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About The Coast mail. (Marshfield, Or.) 187?-1902 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1902)
. V tjr- 4 COOS' BAT. AMD ITS GREAT "RESOURCES -S. - i J1" k, . J, "? Brief Description of the Soil, Climate, Products and Pos abilities of One of the Richest Sections on the Coast I 5, la response to numerous requests for information with rctcrcnco to the loca tion, climnte nnd resources of this sec tiou of thu coast ot Oregon, wo havo cou lluded to publish n rellnhlo description of Coos bay and its manifold industries. In this instance our aim will be to avoid x acgeration and to furnish tho render with a truthful statement which the jjlimato resources and position of Coos boy demands in an eminent decree. Coos bay occupies an important posi tion as tho commercial rcnlro (or tlio grass grows luxuriantly and mako splen dd range for cattlo. AVliilt Coos river is tho cordon of Coos bay, all tho'streama which enter tho bay contribute largely In fanning productu and timber, ami all nro occupied by thrifty and energetic people. I hero nro line farms in this section, and tho or chards tor beauty find flavor of fruit nro unsurpassed. This country is uriequall cd for stock raising and dairying. Tho winters nro so mild tlmt cattle roam centro surrounding country. The entrance to extra (coding. There ure largo tracts of tho harbor is 6ituatediu about id tte- intul from which timber lias been cut, greo north latitude and 124 west. By J tho chopping burned over at.d grasti referring to a chart or map its position ' seed ptauted, in theso and in thu margin will bo seen to the northward and cloiu of strmms and open platvs cattle linJ to Cape Arago, on which there stands a . abundant leeit. it is no uncommon prominent liuhthouee. Thochanuel at tho entrance has to cut lumber. Two sea going steamers have been built nt that point. From tho above it will hi ob'erved that, excluding tho Ploatnnt 1'oiiit mill, thu dally anting capacity of mills com bined is 400.000 feet c! lumber. 10,000 boxes nud 1500 kegs. Lnllm Mid broom handles not taken into account. Tin total number ot men employed is SI0. The faul that loino of these mlllti nro rdiut down is not owing to a lank of prof it in tho lumber induitry, but to the over the hills and thrive with but littlo. foct that thev are owned by stock com panion of n'tnrealdeiits among whom distensions have nrleon, with the usual result. 'Uio mills owned by lumbermen depth oi 20 feet at low tide. Sinco the government improvement has commenc ed tho dep'h of water at the entranco has been steadily increasing; this is owing to tho construction of jetties which confino and deflect the current during the ebb tide which assures an Ample depth of water for lar?o vessals. t It speaks volume for tho entrance to , the harbor to know that a large numbnr of sailing vassals and four steamers arc trading regularly between this port and San Francisco, California, cud other ports, yet, an accident in entering or de- ' parting has seldom occurred. The capicity of the sailing vessels trading here for lnmbor will be for each veel, from threo hundred thousand to a million feet, and tho steam colliers, eight and nine hundred tuns of coil. Coo 3 bay is About 12 miles in length And varies in width from one to t vo and one-half miles. A sharp bend in the - if n- -. mlddU divide it into tho upper and lower hays. It has many tributary sloughs, extending ton to fifteen miles from tho bay proper, and receives tho waters of one river navigable by steam . -era for about 20 miles. ; ' ,Oa entering the harbor and passing Kocky Point, on tho right hand, we have the full sweep of the lower bay boforeus, nbout a mile wide and e'ght in length. The long sand eplt with high dunes, 1 which support a variety of timber, are on our left nnnd, a permanent bnrrior to the Gerce waves of the great Pnciflcocenn. Here there ib euflicieut space for thous- ands of vcsecIs to anchor in safety, Pns- -, sing up the bay wo observe tho tlourlsh , K ing town of Emplro City, the location where the Belt Lino Hallway has com menced work that will give tho town vigorous impulsion. At this place is, situated the largo sawmill, tho property of the Southern Oregon Co,, the cutting capacity of which is 150.0W foot. , . Proceeding, wo turn to the right at j- North Bend, whoro u magnificent sight bursts into view. Tho first object that a . Attract onr attention, the channel of the hay passing closo to it, is the North Bend bbw mill, a busy hive of industry, lo! these many years. Shipbuilding in - a primo feature nt this place, eomo of the finest vessels on tho coast and in foreign trade having been built hero. Tho Simpson Lumber Co. are tho own- ere. W "We havo now entered the upper bay, 'and tho evergreen hills enclose us on .both Bides. To the south there is a high range called tho Blue ridge; thin is clothed with a find body of timber, and .ontoincB beneath its surface an iner haust'.ble body of coal, which crops ont in all directions. With the view from North Bend, tho bay teems to extend to to the (opt of tho mountain, but there are Beveral oxtenslvo Btreama to ascend, among which, at the southeast corner of the bay, is Cooa river. TOPOflltAPHY. The surface hereabouts varies in quali ty and appearance. The most of the country fa broken and covered with tim ber, yet the largest portion of it ia what ia termed agricultural land. The marsh land is mostly taken up, and dyking is requisito before it is fitted for cultiva tion, thon, it ia chiefly devoted to the production of grass, This work ie being carried on to eomo extent, and large tracts are being brought into a tillable condition. The bench and bottom lands are in consid erable quantities and aro of the finest agricultural quality, capable .of raising nlmost uny of tho products of a mild climato. The uplands-juo productive. And where the timber kiibean removed '.. - rM ". 'I." Mtilrin fop Ann ttof i tMlrtJii nff lluiko ft VI V V V r1l VI IIU TU n ranges in January, which have had no and propiriy managed run the year around. Tho Southern Oreiron l7 mill at Empire, with large holdings ot tiinbvr laud, is in process til clungim: hands, nud the now owners will unduubt food furnished them except what thy odly develop t'icir properly. havo found In pasture. The snow falli , Another largo tract of timber land, so light (many winter we have none) the flaoit In the country was riwntlv and lies joiitlhu'me on the ground that bought by I'atttfn parties nnd will b' it does uot prevent cattle from finding develop. the grass, whiio tho dense wo-nla affrrd There Is still confldernblo timber Und abundant shelter from auy chilling In tho county which enn w bought ol wind. tho government for J2 W per acre, thoul Among me rosources oi mis scrtion it im raplciy lining taken. mllos long, from tho iiiino to deep water barrlet. Several of the hardier varluly rfhero tho bunker U jucatvd. Tlio blilp-1 ol k"I" urn nuccofofully cultlvntixl, iinint of cont front the above initio aver-! Btaukberries grow wild, alio liuckle; ukus bOCO toiiH xir mouth. Hiniu the burrlorf, In vut quatitlties Ii; thu wotdn bar improvtmunt htn proved nttccespful . nud nro n untural product of the cull. unit permanent, irpiem oncoai una laiinu i no protiucnrn oi iruu nro not now ii more than ouu-hulf, Fo iuwlng, Ik n list Inriiiorly, conlliind lo tint local i i ,:.... .i. .... i . i - . i -.. , ol nuiur mines now tip mi auti reatiy uir btulneai: Beaver Mill, John I), tipteck li-s Bros, owners ; Uroitt'iil C'onl Mlno, Mnxuoll iV Co;- Lillian Coal inhit', L. J. Simpriu. The first named ships cuncld erabtucoal now. HUTTKIt AND CIIMESE Both noil ami climate nro Mlmirably ituikut) the trmio hui uxpandotl, and u Inru nhliiuent Is made ntiiumliy, by etvrttnvr, to Cnlllornln. iiriii The hay, rivers und small utreams abound In flih of nil kinds, from the Binnlliut iiiotiiitalii trout to the larurnt ...ui...i i.. tii.. ,.rviiti.iin,, ..f li,. 1 1 r r i t,,i i l"ion. I hero Is nil iibtiuilnucu of rt ., i il,L h n tto ui landi nml re- 'nlors. potch.'.su.olt, clams, crabs. ul. f t tl !nr " K I r0ck t0,, ,Uul ,,nllml1 tu ,H) Otltnlucil. TlS oil. W creamery rltuaftl at ' gjWnj on ( these Imiik. i J'J ; - U : y- the mouth of Cmi river, niatle lt ytnr IhwS - - v, ii t.niiitilniif liniiiir wlii.di iin.MiOit "loHuccomlliig hoyoutl thu expocta PrA I o"n ' "'c". V.r ,,l'1 ' lion of thu ownor of the vcetul viiitilov- in intiiiai innriciu iirrrn in iiiii nnn w fAi (in t V . -aiva, which have been partially developed thu following may be mentioned. TIMIIKK. Immcnso and magnificent bodies of fir, cedar, spruce, maple, myrllo nnd hemlock abouud. The following esti mate of the amount ot timber now standing in this county, is received from the county surveyor. An estimate made by n former surveyor agrees substantial ly with this: No. of town 23 24 No.of ranges 23 5 2rl ! 27 0 28 0 21 0 30 5 31 4 :i2 1 No. of lections J2 m 180 120 ISO 151 70 60 SO No. of feet HIUPIIUILDI.NO Tho shipyards am fcituatcd as fallow commencing with North Betid: North Bend, Peter Loygio, bulMir Centroville. Krtue. buildur; Mnrehlleld Kmll llouckendorff, builder; Bay City linns iteed, builder; Pleasant Point William Hoar. buimV. This most important induitry grow outof Coosbiy'irosoursoiforshlpbuilil ing. All tho timber for every part ol nm kind of a wooden ship can be fount' here: from knees, which nro shinned t I California, In largo quantities, to tin finest finishing lumber. Masts ant ' spars nro found of the finest quality it an unlimited amount considerable ha' already been done in this line, but tin field is n Inrgo ono and invtes capital. Prior to 1H7U forty-five vesielnwere bulb on thu bay, with it total capacity of 10, 000 tons. I'linng tho next decade r nurnbur of vececlsof largo capacity wen 1 ho Inst IOS.OUO.WjO fi 10,000,000 720,000,000 1.0SO.0O0.000 l,i20O0,(X)O l :io9,ooo,ooo i)oo,foo,ooo ojo,o:k,cco 5IO,000,K) 2,0,000,000. built, chiefly nt North Bond. -i.i : i.. i. . i . . tho Snu rnncieco market. This year that out- i.t a ii no uxceiHiiM uy uooui .uijj pOuntU. Hevorul smaller creamcrloinrn lu opir- .illou, und a new one is being established in connection with the Ice ami cold torngu plant now approaching eutopic- ion at Multifield. It may be said that tho creamery pro motion has placed thu farmers ol this vction on velret, nnd thoso who hnvu urnetl their intention to this branch ol igriculturu aro prospering as never h -lore. In illustration of tho manufacture of lieoeo, n tnblo furnished by one of tho lent farmers in this county will rhow rhut ran budonu lu this Hun. The tablo ivc? the remit fiom thu milking of DO :tiHd 1!0 extra milkers and IK poor tiUkers: This gives an ostimato of the mer- '',rL' y2"" have witvufireil a stonily out g nnd PU 0I vcsaela (rom tho various chantahlo timber now standing and available for the market, of the niinnti- ' ty of 7,707,000,CM) feet. Homo of thu logs nro of immense size and it is no un usual thing for loga brought to n mil!, measuring 10 feet in length, to n:alo from four to six thousand feet, and trees aro sometimes found that will fcnlo 20.000 feet. Tho bay is well supplied with streamB tributary thereto, that tho! timber is easily reached nnd down to the mills in rafts. H.VW HU.IH. Southern Oregon Company. Location of mill, Kmplre City, U. K. Shine, Sup erintendent. Thfa mill, when in oper ation, will cut 1CO.0O0 foot of lumber per tiay, and employ in and around the mill 70 men. The men employed in the woods will approximate 175. North fiend Mill. Location of mill, North Bend, L. J. Simpson, Superin tendent. The cutting capacity of this mill ia 50,000 fret of lumber per day, and it employs 35 men. About 75 men are employed in thu voodn. Iho steam tug Columbia, Captain Junloi Mngeo, Is attached to thin mill. A.M. Simpson & Co., of San Francirco, California, are the proprietors, 'j ins mill is running night and day. iiivnrtln j. wo loui-inabieii ecnooiiorij have re. ccntly been launched. Another keel It being laid at North Bund, and there is voeecl on the stocks in each of the oth'i yards, excepting Pleaant Point. A great number of mechanics aro em ployed in these yards, and the industry is in a prostrarotia condition. u have pttsty ol room for more ship months. Kl i no 174 1 l.'l f cr n rr n 1,000 4.HWI 4.otrj 12J! :i,im) l 2.W-J 2,127 i,:ii2 1W fit) (J brought yards, and the excellent quality of our I ur, ccuar anu myrtle so ceeuttui lu the uuiiaingaiid uniiiung oi aline clan of vessels is a point not to be pnseod ovor lightly, but to bo carefully considered by tuoie who are ouguged In this lino ol business. At the boat building establishment of tho Holland llrotheri, North Marshfleld a large fleet of gattolhiii lurichoti have boon turned out, und that business it ''C'.I Porter Mill, Location. Porlcr. This mill (at present shut down) will cut 80, 00 feet of lumber daily. Sixty men aro employed at this mill when engaged iu cutting timber, and 1C0 men in tho woode, , Oakland Barrel and Box Manufactory, Location of mill, Contrevlllo. K.O. Hall, Superintendent. This mill produces i each working day, 25,000 to .10,000 loot progressing finely and with rapid alrldos. Iho home cralt dot tho hay in eyery direction. coal. , Tho coal which U found In those meas ures is uniform. Tho slratnn owing to position are harder in boiuo placoa than in others, but the invuriable duiiomlna- tlntl II ltffiTf A'.-rAi... ilf.n It .. .. I....... coal, novertht'k'H", irnupectivu of noin- euclaturo, it is tho beat for doruoitlo use ol nny found on tho Pitclflc coait. It carries hut little dust or soot mid burns well. It is not the best for ocoun steam ers although it la much uuod for tlmt purposoou the adjacent coabt. Tho country has not boon thoroughly prospected fur coal and but few ehnlte have been atiiil; to any ttreat depth, hut it is estimated that In the Coon county of lumber, 10,000 box shoolcn and 1G00 coal fields thuro are four hiimlrciliifiunru keg fchooks and ntavea. Twenty men miles of coal Btrntu, Tho nrnouut of are employed In tho mill, but tho total .coal in auph a vast field enn hardly be number of those who are employed in ealimated, All tho coal which has been the various departments of thla industry' whipped heretofore from thia faectlon Ii.ih will bo eoventy men, Bay City Mill. Location, Isthmus slough. Robert McCann, buperiutcridcnt. Dean fc Co., proprietor. Sixty thou uand foetoflumber dally Is tho output of this mill. Forty-11 vo men nro em ployed nt this mill and 150 in tho woods, Tho Pleasunt Pointmill and shipyard, the property of William Iloqa, on tho Iathtntfu slough, has not' yet commenced 7 f i ' ' not worked out two emiaro miles of for rifory. Several mluea have beou opened on tho bay that are prepared to nhi.i coal us noon as rail connection with tido water Is completed. Tho Newport coal mlno, Oregon Coal nud Navigation Co., has continued work during ninny years, nud the Industry, bus beon profitable; employing about 151 men, If has a railroad About ' three J .prll iZ,-M. May lll.MiJ Juno 10,810 Inly :i.H,II(l liutni,! . !tn (L'.'' September 23,7 17 October 20,081 November . ...... .. lO.hOTi I hcembor 1.0.11 : Total I2.W,2M2 2ft,li: I Weight of ciieeiu after shrlnkago, 2.1, 101 pounds. This product fold horu at nricos rang ing from 12 to 15 cents. The manufacture cf butter and choose is incrcaiing with giant strides. ITOCiC From tho host authority It is estimated that about 0800 head of cattle nro mired yrnrly in this section, and some ol thcn'i are driven over the mountains Into the Umpqun valley, while n considerable portion finds a market nt home; thu mines, mills and lodging camps consum ing n large portion. While there are no I ugo stock inngon. nearly every farmer li.u u bunch of beef cutllu romping on Ills plnco or In the hills further back. Stock will winter in the green timber nnd co.no out fat nnd sleuk in the storing. Shcop, cOnta nnti nwlnonleo thrive nnd iucreuso rapidly in this climate. rituiT In tho ..'rowing of fruit this soctlou stands in tho foremost ranks. TIiIh ia true of the vnrloty raised tipples, penm, qulncci, plums, cherries, poashca nml mnuller fruita. Fruit trona will grow from fix to eight leot tho first year, boar fruit tho second, third nnd fourth years accord iiii; to variety. They thrive In the valleys as well na on tlm foot-hHls, stud up to a considerable height in the mountalriH, but especially in dry, ehojtor ed soil. Yearling plum, prune "nud peach trcea eight ff.ot high, nnd yearling chorrv trees eovon feet hlirti. have booh exhibited, Apple trees commerise bear ing very young, snmetimea producing nno iruit tho second year niter graiting; and if properly ciiltlyotod aro alwaya bearing when four years old. Tho fruit Ih large, highly colored and delicious flavor. It is free from tho nppl-i worm and bitter rot,' and keeps remarkably well, many varieties lasting through the wholoyonr, Thla ia on Edon forcranborrlea. etrnw- berries. currants, raspburrleif and gooao-a prosperous one, Oil. In connection with tho tireoervAtlon I of ll'li, elc. we have tuo raliiuin caa- ) neries, one clam oatiuery nud omt for canning craln. Two of ihtuo nstablUh- . tneiito are at Kuiplru C ity, und two nt .Multifield. A cold stnrni't' plant, hitflv constructed nt Marthlleld, is now nbo-it , rendy for business. 't)L'(.A7IOKAI. Tho towns nud tillages olCooilmy are well supplied with i-ehooli. churchef, literary societies and buildings belong ing to benevolent institutions. The reboots are well conducted, tho public taking nil exemplary ltitfn.t in thu cause of education, nud the churches ure fairly well attended. Mnrshlleld, the emporium ami dis tributing cutitru of the bay, poir-csscs a line bchool willed occupies n promi nent nml a healthy posithn in tholoiwi, rot only with reference to Its excellent location, but in thu Incl'lty olluretl to an extensive district for the education of youth. It retains it complete corrTs of teachers, under l'rln. F. A. Uolden, nnd Is supplied witheurythlng uacesitnry to the enre and comfort ol the tchof.irri. Thu building rellects cretlit on both the town ami the architect under whoso supnrvlHton it wjs constructed. The climate is remarkable in Its equa bility; and wo are not cllllclril with ex. Ironies of heat or cold. Kduntillc author ity ncuotintfl for tho mil lues of the cli mato by the flow eiulwnrd of n warm curieut from thu coast of .la p.m. Peo ple are ublo to camp out in any neasun of the yenr, with lew frilling exceptions. In rnld, dry wuathcr n puiroti can rest comfortably In the heavy timber, with h bliigln blunket. Thu air la niluhr.ous. nud hllxzirdH, cyclontH nud drouth nr'j unknown. There aro in days in tho "ear that lalior ol all kinds cannot bo . erformud out doors. Threc-fourtliH of 'in tlayn iu thu winter months nro mi "arm an tho nvoruge of niimmer dnyA. 'J ho nliihta are cool und free from trouble-i-omo niH'ctu; coiistquontly, the blanket Is iudispetiHahlu throiigliout the yenr. Thu nonhweut wind prevnils, and as it comes from thu bea it ia beneficial and invigorating to the xystem. Canes of pneumonia nnd typhoid fever nro wiy rain. Ague, malarial fuvura nml dynt'ii tory nro unknown, There li no prevtiil IngldiHcnKo. Tho people wear nearly tho ituinu clolhint! in winter and cummer nml enjoy unexceptional health, 'iho location being below the cold bolt, the thermometer never fnlla to Zoro. Thu day ia not dlutant when tho mm gin of Coo) hay ttiid thu contiguoH honc'i ' land will be covered with the boniest ( tho opulent nud thoto who book rehxi lion from the dust am! toll of the in it ior. The Invalid, nliin, will ditcover health nud rejuvenation iu the invigora ting zephyrs of tho aiimmor period, and tho tnno itdminlstored by ablution in ltd cool, nalino waters. TOWKH OK COOK HAY Iu oelocting tnwiiNltoa on Cooa hay tho locators have uhowu iu a clear manner tho excellence of tho vartoiib positions. Empire City, about fivo miles from tho entranco. Ih admirably nltuated for n Rhipplng point nud a railway terminus, J-oreoii'o time past, the town him born mi inert napout, nud tho mngnlllconUnw mill within ita boundaries hna been more ornamental (ban ueoful. Umpire Cfty is tho port of entry for HiIh district,' and contniua a collector and deputy collector of cuetoun, .Tho.placo Iiaa a future, nnd no.doubt, ino eigns At preeeut & '.&& kx:"' ,!., 4- . -A., -- i .'.ii wtjf yAhi y v