The Dalles weekly chronicle. (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1947, March 24, 1897, PART 1, Image 1

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    "VAX
THE DAIXES. WASCO COUNTY. OREGON. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 24. 1897.
VOL. VII.
NUMBER 17.
k e k a .r fl i nr m a v w
v
LAND OF
Wasco, the Banner County of the
Inland Empire.
THE DALLES THE COMING CITY
Our Beautiful Farms and
ury is the Sure Reward of Industry.
THE CHARACTERISTICS BRIEFLY OITLLNED
Ou Aplealtnnl Resources Truthrully
Set Forth, Devoid of Even a Shadow
f Kurnntlon Fruit - (Jrovrlnr Is
Steadily Becoming Leading Feature
Btock-Raising la In the Front Rank
Immense Fishing Industrie Climate
Unsurpassed in Any Country Brief
Paragraphs on Other Subjects.
In this report of onr many resources,
I will etate, bo as not to mislead or mis
inform those seeking information of oar
: country, that I have secured data from
people who have personally visited the
entire section of which I have written,
. and I have endeavored to keep safely
within the bounds of reason, and I do
not hesitate to say that owing to the nat
ural advantages and facilities which this
county possesses there is no better open
ing for manufactories in the entire West.
I have also written upwards of a hun
dred sketches of oar business and pro
fessional men, and by so doing I expect
and welcome criticism, realizing only too
well that my little work is incomplete
and perhaps somewhat crude in detail;
My only excuse is the fiurried manner in
which it ha9 been prepared. Such be
ing the case, I would crave the friendly
indulgence of its readers and ask of them
bo far as consistent with their good na
tare "to pass my imperfections by.'
Thanking a generous public for the lib-
eral support accorded me, I remain,
Yours truly,
G. B. Anderson.
The spirit of unrest which now pre
vails in the states east of the Mississippi
seems to have contributed to a wide
spread desire for a change of base, and
as the Star of the Empire courses its
way westward, all eyes are turned to-
. ward the Pacific for some sign of encour
agement, and all ears listen for tidings
of the new land of the sunset shores.
The success of a majority of homeseek
ers in this portion of the Northwest in
spired multitudes to follow and to try
anew their fortunes where success has
come to so many. It has recently
dawned upon the Eastern mind that the
amount of good agricultural land in pro
portion to the entire area of this region
is much greater than has been properly
shown, or even supposed. All kinds
and branches of farming known to north
ern latitudes are carried on more success
fully in Oregon than in the Eastern or
Middle states.
Wasco county is situated on the north
boundary of the state, and' has an area
of about 4000 square miles. The county
has a population of 10,492, and an as
sessed valuation of $2,893,151.00. This
portion of the country, at one time sub
jected to a tremendous overflow of lava,
and in consequence the mountain ranges
are composed of basalt, while the prai-
- ries of Eastern Oregon and Washington
have that same material for a founda
tion. It is the greatest mass of basalt
, - in the known globe. It is of almost un
limited durability, never washes, is free
from rocks and gravel, is easily broken
and pulverized. The soil is impregnated
with a sufficient quantity of alkali to
form a natural fertilizer, being cultivated
year after year without apparent loss of
any ot its productive qualities. In addi
tion to its other virtues this soil mani
feats a determination toproduce the us
ual crop with or without moisture. All
crops are grown without irrigation, the
absence of rain from May until after har
vest, which, although not as a rule, is
sometimes the case, does not materially
affect the yield, the porous soil having a
happy faculty of absorbing from the at
mosphere sufficient moisture to insure
: the returns for the husbandman's, work.
The relative productiveness of this soil
vanes according to the nature of cultiva
tion. With ordinary care in plowing
and sowing the yield per acre will be
from 30 to 35 bushels, and with a higher
cultivation a yield of from 40 to 50 bush
els may be obtained, in either case with
out the aid of artificial fertilizers.
Everything that can be grown in the
temperate zone will do well here, though
in common with most of the Pacific
coast, corn is-not extensively raised on j
account of the cool nights. Wheat, oats, J
SUNSET
Garden Homes, where Lux
barley, potatoes and vegetables of all
kinds do well and yield abundantly
The staple crop of Wasco county ' is
wheat, and until very recently this was
depended" upon by the farmers as the
sum total of farming. The recent ex
tremely low prices for wheat has changed
this and the' farmers have found that
putting their wheat into hogs and cattle
is far more profitable than shipping it,
Growing wheat can be done at trifling
expense, and, in fact, it can be put in
the stack or barn ready for feeding at t
less price per bushel than corn. Here'
tofore farmers have shipped wheat and
imported bacon and other hog products;
now the grain fields of Wasco county are
not only supplying the local demand in
Ibis line; but the surplus is finding
market in Omaha and Chicago. Oats,
barley and rye, all do well, but are not
raised in quantities larger than will sup
ply the local market, except such as is
cut when in the milk for bay, and they
are used almost universally for that pur
pose. Last year Wasco county shipped
about 600.000 bushels of wheat, an
amount that will probably not be in
creased unless high prices prevail, as
more and more of it will be fed to stock.
Potatoes are a sure crop and yield well,
and though raised only to meet the local
demand the call from the East met with
response here and - 15 carloads were
shipped last spring. Onions, lettuce
and radishes are in the market in March
as a rule in great abundance, 1
Climate and Temperature.
One of the most important questions
asked by people in the blizzard and
cyclone districts of the East is about our
climate, concerning which scarcely too
much can be said. The general belief is
that latitude determines climate, and
this erroneous impression is the most
difficult to meet and correct in discussing
the weather of the entire region of the
Northwest. While the' influence of the
gulf stream upon the climate of Western
Europe is quite generally known, but
little appears to be known regarding the
effect of the Japan current, warm from
the tropics, upon the climate of the
North Pacific coast. In fact, the effect
is the same, giving this country a cli
mate similar. to that of Southern Penn
sylvania trie Maryland, without sultry
and exhausting nights, which are here
cool, pleasant and refreshing. The ex
cellence of the climate of this region,
which knows neither extreme, is no. less
marked than that of its famous soil.
Spiing begins in February, by which
time plows are running, and lasts until
the middle of June. In the' summer.
owing to the pure atmosphere, the
weather is never oppressive ; sunstrokes
are unknown here. Winter begins about
the holidays, and breaks up in February,
during which time generally in Janu
ary we have our "cold spell," but never
continuing more than a week or so and
causing very little inconvenience. In
winter the ground seldom freezes to
greatest depth than 4 to 6 inches, and
stock are rarely fed as long as four
weeks. Such freaks of nature as cy
clones, blizzards, tornadoes and heavy
thunderstorms are unknown and
drouth is not even dreamed of. Gener
ally the climate is considered a remark'
ably healthful one. There is a certain
odor of cedar and pine that sweeps over
the country, making it of peculiar bene
fit to those who are troubled with weak
lungs ; and another peculiarity is that
diseases absolutely refuse to become epi
demic. If diphtheria comes, it is an iso
lated case. Scarlet fever claims seldom
mpre than two subjects and neither is
often fatal. The death rate shows that
the percentage is as small here as any
where in the United States. The nights
are always, as elsewhere on the coast,
cool and conducive to refreshing sleep .
The Fruit Industry.
It has been bat a few years that an
idea of our possibilities as a fruit pro
ducer has dawned upon the people even
of this favored commonwealth. For
many years the people raised their own
fruit, but had never thought of the pos
sibility of making this one of their prin
cipal articles of export;' The land in
some sections is especially adapted for
fruit, raising, apples, peaches, pears.
SHORES.
plums, prunes, apricots, cherries and
small fruits all seem natural to this
clime, and all kinds of berries known to
horticulturists mature here quickly 'and
yield most bountifully. Apple trees
bear in three or four years, peach trees
in the second or third year, prunes and
plums also bear early and in great pro
fusion. The different varieties of prunes
and plums equal those of Italy and Tur
key. Our berries for size and .flavor are
unsurpassed. The size of the strawberry
is phenomenal. This berry is raised in
large quantities, not less than $50,000
worth being sold annually. Hood River
and Mosier are as yet the principal
points at which they are raised, both be
ing on the line of the railroad, a neces
sary condition to the shipment of this
tender irnit. The variety grown for
shipment, and which is the most perfect
berry in the world, is the Clarke's Seed
ling. These berries find their market in
the mining towns of Montana, Denver,
and in Kansas City and other ' far East
ern points. We claim, and results ap
pear to justify our pietenstons, that the
cooler winter climate of this valley ma
tares the wood of the frait trees and
Vines better than the comparatively
frostless winters of Southern California,
thereby producing fruit of better flavor
and superior keeping . qualities. The
fruit belt is of large area and the soil is
divided into two distinct and widely
varying classes. The larger area a dark
brown loam, composed of decomposed
basalt, and is frock ten to fifty feet in
deptn, the latter being not uncommon at
the foot of Borne of the slopes. This soil
holds moisture well and grows all kinds
of frait without irrigation. The other is
the very Bandy soil along the Columbia
river. These require fertilizers and irri
gation, but are somewhat earlier with
their crops.
A Word to Fruit Growers.
it is a mistake to believe that all var
ieties of trees will do equally as well in
all localities. The pioneer who goes in
to.an unsettled valley looks first to the
quality of .the soil.' On "finding 'that To
his satisfaction he proceeds to set oat &n
experimental orchard, in which will be
found an almost endless variety of trees.
Three to five years afterward, when the
trees come into bearing, it is an easy
matter to determine - what will be his
leaders. Thus in all sections the orch-
ardist who follows the experimental
stage of development has a far safer
proposition than has the pioneer. There
never has been a time when the outlook
for horticulture was better as a business
than at present. The people of this
country are rapidly appreciating the fact
that fruit as a food is not only whole'
some, but nutritious; and it has become
an indispensible adjunct to almost ev
ery table in the land. It is well for the
consumption of fruit to be encouraged in
everv way, as it is benebcial to the health
of the people. - The man who engages in
fruit growing now is sure of a market
price that will pay him well for the time
devoted to it. There has never been
time wnen a crop 01 irnit did not pay
well lor all it cost, and now that science
has come to the aid of the fruit grower,
and taught how to combat diseases and
the ravages of insects, he is more certain
of a crop than ever before.' The old way
of setting trees and letting them care lor
themselves is a thing of the past, and
progressive men realize that fruit trees
require attention as well as any other
crop. Orchards should be furnished
with the nroner nlant fond and t.hn nnil
kept finder cultivation the same as if it
were a crop that can be grown in a year,
The day for large orchards is passmg.ex
cept where-large companies have them,
and the day of extensive fruit growing is
at hand. The small orcherd, sav of five
and ten acres, is to be preferred by the
average farmer rather than the large
one, which cannot be given proper at
tention. Let the man who sets an orch
ara now attend to trie location and se
lect those varieties that have proven best
in tne section, una success will crown
his efforts eyery time. There is no need
to experiment on a large scale as one
time when no one knew iust what to se
lect. The experiment stations have befcn
doing work along this line, and the re
sults are open for anyone who inquires.
and there is no excuse for not knowing
jubi woai me lay 01 tne land should be
for tne best results. Those who have
good orchards are reaping great profits
trom tnem, and tnoee who set orchards
in the near future may rest assured that
tne demand win keep abead of the sup
ply for a good many years.
Water Power.
Wasco county has unlimited water
power; not to speak of the rapids of the
Colombia, which have a fall of seventy
feet in nine miles, ending three miles
east of The Dalles; bat which woald re
quire considerable capital to control.
Deschutes, a fine river 200 miles long,
which drains the eastern slope of the
Cascades. ' has a rapid fall, and Hood
river, a stream rising 'in the glaciers of
Mt. Hood, falls 6,000 feet in thirty miles.
and for the last twelve miles of its course
falls seventy-five feet to the mile, and is
of volume sufficient to furnish 2,500
horse power for each twenty feet fall.
These streams will eventually be nsed tn
bring the timber from the mountains,
and at the same time will famish the i
power to manufacture it into ' lumber. '
And while speaking of the timber, it may
not be out of place to add that the im
mense forests of hemlock 'on the heads
of these streams will furniBh unlimited
quantities of bark for tanning purposes.
, Stock..
In the earlier settlement of the coun
try it was devoted entirely, to etogkrais
ing, the prairies and hillsides being cov
ered with a luxurious growth of bunch
grass, which gave sustenance, to vast
herds of cattle and horses. For several
years that was the sole industry, and the
idea prevailed that the land would not
grow anything; but as experiments
showed that it was a prolific and unfail
ing soil, the buncbgrass landa began to
be turned into wheat fields. In spite of
this, however, the stock industry is the
leading one of Eastern Oregon, and is a
very important one in Wasco county.
The sloping hillsides are covered with
cattle, and when a certain distance from
the river is reached (usually about thirty
miles) the lands are still devoted to
stockraising on account of the expense
of hauling farm products to market..
While tie exact figures are not attain
able, a conservative estimate of the num
ber of cattle shipped from this point each
year snows that the grand total reaches
the handsome sum of 206 carloads, or
about 5500 head. To this should be ad
ded 220 carloads of sheep and 60 of hogs.
It is estimated that the cattle and sheep
shipped annually from the country trib
utary to The Dalles will amount to 20,
000 of the former and more than 200,000
of the latter, many being driven to mar
ket. .Thousands of our sheep are driven
to Reno, Nev., and from that point are
shipped to the San Francieco markets.
The assessor's figures for 1894 show that
the county has 210,000 sheep, and besides
this Crook county, lying to the south of
us. has as many more, and both the in
crease and wool from these vast flocks
find their market at The Dalles. '
It is hard to estimate the amount of
wool grown in this county, for that from
Morrow, Grant and Crook counties finds
market at The Dalles, Wasco's county
seat, and considerable comes from KJick
itat county. Wash., on the north. It is
probably in the neighborhood of 2,000,000
pounds. The Dalles is tne greatest wool
shipping point in the United States ; that
is, there is more wool gathered here trom
first bands. The amounts will run from
4.500.000 to 8,000.000 pounds, or on an
average about 3000 tons. Large fortunes
have been accumulated in the industry
and though prices are now low, it ia still
profitable, and the outlook is brighter on
account of the increased and increasing
prices of mutton : prices that promise to
be permanent, not only for mutton, bat
for beef, and which will compensate
largely for the low .price of wool prevail
ing the last three years.
Fish.
The fishing industry is a large one.and
the amount of money made at it, under
favorable circumstances, is fabulous
There are two modes of fishing on the
middle Columbia one, the usual one
followed elsewhere, the gillnet, and the
other peculiar to the location, and ad
missible only where there is a good cur
rent. The latterss by what is known as
the fishwheels, and these in turn are di
vided into two kinds, the stationary and
the scow wheel. As the mode is some'
thing new, we will devote a small space
to its description.
The nsbwbeel is simply three wire dip
nets mounted on-. a wheel, which is
turned by the force of the current. The
wire screen of which the net is composed
is a part of the wheel itself, acting as a
paddle. The wire is put on diagonally
to the radius, ahd three nets, or screens,
compose the wheel. On the scows these
are fastened at the rear end of the boat,
the net striking the water at the up
stream side, dipping down stream. - As
the fish are caught running up to their
breeding grounds, the net gathers them
in, and as it Ults, rolls them toward the
center of the wheel, finally emptying
them into an inclined chute, down which
they slide into the scow. These scows
and wheels cost $500 to $1000. They are
generally anchored at some point at the
head of an eddy, which the salmon seek
to avoid the current. The amount of
fish they catch in a day, with a good run,
is almost beyond belief. LaBt summer a
wheel of this kind was left running over
night at the Upper Cascades, near the
western boundary of this county, .with
no one to. watch it. The salmon were
running well, and in the morning the
owner, going to his wheel, was surprised
to find it sunk. It had caught salmon
enough to sink' the scow, probably 15
tons in 12 hours. I his, ot course, was
during an unusually good run of fish.
There are three canneries in the county
where the salmon are preserved one at
Seufert's. three miles east of The Dalles ;
one at Turn water, 12 miles east of us, and
the otber in the city. The latter was
built last spring, and the season that
opened April 10 began its first run. The
others have been, in operation several
years. Last year, owing to the extreme
high water, although the season ends on
AugUBt 10, and tbe cannery did not be
gin operations until June 10, 77,000 cades
of 48 pounds each were packed. These
fish were all caught near the canneries,
and hundreds of tons more would have
been caught if the canneries could have
handled them. Besides this, probably
twice as many fish wore caugbt near the
Cascades (this county) and shipped a few
miles down the river to the Warrendale
cannery. Uenerally many carloads are
sent East in .refrigerator cars and sold
fresh in tbe Eastern cities. The stur
geon fisheries, although on a much smal
ler scale, yield considerable revenue.
The Columbia sturgeon grow to immense
size, an 800. pound fish being no great
rarity, and 1100 pounds being sometimes
reached. The latter business requires
no capital but a bpat and lines, probably
100. ' Of recent years the sturgeon has
been bringing better prices than salmon'.
and during the season last fall and win
ter some of tbe fishermen averaged $20
per day. . ' . - '
Manufactories.
The Immense amount of woo! received
here naturally suggests that it would be
a fine place for a scouring mill, which it
unaouotedly woaid; and this is an in
dustry that .will soon be established here,
as the opportunity is too good to long re
main open. -There is, besides, room for
numerous other lactones. .A woolen
mill ought to have been running long
ago, and only the great difference in
wages between the Pacific and Atlantic
coasts has prevented, it. As wages re
gradually equalizing themselves through
out the country, this objection is not
now tenable. We already have a fine
roller mill, producing 100 barrels of flour
daily, if run to its full capacity; but
there is room .for more, as the sup
Dly of wheat is unlimited, last year's
shipments amounting to 600,000 bushels,
and the local market utilizes the bran
and shorts. A cannery is another neces
sity, to use up the surplus fruits and veg
etables ;' and a soap factory would find
plenty of material and a good market.
We have a fine meat packing establish
ment, its products ranking high, and not
beginning to supply the demand.
A flume from the mountains brings a
large portion of . the wood supply and
lumber for the local market. At its head
are vast forests of hemlock, the bark of
which is the very finest for tanning pur
poses; and as there are hundreds of dry
bides shipped from here' East and
brought back again in the shape of man
ufactured products, it is evident that a
tannery and with it a shoe and harness
factory, would be profitable investments.
Indeed, the field is a promising one, and
the above are only suggestions - in the
line of what might be done here. ,
About Land Titles.
Comparatively few people know what;
uuiiBuiuies tt peneub hub w rem etjLaie,
and very frequently persons invest their
money in lands without knowing any
thing about the actual condition of the
title. - It is not the purpose of this art
icle to explain what Constitutes a good
title; that is a question for lawyers to
determine. But we wish simply' to di
rect attention to a few simple but very
important-matters which are generally
overlooked by people when buying and
selling land or lending money on real
estate security. Many persons buy and
sell land in about the same offhand man
ner that they would buy and sell bay or
horses. Everybody knows that deeds
and mortgages have to be recorded, but
few seem to realize that the record is
really what determines the validity of
tbe title. For example, the deed you
bold may have been drawn by the most
skilfull lawyer and made perfect in ev
ery particular, but if it is not properly
recorded your title is defective until the
record is corrected. "Perhaps there may
have been a mortgage against the land
and you may know that it has been paid
and satisfied long ago ; but unless the
record shows a proper cancellation yofir
title to tbe land is imperfect. Property
often changes hands through the medium
of sheriffs and administrators, and unless
tbe record shows clearly that all such
transfers were in all respects legal and
regular the title is defective and must be
perfected.
We have shown, therefore, that the
record relating to land titles is the all-
important thing, and no person should
invest any money in any land on any
body's word as to the condition of the
title: and nobody can know what the
record discloses without an examination.
That is what an abstract is for to show
exactly what the record discloses con
cerning everything that in any way af
fects the title to any particular piece of
land, in such form that an attorney can
tell without searching the records him
self whether or not the title is good, and
if not good, he can point out. the defects
and tell what is necessary to remedy
them. An abstract, corrected or exten
ded to date, is as essential to the trans
fer of a piece of land as the deed itself.
It should be considered as an appurten
ance to the land and always go with the
deed. -If this rule were followed the ex
pense would never bt bnrdensome to
anybody, because there would be very
little for the abstracter to do each time,
and if defects were discovered in the rec
ord they could be righted at once with
little or no expense. But under tbe
present method, or rather lack of meth
od, if a man is called upon to furnish an
abstract it costs him for tbe abstract
alone, according to the number of times
his property has changed hands or been
incumbered, and If defects are found,
which is almost sure to happen it tbe
title is at all old, it may cost him a con
siderable amount of money as well as
trouble and annovance to supply the
remedy. If all who buy land or invest
in mortgages would insist on a complete
abstract every time, the cost Would be
very trifling and it would often avoid
trouble and expense in tbe future.
THE DALLES THE COMING CITY.
Altitude 160. Population 3300. Tbe
county seat of Wasco county, situated on
the O. R. N. company's line about 88
miles easterly from Portland. . Tbe site
upon which The Dalles is located is one
of tbe most picturesque on tbe conti
nent. The broad and beautiful ex pa rise
of scenery surrounding it cannot be sur
passed. The window openings of every
stately structure in and about tbe city
frame apicture of some scene that de
lights the eye. Tbe Dalles, unlike most
Western towns, has never experienced
the ups and downs of a forced bopm with
its demoralizing effects.. The growth of
the town has been steady and perma
nent, based upon actual demand, and
what is found here can be accounted for
npon that basis of existing to supply a
present instead of a prospective demand.
As a trading point The Dalles ranks with
the ordinary town ot twice its size, this
being accounted for by the nature and
extent of its tributary country.
The city is well governed and econom
ically administered, owns its own water
works, operatea Dy gravity system aim
furnished to consumers at low rates and
affording ample fire protection. First
class electric light plant, with lines to
all parts of tbe city, furnishing illumina
tion as cheaply as in older and larger
cities of the coast. The city ie provided
with an excellent public school, which
will be spoken of in another column, a
substantial brick court house, several
churches of different denominations, all
creditable edifices, and our social advan
tages are as desirable ns can be found in
any Western town. While The Dalles is
justly proud of her business enterprises
and the outlook for the future is certain
ly good, it is only fair to state that there
are sufficient business concerns of every
Bize and character for present business
needs; that there is sufficient labor here
to fill market demands. The city is
growing and there are good inducements
held out to investors. The field is as yet
half occupied and the resources of the
surrounding coat. try and the advantages
of the town afford excellent opportunity
for establishing mills and manufactories. '
The city is among the foremost in frater
nal orders, all in good financial standing,
some of. which are the Masons, I. O. O. F,
K. of P., Maccabees, G. A. R., Daughters
of Rebecca, etc. .We cannot describe
The Dalles and tbe lands that surround
her. We can give but a few plain facta
and call npon our Eastern readers to
come and see tha land endowed bv na
ture with every precious gift, tbe land of
boundless opportunities, tbe land of pro
gress and integrity, tbe land which cau
give capital tbe best, the safest invest?
ment to be found in America, the city
and tbe country that can and will deal
generously with the manufacturer, the
capitalist or the farmer.. The Dalles can
provide the power, tbe water and the fa
cilities. .
'THE REGULATOR LINK.
A Dellghtfal Trip on the Middle Colum
bia River.
The Dalles, Portland & Astoria Navi
gation company has become very popu
lar under tbe title of "The Regulator
Line." The company was organized in
the summer of 1891, and its boats made
their first trip on September 1 of that
year. The Btock was almost exclusively
taken up by the business, men of The
Dalles and other residents of Wasco
county. It was essentially a home com
pany in everything that that term im
plies, and as such was exceedingly pop
ular from tbe beginning.
The record of what the line has accom
plished fur the region tributary to The
Dalles is as marvelous as any in the his
tory of transportation. In the form of
reduced rates it has put annually into
tbe pockets of Oregon and Washington
producers a sum many times greater
than tbe entire cost of the line.
Tbe Regulator line levies a contribu
tion for the producer on every pound of
lreight shipped through the Colombia
pass, whether by rail or boat, extending
its influence far beyond the region im
mediately tributary to its Eastern ter
minus, and contrionting to the financial
benefit of thousands who never gave a
dollar directly to its support. For these
and many other reasons that cannot be
mentioned here, tbe "Regulator Line" is
believed to be the most popular trans
portation line on the Pacific slope, and
this proud position it has attained in
spite of the bitterest and most persistent
competition, by the sheer force of super
ior merit and generous and gentlemanly
treatment of its patrons. Thus, while
the line has operated duringthe hardest
commercial and financial crisis ever ex
perienced by the present generation, the
"Regulator Line" has gone steadily for
ward, improving its plant and increasing
its facilities for handling its business.
Tbe company has now at The Dalles a
warehouse, with a main floor area of 18,
300 square feet, with reservations for
wings when they shall have become nec
essary, that will nearly double this ex
tent, lhe company ia tbus enabled to
store all the wheat, wool and other pro- -ducts
that may be brought to it, until -such
a time as the owners mav dispose
of the same and hold merchandise and
other shipments for tbe interior until
called tor by tbe consignee.
A brief sketch of the history of the ,
Regulator Line would not be comptete
without reference to its superior attrac
tions as a route for tourists. The line
covers 100 milea of a river whose average
width is a little over one mile, and that -pours
into the Pacific ocean a volume of
water that ranks it as fifth among the
great rivers of the world. From the mo
ment the steamer leaves her dock at
Portland till she completes her trip at
The Dalles, the traveler passes in full
view of one continuous, majectic pane- '
rama of natural objects, many of which
have become household words in the vo
cabulary of the tourist. We mention a
I few points of interest. For instance, at
a point near the mouth of the Willam
ette may be seen five snow-clad moun
tains ranging in height from 9750, to 14.
444 feet. Along the way are Multnomah
Falls, Oneonta Falls, Bridal Veil falls,
Rooster Rock, Cape Horn, Castle Rock,
and the rapids of the Columbia at Cas
cade, where the government locks have
been built at an expense of about $4,
000,000. Ample time is given to inspect
the works and view the cascades. The
Regulator tine is the' only dally line
whose steamers navigate the ''rapids of
the cascades," where for a few weeks
during tbe June freshet tbe steamers de
scend in eight minutes the five miles tbat
it takes an hour to steam up, taking ad
vantage of every eddy the while. Con
tinuing up the river from the Cascades .
tbe scenery changes, and many objects
of interest are passed. At Hood River
tbe Columbia cuts its way through one
of the finest fruit belts in the world.
The bench lands of Hood River, White
Salmon, Hosier, Lyle and The Dalles,
produce apples, pears, peaches, prunes,
plums, cherries and strawberries, tbat
cannot be beat, and tbat carried off first
prizes at the world's fair. The immense
fish-wheels tbat dot tbe banks of the
Lower and Middle Columbia add to tbe
interest of the trip. The boat's officers
are selected with special care as to po
liteness, attention and courtesy, as well .
as skill In their respective offices. In
formation that will interest the traveler
is cheerfully given. . The cuisine is in
charge of the most competent stewards.
The tables are always supplied with the
Continued to Second Page.