THE OXraTIXG OREGOKIA3T. TTTESDAX, JA3HJABY 1, 1S95.
11
THE Cm OF HOMES
UGEXE, THE GATEWAY TO THE
VALLEV FROM THE SOUTH.
The Seat of Lone County Edncation-
"al Advsntasck-Factories Ea-
tabllNued at This Point.
i
r-r-Fi UGENE enjoys tne
: ' prestige of being one
of the leading" educa
tional centers of the
state. The state uni
versity, Oregon's
higher seat of learn
ing, is located at this
point, and. affording
opportunities for ob
taining an education
offered by but few-
schools on the coast, it draws to Eugene
students from every part of Oregon.
These -with the faculty of the university
form the nucleus of a society at Eugene
which includes among its members the
best people of the city. The society here
affords every opportunity to the cultured
that is offered bv the best society of any
city, and this, with the delightful sur
roundings of Eugene's location, has mads
this place one of the most inviting home
spots on the coast.
Eugene is 123 miles south of Portland,
on the main line of the Southern Pacific:.
The location of the town is a particularly
favorable one. It is at the gateway to the
"Willamette valley from the south, white
to the north stretches away a succession
of smaller valleys which rival in pro
ductiveness the largcx valley of the Wil
lamette. West of Eugene to the coast
range of mountains is a country rich in
agriculture, timber and minerals, while
to the east as far as the higher summits
of the Cascades is a section which during
the past few years has perhaps claimed
more attention from settlers than any
other part of Western Oregon. All of
Eugene's tributary district is well
watered. It is an ideal wheat-growing
and fruit-producing country, and in the
diversified wealth of fanning lands, tim
ber and minerals It affords every oppor
tunity to the immigrant.
Lane county, of which Eugene is the
scat of justice and the trading center,
covers an area, of over 2,000,000 acres of
Jand. At the present time but one-half of
this land is under cultivation. In the ap
proaching era of diversified farming and
nmall holdings, the part of the lands of
this county which are now occupied will
i-roduce double what they do today. This
increase with the occupancy of the re
maining linds of the county will support a
population of possibly four or live times
the number of people who make their
homes in this part of Oregon tcday.
The soil of the lands of Lane county is
made up of disintegrated matter of vol
canic origin, and It yields large crops each
successive season without any sign of im
pairment of this soil. The annual product
of wheat in the county is about 550,000
bushels; 1,000.000 pounds of hops are yearly
'raised in the county, and Lane is today
one of the heaviest producers of fruit of
'any county -in the state. The farmers of
the county annually sell about 200.000
pounds of -wool. The output of the saw
mills of ihe county approximates every
ear about 23,000,000 feet of lumber, and
with the demand "which a larger popula
tion will insure this output can be in
creased to almost an indefinite amount.
Every farmer in Lane county is now
paying special attention to fattening hogs
for the market, an industry that promises
largo returns. The leading packing-houses
of the state now take all hogs offered at
prices that insure a fair margin of profit
I to the farmer, and this demand for pork
has greatly stimulated the industry of
t raising hogs. Tho county, as before
stated, has leng been noted as one of the
best fruit-growing sections of the state.
'The apples, pears, prunes and the smaller
varieties of fruits grown in Lane county
command the highest price In any of the
markets of Oregon, while even peaches,
''and fruits usuully grown successfully
only on warmer soils than those of the
Willamette valley, give large yields on
the lands of certain parts of the county.
Eugene's transportation facilities are
afforded principally by the main line oi
the Southern Pacific, which passes this
point. The Woodburn-Springficld branch
of the same system runs to Springfield,
only 2 miles distant from Eugene.
Trains over both the main line and the
branch run through to Portland. During
the past season an attempt has been made
to run a steamer from Portland to
Eugene, 'ho Willamette being navigable
up as far as Eugene during favorable
stages of the water. A small annual ex
penditure on the Willamette would insure
continuous navigation of the stream from
Portland to Eugene during a good part
of the year, and even as the river is to
day light-draft boats can ascend the
stream to Eugene during all but the lower
stages of water.
The project of a railroad from Eugene
to Florence, on Siuslaw bay, has been
deemed feasible by practical railroad men,
and during the era of good times in the
Northwest, several years since, arrange
ments were partially completed to build
tho line. Siuslaw bay is on the Oregon
coast, 0 miles west of Eugene, and it Is
?aslly entered by vessels of moderate
tonnage at all seasons of the year. The
railroad from Eugene to the bay would
open up a good section of country which it
.is believed would afford a sufficient traffic
So Insure a fair profit on the cost of con
struction. Considerable manufacturing Is done at
Eugene. This has long been the seat of
the principal tanning industry of the val
ley. The leather tanned at Eugene finds
u bale in San Francisco and the large East
ern cities, and this leather enjoys such a
high reputation that the tanneries here
are usually behind in filling their orders.
Kugene contains a good flouring mill, a
number of saw mills, shingle mills, sash
and door factories, a foundry, a furniture
factory, two fruit dryers, two breweries,
brick and tile works, and a. few smaller
Jactorles. Excellent power for manufac
turing purposes is afforded by a canal
which conveys water from a point on th
Willamette river, only a few miles dis
tant, and this power can be increased to
Jiny extent desired by the expenditure of
a very small amount of money.
Within the past four years it is esti
mated that no less trsn $1,000,000 has been
"spent in Eugene in building. The street?
cf the tow n nave been improved at an ex
jxmse of not less than $100,000. The busi
ness houses carry stocks ranging in value
irom $1500 to $75,080. Three banks are es
tablished here and these banks have done
much in support of Eugene's legitimate
enterprises which have contributed to
lnrgely to the town's prosperity.
about 4000. Eugene is especially noted
for Its many beautiful homes, and as a
home city it rivals even Salem, the capital
of the state. It is an Ideal town, whore
prosperity depends largely on the- certain
returns from a rich tributary section, ami
this, with the excellent educational ad
vantages afforded here, appeals with
strong force to settlers in search of de
sirable homes In the West.
Good accommodatlcns are afforded the
traveling public at the Hotel Eugene, one
of the popular caravansaries cf the state.
This hotel is in the bands of a capable
management, and It has proved a most ef
fective advertisement for the town.
Accurate Information of Eugene and the
country tributary will be furnished by Mr.
George M. Miller, the pioneer real estate
dealer of the rlace. Mr. Miller has prac
tically spent his lifetime In working far
Eugene, and vilh bis large acquaintance
here he has listed some of the best town
property and farming lands on the mar
ket. Mr. Miller enjoys a reputation for
reliabillty and the Information he tnay
furnish can be depended on.
part In, preserving the high moral tone of
the community.
The population of Brain is considerably
increased by the great number of families
who have taken up their residence here
with the view of affording their children
the advantages for obtaining an educa
tion which the place affords. The state
normal school has a constant dally at
tendance of about 400 pupils. It is well
conducted and has leng since taken rank
as one of the leading institutions of learn
ing in the state. More extended notice of
the school will be found under a separate
head, immediately following the present
article on Drain.
Coos bay points are reached from the
line of the Southern Pacific railroad by a
well-equipped stage line running from
Drain. During the summer months there
Is a large and constant travel over this
line, and this traffic is a sourca 6f consid
erable revenue to the Drain merchants.
STATE L'XIVERSITY.
Oregon's Great School at Engenc
The Course of Stndy.
HE University of Ore
gon at Eugene offers
an education free of
tuition to all the
young people of the
state. There is a
yearly incidental fee
of $10, but no other
charge is made.
Board for both sex
es is furnished at the
rate of $2 50 per week
in the spacious new
dormitory. This in
cludes heat, light and
lodging. The wo
men's dormitory is
carefully supervised by an experienced
matron.
A buslnoss course of one year is offered
to those who cannot take one of the long
courses. Ample provisions are made for
practice upon the typewriter and for
learning shorthand and business forms
and practice.
Four regular courses of study arc of
fered leading to degrees. The classical,
scientific and literary courses lead to the
degree bachelor of arts; the English
course, which is of the same length and
about the same educational value as the
others, leads to the degree bachelor of
English. Each of these courses covers
six years of study. A large choice of
elective studies is also allowed.
A line gymnasium affords facilities for
physical education. A moderate amount
of exercise under the supervision of a
competent director is required of all stu
dents. The apparatus provided for this
purpose is good and ample. Much atten
tion Is given to such exercises as will
remedy bodily defects and secure sym
metrical development.
The city of Eugene has a healthy situa
tion; the surrounding scenery is remark
ably beautiful, and the population is in
telligent and cultivated. Opportunities for
social Intercourse of an elevating charac
ter are numerous. Moral and religious
opportunities abound. The prominent de
nominations either support churches in
the city or furnish services at stated inter
vals. All shades of religious opinion are
represented. The university is absolutely
non-sectarian.
The laboratory facilities for the study
of chemistry, physics and biology are now
excellent and are dally Improving. In
these departments modern methods are
used, and Individual experimental work is
done by each student.
The government of the university is pri
marily vested in a board of regents con
sisting of nine members, appointed for a
term of 12 years. The present board has
the following members: A. Bush, R. S.
Bean, T. G. Hendricks. L. L. McArthur,
S. Hamilton. C. C. Beekman, Henry Fail
ing. A. G. Hovey, J. J. Walton.
Information concerning the university
will be cheerfully furnished free of ex
pense to all inquirers. Letters of Inquiry
and requests for catalogues may be ad
dressed to Hon. J. J. Walton, secretary of
the board of regents, or to C. II. Chap
man, president of the university, both at
Eugene. The secretary of the faculty,
Professor John Straub, will also answer
Inquiries. Correspondence from all inter
ested persons is cordially invited.
It is possible for a student to pay his
way through the university by daily labor
in the city; but students should not gen
erally expect to do this. The sum of $123
economically used will suffice for the ex
penses of a year. There is no change of
books or recitations throughout the year.
This materially reduces expenses.
The University of Oregon has passed
the crucial period, and 13 accomplishing
the object of Its founders an institution
of higher learning, equal to any through
out the Western coast.
STATE AORMAL SCHOOL
Southern Oregon, Located at
Drain.
HIS State Normal
school was establish
ed by act of th; leg
islature of 1SS3. Its
growth was gradual
only, until the open
ing of the school in
the new buildings in
September, 1S33. Since
then it has been
growing with w on-
New buildings have gone
derful rapidity.
crease in the business of the town has
kept pace with its rapidly increasing im
portance as the principal trade center of
the Rogue river valley.
Among the-manacturlns: industries of
Medford today are two porkpacklng es
tablishmentSrJa distillery, a sash, door
and planing mill, a flour mill, a fruit
dryer, a brewery and an Ice plant. Thes3
factories are all conducted at a fair mar
gin of profit to the owners, and their out
put finds a large sale in the surrounding
country.
In the country immediately tributary to
Medford, fruitgrowing is a leading occu
pation. Large orchards have "been set
out here, with every assurance of the
most prosperous returns to investors. All
kinds of fruits do well here, with perhaps,
i the single exception of the" citrous vane-
thrive well on the lands around Medford,
and the possibilities of the future of fruit
growing on these lands are even today
scarcely appreciated by the residents cf
this favored section.
A well-equipped motor line connects
Medford with Jackscnille. Ave miles dis
tant. A plan eras proposed last year to
extend this line to Klamath Fails, about
7a miles southeast. 1 his extension would
open up one oC-tbe finest belts of sugar
pine timber inj the world, and it would
furnish an outlet for the rich stockralsing
and agricultural country of which Klam
ath Falls and-Lakeview are the distrib
uting centers., Thellne, would be a paying
one from the 'day that cars were first
started over the" road, and, as it would ba
an InexpenslveVroad to build, the people
anon is an important shipping point, and
it is one of the highly prosperous towns of
the valley.
e
JACKSONVILLE.
One of the Oldest-Settled Communi
ties of Southern OregoB.
JACKSONVILLE was
established as far back
as 1S5L For many years
it was the center of
the great gold-mining
operations of Southern
Oregon, and the pros
perity It enjoyed in
those days made It one
cf the richest interior
towns of the state.
The people here missed their golden op
portunity when they reiuseet to acceae 10
the demands of the Southern Pacific man
agement Tor a subsidy at the time when
the through San Francisco line was being
built through this section, and. while
Jacksonville will always probably be a
good town, it might have been a much
more important one than it now gives
promise of becoming had it been favored
with railroad connection.
Jacksonville is five miles west of the
Southern Pacific railroad line, the nearest
station on the road being at Medford. The
two towns are connected by a motor line.
The present population of Jacksonville is
about lOOQl The principal reliance of the
town fdr support today is on its rich trib
utary mining- districts. These mines have
DRAIN.
A Prosperous Community and the
Seat of the State Xormal School.
RAIN is a flourishing lit
tle town of about 300 pop
ulation on the line of the
Southern Pacific, 181
miles south of Portland.
It is located uear the
northern boundary of
Douglas county. The
country surrounding the
town is highly productive, and the place
itself has many features which appeal
especially to the man looking for a home
in the West where he can enjoy" some of
the same comforts he has been accus
tomed to in the older settled communities
of the East.
Several well-stocked stores do a thriving
business at Drain. The country trade
which naturally comes to this town is
large, and the shipment's from Drain to
outside points are heavy. The local mills
established here turn cut large quantities
of lumber, which finds a sale in the Wil
lamette valley and at-points on the South
ern Pacific south of Drain. No saloons
are allowed within the corporate limits of
Drain, and even dancing and cardplaymg
and proscribed by the town authorities.
The location of tho state normal school
at this point, however, with Its large reg
ular enrollment of the youth of both sexes
from all parts of Oregon, is doubtless a
call on the town authorities to prohibit
Indulgences on the part of the inhabitants
which, while not blnful In themselves, yet
might prove pernicious In the influences
they exerted over the minds of the boys
and girls in attendarce at the school. The
prosperity of Drain depends somewhat on
the degree of cflicienty maintained in the
normal school established within its lim
its, and the determination of the town
authorities to lend every support in their
power to the success of the sohool will
The present population of Eugene is readily excuse any excess of seal on their
-
BUILDINGS,. UNlVEspSTTY OF .OREGON
"EUGENE
.
fc
MJ&'&S&tzz- tf Kf
V - FtfL-t---Ci- rmmtM i wr -J-b--r-j!-gJMrflyigrX- . T6uCV K
'"-S-
viuarp imu
up, the faculty has been increased to 10
instructors, the courses of study have
been remodeled and extended, and the
attendance has been continually on the
increase. The school year cf 1893 closed
with 11 graduates and 215 enrollment; 1S31
closed with 34 graduates and 332 enroll
ment; 1S93 will close with 51 graduates
and an attendance of 400 for the year.
A specialist is at the head of each de
partment of instruction.
The professional work of the normal
course is the fundamental idea. The
branches of study must be taughl, yet
the normal idea is to train how to leach.
Any school may give academic Instruc
tion, may educate in the ordinary branches
of study, but it remains for the normal
school to give the professional training.
The State Normal at Drain can be. con
gratulated on its healthful location in the
cf Medford havejhopes that they will soon
witness the inauguration of the work" of
construction over the proposed route.
The public improvements of Medford in
clude good schools, several churches, an
electric-light plant.'a water-works system
and a good opera.-house with a seating ca
pacity of 500. The streets are wide and
well kept, and the tewn possesses every
evidence of prosperity which is noted in
the most progressive of Oregon's centers
of population.
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT.
The Hotel Medford has changed hands,
and is now conducted by the popular land
lords. Messrs. Hamilton & Leggett. The
senior member bears the suggestive sobri
quet of "Shorty', 'among the traveling
men. and ItTlhc sentiment of the boys
on the road thab he has well earned tne
-n.,-.ti-s nn,i -n.-.t- -,rwi ir mnmi sn. ! popularity he enjoys. The table service
roundings.' It has the power to grant state at the Hotel Medford is equal to that of ,
doors, sash, moldings, boxes and other
products from the sugar pin timber here.
Tho bank fixtures, church pews, etc
which this company turns out are shipped
to all points west of the Missouri river.
The company gives steady employment to
about lW hands, and the value of its out
put runs from $10,000 to $12.00iTaT"manth.
Among the other industries of Grant's
Pass is a large packing-house. This estab
lishment turns out a superior quality of
hams, lard and bacon which are sold
largely throughout Southern Oregon. The
town also supports a brewery and several
other industrial plants,.
Among the notable public improvements
Gf thetowri is a handsome and capacious
school building. Tha city hall here would
reflect credit on a town of twice the pres
ent population of Grant's Pass. Like the
other live centers of trade in Southern.
Oregon. Grant's Pass supports an efficient
electric light and water-works plant. The
leading hotel of the place, the Josephlre,
under the management of- the veteran R.
O. McCroskey, enjoys an; excellent repu
tation with the travelingvpuojic and it la
worthy of the gcv.d support, which is given
the house. "&,"'
The business of Grant's Pass today la In
a very prosperous condition, and the.
promise for the permnejucy or this pros
perity is a flattering one.
ASHLAND.
The Last City In Orejron This Side of
the SisUIyou Mountains.
SHLAND. an the line
tf the Southern Pa
cific S41 miles south,
is one of the most
attractively located
cities of the state.
It is the supply point
for a large part ot
the most thickly set
tled portions ot the
Rogue river valley,
and Is one of the
most prosperous
towns of the state.
During the panic
of 12C, xill the banks
and business houses
of Ashland weath-
l ered the storm, and this, too, without dlf-
ficulty. During the time of the greatest
Z ni,n,.,ttr ' stringency in the United States, the peo-
li,P!ffi!M Ple h"e Ascribed the large sum of $12,000
made up largely of en- f . ... . .,., ,! ,i ,,,-
a sash and fioor factory are also estab
lished at this point.
The motive power for running all the
factories at Browrsville is furnished by
the falls of the Callpoola river, which
flows by the town. There is a large re
serve power afforded by these falls which
is cot utilized. It was the Available water
power of the Callpoola river here that at
tracted the attention of capitalists ;o
Brownsville, as a favorable site for the
establishment of factories, and this, with
the ample supply of cheap raw materials,
has made this one of the principal maa
ufactunng towns of the valley.
The country surrounding Brownsville
raises successfully all the varied crops tf
the Willamette valley. Including grain,
fruit and hops. In addition, the proxim
ity to the foothill districts of the Cascade
mountains m.iKes this a good stock coun
try and sheepralslng is one ot its leading
Industries. The wool clip finds a ready
sale at the Brownsville mills. The heavy
timber belt of the Cascades Is only a
short distance from the town, and th'a
will always furnish an available sour"-
of supply for running the saw mills of this
section.
Brownsville has a good public school
system, and several well-organised
churches. The Woodburn-Sprlngfield
branch of tho Southern Pacific affords
means of communication with points
north and south in the valley. The dis
tance to Portland over this line from
Brownsville is 95 miles. Connection can
also be made with the main line of the
Southern Pacific at Halsey. a few miles
west, by team. Brownsville, as an old
established town, is of the conservative
order, but the business of .the place is
prosperous, and the credit of the business
community ranks as high as is enjoyed
by any community of the state.
GRANT'S PASS.
Scat of the Manufuctnre of Sncnr
Pine Lumber In Southern Oregon.
RANT'S PASS, the seat
of Josephine county, is
the rival of Abbland in
the claim for the dis
tinction of being the
largest town in the
famous Rogne river
alley. It has a present
population of about
to build a Chatauqua temple and endow
the college at this point. When it is con
eidered that the population does not ex
ceed 2000, the general prosperity of the
place will be appreciated from the above
statement, and It will also tend to show
the solid foundation on which the busl-
ergetic young element
which saw here a number of years ago a
chance to better their condition, from the
very rapid growth the town was making,
and the development that has been made
here within two or three years past is d.-
element, which has found here a fine field ness of the town has been built.
for the display of their energy and ablut. I Ashland is the central division station
The line of the Southern Pacific railroad between Portland and S.m Francisco, it
runs through the tounsltc of Grant' . being distant from the two leadtnS cities
Pass, business buildings standing on both ! of the coust respectively 341 and 4i0 miles,
sides of the track. There has been con- The prosperity of the town depends on
siderable rivalry between the business dts- i the support received from the two leading
tricts located on either side of the rail- i industries, mining and agriculture. The
road, but this rivalry has been ot a friend- ! development of the rich mines in the
ly character, and it has resulted in the ' vicinity of Ashland has added greatly to
erection of some fine brick business blocks ' its wealth during the past two years,
without endangering in the least the Three miles distant from the town is the
maintenance of that harmonious feeling i famous Ashland mine, which ha3 been
between citizens of a town of this size . operated with most satisfactory results
which might retard its development. since 1S02. TIk; new shaft in this mine has
One of the greatest sources 'oC revenue j reached a great depth, and the ores it has
to Grant's Passis the manufacture of sugar-I uncovered will soon be successfully
pine lumber from the heavy forests of this I worked. The Ashland Mining Company,
produced steadily for over 40 years past,
and millions of dollars in gold have been
cVilnrcwl frrtm tVifsA iHrrrHnf? thrniifrh thi
Jacksonville banks.. Fields long since!
supposed to have been sluiced out are
found to possess "pay dirt. This is es
pecially true of the placer deposits of this
district. In the earlier period of mining
activity in this part of the state, miners
commanded as high as from JS to $10 a day
in wages. Men today are working in these
same mines for $2 a day. These lower
wages allow deposits to be worked profit
ably that were deemed worthless 20 years
ago, and the aggregate annual output in
gold from these worked-out diggings is an
important part of Jacksonville's revenue.
Placer mining claims the principal atten
tion of the miner of this part of the'state.
and, while it is believed that valuable
quartz ledges exist here, these ledges have
not been worked to any extent. The bank
a 5H?rr ir t?"rKf W ta?Tir 5s i - K4WSw'iK'"J s? v
UKirXXSITY CAMPOS JS ACIIES). EUGENE.
and life diplomas, has Sunday afternoon
lectures, good apparatus, latest heating
appliances, the cheap board, "dormitories,
cadet band, orchestra, llbrarj. aid for
poor students, water pipes throughout the
buildings, literary societies, recital con
tests, laboratory begun, school uniform,
free pianos, bathrooms, washing and iron
ing room for girls, field sports for boys,
a ""matron for the girls, self-government
In the boys' building, one of the best oks
in the state for the boarding hall, and
more features to be added soon, in all
making the Southern Oregon Normal sec
ond to no other school in the state.
MEDFORD.
A STEEET SCESE. EUGESE.FktU. iy ifcil Pkots. CVJ.
Located In the Center of the Ttlcli
Itoprue River Valley.
EDFORD is one of the
newer towns of the
Rogue river valley. It
dates its establlsh-ment
from the time th' an
nouncement was made
by the management of
the Southern Pacifc
railrcad that thcr
through San Francis No
line would not pass
through Jacksonville, the ieat of Jackson
county, and t that time one of the most
important trade centers of Southern Ore
gon. The people of Jacksonville faili!d to
raise the subsidy demanded by the ra'l
road for running their line through the
town, and the result was that an oppor
tunity was afforded to build up a rlvr.l
town on the main line of road at a jolnt
most convenient for the traffic which
would naturally come to the road from
Jacksonville and the country to the west.
It Is now about 12 years since the South
em Pacific line was completed to Medford.
The town since that time has rapidly
grown in population, until today about
39W people make their homes here. Dur
ing 1SS3 Medford made a greater growth
than any town of Western Oregon, bur
ins the past 12 inonibs four brtft: build
is have been erected at Medford. and
tboat S9 new residence. This is a phe
nomenal showing for a town during th
dullest period evwr eD4rieced in Or:goH.
any hotel In Southern Oregon, a sulllct".t j at Jacksonville has handled as high as
guarantee of Its excellence. Free sample- $200,000 In gold dust in a single year, and
rooms are provided by the management ! this is today the principal shipping point
for commercial men, and no pains are
spared for their comfort, as is fully at
tested by the growing patronage with
which this hoube is favored.
LEBANON.
The Tcrminns of the Lebanon
Brandt of the Southern Pacific.
r i.uw3R-HfTMii!si .
Pacific railroad
that runs
southeast from
Albany for a
distance of 13
miles. The
town contains
a population of
aboat 1CO0. It
is in the center
of a fertile sec
tion of Linn
-5to. nrincinal indus
try of this tributary section is grain
growing, while considerable attention .s
paid to raising sheep and other stock and
to fruit culture.
In addition to the regular mercantile
business of Lebanon, this place is the
seat of considerable manufacturing. lo
cated here is a paper mill that gives
steady employment to about 23 men. The
output of the mill consists of straw board
and the coarser grades of paper. Its ca
pacity is five tons a day. The raw ma
terial, straw being principally used, is
obtained from the farms in the immediate
vicinity of Lebanon at a nominal cost. A
flouring mill equipped with modern ma
chinery, and with a capacity of 100 bar
rels a day is also located here. Power for
running both these plants Is furnished by
the Santiam river, which flows by the
town.
Lebanon has good public schools, and
the academy here is recognized as one of
the best preparatory cchoois in the state.
The town isiltghTeQVbyielectricIty. and it
has a gooawaxer-wor.K!5 system isai at-
of precious metal in Southern Oregon.
The people of JaQksonvllIe take life eas
ily, yet they are generally prosperous.
There is no poverty here, and the pro
ductiveness of the soil and the climate
insure a comfortable existence with the
expenditure of the minimum amount of
effort. Jacksonville as an old center of
population contains many people who pos
sess more than a competency, and these
EBANON is the people live toaay in tne same comioriaoie
terminus of a i manner as they dm wnen tne town was
branch line of i nearly 200 miles distant from a railroad
the Southern . and when the only means of conveyance
to the outside world was the cumbersome
etage-coach, or the less expeditious but
equally as enjoyable manner of getting
out on foot.
tlmKa. ..h,sl. ot-ovifl ?til. oo cr hnnltnf. f
distance of the town. This lumber Is
made into sash, doors, blinds and mold
ings at Grant's Pass. A large plant for
handling these products is established
heie. and its product finds a ready sale
over almost the entire state.
Grant's Pass is located in the great
fruit-producing belt of Southern Oregon.
During the summer, peaches, melons and
the other fruits of this section are hauled
into the town in wagon-load lots, and thl3
fruit is shipped from this point in consid
erable quantities. The raising of frn'.t
here, as in other parts of Southern Ore
gon, is a leading industry, and a bearing
orchard in the vicinity of Grant's Pass
assures a competency to any family who
will care for it properly.
Grant's Pass is the end of a division on
the Southern Pacific, and a roundhouse
and railroad repair shops are established
at this point. The company's monthly
payroll at this point is heavy, and it af
fords an important source of revenue to
the bublness community.
Hopgrowing has recently received con
siderable attention by the farmers near
Grant's Pass. While the price of hops
during the past season has been remark
ably low. jet the results obtained from
this industry have encouraged the plant
ing of increased acreage with each suc
cessive year, and hopgrowing can be fol-
lowed here with the same prontame re
sults as have been attained in other parts
of the Northwest.
In addition to the large shipment of
fruit, lumber and hops from Grant's Pass,
over $230,000 In gold dust annually passes
through the local banks. This gold Is
taken out of the rich placer deposits a
few miles distant from the town. It is
the feeling of the people of Grant's Pasa
that the amount of gold now annually ex
tracted 'from the adjacent diggings repre
sents but a small part of what might be
produced here if the industry of mining
were develop'ed as It might be with the aid
of sufiicler.t capital to insure success. It
Is asserted by men who have carefully
studied the situation here that the yearly
output of the mines tributary to Grant's
Pass would approximate no less than
$1,000,000 if these mines were developed to
their full producing capacity.
Amonsr the large mines near Grant's
Pass is the George Simmons placer claim,
which yielded last year $30,000. The Win
ner Bros, placer claim also showed a large
output. Among the leading quartz mine-s
of this section are the Little Anaconda,
the Horsehead, Bone of Contention, Ham
mersly and Jcwett, all of which show ex
cellent returns. Miners of the type of the
California goldseeker of 40 years ago work
In the diggings back of Grant's Pass two
days of the week and extract enough of
tha precious metal in this time to enable
them to spend the rest of the week in
idleness.
Thiiteen miles distant from Grant's
Pass is the rich marble quarry owned by
a Mr. Bull. This ledge is a mountain of
marble, which contains sufficient stores of
marble wealth to be termed Inexhaustible.
The marble cut out of this ledge has been
proved to be of the finest quality, and
there is enough of it in sight to build
palaces of this material all the way from
Alaska to Mexico.
The Sugar Pine Door & Lumber Com
pany has been established at Grant's Pass
since 1SS3. This company manufactures
Bvral manufseturinr nlants haw ton
1 put n t Medford recently, and the in- J fords amp!efreFtlon. against fire. Leb
BROWNSVILLE.
The Seat of a Considerable Manufac
turing Industry.
N the southeast cor
ner of Linn county,
on the banks of
the Calipooia river
and ciose to the
foothills of the Cas
cade mountains, is
the town of
Brownsville. The
location of the
town is an attrac
tive one, and the
belt of countrysur
roundlng It is cf
the same rich char
acter as most of
the lands of the
Middle Willamette
valley.
Brownsville has always been prosper
ous. It was first settled in 1K50. Its pros
perity has been due largely to the trade
which naturally seeks this point from the
rich district tributary, and also to the
manufacturing InduFtrles which have al
ways been supported here. The popula
tion today is about 1000. The manufactur
ing industries includ; a large woolen mill,
iwhich consumes annually about 300.000
pounds of wool, and gives steady employ
ment to about n hands. A tannery, a
flouring- mill, a saw and planing-"mill and
which owns this mine, is running a five
stamp mill on the property. This mill is
run by water-power. The monthly output
of this mine run3 from $4000 to $6500.
In October of last year great excitement
was occasioned among mining men by
the returns from a sample of ore taken
out of a newly discovered ledge In this
district and sent to San Francisco for
smelting. The new ledge from which this
ore was taken is on the direct line of rail
road, one mile distant from the. business
center of Ashland. The mine was christ
ened the Ophir, after one of the leading
mines of Nevada in the palmy days of
stock speculation in San Francisco. The
first shipment of ore was sent from this
mine to San Francisco on October 8 last.
It consisted of IIS sacks ot ore of an ag
gregate weight ot 3294, pounds, a lltt'e over
4 tons. The returns from this ore
amounted to about $1500, an average of
15.76 ounces of gold and 5.S4 ounces of sil
ver per ton.
Ashland creek, a mountain stream which
carries a considerable volume of water.
flows through Ashland. This stream fur
nishes a sufficient available water-power
for the demands of the manufacturing
plants row located at Ashland, and it Is
from this source that water for domestic
purposes is supplied to the city. In 'addi
tion to the stamp mill located at Ashland,
a flouring mill and several other minor
manufacturing industries are established
at this point. Ashland also has an effi
cient electric-light plant. All of those fac
tories are run by water-power furnished
by Ashland creek.
Fruitgrowing in the vicinity of Ashland
is a leading industry. All the fruits grown
successfully in any part of the Rogue
river valley do well here. Fruit Is raised
in such quantities here that the great
quantities shipped to San Francisco and
Portland during the summer months often
glut these markets. The existing freight
rates are too high to permit fresft fruit
shipments from Rogue river valley points
to the East. To overcome the danger of
overproduction, the fruitgrowers of the
district tributary to Ashland have dried
some of their surplus product success
fully for two seasons past, Frultdrying
as an important industry is yearly claim
ing more attention in the Rogue river
valley, and It will not Le long until large
fruitdryers will be established at all the
leading towns of this district.
The site which Ashland occupies is a
most healthful one. It Is at an altitude
of about 2000 feet aboe sea level, which
insures residents here an entire freedom
from disorders of a malarial nature. In
the neighborhood of Ashland are a num
ber of mineral springs, chiefly sulphur,
soda and iron. These springs are much
frequented by invalids, who experience
marked benefit from partaking of their
waters. A little attention on the part of
the wealthy citizens of Ashland to build
ing a good sanitarium here would prove
a most effective advertisement for the
place.
Ashland supports two good papers. Tho
tewn Is handsomely and substantially
built, and it is one of the chief centers of
interest to all visitors to Southern Ore
gon. The town has the benefits of a fine
hotel, and all the public Improvements are
in keeping with the general reputation for
prosperity which the place enjoys.
'S5i3
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JSUJLDISCS SOVTEERS OREGON STATE XOSJTAL SCUOOt, DRJJS.
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