'-ygv v
THE MOKMtftf OKEGONIAET, MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 1900.
of one mine having been bought for $125,
000 Probably 5500,000 of sold -was sent
out of the county during the year. For
the purpose of reaching: new placer fields
and to furnish power for stamp mills, a
company has undertaken the construction
of a canal S3 miles long-, the water to be
taken from the Upper Rogue river. The
lower parts of this canal will be from
SOO to 400 feet abpve the valley, thus afford
ing immense waterpower.. There Is a
large area of tillable land adjacent to this
canal which will become highly produc
tive under Irrigation. The Irrigation
dutches of the county have been increased
eo that there are now not less than 150
mi.es in operation, while the ditches,
flumes and pipe lines for mining approxi
mate 100 miles more, 5 miles of -which
were built in JS9S.
Three evidences of -unusual prosperity
in the county are the number of mort
gages paid off, the very small number
of t"T sales aaverusea, ana me oju.wu
bushels of wheat stored by farmers for
better prices,
j&exnand lor Good County Roads.
The largo amount of country produce
handled has resulted in a demand for
better roads, which has been met by a
greater amount of permanent improve
ment than "has been made during any pre
vious year. Substantial turnpikes have
been constructed at several important
points, and graveled in such way as to
jnake good -winter roads. An important
road up Rogue river has been opened and
improved, by the Sugar Pine Lumber
Company, over which a powerful traction
engine hauls from 50.009 to 30,000 feet of
lumber each trip. A new bridge was built
over the river to accommodate this busl
aess, but this, as well as the entire road,
Is open to the public, making an easy
route to Port Klamath and Klamath
Palls, via Crater lake. Thirteen thou
sand dollars was expended on the road
and engine. Besides this lumber enter
prise, several milxs of small capacity were
added during the year, so that the out
pat of the county was over 2,000,000 feet.
Improvements in tlie Totvns.
The general prosperity in the rural dis
tricts has made a noticeable impression
on the towns of the valley. This is es
pecially true in Medford, Ashland and
Gold Hill. Extensive street Improvements
and other public works have received at
tention in Ashland; Medford has increased
the efficiency of her water works and
Introduced a sewer system; Gold Hill has
just completed a fine water and power
p.ant The aggregate outlay for improve
ments, public and private, in the towns
would r.ot faU short of 5209,000, yet there
is a. great demand for room, and rents
Lave materially advanced.
G. A. GREGORT.
Medford, Or.
a o
JOSEPHINE COUNTY.
SlS Development Certain in Wining
and Other Lines.
Josephine county kept pace with the
"anarch of progress and advancement
which characterized the whole state In
1S99. There has been a steady, though
quiet and gradual Influx of Immigration
all through the season, a sort of filtering
in of people, -without any noticeable rush.
Grant's Pass being the county seat and
only town of Importance in the county,
and railroad depot for by far the larger
portion. Is a reliable register of the state
of affairs throughout the county, and the
conditions which prevail in Grant's Pass
are true in a greater or less degree of
each Individual section, village and camp.
Grants Pass has had by far the most
prosperous business season this year that
tt has enjoyed for many years, and the
same is true of the smaller towns of
Kerby, "Waldo, Merlin, Leland and Wolf
Creek, and every hamlet and country
store in the counts'.
The real estate market is fairly lively,
with steadily advancing figures. Almost
every house in the town of Grant's Pass
is now occupied and houses to rent are
at a premium and almost impossible to
secure. No more substantial evidence of
the prosperity of Grant's Pass could have
been produced than was furnished by the
reoent fire, which destroyed the greater
part of two blocks on Front street, the
burned district having been occupied by
between 15 and 20 business houses of great
er or less importance. Every available
room in the town was immediately
pressed into service for the resumption of
business by those who had suffered by
the fire, even the city hail and council-
room being occupied. Those who were un
able to secure rooms erected temporary
buildings in which to carry on their busi
ness until they could secure a better lo
cation. Every one of the property-holders
of the burned district Is now rebuild
ing or making preparations for rebuild
ing early next season, so that the mid
dle of next summer will see the gap made
by the fire solidly closed with substantial
brick structures. As the brick-making
season was past, the local yards were un
able to supply the sudden demand for
brick, and several hundred thousand
hrick were shipped to this place from
other towns.
The resources and Industries of this
county are many and varied, and the de
velopment of many of them has hardly
begun. To understand fully the Industrial
conditions -which prevail here, it must bo
remembered that it is a country of moun
tains and valleys. Most of the best farm
ing land lies in the valleys along the
larger streams,, and, generally speaking,
the placer mining ground begins where
the farming country ends. In following a
Btre&m toward Its source, as the moun
tains close in and the valley narrows.
This is not a positive rule, but It gener
ally applies. The mining and the farming
lands overlap each other but seldom.
Larsre- Investments in Mines.
Probably the leading industry is mining,
it being extensively followed in both its
branches of quartz and placer mining. It
is estimated that considerably over $500,
800 was expended in the mines of this
ouaty in 1899. and it is more than prob
able that the returns for the one season
of 1S99-1900 will far exceed the entire
outlay. Development in mines in this
county this .season has not been con
fined to one or two localities, but has been
universal. In the "Waldo district, one
which has always been a large producer,
and where some of the most Important
placer mines are located, probably the
most important work has been the con
struction of a dredge for mining a large
area of rich placer ground, which is too
low to be worked by ordinary hydraulic
.methods. This Is a new departure for this
section, and 'Rill probably become a more
common method in future, as there are
placer deposits of known richness in
different localities which cannot be feas
ibly worked by other methods. In the
Althouse district a company has acquired
and is developing a placer property which
has produced richly in coarse gold, hav
ing been worked only by primitive meth
ods, la. this same district a. lars body of
placer ground Is to be opened by means
of a tunneL This district has also been
iha scene of several Important quartz dis
co erles. On Josephine creek, the scene
of the first gold discovery in this county,
two large hydraulic plants have been in
stalled and are now in operation. On Six
Mile creek, another tributary of the Il
linois river, a four-mile ditch of about SOO0
inches capacity has been completed and
a large hydraulic plant has been taken in
and is nearly ready for operation. Sev
eral new ditches were constructed during
the summer on Briggs creek, and hyd
raulic plants imported. On Silver creek a
large body of placer ground, known as
the Silver Creek basin, has been partially
prospected, and will probably be opened
next season. These three last named lo
calities are not accessible by wagon road,
and the last named is probably the most
remote district in the county, supplies
and equipment being transported by pack
train about 30 miles.
Several important and promising quartz
locations were mode last year on tho head
waters of Briggs and Silver creeks, and
are now being- developed. On Jump-Off-
Joe creek in the eastern part of the coun
ty, a three-mile ditch hab just been com
pleted, and hydraulic pLmt and equip
ments are being transported there.
Grace creek is one of tho most import
ant mining districts in the county, being
the scene of extensive operations In both
quartz and placer. Several of the largest
placer mines In the county are situated
in this district, and several new proper
ties have been opened during the season.
In this district is situated the Victor, Jr.,
or Greenback quartz mine, a mine that
last season paid for Its purchase and
equipment in a six months' run. Five ad
ditional stamps were added to the mill
last season, and prospecting and develop
ing work has been carried on all through
tho season.
In the "Wolf creek district, several good
quartz locations have been made and par
tially developed, and one discovery of al
most incredible richness.
Mount Reuben district has also been
largely developed during the past season.
The famous Gold Bug quartz mine, -which
employs about 100 men, Is situated in this
district.
At Gallce, a good deal of both quartz
and placer property ias changed hands,
and many Improvements have been inau
gurated. A company has been organized
for the purpose of working the Big Tank
ledge, an immense ore deposit, and opera
tions have been commenced.
Results of Careful Horticulture.
The fruit Industry in this county is
one of much importance. The varied char-
OQQQ0QO0G000Q00G00O90 000 00
J l . -
Portland. Astoria. Coos Bay. . Puget Sound. San Francisco. Los Angeles. San Diego. Humboldt Bay.
O O o o o o oJo o o o p o o oo
T ST - f- c --,. r- f- f " f f ri. r
apes tauca (Qtatatautatafitaia
1SS1 .-. $ 4,383,498 $ C57.145 ? 2,519 9G5 $ 168,341 77777777717 777777777777 $ 1,954,581 S 137,971 $ 37,050,598 $ 35,857,693 $ 125.212 $ 216,113 $ 127,966 1 $ 135.SS9 $ 224.464 5 67373
1SS 4.14S.110 277.3SS 1.928.829 161.170 3.184,908 238,036 38,115,621 35,040,350 252.673 187.31S 6(1.504 71,106 201.865 1.7S1
1SS6 5.737.961 282,896 1.323,698 171.933 2,123,087 6C0 G75 30,228,424 S7.142.117 167.686 206.957 72.307 119,173 163,295 5,710
1887 5.135,845 384,847 1,357,281 231,438 i : 1,770,429 347,818 32,711,043 40,707,708 152.6S0 341,083 165,949 1S5.595 113,576 5.744
18S8 4.619.640 632,329 1,182.231 112.445 2,250,892 407,418 27,684,891 46,692.905 34.442 482.851 375,891 E27.S03 142.207 2.830
1SS9 4.C59.517 1,262,863 1,745,753 117,591 4,068,611 361,502 37.67J.376 4S.425.760 724 451,628 375.924 514.014 122.757 4.5SS
1SS0 8.371.G75 96.548 1,409,95? 805.818 8,326.145 305.289 36,876,091 48,751,223 220 169,955 264.644 437,665 108,051 1,549
1S91 5,260,424 1,169.619 835,488 110.446 1 5,729,494 476,962 40,168,771 60,913.299 315,226 394,824 538,066 154.503 4.005
1892 6.C46.991 1.351,177 L226.14S 129,250 r. 6565,998 572,637 40,737.044 47.13p.6S4 42,535 398,517 441,200 3S0.770 151.553 3.925
1893 5,127,000 1,106,632 637.22G 129,382 , 6,093.436 839,709 31,144,180 45.291,099 502,044 79,443 407,236 138.00S 1.571
1894 4.07G.397 879,889 85,951 .74.265 1 4,942,040 1,230,399 24,903,009 38,146,626 102.943 445,966 . S79.5SG 383,393 1G6.750
1895 5,084,847 598,330 123.309 137,954 $ 4,500- 3 6,805,193 2,222,895 24,873,14S 36,2C9,G37 6,696 C57.671 45,225 346,155 106,594 2,110
1S9G 4,656,001 1,029.469 634,419 1S2.218 8,368 5 6,854.707 5.483,846 31.5S2.910 (41,400.317 30,487 679,944 196,419 324.465 102,440 1.460
1897 6,578.896 1.317.040 420,639 323,051 16,833 8 11,864,925 7,066,131 39.647.606 34,375.945 7,499 504,023 190,540 222,063 162,027 1.183
1838 13,SS3,426 1,444.452 372.23G 88,390 G.16G 17,918:626 5,058,069 41,223.759 42,822,915 110.440 476.042 491,139 198.477 146.725 1.1S1
1899 8.960,924 1.503,355 150.H9 18.742 i 15,2Qo!s40 7,229,718 30,214,904 35.746,577 4.090 7C9.472 1.425,861 397,115 195.67S 2,006
Total $ 92.537.152 $ 14,993.977 $ 15,953,177 $ 2,462,434 $ ' 35,867 $ 16 $9S,653T312 TJ2.648.575 $544,835J37F $'664,749,890 $ '1,03S;277 $ S.S04.S44 $ 5,102.422 $ 5.4SS.S96 $ 2.340.493 $ 45,934
Note There have been no imports into nor exports from Yaqulna district, Oregon, since 1S84.
RECAPITULATION n '
Total exports of Pacific Const ports for the sixteen years ended June 30, 1SS9
Total imports of Pacific Coast ports for the oixteen,. years ended Jane 30, 1S09
Total commerce.
OOOOOOOOOOC0000000000000000090000000000 0009000000000
acter of the soil gives opportunity for
the successful production of every variety
of fruit that can be grown in a temperate
climate. The fruit business has suffered
somewhat in past years by Ill-advised
and misdirected procedure In the line of
fruitgrowing. Proper care was, In many
cases, not exercised In the choice of varie
ties, in disappointments and failure. But
each succeeding year, for the past few
years, has seen the fruit industry put upon
a more solid and profitable basis, and
market facilities have Improved from year
to year, until now the fruit business
stands upon Its merits as a leading and
profitable industry. One man in this
county received this season over $2000 from
three and one-half acres of peaches.
Prunes are a good crop here, and pears first floor. Besides these a great many
do well Grapes are also a good crop, j other buildings have been erected In the
but the staple, sure and most Important j town and county.
ilne Is winter apples, of which a consld- j There are 50 miles of Irrigated canals
erable quantity are shipped from here ' In the county. Klamath Falls has an ex
every year. Small fruits do well, and ' cellent electric light and water system, two
strawberries and raspberries were shipped j
quite extensively last spring to northern i
points, "uatermelons are a staple produc- .
tlon of this county, over SO carloads beln;
shipped from here last summer.
The lumber Industry has assumed largo
proportions In the last two years. In
1898, the S. P. D. & L. Co., of Grant's
Pass, constructed a wagon Toad 11 miles
long, tapping a large area of timber land
known as Swede basin, and last year the
whole season was utilized cutting and
hauling the lumber to Grant's
Pass, some 30 miles. Swede basin con
tains one of the finest bodies of sugar
pine timber on the coast, and the lumber
which comes from there Is of extraordi
nary quality. This company has a num
ber of saw mills at different localities In
the county, and handled the entire output
with the exception of that of a few small
local mills.
A flour mill was erected last summer
at Provolt, a center for a considerable
area of very productive-farming country
situated on Williams creek and the Ap
plegate. and has been running steadily
for flie past three months. There are now
two companies organized In Grant's Pass
for the manufacture of wool from plno
needles, of which there is an abundant
supply.
To ber varied industrial Inducements,
Josephine county adds an important
feature In one of tho most perfect climates
to be found In temperate regions. While
the mercury ascends well up the scale in
midsummer, the freshness of the atmos
phere and the cool nights effectually pre
vent oppressiveness. The rainfall strikes
a happy medium between "Webfoot" and
California weather. The winters are mild,
and destructive storms are unknown.
The development of the resources of this
county In 1893 and previous years has
been only enough to bring about a bet
ter general appreciation of their magnitude
and scope and the possibilities which are
dormant in them. The outlook for this
section was never so bright as it Is now
at the opening of the year 1900.
FRED MENSCH.
Grant's Pass, Or.
KLAMATH COUNTY.
Railroad, Forerunner of Airrieulra
rnl and Commercial Progress.
Klamath county is to have a railroad In
1SO0. With enough of tho best agricultural
and grazing lands; enough Irrigating sys
tems (undeveloped), enough water power
and navigable water, and enough soft pine
timber to make a million people rich; with
enough ducks and geese, rainbow, lake
and brook trout to make a million sports
men happy, we have dallied for years with
news of Hard times, booms and prosperity
without knowing them .But we have never
had a railroad. We are going to have
j one, ror in .November the Oregon Mid
land Railway company was Incorporated
to build a standard-gauge road from
Klamathon, Cal., to Klamath Falls, Or.
The preliminary work was done early in
the year, and since Incorporating another
survey has been started. The Incorpora
tors expect to start grading early In the
spring, and will push the work rapidly.
The chief revenue for several years will
be from the timber, as the road will tap
the magnificent sugar and soft yellow pine
belt lying along Jenny creek, and from
1 10 tola miles north of Klamath hot springs,
oesmes ine pine oeits west of Upper
Klamath lake in all some 10,000,000,000 feet
of pine, besides much fir, cedar, etc.
Owing to high prices paid for cattle the
past two years there were fewer to be
sold this year than usual. Thosa turned
off brought a high price, about $40 a head
for the best steers.
The county has had quite a perceptible
increase in population the past year (ex-
j elusive of births), and much more land la
now under cultivation than there was 12
months ago. Several small irrigating
ditches have been built, large ones en
larged and extended, and a very exten
sive system of irrigation and reclamation
surveyed for the Klamath reservation.
Many hundreds of acres of alfalfa were
cut this year for the first time, and thou
sands of fruit tres are now growing to
maturity where but two or three years
ago the fruit trees in tho county could
be summed up in three figures.
Barely 10,000 head of cattle were turned
off this year, where 100,000 should be.
About $15,000 will cover the -wool clip,
and It should be $250,000. Including the
logging camp at Snow, east of Jenny
creek, the product of -which goes to he
Klamathon (Cal.) mill, the output of lum
ber Is 25,-000.000 feet, whereas with a rail
road It should be 250,000,000 feet. All of
the beef" cattle go to railroad points for
feeding; none will go when the railroad is
built A few hundred people now visit
Crater lake annually, where as many
thousands would visit it If a railroad could
bring them to Klamath Falls and a steam
boat take them from there to Fort Kla
math, and such resorts as Pelican bay,
Spring creek, Sprague river, Williamson
river and Wood river would become tho
greatest resorts on this coast.
All of these changes are about to be
realized, and easy-going, beautiful Klam
ath county will wake up to the hum of
the hustlers who will come from all points
to build up great enterprises and improve
a great county.
According to the history of Indian reser-
000G0 00 00 900 9 99 0 O 08 60SO 80
FOREIGN
-The following table .gives the Imports and
; vatlons
that have been thrown onen.
I TlomatTi rocflpimfinn eViriiil1 Via nranaH fn.
settlement between next June and Janu
ary 1, 1OL Then there will be about
1,500,000 acres to be settled upon, divided
Into agricultural, grazing and timbered
lands.
In Klamath Falls, George T. Baldwin has
built one of the finest stone store build
ings ever built in a small town on this
coast, and the A. O. U. "W. lodge has
fitted a beautiful hall and lodgeroom. A
bank was opened last year, and Wells,
Fargo & Co. have extended their service
to this point. The town has just com
pleted a wo-3tory hall, with council
chamber on the secpnd floor, and hook
and ladder and hose cart room on the
daily mails to and from the railroad, and
a daily mail from nearly every town In
tho county,
The price of real estate has advanced
fully 100 per cent in 12 months. More
transfers of property were made in 1899
than in any year since 1891. The largest
deal was about 10,000 acres of pine land
bought by the Bray & Choate Land Co.,
of Oshkosh, Wis. This land lies chiefly
north and west of Parker's station, on the
stage road between Klamath Falls and
Ashland. The Lottie C. was taken from
Lower Klamath lake last spring, rebuilt
and was used in the summer as a mail
boat between Klamath Falls and Fort
Klamath. The Oregon, a sternwheel scow,
was also launched on the upper lake last
year.
Following is a table of statistics for
1899:
Acres under cultivation, 50,000 $750,000
Bushels of wheat, 39,100 38,000
.tsusneis or oats, iz,siw s,50u
Bushels of bailey, 19,500 17,500
Bushels of rye, 13,600 10,000
Tons of wired hay. 40,000 130,000
Tons of alfalfa, 6000 30,000
Bushels of potatoes, 15,000 13,500
Pounds butter and cheese, 150,000.... 25,000
Bushels of apples, 3000 3,500
Bushels of plums, pears, prunes,
etc., 400 400
Lumber cut, feet. 25.000,000 500,000
No. of sheep, 10,000 30.000
No. of horses and mules, 7000 140.000
No. of cattle, 20.000 600,000
No. of swine, 3000 18,000
Wool, pounds, 100,000 15.000
Population, 3300.
JOSEPH G. PIERCE.
Klamath Falls, Or.
t o '
LAKE COUNTY.
People Look Forward to Railroad
Connection This Year.
While it Is one of the remotest of
counties from the capital of Oregon, and
tho farthest from a railroad of any local
ity In the United States, Lake county
enjoyed in 1899 a degree of prosperity
never before known in Its history. It
might be said that 1899 was a banner year
for the stock industry, for agricultural
and horticultural development and for
numerous Industrial enterprises. Every
industry has shown a material increase
and every one is prosperous. The sale
and shipment of about 35,000 head of beef
cattle brought into the county nearly
$1,000,000. On 75,000 head of sheep driven
to market $225,000 more was added to the
Lake county stockmen's Income. One
million five hundred thpusand pounds of
wool was sheared and shipped. The price
ayeraged 13 cents, the highest price paid
being 15 cents. $t is estimated by sheep
men and those who are in a position to
know, tnat the price of Lake county wool
tills year will 1)6 18 cents, and some place
it as high as 20 cents. Last year's product
brought the 'sheepmen $195,000. Besides
sales of cattle, sheep and wool, there were
sold from 1500 to 2000 head of horses and
mules, valued at from $25,000 to $40,000;
also 1000 to 1500 hogs for $90,000, and 2500
goats for $7500, making a total of $1,460,000
received from stock.
Other Industries.
The sawmills of the county were not
able to supply the demand for lumber
last year, notwithstanding that they
turned out over 1,250,000 feet, valued at
$20,000. The number of buildings erected
last year was nearly double the number
any former year, and the indications
aro favorable for greater building in
1900. New farmhouses, barns and fences
are good indications of the prosperity of
the farmers. Nearly every one in the
county made Improvements of some kind
last year.
Steady Increase in Population.
Immigration to Lake county, while not
large, has been steady, and the increase in
populatlon is quite perceptible. Consid
erable advertising has been done by a
Lake county real estate agency in print
ing and sendingbroadcast a neat pamph
let The new year is looked forward to
and counted on to bring hundreds of set
tlers to our unoccupied lands. In fact,
tho hundreds of letters of inquiry that
have been received tho past few months
aro sufficient evidence of the coming of
tho homemakers.
Farming and fruitralslng -were big fac
tors In Xiane county last year. Three
large roller mills were not equal to the
work of grinding the year's crop of
wheat Flour sold, on December 1, 1899,
for 2 per hundred; wheat $1 50 per hun
dred. Barley was $1 25 per hundred, and
the crop was not sufficient to supply the
demand. Lalto county wants more peo
ple to engage in farming. The county
supplied thousands of pounds of fruit,
flour and grain to neighboring counties
last. year. Farmers are paying more at
tention to the growing of fruit. Thou
sands of trees of the hardier varieties
were planted in the fall. The hay. crop
-was Immense, and all stockmen have an
abundance of fodder for their flocks for
winter feeding.
At least 200 wagons and buggies were
sold by two firms, and a like amount of
agricultural Implements of all kinds.
These sales so greatly exceed sales In
former years that there is no compari
son. Lakeview, the county seat, is on the
verge"11 of a building boom. Among tho
numerous buildings that have been erect
ed is a large concrete building. Business
0OO0A SO SQOA9JB OOSOO SO SOOOt 0809 806 0088 990000 8800000800000
COMMERCE OF THE PACIFIC COAST
Exports by customs, districts for
00000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000 000000000000000000000000000000
enterprises are far in excess of the store mostly by Eastern and English capitalists. I been cut, part of the distance through sol
room to be had. By the time another Several hundred men are now employed In Id rock from the head of the Coast Fork
year has passed Lakeview will be an 1m- these mines. Five or six stamp mills are Into the Bohemia mines, at a cost of about
portant business center. j now In operation, running day and night. $S000, the principal part of which was paid
Railroad extension.
There are so many different railroad
lines pointing this way that our people do
not know which way to look for the
coming of the iron horse. It has been
asserted that the proposed Oregon Mid
land, from the Southern Pacific main line
to Klamath Falls, will, upon the comple
tion to that point, be extended to Lake
view and possibly on to some point
east. There Is no guesswork about the
extension towards Lakeview of the Ne
vada, California & Oregon railroad from
Amedee. Extension- work on that line
has been under way for the past year.
About 35 miles of track has been laid
and grading has been done for 60 miles.
Tracklaying has been necessarily slow,
owing to the scarcity of rails.
Preliminary work on a new wagon
road over the mountains from Lakeview
to connect with the Catlow valley, Harney
county, road will be begun early in the
spring. Upon the completion of this road
it Is estimated that Lakeview's trade
will be Increased $75,000 annually. Numer
ous new county roads were ordered con
structed last year by the county com
missioners. Timber Lands.
Many Eastern syndicates had repre
sentatives here last year looking over
the timber lands of the county and mak
ing maps and plats of the timber belts.
In this county there are thousands of
acres of fine timber, some of It the best
sugar pine In the world. The building of
a railroad Into this county would cause
the timber-land business to hum.
Take it as a whole. Lake county Is pros
perous, and her people have no reason
to complain of the year 1899. Industrious
people have added gold to their coffers,
and are correspondingly happy.
Transportation of freight md passen
gers to Lake county is made from Ame
dee by big teams and from Ager and
Amedee by stages. To reach Lake coun
ty visitors may leave the main line of the
railroad at Beno, Nev., or the South
ern Pacific at Ager, Cal. At present the
distance from either point Is the same.
Some of Lake's Advantages.
Lake county is in the center of the
great lake, "region of Southern Oregon.
It is bounded on the south by the Cali
fornia line, on the east by Harney 'coun
ty, on the north by Crook, and on the
west by Klamath. The county has an
area of 8000 square miles. Great Goose
lake is partly In Oregon and partly In
California. Jt is 45 miles long, from eight
to 30 ' miles wide, and from 12 to 40 feet
deep, and is navigable for vessels of
considerable draft. No finer body of
. water Is to be found In the United States.
The other principal lakes are Warner, Al
bert, Sdmmer and Silver lakes. The
lakes, like 'the beautiful rivers and
streams that empty into them, abound
with fish. '
The principal valleys of Lake county are
Goose lake, North and South Warner,
Chewaucan, Summer and Silver lake.
These valleys cover an area of hundreds
of square miles, and are very productive.
Alllhe soils of Lake county are produc
tive when properly cultivated. The bot
tom lands are very rich and produce
abundant crops of alfalfa and native
grasses for hay, and also fine timothy
and other tame grasses, as well as fine
crops of cereals and vegetables of all
kfcids in abundance. The hills ana romng
lands produce fine agricultural crops.
There is no body of land, occupied or un
occupied, in Lake county that Is further
than 10 miles from timber.
BEACH & M' GARRET.
Lakeview, Or.
. 4 a-t
LANE .COUNTY.
Mineral Development Receiving; Bloro
Attention Than for Many Years.
During the year 1899 a good many Immi
grants, mostly farmers and substantial
business people,- settled in Lane county.
They are quite evenly distributed over
tho county. Eugene and the central por
tion of the county in tho valley between
the Cascade and Coast ranges of moun
tains, have received the greater number,
but a good many have settled along the
small streams in the mountains and at the
lumbering camps at Saginaw and in the
Mohawk valley. In proportion to the
whole number, the population has in-
creased more) perhaps. In the Bohemia and
Blue River mining districts than else
where. There are abouc twice as many
people in the Bohemia mines as were
there a year ago.
No marked changes have taken place in
agricultural development during the year,
but some progress has been made. Some
new land has been brought under cultiva-
tion. New farm buildings and fences ap-
pear here and there, and there has been
a gradual and steady Increase in farm
ing interests and products. There -was a
fair yield of wheat, oats, corn, bops, po
tatoes and vegetables of all kinds. Some
damage was done to grain in the fields,
before the harvest was completed, by un
usual rains in August
Mining- Development.
For more than 30 years, gold, silver,
lead, copper, quicksilver and other valu
able ores and minerals have been known
to exist in the Cascade and Calapoola
mountains on all sides of Mount Bohemia,
which is the summit of the ridge separat
ing Lane and Douglas counties, and north
ward in the Cascade range through tho
eastern part of Lane county and beyond
into Linn and Marion counties. Very little
has been done to develop these mmes un
til recently. After a little prospecting in
the quartz ledges the claimants would
abandon them and others would take them
up ujiu iimuw in xueir ioocsieps. uunng i to bring out lumber irom tne large saw
1S99 more was done in the way of pros- mills now being erected there by the
pecting and developing these quartz ledges , Booth-Kelly Company, representing Call
and establishing their richness and value fornia capitalists. Tho county and also
as producers of gold than in all the pre- the city of Eugene have each purchased
vious 30 years. Numerous companies are a large rockcrusher, and have done some
now working In the Bohemia mines, cover- I valuable work during the year In grading
ing as far as now located an area of about ' and macadamizing roads throughout the
10 miles square, about one-half in Lane county and the principal streets of Eu
and one-half in Douglas county. Some gene. A wagon road six miles long up a
of tho mines are owned and controlled steep mountain 5000 feet high or more has
the fiscal years 'ending-' June 30,
I
.
1
Freight and passengers are taken to Bo
hemia from the Southern Pacific rail
road at Cottage Grove, In Lane county,
a distance of about 34 miles, over a wagon
road which is almost level, excepting the
last six miles. This six miles is a steep,
winding grade up Bohemia ridge to an
altitude of over 5000 feet, the summit of
the mountain being about 7000 feet above
sea level. Hundreds of tons of freight
for the mines and concentrates from the
mines and hundreds of passengers have
passed over this road in 1899. The quartz
mines farther north in Lane county, along
Blue river, a branch of the McKenzie,
also were developed more In 1899 than ever
before. A stamp mill was recently taken
in at heavy cost, where a mountain wagon
road several miles long had to be con
structed by the owners of the mine, which
has been demonstrated to be rich and
extensive. Another ledge Is being worked
by pounding out the gold by hand. It Is
now beyond question that the mines of
Lane county are very extensive, beginning
In Douglas county and extending from Bo
hemia in the southeastern part of Lane
county to Blue river, in the northeastern
part, and beyond Into Linn and Marlon
counties. It Is believed by those best ac
quainted with these mines that when de
veloped they will prove to be very rich,
and will attract thousands of people and
produce millions of dollars annually ior
many years to come.
Present Condition of the County.
There has been some progress during tho
year In material prosperity, derived mainly
from trade and travel to and from the
mines, and the gold produced by the mines
and tho high prices realized for cattle,
sheep and hogs for beef, mutton and pork.
View Industrial Enterprises.
More industrial enterprises have been
established, perhaps, during tho present
than during any previous year. Besides
the stamp mills in the mines, and enter
prises connected with tnem, various new
enterprises have been started. A steam
boat named the Eugene has been built
by the citizens of the county and placed
on the Willamette river to run regularly
during tho boating season between Eugene
and: Portland. It has made more than a
dozen trips since it was completed, early
In 1899, between Portland and Eugene, and
several trips, when the water was very
low, as far up as Independence, Corvallls
or Harrisburg. A nupmber of saw mills
have been built or commenced in different
parts of the county. An excelsior mill
Is row being built in Eugene.
Rcsonrces.
Tho resources of Lano county are nu
merous and varied. Lying at the head of
the Willamette valley, and extending from
the Pacific oceah to tho summit of the
Cascade mountains, and from Douglas
county on tho south to Lincoln, Benton
and Linn counties on the north, it is largo
enough to furnish homes for many times
its present population. There Is a broad
expanse of level Drairle between the Cas
cade and Coast ranges of mountains, and
numerous small valleys, extending Into the
Cascade, Calapoola and Coast mountains.
It contains more good agricultural land,
as well as more valuable timber and graz
ing lands, than any other county in West
ern Oregon. It offers more inducements
for immigrants, and has a greater future,
If many and varied natural resources can
be relied upon, than any county south of
the commercial metropolis of tho state. A
large portion of the land Is rich, level or
rolling prairie, well adapted to growing
wheat, oats, hops, potatoes,, fruit and veg
etables of all kinds. The hills and moun
tains afford grazing for numerous herds
of cattle, sheep, goats, horses, hogs and
other domestic animals. In tho mountains
and along the rivers and small water
courses in the valleys, are vast quantities
of the most valuable timber for lumber
and fuel fir, pine, cedar, hemlock, maple,
ash, oak, balm or cottonwood, alder, chit
tlm and various other kinds. Valuable
quarries of building stone abound In many
places. Deposits of gold, silver, lead, iron,
nickel, cinnabar, coal and other metals
and minerals are known to exist. The
gold mines of Bohemia and Blue river
bid fair soon to become among tho most
productive and valuable of any on the Pa
cific coast. With all these great natural
resources, and with the most delightful cli
mate in the world, not subject to either
extreme cold or heat, Lane county offers
great inducements to Industrious and fru
gal people seeking new homes, but is not
a rich field for tnose wno sees xo prey
luPn, community and flourish in luxury
and idleness by their wits.
Pnblic and Private Improvements.
A, number of public and private improve
ments have been made in Lane county
during the present year. A new court-
house has been built in Eugene. It was
commenced in 1S9S and finished in. 1899. It
is constructed of stone, brick, iron and
J glass, with wooden finishings, is lighted
with electricity, has a large clock that
strikes the hours in the cupola, is fur
nished with all the modern improvements
and conveniences, and cost about $75,000.
Av new building for the university of Ore
gon is being constructed by the state on
the University campus, in the eastern
suburbs of Eugene, to be completed on or
before January 1, 1900. A large saw mill
is being constructed by the Booth-Kelly
Company In the Mohawk valley, to furnish
lumber for export by the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company. The same company
has extensive saw mills at Saginaw, on the
line of the Southern Pacific railroad, five
miles below Cottage Grove, and has fur
nished large quantities of lumber for ex
port during the present year.
New Railroads and Wagon Roads.
A new railroad is being constructed as
rapidly as possible and1 will soon be com
pleted from the Southern Pacific line at
Springfield to the upper end of the Mo
hawk vallev. a distance of about 20 miles.
0 0000 00000 000 0000008 00 00 00
e
o
9
since 1884
? 7G0,58G,07S
727,194.G00
.$1,487,780,774
by the mineowners and the remainder by
Lane county. A wagon road has also been
made from the McKenzie river to the
Blue river mines, at a cost of several
thousand dollars, all or nearly all paid by
the miners. H. R. KINCAID,
Eugene, Or.
t a e
LINN COUNTY.
Subdivision of Farms Increases the
. Grain-Pro duclngr Area.
Linn, the banner county of the great Wll-
' lamette valley, has been forging ahead
durlng the past year, and all interests
show a marked improvement. Agriculture
takes precedence In this courity, and the
area of grain-producing lands was greatly
Increased last year. Large holdings have
been divided, sold and rented, and with
careful attention and proper preparation
have returned rich harvests to the farmer.
But a small part, however, of the tlllablo
land embraced within tne lines of Linn
county is yet in cultivation. Thousands
and thousands of acres of virgin soil aro
awaiting the time when it too shall yield
its part in making the acreage many times
greater than It Is at present. The ease
and trifling exertion required to produco
a crop are of themselves drawbacks. In
the early days of our county's history, the
settlers upon donation-land claims in this
part of the wonderfully fertile Willamette
valley used plows turning a furrow of 10
Inches. They disdained to turn it all, but
would "cut and cover" and then drag a
small fir tree in lieu of a harrow across
the ploughed field. At present, and in re
cent years, more attention has been paid
to the proper preparation of tho soil. The
result has been larger yield and better qual
ity of grain produced. It is an established
and oft-repeated axiom that "crops never
fail In Oregon." The fall rains prepare
the soil for ploughing and, unlike many
other localities, a failure is unknown.
People Are Prosperous.
Our people are prosperous, that is, thoso
who deserve to be, for a small proportion
will be found In every community who are
always behind, and Micawber like, waiting
for something to turn up. A drive through
the county will result, as a rule. In show
ing pleasant homes, well-kept farm build
ings, good fences, plenty of schools, which
are well attended by those upon whom the
future of the state will depend. The acre
age Llnn'county farmers have will bear
comparison with that of the agriculturist
in any land or clime, showing on every
hand abundant evidences of prosperity,
thrift and Intelligence.
Tho "man with tho hoe" could not find
his counterpart within the boundaries of
Linn county It is the opinion of the writ
er that no locality offers such Inducement
to the Industrious farmers of limited means
as does Linn county. Its lands are rented
or leased for one or more years, tho rental
being one-third of the crop. The owner of
tho land expects only his share of the
principal crop, so that it Is the privilege
of tho tenant practically to produco tho
living of himself and family rent free.
His garden, poultry, a few swine and a
stand or so of bees, carefully managed, will
leave a safe margin on the profit side
of the family ledger.
The business of the county has been well
managed. A. new and commodious court
house has just been completed and paid
for, entirely out of the regular collections
of the taxes. All obligations of every kind
and nature have been met, and there is
money in the treasury. The bridges of the
county are in good condition, and tho
wagon roads in the settled district are
above the average. More attention is be
ing paid from year to year to systematic
road making. The members of the farm
ing community are realizing that nine
tenths of the benefits arising from good
roads go directly to them.
There is a good demand, at reasonable
prices, for farming and grazing land. Spe
cial attention is being given to the latter
on account of the profits derived from
stockralsing In the foothills of the Cascade
range, where plenty of range, water and
immunity from rigors of severe winters
may bo obtained.
Dairylnsr Development.
Great strides have been mado in the de
velopment of the dairying Industry dunng
the past year. Four creameries are in suc
cessful operation. All reported gains in
output of from 15 to 40 per cent last year.
The Plainview and Albany creameries
alone produced upwards of 100,000 pounds
nf hiitter all of whloli onmtnnniloi? rrtna
largely in excess 'of that formerly ob-
tained by the producers under the old
system of butter-making on the farm.
The effect of this ha3 been to cause tho
farmers to increase and improve their herds
with especial attention to large percentage
of butter fat, and disposing of those strains
of stock not fitted for dairying. Last yeai
over $125,000 was received for stock raised
and sold in Linn county.
No new railroads were constructed dur
ing this year, but the service on thosa
we have has been greatly Improved, giv
ing our people ample facilities and easy
methods of communication at reasonable
rates of fare and transportation for their
freights.
Many new orchards have been planted,
the large returns received from those now
bearing demonstrating that fruitralslng la
thi3 locality has long slnco passed lt3 ex
perimental stage. The output of nursery
stock of one nursery alone for the year
was over 100,000 trees. Linn county fruits
have attracted favorable notice wherever
exhibited on account of their size, as well
as for the delicate flavor possessed by
them.
Our most urgent need is for more people
to settle and improve our rich lands. The
industrious agriculturist or stockraiser
need have no doubt that he will realize an
abundant return from his labor, with all
the advantages that accrue from living and
rearing his family in the midst of a peace
ful and highly civilized community, where
plenty reigns and peace and contentment
prevail.
C. B. WINN.
Albany, Or.
LINCOLN COUNTY,
People Enioyinsr the Greatest Pros
perity Ever Known to Them.
Lincoln county was created by the
legislature in 1S93. of territory detached
from Benton and Tillamook counties. It
13 bounded on the north by Tillamook
county, on tho east by Benton and a part
of Polk, on the south by Lane, and its
western boundary is the Pacific ocean.
Its coast line is over 50 miles long. It
has an area of 1440 square mlles and a
population of about 5000. Lincoln county
lies on the Pacific ocean, about midway
on the Oregon coast. Its coast line is
broken by four bays Yaqulna. Alsea, Sl
letz and Salmon each of which has num
erous tributaries that drain the surround
ing country. Yaqulna, the largest of the
four, breaks the coast line nearly in the
center of the county, north and south.
The entrance to tho bay affords plenty of
water for coasting steamers, the govern
ment having spent about $600,000 on the
harbor. This work has increased the
depth of water on the bar from 14 to 22
feet at high tide.
Of the 33 counties of Oregon, Lincoln
is the youngest, except Wheeler. None
can claim a greater diversity of natural
resources than Lincoln. Being a coast
county, it does Jiot claim to be a grain
producer. During 1S9D the county received
a fair share of the immigration to Ore
gon. The settlers are mostly from, the
Dakotas and Minnesota, and have settled
principally near Toledo. As a rule, they
go right to work improving their lands
and purchasing good milch cows. They
are patrons of our creameries. There 13
an active demand for stock and dairy
ranches.
Lincoln county is not classed as a mineral-producer,
although for 0 miles up
and down, the coast line the placer mines
on the beach aro worked each season,
and give employment to many settlers
along the coast.
The condition of the people as to ma
terial prosperity was never better, as the
farmers have received good prices for aB
products of the farm and dairy, and for
all kinds of livestock.
Openlnc: the Stons Quarries.
As to new industrial enterprises, they
aro naturally, slow, chiefly for wan of
capital. 'Among the new industries- is the
Bevens White Sand Rock Quarry, recent
ly developed by Portland capital. This
company has spent several thousand dol
lars In stripping, placLig machinery and
building trolley cars and sidetracks from
the C. & E. R. R. to the quarry, and
has, since July, employed a large force
of men. The owners say they have made
large contracts for their rock in the San
Francisco market. The rock Is of tho
same quality as the famous Pioneer white
sand stone quarry, which has an estab
lished reputation for being the best rock
on the Pacific coast.
Tho Toledo creamery, built and operated
by home capital, began operations early
in May, and has been running regularly
since. It makes a first-class article of
butter, which is sold for the highest mar
ket price. This butter has taken first
premium at the state fair. The owners
expect to place skimming stations at va
rious points In the county, and otherwise
enlarge their plant the coming season.
The resources of the county consist ot
dairying, stockralsing, quarrying of building-stone,
lumber manufacture, and salmon-canning.
As there aro many thou
sands ot acres of government lands yet
unsettled, the county offer's good induce
ments to homeseekersv
fanv improvements were made in 1S99,
consisting of the clearing of brush lands
and tho building of farmhouses and barns.
In Toledo, the county-seat, several busi
ness blocks wero erected, many streets
Improved and graded, and the county
court built a large, up-to-date courthouse,
with all modern conveniences. A number
of new roads have been surveyed and
much labor and money expended upon
them.
The fishing industry is a source of con
siderable Income to our people. As. the
seasons do not open until after harvest,
farmers readily find employment in this
industry. The output for the season just
closed was, in round numbers, 18,000 cases
of canned salmon, and 50,000 pounds of
fresh salmon was shipped by express to
Portland and other Valley points.
Four hundred tons of chlttim bark -was
shipped during the season, for which. 2
cents per pound was received by the
strippers. , . .
Farmers shipped about 1000 head of cat
tle, at an average price per head of $20.
Extensive manufactures are not counted
among Lincoln county's resources, but
we have water-power of sufficient volume
above Toledo and on tho Slletz river to
operate many mills.
The timber interests of the county are
destined to be a source of much wealth.
The middle portion of the county through
which the railroad runs is what la known
as the burnt district, and naturally gives
the traveler the Impression that there is
no marketable timber in the county. But
. ia not the fact. In the south end
of- the county are large bodies of fir
and soruce timber. In one body there is
12.000 "acres, owned by Michigan capital
ists, who, it is said, will in the near future
make arrangements to place the products
of this green forest upon tho markets of
thn world. On what was. up to 1835,
known as tho Slletz Indian reservation.
there are many thousands or acres or
fine saw timber. About 20,000 acres ot tins
great body of flr and spruce timber 13
tributary to the Yaqulna bay, and a log
ging railroad of four miles irom the head
of tide will reach this timber. The re
mainder would, by reason of the hills be
tween the two bays, necessarily be tribu
tary to the Siletz bay.
Slletz Valley Land in Demand.
The Corvallis 8c Eastern Railroad has
its terminus at Yaqulna, this county. It
Is operating 150 miles of road, running
through Lincoln, Benton, Linn and Mar
ion counties into the heart of the Cascade
mountains. From the Cascades the road
has been surveyed and located to an
eastern connection with some transconti
nental line, which, when completed, will
open up the great Inland empire of East
ern Oregon, and thus make a direct route
to tho sea for the products of this rich
country, anen xaquma wm oe a seaport
of Importance, and it will conlrol tha
trade of the upper Willamette valley, as
- wall n i nf Rnrifhontttprn Oram
Our agricultural productions will j