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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1889)
THE WEST BHOBE. 327 oped, will cause it to quadruple its present exports. All along the north bank of Rogue river there is a scattering settlement, for a distance of fifty miles, un til the wonderful cascade and falls are reached. From this place on eastward the country is noted for its wonderful timber and scenery. The famous Crater lake, which is on the summit of the Cascade moun tains, can only be reached from Rogue river valley by this route, and Central Point is the nearest point on the railroad to start from in order to reaoh the lake. The first board of trustees elected under the char ter to administer the affairs of the town government are 0. Magruder, chairman, F. W. Hogg, W. 0. Lee. ver, 0. 0. Ripply and J. II. Eincaid. Central Point is building up rapidly and will soon present that brick and mortar solidity which is a marked charac teristic of the new and progressive towns of the west The question of a branch railroad to Jacksonville is much discussed, and it is probable that if such a road is built it will start from Central Point Everything indicates a prosperous career for this thriving young town. MEDFORD, IN ROOUB RIVER VALLEY. f N the heart of the Rigue river valley, that portion 1 of Southern Oregon so famous for its mild cli mate, its fertile soil and fruits, lies the thriving town of Medford, having a population of fifteen hundred industrious and enterprising people, though the com munity is but five years of ago. Since the first set tlement of that valley, nearly forty years ago, it has been considered by those familiar with its soil and climate to be the most favored of this entire region, over all of which nature has shed her bounties so prodigally. Lack of any means of reaching maiket at a cost that would leave the producer anything for his labor served to retard the development of sgri culture, and especially fruit raising, that Industry for which its soil and climate peculiarly adapt it Con siderable mining has been carried on in the foothills and mountains surrounding the valley, and this cre ated home market which sustained agriculture up to a certain point, beyond which it could not go until a railroad should give it connection with more distant markets. Rogue river, a stream carrying a large vol umoof water, is not navigable because of its rocky bed and swift current, and thus the only means of communication with the ouUide world was the be avy freight wagon and the lumbering stage. FJ lf" ago the Oregon A California railroad, which bad kepi iU terminus for a number of years at labors; . tended its line to the southern boundary of U itaft stopping at Ashland. Two years ago the Southern Pacifio extended its Northern California line to a junction with the other, making a through route bo twocn Portland and San Francisco, and has since ao qaired the entire combined line by purchase. Thus, within a comparatively short time, Rogue river valley was not only placed in communication by rail with both of the largo cities of the coast, but was given fa cilities for reaching the markets of the entire United States on the same terms as other fruit raising sec tions of the coast When the railroad was first built through the val. ley, passing some five miles to one side of Jackson ville, the county seat and ol Jest town of the county, a station was established at Medford and a good road constructed to Jacksonville, and thus Medford became the shipping and receiving station for the shlretown. This gave it a good business at onoe; but it by no means depend! upon this, but drew trade to the stores that were at once opened there from the coun try lying about it Medford stands on the batiks of Rear creek, the most important tributary of It guo river, and in the center of Rear valley, the most pop nlous and productive of the various sections compos ing Rogue river valley. Its very location made an important town of it in a very short time, and for the same reason it continues to grow and prosper. It Is solidly and compactly built, a number of large and costly brick blocks standing on its business streets and giving it the most modern M'l progressive ap pearance of any town in Southern Oregon. It Is this sir of thrift and builnrss enterprise that attracts strangers as they pass through on the cars and gives them a most favorable impression of this new and growing town. The causes which made Medford what it Is are still at work, increasing its importance aud making more stable its commercial features. Rwlpta and shipments by rail increase in volume constantly, though they are still small in comparison with what they msy reasonably be 1 I pectM to t hen five years more have rolled along. Fruit shipments, which are destined to U a most Important it". though already quite considerable, are certain to locrr sjm enormously in volume and value. Orchards and vineyards are just beginning to yUld their luscious products and give t promise of what will be sn a few years bene, when the thousands of trees and via ow Ulcg st out shall have come into good Uaring condition. In few years, wbre thrs is now one acre of fruit there will be ten, and car load of fruit leaving ths station at MM fur J will U as common a sight as car loads of grain are in ths great cereal producing val. ej of the Willamette. Aslds from its business Interests, Medford is aost pleasing and attractive town. Its residences art