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About The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1915)
TWO THE ONTARIO ARGUS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25. 1915. THE ONTARIO ARGUS PUBLiHHED EVEKY THUK8DAT Entered in the poof office Rt Ontario, Oregon, for tranniBio thronnh the umilHim iwoml-oiaM matter. " ' W. C. MARSH P A Comparison of Possibilities Possibilities for the farmers of the Snake River Val ley, of which Ontario is the center, are set forth in an article published hi the Sunset Magazine for February. The story tells of the success of a farmer in the Boise Val ley, a Motion with a higher altitude than the Snake River Valley, and consequently with seasons not so favorable. The nature of the soil is claimed to be better in this sec tion, and taken all in all, the farmer of the Snake River Valley works under more favorable natural conditions, than his neighbor in the Boise Valley. The article follows: The Plant Wizard of Idaho Up in sunny southern Idaho thro in a man Who with the assist ance of his wife, is doing a work for Iht real ami lusting hem lit nf humanity Hint is second only to that of the great Luther Bur- hank. Thomas A. Alien is his name ns it appears on his hank check just plain "Tom" to his friends. Tom Allen is a farmer, hut a fanner who is as different from the average us day is from night. lie is not content to huy any old seeds that may he offered him, and then, after planting them, tike caru of thorn in hit-or-miss fashion. In some respects his is .in ordinary story, in others as wonderful us u modern Aruhian Nights, hut through it all runs u moral that it will be well for every farmer to heed. It begins just a little over twelvo years ago when Allen was clerking behind the counter of his general merchandise store in the little town of (ioldfield, Colorado, just us ho hud done duy after day for yours. In the course of his daily merchandising he hud occasion to huy uud sell quantities of funn products; some good, some bud, but mostly the hitter. He know whut it meant for i Im producer us well us the morchuut to ondeuvor to sell poor, inferior, ungraded products, and, fotesooiug the possible prolit to be derived from furnishing customers with the sumo excellence in farm products that they demund in muuufuctured articles, ho then nod there made up his mind lo j u i t merchuudising und try the game of the producer's end. With the proceeds from the sule of his business Tom Allen pun ha-' d u mil dl hudly run-down furiti in the Boise vulley in Idaho, which, with his industry, perseverance and disregard for the old order of funning, he bus mudo a vertable wonderland. Beginning with -mall capital uud un unpromising acreage, he bus made u produce farm, u beautiful home und acquired a com fortable competence, besides national fame us a plunt breeder and exhibitor. He has accomplished many wonderful things ag riculturally, and ii'iiong numerious improvements ou nature might be mentioned his seven-headed beardless rye. Through persevorenco Allen is making it possible to iucrouso the maxi mum yield of a given hold of rye sovuu-fold; but bo isn't stop ping iliero. lie is now engaged in milking lus seven-headed rye beardless, und those farmers who have over grown and threshed rye can eusily appreciate the benefit to bo derived from this latest effort of the humble "Burhank of southern Iduho." With infinite patience Allen has gone on year utter year breeding the b.irbs from bis rye heads and when he harvested the crop from his experimental plot last fall was gratified to liml that the heard had practically disappeared, justifying his hope to an nounce to the world the existence of un absolutely beardless rye with seven beads instead of one. At the same time ho is experi menting with wheat ami is about to bring out a new beardless variety with more grains to the hcud and more head.- to the stulk. Corn is another of the many grains Allen bus experimented with ami he bus hied a number of new varieties. Ilis Ada County Yellow lent corn which produces l-" bushels to the acre in southern Idaho a section which has been suid was un fitted for corn-growing on account of the cool nights is his greatest achievement in this variety of grain. Old I Published prejudices of farmers in the intermontaiie country have been assailed ami shattered by the agricultural wiard, und none more stronc,l than that corn cannot be grown on com mercial basis in that section of the I'nited States. For years he lias been continually preaching that the turincrs in the lntreinon tuue region should grow corn, ami demonstrated by his efforts that it is a profitable commercial crop in that section, is practiced in a stale wide contest inaugurated in Idaho by one of the news papers several yours ugo Allen won tirst honors und surprised the natives by producing 180 bushels of high t( utility corn to the acre -considered a phenomenal record for Idaho at that time, but which has been exceeded Tom Allen believes in work, and practices what he preaches. This will be believed when it becomes known that the Allen farm 0l sixty acres is cared for by Mr. and Mrs. Allen with the help of only one man, except in harvesting. Their industry will be better appreciated when it is realized that they have hud as many as t00 vunties of fruits and vegetables and 400 varieties of grains and grasses growing and under experimentation ou'their farm tit one time. One of Mr Allen's pet hobbies is corn, ami he has had as many as 87 varieties at a time of this grain growing under his watchful eye. At the National Land Show in Chicago, a number of years ago, the Aliens created somewhat of a sensation and established an entirely new record with their exhibit, which was the most varied individual one ever shown at any fair or exposition. The exhibit contained over a thousand different verities of grains, grasses, fruits and vegetables, all grown on the one farm; which exhibit incidentally taught the farmers of the East and Middle West what a vast variety of products could be successfully grown in irrigated southern Idaho. Many exhibits prepared by the Aliens have also been shown in the west during the past ten years. At the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition an exhibit of fruit won the silver medal. They also prepared the exhibit of several hundred bundles of grains and grasses for the Idaho state exhibit at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, and for the Payette-Boise Water Users' Association for exhibition at the Omaha Corn Show. The excellence of their exhibits at the annual Intermontano State Fairs at Boise finally resulted in the creation of a special class for the Allen entenes. From the very first year that they ex hibited ut this fair, which was. the first year after they arrived in Idaho, they won the annual sweepstakes the most coveted prize in the agricultural division: this despite the fact that the banner agriculturial counties of that region were competing exhibitors against this one farm and despite the further fact that the county exhibits were prepared through t'uo efforts of the best farmers in tho respective counties. After seeing the Allen exhibit carry off the sweepstakes for nine years in succession, the directors of the Intermontaiie State Fair were finally compelled to create this special class for the exhibit three years ago, in order that euteries from the various counties could be secured. This action on the part of the Fuir directors whs caused from the fnct that despite the united efforts of commercial clubs, chambers of commerce, in dividual fanners and whole counties, the Aliens were simply un defeatable. At the first Seed Show ever conducted in the Intermontaiie country, and in competition with the best seed growers in a seed growing section, Allen last winter captured tho cream of the prizes, including the grand sweepstakes for the largest and best display of farm seeds. Wizard Allen has met with success both in the breeding nf new andbetter varieties and in a financial way; but it is just the same success with which any farmer can meet provided he has tlie same patience, perseverance and industury. For instance: How many farmers run their farms on a business basis? How many farmers can tell to the cent just how much profit they have derived from a certain crop? Allen can tell you all of this, in so far as it relates to his place. Even when he has over a thous and varities under experimentation, nil at one time, an accurate indivdiual record has been kept of aeh. He used the same exact accounting methods for his larm were it a manufacturing plant, and still finds time to serve the farmers of his state as an officer of the Stute Orange, without pay, in addition to holding down the Job of secretary of the State Orange Insurance Company. and the Beaver River Company is liable to lead to an ultimate capitalization of the electric power investment of such gigantic proportions, in this section, that even a low rate of intrest on the actual investment in the duplicate lines and plans, will eventual ly amount to a great burden for the consumer to bear. Hawever the court records indicate tliut the Beaver River Company is now owned by the Boise Street Railway Company which now leaves only the Idaho-Oregon Light & Power, as tho only independent Company on the outside. All those who understand the situation in this section, seem to come to the same conclusion as to the proper course to persue. That is first to try to negotiate with the independent company now in this field. The reason for so doing, is to avoid the build ing of duplicate lines and plants which must soon lead to con. solidation, and then the consumer will be asked to pay maintain ance and profit on two systems and interest on bonds issued for superficial construction. The property of the Idaho-Oregon Light it Power Company is now owned by the bondholders of its first mortgage bonds, or at least will be their property as soon as the sale is confirmed by the court. The bondholders bid in the property at the receiver's auction in competition with the trust, which helps to determine a reasonable valuation on the property by which the Public Utilities Commission can arrive at a reasonable rate that the consumer can pay. The electrical trust is now at Caldwell. Nanipa and Bottt and the major portion of the property of the Idaho-Oregon Light iv Power Company is at Boise and within the territory em braced by these eight towns of the lower Snake and Payette river valleys, and to keep the Idaho-Oregon Light tV Power Company in existance, it must have this territory. With the electricl trust at Caldwell, just outride of our door, seems to be the most satisfactory situation that will insure reasonable rates that will be permanent and satisfactory. The bondholders have sent circular letters to all their patron, stating they will announce a reduction in rates shortly after they are premitted to do hi by the continuation of the sale, which is expected in a few days. Not Turned Down The Warm Springs Project has received no set-back no slaj by reason of the fact that Secretary Lane, of the Interior Department selected, a few duys ago, the Deschutes Project in ('rook county as the most favorable project for reclamation work by the government. There is no doubt that tho Secretary made a wise choice, considering the data und reports now in his hands But tho signal fuct remains that the report of the Warm Sprinirs Project is not yet completed, und, ut the time the choice was made, the Secretary had not even a preliminary report of the Malheur Project at hand. The report of the Warm Springs Project is now being com piled by Engineer John T. Whistler, ut Portland, and will prob ably not be completed for another thirty or sixty days. And although the Deschutes Project received the coveted designation the money appropriated cannot be used there. For the government appropriation was made contingent upon a like appropriation by the Btato of Oregon, and the Oregon legislature has adjourned without providing any money for this purpose. Tho project in ('rook county is undoubtedly one entitled to recognition, and it is to be regretted that it cauuot make use of the money set aside by the government. We people of Malheur county realize how badly reclamation work is needed in eastern and central Oregon, and by reason of past disappointments, we are in a position to deeply sympathize with our sister county. There is every prospect now, however, that the Warm Springs Project will be given the precedence over the Deschutes or any other Oregon project. For reports of the Warm Springs project will be in the bunds of Secretary Lane before he is called upon to again designate a spot for reclamation work, und be cause of its superior qualifications, compared with any other Oregon project, it will undoubtedly be given the preference. Power Question The towns of the lower Snake and Payette river valleys are getting together to maintain a united organization in dealing with the power interests. Huntington, Payette, Weiser, New Ply moth, Ontario, Emmett, Nyssa and Parma huve agreed to cooperate, that all may follow the same policy in granting fran chises and entering into contracts for lighting and electric irrig ation pumping. The history of the manipulations of the power interests as brought out in Judge Deidrichs Federal court at Boise, in dicate that movement is on foot to force all the power com panies of this section into un electric combine. The three cornered fight that has been going on between the Idaho Oregon i necessary to the local business status, as telephones alone Light A- Power Company, The Idaho Street Railway Company, are a necessity. Free Tolls A problem of vital importance to Ontario and sections tributary, both to the ( regon and Idaho sides, Ins come up this week in the form of proposed changes in the telephone service. There are two phases to the proposed changes, one in a raise in rates of the rural service, and the other an elimination of our free exchange service with Nys.-.a and Fruitland. The intention to charge a rate of 15 cents for calls to or from Nyssa aiM Fruitland, has brought forth a storm of protest, and may involve a lawsuit The protest, how ever, comes from a deeper source than the mere object ion to paying a no nal charge for comunication with these two places. The change involves, and would compell, a complete reorganization in the trade status of this section. That the close trade and business relationship now ex isting between Fruitland, Nyssa and Ontario, and the fact that this will be broken, to the detriment of all three sections, has brought forth the protest, rather than the real expense which would be incurred, in case the fee should be charged. Free exchange has been enjoyed between Ontario and Nyssa and Fruitland, for several years. It was a condi tion that was supposed to have become permanent, 'and was a condition that has been taken into consideration by practically every settler in the Nyssa and Fruitland sect ion, who have come in the past few years. This free service was established by the old independ ent company, doing business in Ontario before the present company was organized and purchased the property of the old independent company. One of the contending points when this deal was made, was the matter of free service with Nyssa and Fruitland, and when the transfer was eventually made, there was a clause inserted in the conveyance, providing for free toll to the two places mentioned. The present company contends that with Fruitland, which lies in Idaho, there is an inter-state ruling affected which compells them to charge a toll. The local conten tion, however, is to the effect that there is no favoritism shown Ontario over Fruitland, nor to Fruitland over Ontario, and that so long as both places are on an equal basis, there is no danger of interference by the Inter-State Commerce Commission. Relative to the change in rates of the rural telephones from a rental of $18.00 per year, to a rate of $24.00 per year, the same contract referred to above fixes the rate, or at least it said to bind a rate formerly established by the independent company, providing a rental of $18.00 per year, if the charge was paid semi-annually in advance, and $24.00 per year if not paid in advance. This phase is also being threshed out. The fact remains, however, that in order to main tain the close business relationship between Fruitland, Nyssa and Ontario, it is necessary to arrange in some manner for free tolls between the three places. If this cannot be worked out satisfactorily with the present company, then it will be necessary to place a new inde pendent service in the field. Such a move certainly has its drawbacks, and unless there was absolute necessity for it, would receive little or no support. In the modern business world, the telephone is a necessity, something with which we cannot dispense. And free tools with Nyssa and Fruitland have become as