands is tho state capitol, a building of great dimensions, that will be completed in duo time. Tho dome and towers planned for it will not bo built until tho inside is flu ished, and this ia being done now. When built and completed it will bo a structure of which any state might well feel proud. East of Solom, a milo or bo, the state owns soveral hundred acrea of land, on which aro the penitentiary, and insano asylum. These are rather im posing in Bize, well built, and furnished with all modern improvements. It is sofo to say that thoy-as well as the capitol-have cost less than any similar public buildings in America. Silvertou siU close in among tho foot hills, and is a busy town. Jefferson, Stayton and Tur uor have mills that use tho Santiam water in busy work. Home industry will make their futuro. On the railroad, in French prnirie, are Aurora, Hubbard, Woodburn, Gervais and Hrooks, all growing at a g.iod pan. Along the river is Uutteville, famous for it early history. All over tho county aro towns and villages, furms and homes, with gardens and orchards that show how well they all can livo if they but ohooso to do so. The state has its rivalries, and a generous share of rather formidable rivalry is worn out nion Salem. The time came, a quarter of a century ago, when at a general eleo tinn, nil rotors cant a ballot to nttoat their clwloo for the seat of government It so happened that a tow from Salem chanced to be temporarily residing at the mines in Eastern Oregon. One was a lady whoso charms may havo faded some in quarter of a century, but then she was attractive enough to win many votes for Salem, and carried all alio could. She and others labored bo well for " sweet home " as to turn tho scale. 8alem was in dicated by less than one hundred plurality. Every ton years tho state takes n census of its own, in tho middle of each decade. The national census being taken at tho close and tho state census in tho mid dle of eoeh decade, we have a tolerably effective census every five years. The state returns from 1885 orodit Marion county with three thousand six hundred nnd five legal voters, nnd eleven thousand eight hundred and forty-eight opulatioii; of live stock, thirty -one thousand and soventy-two sheep, ten thousand two hundred and forty-five swine, four thousand seven hundred and twenty-five horses, two hundred nnd (our mules, ten thousand seven hundred nnd two cattle. Of 188-1 pro ducts, wheat, ono milliou two hundrod and ninety-nine thousand one hundred and ninety-six bushels; oats, nine hundred and fifty-eight thousand three hundred and three bushels; barley, sixteen thousand eight hundrod and ninety-threo bushels; hay, fourteen thousand four hundred and two tons; corn, sixteen tliousaml eight hun dred and three bushels; butter and cheese, two hundred and fifty-six thousand one hundred and thirteen pounds ; flax seed, two hundred and fifty bushels; hops, four hun dred and fifty thousand two hundred nnd forty-four M)iinds; Ntntoes, three hundred nnd eighty-six thou sand nnd thirty-eight bushels; npples, two hundred and forty-four thousand two hundred and fourteeg bushels; plums and prunes, eighteen thousnnd seven hundred nnd ninety -eight Hiunds; (there nre errors In this, as wo know ono man who had just alsmt tho quantity of dried plums and prunes as is credited to tho whole county); lumber, nine milliou eight hundred ami fifty, two thousand five hundrod foot; gross taluo of taxablo proHirty, 15,92 1,315.00. Marion county is thus divided: tho greatest reach of prnirio is tho French prnirio, comprising tho northern part of tho county, extending twenty miles north and south and almost ns far enst nnd west It has Aurora, Hubbard, Woodburn, Oorvnis nnd Urooka, towns on tho railroad, nnd Uutteville, Chnmpoeg and Fairfield near tho river. Catholics 1-avo a school and oouvent at St Paul. This prairie Is very fertile and well settled. Howell prnirio li near the Waldo hills ami borders on them; it is one of tho most ix-autiful and fruitful of all Oregon's garden spots. Halem prairie is not so exten sive as the others, but is a fine piece of country jet north of tho capital. Tho Mill crovik aud Suutinw country