Oregon, Washington and Alaska; Sights and Scenes for the Tourist

Excerpt

Oregon is a word derived from the Spanish, and means "wild thyme," the early explorers finding that herb growing there in great profusion. So far as we have any record Oregon seems to have been first visited by white men in 1775; Captain Cook coasted down its shores in 1778. Captain Gray, commanding the ship "Columbia," of Boston, Mass., discovered the noble river in 1791, which he named after his ship. Astoria was founded in 1811; immigration was in full tide in 1839; Territorial organization was effected in 1848, and Oregon became a State on 14th February, 1859. It has an area of 96,000 square miles, and is 350 miles long by 275 miles wide. There are 50,000,000 acres of arable and grazing land, and 10,000,000 acres of forest in the State.

The Union Pacific Railway will sell at greatly reduced rates a series of excursion tickets called "Columbia Tours," using Portland as a central point. Stop-over privileges will be given within the limitation of the tickets.

First Columbia Tour—Portland to "The Dalles," by rail, and return by river.

Second Columbia Tour—Portland to Astoria, Ilwaco, and Clatsop Beach, and return by river.

Third Columbia Tour—Portland to Port Townsend, Seattle, and Tacoma by boat and return.

Fourth Columbia Tour—Portland to Alaska and return.

Fifth Columbia Tour—Portland to San Francisco by boat.

Is a very beautiful city of 60,000 inhabitants, and situated on the Willamette river twelve miles from its junction with the Columbia. It is perhaps true of many of the growing cities of the West, that they do not offer the same social advantages as the older cities of the East. But this is principally the case as to what may be called boom cities, where the larger part of the population is of that floating class which follows in the line of temporary growth for the purposes of speculation, and in no sense applies to those centers of trade whose prosperity is based on the solid foundation of legitimate business. As the metropolis of a vast section of country, having broad agricultural valleys filled with improved farms, surrounded by mountains rich in mineral wealth, and boundless forests of as fine timber as the world produces, the cause of Portland's growth and prosperity is the trade which it has as the center of collection and distribution of this great wealth of natural resources, and it has attracted, not the boomer and speculator, who find their profits in the wild excitement of the boom, but the merchant, manufacturer, and investor, who seek the surer if slower channels of legitimate business and investment. These have come from the East, most of them within the last few years. They came as seeking a better and wider field to engage in the same occupations they had followed in their Eastern homes, and bringing with them all the love of polite life which they had acquired there, have established here a new society, equaling in all respects that which they left behind. Here are as fine churches, as complete a system of schools, as fine residences, as great a love of music and art, as can be found at any city of the East of equal size.