Kiilsber®, Oregon. 
Christmas ban. 
Bear Mr. Beane:- 
Mere it is Christmas again I have yeur card ®f 
©emembrance and net a word have you had from me far many lang 
menths. y ou must f rgive me. It has been a year ef much hard work, 
many disappointments a>d seme losses, but one of progress neverthe¬ 
less, have all enjcyed the best of health and have much t© be 
thankful for. The big freeze t f last winter killed all the fall 
grain and -e have had t® buy several thousands worth ©f feed ^hich 
should have raised at home, but ~ T e have increased the output 
very materially and improved the glace greatly. 
The last letter I had from you -as in regard to the big 
run of smelt m the sandy* As r teld you this is an annual affair 
and generally lasts three or four days and is a great picnic for 
all of western Oregon. Winter before last a lam farmed in the river 
and the fish could not get up and it -as thought the run might 
have ceised Permanently, but they blew out the lain and last spring 
the fish came in greater numbers than ever before. It lasted some 
three weeks and the number ©f fish taken was bevend c loulation. 
whe same thing happened many years ago in the Fraser and the sal¬ 
mon could not get te their accustomed, spawning' grounds and for sev¬ 
eral years the fish -ere very scarce, but the clearing cut. of the 
river and saner regulations have brought them back and the run is 
nr- about normal, ^hev allow no fishing f#r , I think, two days 
-eekly and sufficient fish g t >y te keep up the supply. 
I did riot get a chance to see much ®f the country last 
summer, but T dragged Bee away from his blessed cc-s for a cr-upie 
of days and -e went down to the coast at "’illamoek and sa- the Pac- 
ic for the first time and a wonderful dairy country. T-o or three 
s&all streams flow into Tillamook Bay ■••nd form a large area of 
very rich bettom land- T'he climate is very mild and the grass grows 
