The west shore., January 01, 1885, Page 14, Image 14

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THE WEST SHORE
in a Buperb agricultural country, and approached by
good roads from all directions. It more than any other
pluco will be LciiellUl Ly the opening ol the reservation,
since the greater portion of that tract is naturally tribu
tary to it Its railroad advantages are superior. The
Baker City Branch of the 0. B. & N. Co.'s line passes
through it, thus placing it on the recently completed
through route to the East by way of the Oregon Short
Line. A branch line runs north from the city to the
now town of Adams, within a few miles of Blue Moun
tain Station, the terminus of a line running south from
Walla Walla. Whon this is completed there will be a
route to Walla Walla and beyond. The Pendleton Roller
Mills, owned by Messrs. W. S. Byers & Co., have recently
been fitted up with the most approved system of gradual
reduction machinery, and have a daily capacity of COO
barrels of flour. Messrs. Watson & Luhrs have a large
planing mill and sash and door factory. The business
men are liberal and enterprising, as becomes the citizens
of the most conspicuous town in Eastern Oregon. There
are a national bank, five large general merchandise stores
and a great many other stores of a special nature, such as
crockory, hardware, groceries, furniture, drugs, etc., with
the usual number of hotels, shops, etc. The semi-weekly
East Orcgmiian is the leading newspaper of that region,
and is a political journal of wide influence and a most
excellent local paper. It is published by an association,
J. T. Wngor being editor and C. S. Jackson business
manager. The Tribune is an ably conducted weekly
paper, devoted to the best interests of the county, and is
published by Messrs. Burroughs & Reading. The Epis
copal, Methodist, Baptist and Catholio denominations are
represented and poBsoss neat edifices. A good public
bcIhxiI and sovoral private schools afford most excellent
educational facilities. The Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights
of Fytliiiis and Good Templars have lodges of the various
dogroes of thoir ordors, and, with other social organiza
tions, have a largo membership. On the 10th of June,
1884, J. II. Turner, J. Despain, Lehman Blum, J. B.
Koeney, W. F. Matlock, 8. L. Morse, C. J. Matlock, R.
Sargent, J. II. Raley and Homor Howard incorporate!
the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Association, with a
capital stxK-k of $10,000, divided into 400 shares, each
incoriK)rator subscribing for twenty shares. Thirty-eight
acres wore purchabed from the Government at the time
C10 acres of the reservation wore sold to the city as an
addition to ita limits a few months ago. The association
has cxiondol upwards of $8,000 since its organization in
fitting up tho grounds. The first annual meeting was
held in October, and attracted many of the turfmen of
Oregon and adjoining Territories. The track is one of
tho best milo tracks iu the State.'and the accommodations
for BtHk are excellent. Tho meeting was financiidly suc
cessful To the energy of Mr. C. J. Matlock, the Presi
dent, is largely duo this success, as well as the excellent
condition of tho track and all tho varied appointments of
the grouuda. The officers of tho association are: O, J.
Matlock, President; J. Deapain, Vice-President; J. IL
Turner, Secretary; Lehman Blum, Treasurer; J. H.
Raley, Homer Howard, R. Sargent and J. B. Keeney
Directors. Pendleton is rapidly assuming the position
of metropolis of Eastern Oregon. Its business is very ,
great, and the assessed valuation of its property is about
one-third that of the whole county. There are a few
substantial brick structures, and the cheap wooden build
ings that were erected in former years are gradually
being supplanted by more permanent and commodious
brick ones. Few 'cities of the " Inland Empire " have
better prospects for the future than has Pendleton, and
none of them are surrounded by a better agricultural
country.
The terminus of the branch railroad running north-.'
ward along the edge of the reservation from Pendleton is
AdamB, a town laid out in July, 1883. Its advantages as
a business centre were recognized by enterprising men,
since it was fourteen miles from Pendleton, in the midst
of a rich farming "section, and was destined to be, for a
time at least, the terminal station, and several at once
located there. It has now a population of 300, and has
become a thriving trade centre. Nearly every line of
business is represented. The prospects for Adams be
coming a commercial town of considerable size, such as
the surrounding country can well support, are very flat
tering. Mr. L T. Reese, of the firm of Reese & Redman,
has erected a handsome residence at a cost of $6,000,
which is an evidence that his removal there from Weston
was a permanent one, and is an expression of his confi
dence in the future of Adams. A good public school is a
feature of the town.
Five miles northeast of Adams, and opposite the ex
treme corner of the reservation, lies the town of Centre
villo, containing a population of about 400. It lies in
the very heart of the famous wheat lands which have
given Umatilla County its reputation, and is a thriving
commercial point It is on the line of the railroad to
Walla Walla, which is completed to that point but is not
yet in operation. There are two churches Christian and
Methodist Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges, and a good
publio school, which is maintained in a handsome brick
structure, the only brick school house in the county. As
in the case of Pendleton and Adams, the opening of the
reservation will help Centreville wonderfully. There are
in the town two general merchandise stores and a full
complement of other stores, shops, eta The Examiner
is a good local aper, published weekly by F. R. Mitchell.
The next town in this grent wheat belt is Weston,
throe miles northeast of Centreville. It is prettily
located on Pine Creek, and is a flourishing business
point, notwithstanding it suffered severely a few months
ago from fire. The surrounding country is one broad
expanse of grain-covered hills. Weston has a population
of about COO, a steam flouring mill, steam planing mill, a
two-story schooljhouse, Episcopal and Methodist churches,
lodges of Masons, Odd Fellows and Workmen, two gen
eral merchandise stores and numerous other stores and
shops. The Lciulcr is an excellent weekly paper, pub
lished by Dr. G. P. McColL Weston possesses all the
laments of permanent prosperity, and must keep pace