Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/263

 CORRESPONDENCE 251 no expectation that the insurance company will pay for dam- ages occurring under such circumstances. I have stated the facts as nearly as I can as they appear to me and leave the matter for you to adjust as nearly right as the case may appear in your judgment. I will say, however, that I had rather pay for the freight of good, clean, dry, white pine shavings than for old school books, for in the nature of the case one is worth just as much as the other. The shavings will contract little moisture ; the books with leather bindings will always mold in the hold of a ship. I have learned a profitable lesson in this matter (yet it is rather an expensive one for somebody), that, should I in coming time order saleratus and salsoda, I shall order them put up in tight vessels, packed apart from valuable clothing. Yours respectfully, EZRA FISHER. Received Oct. 29, 1853. Oregon City, Oct. 1st, 1853. To Rev. Benjamin M. Hill, Cor. Sec. of Am. Bap. Home Mission Soc. Dear Brother : Herein I send my report of labor under the appointment of the Home Mission Society as their exploring agent for Oregon Ter. for the 2nd quarter, ending Sept. 30th, 1853. During the quarter I visited Umpqua and Rogue River valleys, and the towns of Jacksonville, or Table Rock, in Rogue River Valley; Winchester, on the Umpqua River, Marysville, county seat of Benton County, Albany, county seat of Lynn County; Portland, Washington county, Marysville, Santiam, Lebanon, French Prairie and Oregon City churches. Labored 13 weeks during the quarter. Paid $12.75 for travel- ing expenses and twenty- four cents for postage. Delivered twenty-seven sermons and fifteen addresses, mostly in the yearly meetings. Baptized one person, a young man, at Ore- gon City, and four in the Santiam church. Have labored three