Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/777

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waiian islands, since the establishment of the immense lumbering and milling properties on Puget sound, chiefly controlled by capital in San Francisco, it has been difficult to market Oregon lumber, except on sufferance from the great lumber firms. In 1885, however, the experiment was made of sending cargoes of lumber to the eastern states direct by rail, which has resulted in a trade of constantly increasing im portance, having grown from 1,000,000 feet to 10,000,- 000 feet monthly. The market is found everywhere along the line from Salt Lake to Chicago. The lease to the Union Pacific of the Oregon Railway and Nav igation Company s lines will facilitate this traffic. This trade belongs at present solely to Oregon, and is inde pendent of the 100,000,000 feet exported annually to Pacific coast markets. 11

19 In many ways the improvement in local institutions might be noted. A fruit grower s association was formed, Dr J. R. Cardwell, president, which held its first annual meeting January 5, 1887. On the llth of the same month the Portland Produce Exchange was organized. The state "board of immigration transferred its office to the Portland board of trade in Sept. 1887. A G-atling battery was added to the military organizations of Portland. On April 7, 1886, the Native Sons of Oregon organized. On the 17th of August, 1887, the corner stone of the new Agricultural college was laid at Corvallis. The state has done nothing to withdraw the Agricultural college from the influences of sectarianism. The Southern Methodist State Agricultural college, as a local newspaper calls it, will not rise to the stand ing which the people have a right to demand for it until it becomes, as con gress intended, a part of the state university. A free kindergarten system was inaugurated in Portland; and a Woman s Exchange opened, which gave cheap homes to homeless women, with assistance in finding employment. The Teachers National convention of 1888 at San Francisco showed the work of the Portland schools to be very nearly equal to the best in the United States, and superior to many of the eastern cities. Albany, since the incep tion of the Oregon Pacific R. R., has gained several new business institutions. The railroad round-house and shops were located there. Among its manu factories were extensive flouring mills, furniture factories, wire works, iron foundries, and a fruit packing establishment. An opera house was erected by a joint stock company, and a public school building costing $20,000. The aggregate cost of new buildings in 1887 was $160,000, with a popula tion of 3,500. The electric light system has been introduced. The water power furnished by the Albany and Santiam Water, ditch, or canal com pany, with a capacity of 20,000 running feet per minute, invites industries of every kind depending upon geared machinery.

Roseburg in Douglas county took a fresh impetus from the completion of the Oregon and California R. R. The county of Douglas, with a popu lation of 14,000 and a large area, shipped in the year ending August, 1887, 269 tons of wool, 5,073 tons of wheat, 436 tons of oats and other grains, 288 tons of flour, 8 tons of green fruit, 61 tons of dried fruit. This being done with no other outlet than via Portland, was an indication of what might be looked for on the opening of the country south of Roseburg. \n