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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 1911)
v Cb m ' i! t fU ' K' Si , F SECOND 1 .(J 1 1UN Medford Mail Tribune SECOND SECTION FOUTY-JPUtST YEAR. MEDFORD OKIttJON, HATUUIMV, H1OTMMBKK 10, 1911. No. 152. The Marble Halls of Oregon Furnish Much of Interest MeOfriril Hlioulil Take rentir luftiivNt in Marvel of Nature, hying Willi lii Kimy Itourli of TIiIh Oil)' Only u l-Vw From Mcdroril Vlnlt Cave Although 'llicy Am Iteatly Worth While. Through it lack of advertising Medford Im passing up nun ol' I ho most Interesting iiiitural scenes In IIki West, although it lien practically ut her doorstep. Tim Marble IIiiIIh til' Oregon, in Josephine ciiiiiily, hut IH miles from this city, nni well worth a visit. Yet this season but I'luVI'll pi'Opltl ImVO visited tllO IMIVI'H from this 'ity. Tim I rip is mi hi ny out. Two liourM in nil niitonioliilo will put you ut tint head of Williams creek, n triliutiiry of tlm Applegnto. Horses run ho secured there for traveling tlm 10 milo I mil through forest unil iiiouutiiiiiH, Tlm entire trip can Im made in a ilny, lint n day unil n hulf im better, uiul excellent oeoonimo ilutioiiM can ho scoured front tint fanners of upper WilliiiniH creek. Medford should j; i v ct heed to the uattirii) wonder, It was ill 1H7I (lint Klijiilt David son, out It tin t tiir in tlm iiiounlninc., followed his dogs on a fri'Mh hum Irark to finil tiiciii haying before u ilark opening in which tint wounded uiiimal hail tnki'ii refuge. From tn cavern rushed a stream of limpi'l water through which Mr. DnviilM.it luti! to wndc ti enter in. A few 'Vol inside tin' ln-nr was kilh'il, hut llm discoverer hail seen enough to fill liliu with wonder uinl ourinMily, nil iim hooii nH neighbors rouhl hi enlM cil in tlm expedition, Hid party re turned. The country being thinly settled, it whh some time before the ravi'M wn Niifni'ii'iitly known to attrui't vlll orn from uhroiul. Then u party of Him r'rnneisen capitalists became, in terested niul decided to iluvi'lop tlii'iu an a commercial enterprise. Men won? hired to cut a trail over the uiouutaiiiK, others worked inside, en larging MiiiBll-ittMHi'(CH " 'HiaTiey might hit tuoru nsily tnmtrHod, u big hott'l wiim plattiH'cl and all wns hustle and activity. Tint promoter themselves ciiinpcd at tint entrance, spending many hours daily In the oaves. Cards whili'd away tlm time and Kami'' for princely stnkcH wont played in u (thiiiiihcr Mill known llm "gamblers hall." At tlm close of tlm Hummer tint capitalists do- parted, with assurances that money would Im sent to pay tint worker, Init tlm paymasters never appeared. It wiim u great dlsnptoiutmcut to the sturdy inoiiutnineerM, uud they Mill lire talking of it, nearly every tour ist hearing the story. After several yearn had olapod 2 young men built them a cabin and iiuiliirtook to establish (beir resi dence there. Mi that by "squiilting'' they would be given a title to the eliiiiii when tlio government stir- veyed tbn laud. Several bridge were constructed over the tnoiintuii streams, more work wiim done on tin trull, but fiunlly Hoeing that the sur vey wiih Imlefiiiite, they abandimed But finnlly Uneht Sam rceognUed the enve.M ax unit of the neeuie nmr- vein of bin doniniu and him with drawn thu spot from entry and bv deNiguiitiug It a national park, he Iiiih provided for Km future a fitting mo iiui'l lo itri roiuautlo Imitory Tlm Arnrlilo Halls of Oregon lie in tlm midst of Dm iuohI pleluresipu mountain Hoeuery iumgiiiable. Do Heeuding into a little valley ovoi rugged granite boulders, yet along u splendid mountain trail, thu for est covered hills rising on every side, one comes to Cave creek, which bursts from the foot of a perpen dicular granite wall 100 feet ir height. Nature Iiiih draped the white, faeado with luxuriant greet moHses, in heiiutil'ul contrast to it uncovered portions. It 1h like a grand overture introducing the tho litre of wonders to follow. Knloring u low passage by follow ing the hud of the stroma, one grad ually iiRooudH over rugged rooks to thu upper levels, leaving tlm wntoi htlow, A huiidrod foot and the rea' bounties begin lo disclose thumselVes The walls, are of oronmy whilcnosi while slonilnr stalactites depend liki icicles from tlm (tolling; stalagmite rise from thu floor; fantastic forma tion ut thu hiiiiio soft white abound on every band. Darkness, absolute and unpenetrable, is but intensified by tlm candles as. onu iiiovuh through tho large ohninbors. Sileueo as ir it vacuum reigns no) n sign of lifi uxisls in air or water, Kvory sta laolito has its drop of crystal liquid yet it uuver scums to full, and the caves are in most plaoos remarka bly dry. Tho air is pure and fresh (Im temperature remains at (0 de green the year nroiiud, One of the first rooms Is thu "Queen's I'alare." At tlm sides rising in tiers like the scuts in mi amphitheatre, are shelves draped with translucent stalactites' couches hung with fairy tapestry. It is a royal apartment in verv truth. Not so large iih some of the others, but uuiipie in lis nil nidi venoms, !s "The Organ b.ft." Down the cen ter bangs u row of enormous slnlae- iliM of different lengths. Struck gently villi a hit of stone, they send forth mellow sounds like deep tuned bells, the pilch of the different pipes sometimes ilitreruig iim much us two octavos, yet no two alike. These re verberating chimes give mi Indescrib ably wlcril ami beautiful effect in tho silent ebmnbers. "The (lhost Chnmher" or "Dan te's Inferno," us it is now known, m modeled on the grandest scale of -ill, though so irregular in its outline that dimensions convey but little mcmiiug. Mncrging into this great salon, one is Mtartled by a gigantic shadowy outline lost in the obscurity of tlm further end. Unlike most of the oth er rooms, the "(lhost Chamher" is hollowed out of n brownish rack, anil the stahielite formation only ap pears in one place, where it -covers the wall like a cryslnllied waterfall, producing tin, hpecture effect that names the room. The dome Is fully 100 Toot in height, while the length Of the room must he as much or more. Scores of passages lead from the "Ohost ('hnmht'r" in every direction, yet ii single one leads to the outer entrance gives an idea of the intric acy of the caverns and the daugor in attempting to visit them alone. However huge black arrows have HOiunpuJiited itisldo ho that' had n man light ho could eventually reach the surface. Without light however, he would certainlv ocrisli. M U slated that soon after the discovery of the place the complete skeleton of a bear was found in one of the inner rooiin. mid if brute instinct did not servo to liberate him from the terrible miue, there would be lit tle hope for n human being. "The Golden Stairs," a wonderful natural flight, lead out of the "iiiinsj Uinmber" mid ascends for many feet, sometimes through a pas sage so small that one crnwles on his stomach, or slays behind if in clined to obonpoiut. Appropriately enough the "Golden Stairs' lead to "Tho Chapel," and hero is a charm ing little lake of tho coldest, clear est water, lying ut onu side of the room, where tho wall mid ceiling ap proach to within a foot of each oth er. Hollow stnlaetites. like dear Kdass reeds, eonneot them, mid where hosc Imvo been broken away to n W visitors to drink the delicious vator, the remaining fragments cur ry many n feminine tress us a re- ninder of fair visitors. On and on, now climbing a ladder or tiosooniling hy clinging to the rooks and stalactites, until the guide startles his charges, by whispering "There must bo some one else in tho cave. Iur, far below in a seeming ly bottomless m't, glimmers a can- no. it is hut a stub left by the Viiide in thu "Ghost Chnmher," and wo are on an upper level, near its dome, where a single misstep would mean a mini aceiileut. Climax of beauty mid graco is the "Pond Lily Hooni" most difficult of access, richest in its adornment The aseont by long Judders uud slippery walls is fraught with danger nt ov ary turn, yet tho risk is well re- pintl. Covering tho walls of this Mcdford's Handsome New Hotel Building MiSMMuk. - m m'ml'tmmn&Wmwmmmmmmwmmmwamwmmwmmwmmwfrj-'m mmmJmitJWmmnrti mnmwrmmjR?. t MuAllti Eastern Editor Writes of This City for His Eastern Readers Hayn Medford PrewsnU One of Most Striking Ivtnmplcti of What West ern Hplrlt, Kentcrprlac and Well Directed Kncrgy Can Do In Bring ing About Itcfiiiltft. Public Will Be Given Chance to View the New Institution Tomorrow Will Open Next Tuesday Next Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock Medfonl's splendid new hotel "The Medford'', will be opened for busi iiohs. Following that, this city will have n hotel second to none in ihe state, and far surpassing any other like institution on the coast in .i city tho size of thin. Tho hotel complete, including the furnishings, will represent mi investment of more than $200,000. The money has been well spent mid reflects credit to a great degree upon the men erecting the building. Tomorrow the hotel building will be thrown open to inspection mid doubtless the building will bo crowd ed throughout the day. The hotel is well worth iv vbulH4ifinniiy n citi zen will l;e surpriscdHt tho simple elegnnce to be found in the build ing. It is mi imimrtnnt step in the iovclopment of Medford. No expenso has been spared to make the hotel thoroughly modern and it is certain to reflect credit on the city. The exterior of the building which k'lchc" overlooks the city park, is treated! simply, good porportion and core fully planned ornament being relied U)on to produce a simple elegance. The Main street entrance to tho lob by ik sheltered, by an, .elaborate marquees projecting the width ' of the sidewalk, mid which is heavily ornamented ami studded with elec tric lights. The main floor contains a spacious lobby, men's lounging room grill room, office, dining rooms, and c The feature of the lobby (Continued on Pace C.) Short Talks on Proposed Road Bond Issue There is a eomonm tendency to cling to old ways and methods. Every new invention or discovery has to fight for its life, and every good thing has been condemned in its day and generation. The reason men oppose progress is not (hat they hate progress, but that they love inertia and tho old way of doing things; in other words they hate to get out of the rut. Change to tho manv is a verv pamlul process. Even as great a man as John Kuskins foresaw that the railroads would ruin Eng land by driving the stages out ol business and killing the demand for horses, thus ruin mg the lanner. m ootu as though carved in wax. are stalactites shaped us lily pods and blossoms white from tho cellim. hang immense fluted chandeliers f the most delicuto formations. F.v orythiug in tho room is of dueling whiluess mid puroty. Ah though this wore not enough to euohaut tho bo holder, dainty murine shells uv found in tho strata near the floor, presenting an interestin.- problem to tho geologist. "Holy of Holies" this room has been called by later visit ors, and cortainly it does inspire rovoreiuio somewhat lessened when tho guide gives his version of the naiuo iih "Holiest of Holes." Sonio of tho names bestowed aro almost us pioluresquo as tho rooms themsnlves"Old Nick's Heilionm," "Hell," "IJuueo Hall," "Oarden of tho Gods," "fflinol'H Hack," ."Joaquin Miller's Uoudoir," mid tho "Shark's (Continued on pave 3.) Thomas Jefferson tells us, in his autobiography of a neighbor of his who "was agin" the public schools, "because" he said, "when cvovy one can read and write, no one will do tiny woi;lc." We tire advertising and advocating (he bond issue of $l,f00,000. Good roads and prosperity. Advertising is stating who you are, where you are and what you have to offer the world in the way of commodity or service. The only man who should not advertise is the one who has nothing to offer, and he is a dead one .whether he knows it or not. Over one hundred million dollars are spent in Europe every year by American tourists and the only advantage Europe has over the Pacific coast in climate, scenery or opportunities is good roads. Twenty-five million dollars aro spent every year in California by tourists, yet Jack son county surpasses California in climate, sceiieVy, opportunities and everything ex cept good roads. The farmers of Jackson county lose more than tho bond interest would amount to every year, because of the delay, extra wearand tear on their wagons and horses in mov ing their produce to market, due to lack of V2 mohths-a-year good roads. Several years ago, Mod ford opposed good roads and paving, but now Medford is the best, paved and most prosperous city in Oregon and its citizens favor paving and good roads. Ten men and several corporations pay tho greater portion of Jackson county tax es; they all favor good roads; because it nieans greater prosperity and no increase in taxation, as good roads will double tho market value of all taxable proporty. Tn a fow years it will bo impossible to move the enormous fruit crops without good roads. Med ford's waterworks has mado a pay roll of several hundred thousand dollars; Medford paving a alill larger pay roll; tho 1. & E'. railroad over one-half million dollars payroll; tho Gold Kay Realty company and allied companies over one-half million dol lars in payroll; the Rogue River Electric Company over a million dollars in payroll. Other towns in Jackson county havo had largo payrolls. Juridically all of theso improvements aro comploted an 3ractically all of theso improvements aro comploted and tho payrolls have noarly ceased. What is Medford and Jackson county going to without payrolls in tho future? Tho expenditure of $1,500,000 in good roads in Jackson county in tho noxt threo years, in addition Jo the benefits of good roads, Ayould moan tho most prosperous years in tho history of Jackson county and would tido us over until tho enormous fruit crops would continue tho prosperity. Got out ol the rutj voto ior tho bond issue, good roads and prosperity. C. E. Wise, editor of tho Mnn knto (Minn.) Daily Review, who has been spending a couple of weeks In Medford, writes of the city ns fol lows in his paper of Sept; 7: This little city of Medford, in which I have been spending the past two weeks, presents in my humble judgment one of 'the most striking examples of what western spirit, en terprise and. well directed energy can do, is doing, and will do in bringing ubout of results in this country of so many wonderful nccomplishracns c I am not jeopardizing rav veracity in the least when I say that Medford is the most talked of city on the const. That's snying a good deal, too, for the country is full of cities large and small, nil striving for su premacy in this land of opportunity, some of which will no doubt take issue with me on thnt statement. In this case, I'm from Missouri, and will have to be shown to the contrary'. Medford Is Their Slogan. Now, reader, it you have never heard of Medford your delinquency is no fault of Medford citizens, for the burden of their song from morn ing until night and from night jintil morning is Medford, and it rcverbcr-t ates back and forth through the val-' leys and over the mountains, increas ing in volume ns it spreads over the great world beyond. Her people'be licve in Medford ns thoroughly as they believe in their Bible. They know they have a good city and con sider they are conferring a favor in making it known to the outside world. Men, women and children vie with each other in singing praises of their little city, every note that issues from tho throats o the birds, the fra grance sent forth by the beautiful roses. -that bloom hert -almost'- the year around, the flavor of the differ- cnt varieties of fruit that grows so nbundnntly on the productive uoil roundabout, all teem with that genu ine enthusiasm that has mado Med ford what it is and will surely bring about tho ultimate result for tho city that is predicted for it. Wideawake Patriotic People Without going into these details it might have sufficed to say that Med ford Is filled with a lot of energetic wideawake, patriotic people, thor oughly loyal in every way to their city and her interests and being hap py and prosperous and contended with their surroundings, their prin cipal object in life is to set forth in the most glowing terms its many ad vantages so that others may enjoy the same pleasant conditions, '.'he stranger who happens into their midst is welcomed with open arms and unless he be a confirmed tint! hardened globe trotter with nothing to do but just live, as soon it his lungs aro saturated with this en thusiasm permeated atmosphere h becomes almost as rabid a boomer ns the native Medforite. With such force at work ard the many opportunities offered Ly the natural resources of the country sur rounding tho city it is not very strange that Medford made a gain of 393 1-3 per cent in population during tho past ten years, tho third largest mado by any city in tho United States. On my own responsibility I venture to sny that 393 per cent rf that gain has taken plaeo within tho Inst five years or less. Changes Made In Five Years Fivo years ngo I dropped off tho train at tho Medford station and looking about me saw only an ordi nary villuge with nothing of suffic ient interest to attrnot but passing notice from tho traveler. The busi ness buildings wero of tho most or dinary character and in tho mam street tho dust lay several inches deep. I wns not sufficiently im pressed to look over tho residoueo portion of tho town. Inquiry de veloped that the population was o. timatcd at from 2500 to 3500 peo ple, I thought '2000 would bo u high figure. Thoro was an air of activity about tho plnee, however, that was encour aging and promised bettor things. Ono enthusiastic citizen predicted that insido of fivo years tho place would havo 15,000 people, and that manv wonderful things would happen in that period. In tho spring of 1009 I mndo rav second trip to Medford and found thut in tho intervening threo years things had boen happening here abouts. Tho spirit of the west had been at work and tho landacnpo Imd been transformed. Medford was on the map and no mistake, with every evidence of a healthy and coming np petititc for fame. She had taken on many metropolitan airs and wore them gracefully. Substantial busi ness blocks had been erected and were occupied by merchants with up-to-date stocks that would havo been a credit to much larger city. Had Population of 5.100. And it was only claimed for tho city then a population of 5,100 whieh I saw no reason to dispute. Tho resi dence district was buildincr tin rnrj- idly und vacant houses wero more scarce than hen's teeth. New .set tlers were coming in on every train, property values were ndvaucim? by leaps and bounds, nnd things were moving with a rapidity that took one's breath away. Yet with all these evidences of prosperity if Med ford had any paved streets at thnt time I do not remember of seeing them. Besides her water supply wns very limited, her hotel accommoda tions inadequate, and there were other shortcomings, not in keeping with tho progress mnde along other lines. Some Cold Facts and Figures Two years have elansed since then. I am again in the little city taking stock of my surroundings, nnd hero is where I present a few cold facts and figures for tho benefit of the man from Missouri. I find a most at tractive little city, full of life and commercial activity, with many hand some nnd substantial modern busi ness buildings, beautiful homes, paved street, sidewalks, etc.. a splendid system of water works with an abundant supply of good water, and indeed all the assessories that so to make in un.to.ilnt itv.nnli,- I great fufu& VpVospecl7 . "? '" ihe federal census of 1910 gave Medford an official population of 8, 842, and the present estimate of 10, 500 is considered conservative. In 1010 eight and a half miles of street pavement was liad, and more than twelve miles is being put down this year, all asphalt. The astonish ing thing about it 'is that this work and all that goes with it has been done without protest from the peo ple who pay the bills. They are simply hungry for public improve ments that will add beauty to their city and petition for them faster than the authorities can take care of them. Within the last two years Medford has laid eighteen miles of empnt sidewalks and thirteen miles of water mams at a cost of .$975,000, and tho work is still going on. Some of the Building Improvements. A large majority of the Medford homes nre bungalows very artistic in designs and present a most attrac tive appearance in their setting among well kept lawns and beautiful tlowers. No detail lookini? to tho comfort nnd convenience of their oc cupants has been overlooked. Iu 1910 alone there worn 4ftn nw residences built, besides mnnv !;. ness houses, largo and substantial structures, a $75,000 nntatorium and a $50,000 passenger depot. Among tho principal buildings this year are a five-story, 100-room brick hotel to cost $125,000, now nearly ready for occupancy ; a 50-rooni concrete hotel to cost about $60,000; a hospital with additions to cost $110,000, two publio school buildings nt $33,000 each. Ground has jnst been broken for a $20,000 Carnegio library and a site has been purchased for a federal building to cost $110,000. Medford's Water Supply. Medford's water supply comes from n Inko twenty miles distant, is pure and abundnnt. A gas plant is located on the edgo of town and oleo tricity is furnished by a power plant on tho Rogue river ton miles distant whioh supplies current to tho entire valley. A million dollar projoot further up tlio river is being dovoloped and will gonornto 25,000 hprso power when complotod. There is an nbundqnco of coal in tho mountains fivo miles from tho city, but wood is tho priueipal . fuol now used. Tho city has four banks, a Rplon did publio school system besides an academy for girls conducted by Cnth-. olio sisters. Almost every religious denomination as well as fraternal or ganization is represented hero. Two companies furnish telcphono service, there are threo railronds and twenty ' ii i t$ I f j f- 1 f 1 ti 'J. b M . t A (Contluuod on Pago Two.) II