PORTLAND'S PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD
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ing of its own; and the Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club, having
a fine home and large field in the heart of the city.
Real estate values in Portland have increased appreciably within
the past, year, and especially during the last six months, but they are
still sane and afford splendid opportunities for judicious invest
ment. The 1905 assessment of the city's valuation was $131,197,
561, but this year the returns will be nearly $170,000,000, while 14.8
mills includes tht tax for every purpose this may be slightly les?
this year. '
Kothing is so important to any city as an abundance of goort
water. In "Bull Run" water Portland is favored above any other
of proportionate size the supply comes from the melting snows of
Mount Hood and is absolutely pure and soft. This cold mountain
water is piped for thirty miles. Undoubtedly it is responsible to a
great extent for the extremely low death rate here. Portland is the
most healthful city in the Unicd States.
It would never do to ignore the magnet that draws so many peo
ple to Portland and decides them to become permanent residents of
the Northwest, and that is the climate. Winters that arc in reality
rainy seasons, with almost no snow at all, combine with moderate
summers to make life here worth the living. Magnolias arc grown
in open yards, forming a most decided contrast to the evergreen veg
etation with which Nature has adorned this country. 'Hie rose
attains absolute perfection of form, color and fragrance in Portland
gardens, and "The Rose Show" is an annual event eagerly anticipa
ted by thousands of enthusiasts. English Ivy will cover large
dwellings if permitted to grow unrestrained. During the past
three years 17 degrees above zero has been the coldest temperature
recorded, and that was for but a day.
In a word, the climate is one particularly conducive to outdoor
sports of every description, while the Willamette and Columbia
Rivers permit all sorts of aquatic amusements such as canoeing,
sailing and swimming. Many Portlandcrs spend their summtrs in
houseboats within easy reach of the city by electric lines.
Sccnically, Portland and her environs amaze and delight her vis
itors. In the residence districts the natural luxuriance of vegeta
tion and the universal use of flowers makes even the most unpre
tentious dwelling a charming home at the expense of a little care.
The hills bounding the city on the west and south furnish in
numerable sites for unique hill-side homes commanding a panorama
of city, river, forest covered hills, and most striking of all, five great
snow covered mountains. Most prominent of these are Mount
Hood and Mount St. Helens, sixty and ninety miles away, but seem
ingly a tenth of that distance. Occasionally a clear moonlight
night brings them out distinctly, a sight never to be forgotten.
People who have traveled America and Europe concede that the
Columbia River scenery surpasses in beauty and grandeur that of
any other stream in the world. One day will suffice for a steamer
trip from Portland and return, giving a chance to sec the most strik
ing features of the lower river and pass through the immense Gov
ernment Locks at the Cascades. Multnomah Falls, with its sheer
drop of 825 feet; Cape Horn, a stupendous mass of rock rising
straight from the river's edge; Castle Rock, three thousaild feet
in height and with sides so precipitous as to make its ascent almost
an impossibility for even the experienced mountain climber these
arc but a few of the incomparable scenes that make up this wonder
ful trip.
Portland is essentially a home city, its. residents proud that they
live in "The Rose City" and perhaps feeling just a little bit sorry
for people who condemn themselves to'Uve where frigid winters and
broiling summers take half the pleasure out of life, or where storms
imperil their property. This intense sentiment is remarkable
when we remember that her people ar largly cx-rcsidents of other
states. A common expression of this thought is "Oh, yes, I'm go
ing back on a visit, but I couldn't be persuaded to live there again."
PUBLIC LANDSTHEIR CHARACTER, WHERE LOCATED AND HOW THEY MAY BE ACQUIRED
Max M. Shillock in Chamber of Commerce Bulletin.
Among the many questions propounded by Eastern inquirers to
the various commercial and promotion organizations of Portland, as
well as the passenger departments of transportation companies and
resident friends of restless residents of the East, arc some thatit is
extremely difficult to answer. To the liomeseekcr these questions,
no doubi, appear simple enough, and yet the information desired
is not so easily supplied. Perhaps a majority of the unanswerable
questions relate to the character and location of public lands open
to settlement. To meet the demand for information of this kind,
it would be necessary to keep in daily touch with the records of
the six United States land districts in the state and make copious
extracts from the field notes of the Government surveys. Even
then the information in all cases would not be reliable, as the
description of many sections is imperfect and the covering of much
of the land has changed since the surveys were made. The avail
able Government land is scattered over every county in the state.
Much of it is worthless, being mountainous, and most of it is un
suitable for agricultural purposes. The only way for an intending
settler to satisfy himself as to the worth or desirability of a tract
of public land is to conult the records of the land office in the
district in which the land is situated, and then make a personal
examination of the laud. Even then, the cream of the desirable
Government land having been appropriated long ago, the intending
settler in nine cases out of ten will probably find it cheaper to buy
a farm already improved or partially improved, than to avail
himself of the 'generosity of the United States Government. Still
there are doubtless some good tracts left. These must be expected
in localities remote from the centers of population and from trans
portation. The six United States land offices in the State of Oregon, where
all information relative to Government lands may be had, arc lo
cated at Portland. Multnomah County; Roseburg, Douglas County;
Lakeview, Lake County ; The Dalles, Wasco County ; La Grande,
Union County, and Hums, Harney County. There is a Register
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Portland Harbor Views.
and Receiver in each office, and the records are open to the inspec
tion of the public.
While there are nearly 20,000,000 acres of Government laud
available for .settlement in the state, these figures convey no in
formation as to the worth of this laud or the acreage suitable for
the making of huiues. The greater portion of the Government land,
not yet taken, is, however, not adapted to agricultural purposes.
Scope of Land Districts.
The Dalles land district embraces Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam and
parts of Crook, Morrow, Grant and Clackamas Counties.
The La Grande district embraces in whole or in part the follow
ing counties: Baker, Grant, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa.
The Hums district embraces in whole or in part the following
counties: Baker, Crook, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Wheeler. For
the proposed "Blue Mountain Reserve" 1,889,556 acres have been
withdrawn from entry.
The Roseburg embraces in whole or in part the following coun
ties: Coos, C'urrv Josephine, Lane, Benton, Crook, Klamath, Linn
aud Lincoln. There is included in the Cascade Forest Reserve, set
apart by Department order September 2S, 1903, 3.227,559 acres.
The Portland district embraces Clackamas, Clatsop, Marion,
Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, Yamhill; the greater
Itoitiou of llenton, Linn aud Lincoln, and a small part of Wasco aud
C k. The entire reserves in the district foot up 1,191,666 acres
6.J.S86 in the Grand Rondo Indian Reservation in Yamhill and Polk
loiii.'ies, aud i,i2.,S.( acres in the Hull Run and Cascade Forest
Reserves in the eastern part of the district.
The Lakeview laud district embraces Klamath and Lake Covin
tio1. :md parts of Crook and Harney Counties.
1 uily recently two more forest reserves have been created one
in Southern Oregon, and the other in South Central Oregon. The
new Southern Oregon reserve, known as the Siskiyou Reserve, con
tains about 31 townships, or 700,000 acres, and comprises about
half of Josephine County aud a portion of Douglas County. This
reserve includes some 30,000 acres of unsold state school lands, and
considerable railroad land in the Oregon & California (now South
ern Pacific) land grant.
The other reserve, comprising portions of 72 townships, takes
in portions of Crook and Klamath Counties. It is known as the
Fremont Forest Reserve.
Classification of Lands.
The Government lands arc classified as agricultural, timber,
desert and mineral lands, according to the manner in which they
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Arlington Club, Portland.
may be obtained. The state lands include all these classes, but
are obtained by purchase, regardless of the character of the land.
Government land is obtained through the land offices at The Dalles,
La Grande, Roseburg, Portland, Bums and Lakeview, while state
land is obtained through the State Land Board at Salem. The set
tler or purchaser must be a citizen of the United States, or must
have declared his intention to become such To secure Government
. land lie must be 21; to ptyain state land, 18.
V fcfrit''t .T" ' rT "" Agricultural land may lbc secured from
the Government under the homestead act, which gives to every
settler 16b acres, requiring no payment, except $22 in fees. For a
period of five years actual residence upon the land is necessary,
during which time certain improvements must be made and culti
vation carried on, the purpose being to require the homesteader
to show that he is in good faith.
Timber Lands. Timber lands can be secured from the Gov
ernment under the timber and stone act, each purchaser not being
allowed over 160 acres. The land must be chiefly valuable for
its timber and must have no valuable mineral deposits. These
facts must be set forth in an affidavit and must be published for
a period of 60 days, at the end of which time, if no adverse claim
is made, upon payment of $2.50 an acre, the Government will issue
a patent for the land. Land chiefly valuable for the stone upon it
may be secured in the same manner.
Desert Lands. Desert land may be secured under the desert
land act, not more than 320 acres being allowed to any one person,
the applicant making an affidavit that, without irrigation, the land
would not produce remunerative crops, and that ho has provided a
water supply sufficient to make the laud productive. The affidavit
must be accompanied by that of a witness setting forth the same
facts, and, upon -being approved, a fee of 25 cents per acre must be
paid, when the purchaser can proceed with reclamation. Annual
reports must be made for three years, showing that he has made
improvements to the cost of $1 per acre each year. When the $3
per acre has been expended, and one-eighth of the land has been
reclaimed and under cultivation, by paying an additional $1 per
acre he may secure a patent from the Government. If the land
is within the limit of a railroad grant, the price is $2.50 per acre.
Arid land in larger tracts may be taken up by corporations or
individuals under the Carey act.
Mineral Lands. Mineral lands arc secured under the general
mining laws by locating a claim, recording it and making certain
improvements each year until $500 has been expended for this
purpose, when a patent can be secured from the Government.
State School Lands. There are probably 140,000 acres of state
school lands in Oregon, situated in the sixteenth and thirty-sixth
sections in each township, commonly called school sections. These
lauds arc sold at a minimum price of $2.50 per acre, no residence or
cultivation being required, and, if desired, the purchase price can
be paid in five annual installments, the deferred payments drawing
8, 7 and 6 per cent interest respectively. At the time of making
the first payment the purchaser receives a certificate of sale, as
signable by writing the transfer, duly acknowledged, upon the back
of the instrument. Any assignee of the certificate may secure a
deed by returning the certificate and paying what is due.
What Proportion of Oregon Crops Are Grown Without Irrigation?
There arc today perhaps 450,000 acres of land under irrigation
in Oregon. The total area of the state is 61,459,200 acres. The
cultivated or crop-producing area is about one-sixth of the total
area, or 10,243.200 acres. It is thus seen that less than one-twen
tieth of Oregon's crops arc grown under irrigation, the percentage
being about 4.4.
What Are the Leading Valleys of Oregon, Their Areas and Where
Located?
Willamette Valley. This is the principal valley in Oregon, and
one of the garden spots of the Pacific Slope. The Willamette Val
ley is situated in Western Oregon, between the Cascade and Coast
Ranges of mountains, is watered by the Willamette River and its
tributaries, and produces to perfection all the farm, orchard and
garden crops known to the temperate zone. It is about 150 miles
in length north and south, with an average width of 60 miles. Port
land is at the north end, and Cottage Grove, on the line of the
Southern Pacific Railroad, which passes through it, at the south
end. The total area of nearly nine of the most productive coun
ties in the state arc embraced in this valley, which has a total
acreage of 5,125,971 acres. Exclusive of the foothills, the Willam
ette Valley has about 4,000,000 acres of productive cultivable soil,
which, allowing 50 acres to a family, means that it can support
about 80,000 families, or three or four times its present population.
Umpqua Valley. South of the Willamette Valley in Western
Oregon is the Umpqua Valley, noted for the excellence of its fruits.
This valley is situated in Douglas County, which is credited with
an area of 93,360 acres of tillable soil and 1,457,971 acres of tin
tillable soil. For a small valley the Umpqua is one of the most
productive in the state.
Rogue River Valley. The southernmost valley of Western Ore
gon, and one that is equally as productive as the Willamette and
Umpqua, is the Rogue River Valley, lying in Jackson and Jose
phine Counties, and drained by the waters of the Ropuc River and
its tributaries. This valley is noted for its choice I oaches, pears,
apples, grapes, plums and watermelons. An idea of I Ik productive
capacity of this valley may be obtained from tin- IHal !e areas of
the two counties in which it lies. Jackson Count v ha, a tillable
area of 87,007 acres, and Josephine's tillable ax. 'is 18,745. The
nontiliablc area 'of the former countv is 888,414 acres, and of the
latter 316,881 acres.
Hood River Valley. Going cast from Portland the first valley
met along the Columbia River is the far-famed Hood River Valley,
which, though small, has made a name for itself in almost every
fruit market of the world, through the excellence of its apples and
strawberries. Hood River strawberries arc pronounced by con
noisseurs the finest berries grown, a reputation which is confirmed
by the fact that the first pickings bring as high as 75 cents per
box wholesale in the markets of the East. Hood River r.pplcs are
unexcelled in flavor and keeping qualities, and always command
fancy prices in the markets of the East and even London. By rea
son of the high reputation enjoyed by its production, Hood River
Valley lands in bearing- bring all the way from $200 to $800 an
acre. Hood River Valley is 23 miles loi g, with an average, width
of five miles, and only about one-sixth of the area is in cultivation.
Some Portland Churches.
Irrigation has been a potent factor in the production of this beau
tiful, valley. The apple crop of this valley annually reaches about
60,000 boxes, which bring all the way from $1.50 to $3 a box in the
markets of the East and London. The strawberry crop of this
valley averages perhaps 90,000 crates of 24 pounds each, which
adds to the wealth of this valley $150,000 annually.
Grand Ronde Valley. One of the largest and most productive
valleys in the eastern part of the state is the Grand Ronde Valley,
in Union County. This is about 35x18 miles, with an area of nearly
300,000 acres, of which over 140,000 acres are tillable. The Grand
Ronde Valley is the home of the only sugar beet factory in the
state, the production of sugar from the beets grown in this valley
reaching nearly 3,000,000 pounds annually. This valley is also
noted for its fine fruit, large grain and hay crops and choice live
stock. Harney Valley. The largest valley in the eastern part of the
state in area is Harney Valley, in Harney County. This valley is
about 75 miles long, with an average width of 35 miles. Though
there is some fine fruit grown in Harney Valley, in consequence of
its distance from rail transportation it is in the main given over to
the stock industry. The irrigation of this large valley has been
found to be entirely feasible, and when once water is taken to the
land it will probably rank next to the Willamette Valley in pro
duction. Deschutes Valley. Along the Deschutes River and its tribu
taries there are three large valleys that promise soon to blossom
as the rose in consequence of irrigation. In this section of the
state Central Orgon cast of the Cascade Mountains there are
several large irrigation projects under way, with prospects of their
early completion. The Deschutes River heads in Klamath Countv,
passes north through Crook and a portion of Wasco, and then
forms the boundary line between Sherman and Wasco on its way
to the Columbia. The upper valley of the Deschutes is about 30x10
miles, the central valley 30x40 miles, and the Agency Plains sec
tion 25x7 miles.
Crooked River Valley. The Crooked River Valley, in Crook
County, containing about 75 square miles, 12 miles long by six or
seven wide, offers another inviting field for irrigation. This is in
the arid district, and as yet produces little beyond the needs of
livestock.
John Day Valley. Along the John Day River, that drains por
tions of Sherman, Gilliam, Wasco, Wheeler and Grant Counties,
emptying into the Columbia on the boundary line between Sher
man and Gilliam Counties, there are many beautiful stock farms,