THE MORNING OREG,ONIAN, .MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 1900.
5
vastly increased -when the Slletz valley is
put under cultivation. The valley is about
60 miles long and varies from a quarter
of a mile to a. mile in width- In July,
1S95, 40,000 acres of this land was alloted
in severalty to the Indians. Since then
160 of the Indian owners have died, and
their lands have been neglected, producing'
nothing but large crops of weeds, where
as these people at one time marketed
many thousands of bushels of oats and po
tatoes. By unanimous consent of all the
Indians, backed by our citizens, congress
will be asked to enact a law allowing
the heirs of deceased Indians to sell their
valuable farms. If congress grants the
legislation asked, many hundreds of acres
rich alluvial valley land will be bought
by white people, which will Increase'the
products of our new county and increase
the county's revenue and reduce taxes.
B. F. JONES.
Toledo, Or.
i
MALHEUR COUNTY.
Immigration of 1800 the Largest In
the County's History.
The immigration to Malheur county dur
ing the past year has been the greatest
during Its history, and the class of citizens
making homes here is highly satisfactory,
all of the newcomers having money to buy
homes or improve government lands. Most
numerous of these arrivals are the French
Canadian and Hollander colonlBts, who
have located about six miles south of On
tario. Other immigrants came from va
rious Eastern and Southern states of the
Union, and are located in every part of the
county.
In consequence of the Increased popula
tion, the agricultural development of the
county during the past year has been al
most phenomenal, as the immigration has
been for the most part of the farmer
class. Litigation with the various mili
tary wagon road companies has practically
ceased, and these lands are being thrown
upon the markets. Increasing the volume
of tillable lands open for development.
The sagebrush has been cleared from
thousands of acres, and hundreds of miles
of wire fences have been stretched within
our borders the past season.
Hay that for several years sold for from
$2 50 to $3 0 per ton, brought in 1S99 from
$7 50 to $10 00, while stock of every kind
found a ready market at big prices. In
consequence, the old accounts have been
paid off, mortgages raised and everybody
has money to pay his bills as he goes. In
other words, prosperity, with a big P, has
struck Malheur land.
In consequence of the prosperity pre
vailing here, local capitalists, uniting with
those of other points in Eastern Oregon,
have begun the promotion of enterprises
and Industries in almost every avenue.
Immense irrigation projects have been
launched, sufficient to supply 150,000 inches
of water for irrigation pf lands In Mal
heur county. A capacious brickyard has
been established at Ontario, and was run
to the full extent of its capacity through
out the season. A complete block of
brick business houses has been built with a
solid front on Main street, and other brick
houses, both residences and business
houses, have been constructed through
out the city. These were built both for
sale and rent, and all are occupied as fast
as they are finished. Altogether, over 100
new houses were built in Ontario in 1S99,
while the population and volume of busi
ness transacted was doubled.
Stock Soles and Mining Development
The chief resource of Malheur county
is stockralslng, while agriculture, horticul
ture and mining form most important and
valuable occupations, and all of the latter
are rapidly Increasing In Importance. As
an indication of the Immense volume of
the stock industry of this section it is
shown that there were 60,000 head of cat
tle shipped from Ontario during June and
July, valued at an average of 525 per head,
making the vast total of $1,500,000 worth
of cattle alone during only two months of
the shipping season. This apparently
heavy draft upon the range is hardly per
ceptible, except for a notable scarcity now
of aged steers. .
Mining has Tecelved more attention, and
Its development produced better returns
last year than at any like period sines the
early days of rich placer diggings In Mor
mon basin and Malheur City. Dredger
boat mining along Snake river in this
county has netted vast returns where
carried on by practical miners, but in
many instances syndicates were formed in
the Eastern states or in Europe, and a
project, purely theoretical, put into opera
tion, which, of course, failed signally, and
to a certain extent dampened that partic
ular class of Investments and mining pro
motions. But as a rule, these Snake river
bars have been both steady and large pro
ducers, bringing in good returns wherever
properly worked. On the other hand,
prospecting In the old placer regions has
been productive of many rich finds of
quartz mines, all of which have been read
ily disposed of to capitalists who have put
in the necessary machinery, and now
stamps are dropping In three quartz mills
In the northern part of Malheur county.
while many poor prospectors have re
ceived from $15,000 to $45,000 for their dis
coveries in rock. Placer mining is still
being prosecuted with unabated energy
along all the streams, and some consider
able placer gold Is still being taken out
Pocket-hunting has become one of the
best-paying mining plans in the Malheur
City country the past year, and several
valuable pockets have been discovered, In
diatcing that there is yet untold rich
treasure in the old and almost abandoned
districts to the north.
Land Made Valuable for Settlement.
With the completion of the new irriga
tion systems now under way, there will be
opened to the prospective settler a vast
area of agricultural and fruit lands In Mal
heur county, a land the character of which
is second to none in the world for farm
ing and raising of every variety of fruits.
The principal point at which these at
temrjts are being made to reach Is a sec
tion of land known as Dead Ox Flat, a
bench of land lying about 10 miles north of
Ontario, and comprising an area of some
40.000 acres of level, rich lands, the only
drawback to which is the absence of water
With which to irrigate crops. "With the
opening of this vast territory lying con
tiguous to a large and rich pasturage
range of almost limitless extent, there will
be added to the agricultural resources of
this section an abundant competency for
2000 more people.
There has been and is a large and In
creasing demand for city and farm prop
erty in this county, and farm lands have
increased in value, especially those under
the Owyhee and Nevada canals, from 50
to 200 per cent during the last year. City
property has made corresponding ad
vances, as is instanced by the offers maae
for lots in the burnt district In Ontario,
where one corner lot will now bring as
much cash as the lots and buildings would
have sold for a year ago.
Much attention is being paid to frult
ralslng In the Malheur volley at this time,
and while the local nurseries are being
worked to the full extent of their capaci
ties, Utah, Idaho and even Eastern
nurserymen are doing a lucrative business
among the farmers of this section. All or
chards are doing a good business, for, al
though shipping rates will not Justify com
petition with coast fruitraisers. there Is a
large home market, and the higher alti
tudes of the interior country, where there
are large settlements in a non-fruitbearlng
section, give market for all the fruit that
will be uroduced for some time to come.
The quality of Malheur county fruit Is
excellent. Our fruitgrowers have taken
premiums at Omaha, Denver, Spokane
Boise, and wherever an exhibit has been
placed, for size, quality and freedom from
blemish. The fruit pests which destroy
and deteriorate the fruits of older locali
ties have as yet made no inroads upon the
fruit industry of this country.
Dairying Conld Be Made Profitable.
It would reasonably be presumed that
in -a great cattle country the dairying In
dustry would be of great importance, but
it Is the reverse hero, very little attention
sure, a few persons engaged In the occu
pation in a primitive way, but It remains
for some practical and experienced per
sons or company to come and reap the cer
tain profits that await the development of
that important Industry.
Lumbering is a limited Industry on ac
count of the scarcity of timber, which Is
confined to the mountains in the far north
ern part of the county, and thi means of
transportation being limited to team work,
only contiguous points are benefited by the
home product.
The upward tendency of prices In stock
of all kinds has caused a continuous run
of sales In all stock In this county the
past year. Every stockgrower who set a
price on his animals finally got It, and cat
tle, horses and sheep have been bought
in bunches, droves and flocks both by lo
cal and Eastern buyers. Horses have been
increasing In price steadily, and more than
50 tralnloads have been sent East from
here within the past three months, the
purchase price ranging from $3 to $15 for
unbroken range horses. The glass-eyed
cayuse Is practically a thing of the past
on the Malheur hills, the hard winter and
theLinnton cannery having done the work
of extinction pretty effectually. The range
lands of Malheur county, besides furnish
ing pasturage for home stockgrowers,
have pastured over 100,000 sheep for the
Swift and Armour buyers, they having
bought In various parts of the state and
shipped to this section for pasturage be
fore final shipment East.
Malheur county, with Its more than 2S00
square miles of territory, can perhaps of
fer greater Inducements in th way of un
developed resources than any other coun
ty in the state of Oregon.
JOHN E. ROBERTS,
Ontario, Or.
TILLAMOOK COUNTY.
The Dairyman's Paradise, "Where
Grass Is Green the Year Around.
Tillamook is one of the wealthiest coun
ties of Oregon in undeveloped resources.
It has a seacoast of over 60 miles, ad
Joining Clatsop on the north and Lin
coln on the south. It contains six rivers,
which discharge Into the Pacific ocean.
These rivers, especially the Wilson and
the Trask, flow through rich timber dis
tricts, where there are trees 300 feet high
and as straight as an arow, waiting for
the mlllman to manufacture them into
lumber for shipment to the markets of
the world. Tillamook bay Is where most
of the commerce of the county Is car
ried on, in small coasting steamers and
lumber schooners, and from where most
of the lumber, tinned salmon, butter and
cheese finds its way to market. The rich,
virgin land of Tillamook valley Is being
gradually cleared by the settlers, who
are going into dairying, for there Is no
county in Oregon better adapted, consid
ering natural resources to furnish dairy
products of all kinds, than Tillamook.
It is esentlally a grass country. The bays
furnish fish, principally salmon, and sev
eral species of clams, native oysters and
crabs. In the fall of the year the bay
furnishes fine hunting, ducks and geese
being plentiful, while the rivers and
streams afford fine trout-fishing.
The largest sawmill In the county Is on
Tillamook bay, and Is operated by the
Truckee Lumber Company, at Hobson
vllle. The sawmill has a dally capacity
of 75,000 feet, while Its box factory and
planlng-mll! manufacture 35,000 feet dally.
The largest logging outfit Is that of the
Tillamook Logging Company, a corpora
tion recently formed -to do logging with
all the latest appliances. About $10,000
has already been expended In the pur
chase of donkey engines, machinery, eta
A company has been Incorporated to run
a sawmill and do logging by electricity.
It la expected that in the near future
there will be a great demand for the
timber lands of Tillamook county. When
the mills cut large quantities of lumber
for export, Tillamook may then be said
to have commenced developing her won
derful and almost inexhaustible timber
resources.
One improvement in road work was
the introduction of planked roads. About
eight miles of this road has been laid be
tween Tilamook City and Beaver. The
county purchased a portable sawmill and
operated it under the superintendency of
County Judge G. W. Sappington. It Is
proving a great advantage to the Bet
tiers. An important Industry te salmon-canning.
There are four canneries In the
county. Large quantities of salmon salt
ed la barrels are shipped to market.
The Dairyman's Paradise.
Tillamook Is the dairyman's paradise,
where grass Is king! What makes the
county an ideal dairying section Is that
the land Is covered with a thick green
verdure nearly the entire year. The
adaptability of the county to dairying
is particularly striking. The natural
grasses, the cool summer breezes blow
ing from the Pacific ocean, the numerous
mountain streams which flow through
the valleys, the never-failing rains, the
luxuriance with which the different clo
vers and roots thrive--all these advan
tages combine to make Tillamook the
paradise of the dairyman. Not only this,
but the climatic conditions In Tillamook
county are peculiarly advantageous to
dairying. The cheese manufactured here
has a finer flavor and better keeping
qualities than that made In other por
tions of Oregon; hence the great demand
for Tillamook cheese at top prices. The
same may be said of butter, owing to
the abundance of green feed nearly the
year round, and clear, wholesome water.
The grass lands naturally fall into three
classes bottom lands, prairie lands and
hill lands the first-named being the most
valuable. To give an idea of the pro
ductiveness of the soil, 12 cows can be
successfully kept on 20 acres of land.
Cheese factories have become so numerous
that the dairymen In a remote district
has about the same market for his milk
as the one living nearer the center of
business. There are eight cheese factories
In successful operation in the county, pro
ducing about 1,000,000 pounds of cheese a
year, and four large creameries, besides
many private creameries using the sep
arator process. The large creameries pro
duce 350,000 pounds of butter annually. A
large number of dairymen ship their but
ter to the Portland and San Francisco
markets, where there Is always a demand
for Tillamook butter. The gross returns
to the dairyman run from $30 to $50 per
cow, per annum, depending first upon the
cow, and second upon the brains and mus
cle used In the business. The subjoined
statement is a good Illustration of what
the Industrious Tillamook dairyman can
accomplish with a dairy of 12 cows In a
period covered from April 10 until Febru
ary 2:
Amount of butter sold, pounds.... 3124
Average per pound $ 01987
Average per cow 517250
Amount of cash for same $620 70
Eight calves 60 00
Pork , 62 50
Total $743 20
The dairying Industry of Tillamook Is
yet in Its Infancy. It offers splendid in
ducements to new settlers, with the assur
ance that it will prove a money-maker.
The dairymen of Tillamook are indus
trious, thrifty and Independent, with no
complaint to make of hard times, failure
of crops through bad weather or low
prices for their products.
Cranberries and Honey.
The southern part of tho county is
chiefly valuable for dairying, stockralslng,
general farming, beekeeping and cranberry-raising.
The Big Nestucca river has
a large area of fine bottom lands along its
course and several tributaries that have
fine valleys. Small coasting vessels enter
the Nestucca river, which eventually will
be the outlet of the commerce Of that part
of the county. But few counties in Ore
gon can lay claim to raising cranberries,
but of those few, Tillamook is first. In
Ssnd lake country, this Industry is
prune orchards of the county come into
full bearing, wheat will be relegated to the
third place, and will finally fall below
dairying, and still without any diminution
In its own intrlnslo vaue, for while diver
sification and rotation may reduce the
acreage, they will Increase the average
yield.
Railroads and Highways.
The county Is already well provided with,
railroads except for local needs. To sup
ply these, a system of short railway lines,
radiating from Salem as a center, is con
templated, and on. one of thesje; the Salem
& Pacific Coast railway, construction has
already begun.
Upon the highways of the county some
Improvement may be noted, particularly
those roads between the state Institutions,
which have been worked by the convicts
of the penitentiary under authority of an
act passed by the last legislature. It Is
unfortunate for this object lesson in good
roads that the act did not provide for
competent engineering supervision.
New Enterprises.
Many new enterprises are projected
which will doubtless materialize in 1S99.
A few have been started and are, progress-
9
0
Comparative Diagram Showing: Increase in "Wheat Production in Oregon,
O99e099099Slil9e99e99e99C099
sure to grow to large proportions and be-
come a factor in the development and in'
dustrial prosperity of the county. A few
years ago cranberry-raising in Tillamook
was In its experimental stage. Today,
they who first experimented in cranberry
raising are possessors of valuable cran
berry boes. The vines are well adapted
to Tillamook climate. They grow vigor
ously, and, where the bogs are properly
prepared, they are enormously productive.
Another industry In this part of the
county is the production of honey, which
cannot be surpassed for flavor, color or
sweetness. The early settlers soon found
out that this part of the county was tho
home of the honey bee. The Nestucca val
leys cannot be surpassed In the advantages
offered for the making of honey. White
clover, which, apiarists say, produces the
best honey, seems to be the natural prod
uct of the Nestucca. .Naturally, dairying
soon attracted the attention of the set
tlers, and with the advent of the cream
ery and the cheese factory, tho south
part of the county Is Just as progressive
and enterprising in the manufacture of
butter and cheese as other parts.
Resonrces of the Nehalem.
There are wonderful possibilities ahead
for the Nehalem region as a lumbering
district. This region is In the northern
part of the county, and, In all probability,
It will be from that direction that a rail
road will enter Tillamook county. The
timber resources of the Nehalem are prac
tically Inexhaustible for the next 50 years.
Like other parts of the county, especially
alqng the Wilson and Trask rivers, . the
Nehalem country contains great forests
a9999999999999999999999999999999099999t98(99099ISC899
JtgjQiajfe
Comparative Diagram
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of big trees. Many of the trees are 40 telligence and means, and appear to be
feet in circumference and over 300 feet ' skillful farmers, who, by wedding Eastern
high. Most of the forest trees measure i thrift to Oregon productiveness, will assist
from 15 to 20 feet in girth, and are often in the development of that higher agri
free from limbs for the first 150 feet. The culture which is rapidiy ascending to a
Nehalem river drains a watershed of I higher plane. Such diversification as is
over 200 square miles, Including the north adapted to the present development of the
and south forks of tho river, all of which
have sufficient water to float logs the
entire year. Along this vast stretch of
heavily timbered country the axman has
not penetrated. No more inviting loca
tions for loggers or mlllmen could be
found anywhere than along the banks of
the Nehalem, for the river flows through
the finest timber belt in the Pacific North-
west, 20,000,000,000 feet of timber being
tributary to it Large areas of timber
lands changed hands during 1899, presum
ably with the purpose of lumber manu
facture in the near future. There are
only two small sawmills operating In this
vast body of timber. Donkey engines and
other modern appliances are being in
troduced for logging purposes. The tim
ber consists of spruce, fir, cedar, larch and
hemlock, some tracts running as high as
16,000,000 feet to the quarter section. Spruce
has been the principal timber logged thus
for. It Is In great demand for boxes, kegs,
barrels and other packages, being a taste
less and odorless wood.
The Nehalem Is, par excellence, the
sportsman's paradise. Four kinds of sal
mon teem In Its waters in their respective
seasons, keeping two canneries running.
Salmon trout are also very numerous and
take the troll freely. In the tributaries,
fine fishing for mountain trout may be
had. Ducks and geese abound In the fall
and winter mo'nths, and In the woods are
pheasants and quail, coon, wildcat, bear,
cougar, deer and elk.
The river bottom lands of the Nehalem
are the richest and produce Immense root
crops, white clover in particular being
9
90ee0$e9999 99ft999eCe9999eeteeC9eet9S09G9 999e999999 e
j indigenous and everlasting. Timothy and
other grasses yield from three to four ton3
of hay per acre. This, with our never
failing rains, makes it an ideal dairy coun
try. Nehalem is destined to bcome an im
portant lumbering center, and will be one
of the first places to feel the effects of and
profit by the building of the Nicaragua
canal. Covered with virgin forest, what
Nehalem most needs la the advent of the
lumberman and mlllman to cut and saw
this immense forest for the markets of the
world, to be followed by the dairyman
and stockralser, with clover and grass, to
make this one of the finest portions of
Uncle Sam's domain.
For more information pertaining to Tilla
mook, write to the Headlight, Tillamook
vii), wi tui uiuaiiuieu uuu uusmipuvo
edition or me county, wnicn wm oe sent
free. FRED C. BAKER.
Tillamook, Or.
i a
MARION COUNrY.
Hops
the Principal Crop Raised,
With Wheat Second.
Immigration into Marion county in 1S99
was larger than that of any year since
1893. While no part of the county has
been neglected, the northeastern portion
has perhaps been more highly favored
than other sections. These new additions
to our population are generally men of In-
Showing Expenditures lor Public
9999990999999999999999999999999999999099999999990999
state and the requirements of Its urban
population comes with increasingly rapid
strides, an dwlll soon crystallize Into some
particular rotation, which, having due ref
erence to soil, climate and market, will
prevent the exhaustion of soil which Is the
indispensable accompaniment of single
cropping.
Clover, the great renovator of worn-
out soils, the cultivation of which but a
few years ago would excite comment and
derision whenever some "book-farmer"
would shamefacedly venture a cautious
experiment, has become so common a
crop that the product of the county al
ready exceeds the home consumption.
Hops.
Of the 16,000 or 17,000 acres In Ore
gon devoted to hops, about E500 are
located In Marlon county, and about 3000
In Polk county, thus making Salem the
great hop center of the state. In 1S99
about 27,000 bales were raised In Marion
county. Thi3 Is less than the average
yield, which Is about 33,000 to 35,000 bales.
There Is probably no crop which places
so much money In general circulation as
hops, through wages paid to pickers, about
$11,000 being required to harvest the Marlon
county hops alone.
Horticulture.
About 10,000 acres In Marlon county are
given to fruit, of which 5000 acres are de
voted to prunes, easily the first In impor
tance. The output is growing rapidly.
Two years ago but a few dried prunes
were exported, while last year 130 car-
f loads were shipped and the estimated out
put for next year Is at least 2o0 carloads.
Experience has demonstrated that It is
pralnarlly more profitable to dry the
prunes than to ship them green, hence
nearly every grower Is supplied with one
or moro modern evaporators.
Dairying.
The development of the dairy Industry
proceeds very satisfactorily. Fow new
creameries have actually been started,
but much has been accomplished in the
evolution of conditions Immediately prece
dent. Dairy herds are being Increased,
poorer stock weeded out, better strains of
dairy stock introduced, the raising of en
silage crops for winter feeding Is becom
ing common, and more silos have been
built during 1899 than existed in the coun
ty before. To show what can be done in
raising winter feed, I offer the following
Illustration: A farmer of this county sowed
les than 2 acres, of only ordinary fertil
ity, to vetche3 (with ryej in the fall. He
cut this crop early enough In the spring
to plant the same ground to corn. Of
vetches he had enough to fill his 25-ton silo
and had four tons left, and was compelled
to build another 25-ton silo to hold his
corn ensilage, thus raising more than 20
tons of succulent winter feed per acre,
which tends to prove the contention of
that veteran dairyman, George W. Weeks,
that In this vicinity at least when brains
are a factor, a cow can be kept to each
acre of arable land,
Sheep and Goats.
Sheep husbandry is flourishing In the
county. The number of sheep and goats
89999999999999999999999999,
Education In Oregon.
ha3 Increased by more than 10 per cent
during the past year, and the quality has
correspondingly Improved. Goats are found
especially valuable in clearing brush land.
Minerals.
Tho mineral resources of Marion county
are unquestionably great, but their devel
opment has been retarded during the past
two years by the overshadowing Klondike
boom. This has led prospectors to neglect
the rich fields at their doors, which can
be exploited In comfort and safety, for the
alluring promises of the frozen north,
which but too often yield a very Inadequate
return for much expenditure, toil and pri-
vation; still the home fields are not en
tirely neglected, and the rich placers and
quartz deposits of the'Santlam are being
slowly developed and will yield more than
satisfactory returns to those who prefer
the Santlam bird In the hand to the flock
in the Klondike bush.,
Inmberinff.
Reports from the many saw mills of the
county all Indicate an extraordinary in
crease in the output, both for export and
home consumption. Timber lands have
advanced greatly in value, and the demand
for them has never been equaled.
Comparative Crop Values.
While the wheat crop has slightly de
creased in a series of years, owing to a
diversion of acreage to other and more
profitable crops, the decrease bears no
comparison to the value of the crops sub
stituted. It will surprise many of our own
people to realize that while the aggregate
wheat yield Is nearly what it always has
been, It has already fallen in value far
below the first place in our county prod
ucts. Following 13 a table showing values of
the principal agricultural products, based
upon average prices and yields:
Wheat, 800,000 bushels at 50 cents..$400.000 00
Oats, 900.000 bushels at 30 cents.. 270.000 00
Hay, 35.000 ton3 at $5 210,000 00
Potatoes. 600.000 bushels at 25c... 150,000 00
Sheep (28,000 In number), wool,
197,000 pounds, at 15 cents, $29,550;
Increase, 75 per cent, 21,000, at
$3 50. $73,500 103.060 00
Prunes, 3,120,000 pounds, at 5c... 156.000 00
Other fruits 100,000 00
Hops, 33,000 bales of 190 pounds,
at 12 cents per pound 752,400 00
From this table It will be seen that the
hop crop, produced from less than one
eighth of the wheat acreage, brings in a
revenue 88 per cent greater. When the
ing favorably, but advancement upon tlus
line has been In the revival of old Indus
tries which have been allowed to lan
guish, rather than In the establishment of
new ones.
Material Prosperity.
The present condition of the county as
to material prosperity is excellent. The
assessor's returns show an Increase of
more than 50 per cent in the money re
ported, and a decrease of more than 13 per
cent in notes and accounts; merchants
have had a good trade with satisfactory
collections, and the banks report a large
Increase In the number of depositors and
the average size of deposits In some banks
both have nearly doubled.
Inducements to Settlers.
It is doubtful if another county in the
state,, where all counties present extraordi
nary Inducements, offers equal advantages
to tho Intending settler. A fertile soil
adapted to every product of the temperate
zone, and watered by a hundred streams,
with virgin forests of inexhaustible tim
ber, with a profusion of raw materials
of every kind waiting for the manufacturer
to utilize the splendid water-powers to be
found on every stream, both great and
small, and which will surely make this a
great manufacturing county whenever our
trade relations with the Orient are adjust
ed and the Pacific coast awakens to her
opportunities, with numerous cities and
towns-affording ample facilities for trade
tnd commerce, with an excellent trans
portation system combining rail and river;
with a fine educational system, beginning
with the district school and ending with
the pride of Salem, the Willamette uni
versity; with the capital of the state and
its numerous public institutions located at
Salem, all these offer to the immigrant a
peerless opportunity. Taking It all In all,
we claim that. In a state second to none
In the Union for great and varied natural
resources, Marlon county Is still tho ban
ner county In the valley, without a peer In
the world. HENRY B. THIELSEN.
Salem.
i o
SHERMAN COUNTY.
Rlecelpts or Wheat by Warehouses
Amount to 3,000,000 Bushels.
Sherman county may be classed as one
of the great wheat-raising belt3 of the
state. It forms part of the plateau re
gion of the Inland Empire, with a front
age of SO miles on the Columbia river,
which 13 its northern boundary. On the
western limit of the county Is the Des
Chutes river, and on tho eastern bor
der the John Day. Of these three rivers
the Columbia alone is navigable, and at
present only so far as The Dalles. The
new project of building a portage rail
road around the rapld3 between that point
and Celilo will, however, open the river
to navigation, and Sherman county will
then have all the advantages of a mari
time county.
The Deschutes river is a SDlendld moun
tain stream, which comes rushing from
Its source In the Cascade mountains, and
for Its whole length abounds In miniature
waterfalls and sparkling rapids. This riv
er is well stocked with salmon and rain
bow trout, the latter taking the fly readi
ly during the spring and summer months.
Along this stream and on the John Day
may be found the home ranches of the
sheep and cattlemen, comfortable home
steads, well sheltered from the biting
blasts of winter. Here their flocks are
fed during that period, and come forth
In the spring in excellent condition, ready
for shipment to market
On leaving the rich river bottoms, we
come to the renowned wheat fields of
Sherman county, which stretch away on
every siae as rar as the eye can reach.
In this region farm operations assume gi
gantic proportions, but owing to the use
of the most improved machinery seeding
and harvesting on these vast wheat farms
are accomplished with amazing rapidity.
To give an Idea of the magnitude of the
wheat Industry in thi3 county it may here
be stated that the different warehouses
have already handled 3,000,000 bushels of
wheat this season. Quantities of oats and
barley have also been raised, and several
acres of flax tried as an experiment.
Judging from the returns obtained from
flax, there is no reason why this new In
dustry may not yet be developed and be
come of considerable importance.
Larere Stock Shipments to the East.
While the flocks and herds have In great
measure given place to the plow and har
row, the sheep Irdustry Is still an import
ant factor, and 40.000 head may still be
found In Sherman county. Large ship
ments of mutton sheep and lambs were
made over the Columbia Southern rail
road last summer to the Chicago mar
ket and other point East. Cattle also
form an Important part of the county's
resources, numerous, well-bred animals
being bought from time to time by our
local stockmen for breeding purposes.
while large droves of beef cattle are
shipped every year. Of horses, there are
also a plentiful supply, the Sherman
county draught horse being of the
finest In the United States. Numbers of
hogs are raised, still the demand Is great
er than the supply. Thousands of pounds
of bacon are shipped from the Eastern
states, and fortune awaits the man who
will take hold of this Industry and con
duct It on business principles. Hog chol
era and other diseases prevalent among
these animals in other localities are un
known here.
It does not follow because Sherman
county Is not a heavily timbered coun
try that an ample supply of lumber 13
not obtainable within her borders. A few
enterprising capitalists established a saw
mill on the Deschutes river, seven miles
from the city of Moro, last summer. Saw
logs are floated from the dense forests
which abound near the headwaters of the
Matolls river, in Crook county. A large
quantity of rough and planed lumber was
cut 'last year. It found ready sale In the
neighboring towns.
The traveler on the O. R. & N. will, if
he wishes to make Sherman county a
visit, leavo tne cars of the O. R. & N.
at Biggs, the northern terminus of the
Columbia Southern railroad, and take his
seat In one of the comfortable coaches on
that line. An hour's ride will bring him
to Wasco, a lively Eastern Oregon town.
Here the North Pacific flour mills and
other live business enterprises are lo
cated. Leaving this important shipping:
point, another short rida will bring him
to Moro, tho county seat, where he will
find a bustling business town, with a pop
ulation of about 700, several merchandise
stores, an iron foundry, large grain ware
houses,, bank and the new courthouse, just
completed, at a cost of $10,000. Moro is,
for the present, tho terminus of the Co
lumbia Southern railroad, but is not Ions;
to have that honor, as work on the ex
tension of the line, 40 miles south, is be
ing pushed rapidly, and by the time thi9
article is In print will be completed to
Grass Valley, a growing town 10 miles
south of Moro. Here may be found the
usual complement of business houses that
go to make up a thriving Western town;
also the Baptist academy, where a num
ber of students are being perfected in the
higher branches of study. Besides this
seat of learning, Sherman county Is well
equipped for the Instruction of her youth,
having at the present 23 public schools,
with an attendance of 1309 pupils, pre
sided over by a staff of efficient teachers.
All religious denominations are well rep
resented, each town having from two
to three places of worship. Thl3 year the
beautiful new Methodist Episcopal church
In Moro was built by voluntary subscrip
tion, at a cost of $8000,
No Better Opportunities Anywhere.
Not in the great West Is there a better
field for the Immigrant and homeseeker
than that offered by Sherman county.
Many good homes have been secured,
and a vast area of tillable land has been
reclaimed during the past year, chiefly in
the southern portion of the county. Yet
there Is much available agricultural land
awaiting the plow, and some can be had
for the cost of flllne and entry under the
homestead laws of the United States.
Many tracts have been taken up in antici
pation of the facilities offered for trans
portation by the new line of railroad,
which runs through the center of this
region. Government lands settled on a
few months ago are now valuable prop
erty, and men who have secured them for
a small outlay have suddenly become
quite comfortably situated. Intending set
tiers should bear In mind that snaps of
C1I3 kind are becoming scarcer and scarcer
as time passes. They who wish to secure
homes at a nominal cost must take time
by the forelock or they will And In a
year or two no free government land to
be had. They who come with moderate
means and who wish to buy improved
farms, can suit themselves. Good land
can be had for $3 an acre, and very de
sirable farms, with substantial buildings,
may be purchased for from $10 to $12 an.
acre, on easy terms. Then there Is al
ways an opportunity to rent. Many men
who have a competency raising wheat or
running stock, are willing to rent to a
good tenant, and many who made a begin
ning In this way now own the farms they
first rented.
A glance at the financial standing of the
county may be of Interest. When this
county was cut off from Wasco in 1S91,
it assumed an lndebtpdnes3 of about
$9000, and In August, 1S99, all warrants
up to data had been called In. ThU3 it
will be seen that Sherman, although one
of the smallest counties, Is probably In a
better financial condition man any county
In the state. This splendid showing can
be accounted for by the fact that such
a large proportion of Its territory can bo
brought under cultivation. There Is but
Uttlo waste or barren land, all or nearly
all the soil being susceptible of cultiva
tion, and to these conditions may be large
ly attributed Sherman county's prosperity.
To the capitalist there is here no limit
to the possibilities. Take for example,
tho immense water power of the Des
chutes which, in the near future. Is sure
to bo utilized for various enterprises.
But this is a subject which space forbId3
to enlarge on.
In conclusion, let me say that the cli
mate of Sherman county compares favor
ably with that of any county in tho
world. Owing to our bracing air. pul
monary diseases are never known to orig
inate heTe, and settlers who come from
the ague-laden swamps of less favored lo
calities Bocn get rid of the malarial
poison, and once more feel able to enjoy
life. M. FITZMAURICE.
Moro, Or.
0 fr
UMATILLA COUNTY.
Sales of Product Lost Year Brought
$3,250,000 to tho People,
Umatilla county's progress in, 1S93 was
manifested quite as much in the contin
uity of the movement towards permanent
prosperity heretofore started, as In the
inauguration of any new enterprises.
Solidification of business, elimination of
old-time loose methods, growth of tho
system of cash payments replacing long
time credits, abhorrence of debt, appli
cation of business principles to farming
operations, even distribution of retail
trade throughout the year instead of phe
nomenal sales at one period and slack
aalea at others, retention of surplus
money from last crops instead of unwise
expenditures for things not needed these
constitute the elements of Umatilla coun
ty's progress duringr 1899. Specifically
stated, they would fill a volume with in
teresting figures, for this progress has
been extremely gratifying. Its telling
complete,, as, indeed, in any previous year,
would read like a romance. Answering;
the question asked by The Oregonian:
"Has Umatilla county been nrosDerona
during 18997"
Emphatically, yes. This fa proved by
the statement of the quantity of grains,
livestock, wool, mlllstuffs and other things
produced. It Is proved by the marvelous
demand for building materials, which has
taxed, beyond ability to supply, every
mill, shop and factory la the county, and
made heavy draft on mdlla of other towns.
It is proved by the fact that the produc
tion, per capita, for the year, was $250;
by the production of commodities which,
sold and shipped out. brought in $3,250.
000 In gold, or more than three-eighths o
the total assessed valuation of all the
property In the county. It is proved by
the absolute independence of a commu
nity essentially agricultural, which, not
withstanding that almost the entire 1S99
wheat crop remained in the houses, un
sold, with a large portion of the 1838 ciop
also unsold, was able to and did carry it
self through, the term of annual settle
ments without placing enough mortgages
upon the county records to worry half
a dozen well-to-do farmers to satisfy
them. It is proved by the number of
substantial brick business buildings and
the very many comfortable resi
dences erected during the year la
every town; and the further fact
that every room thus provided In addi
tion to those already In use was leased
before the ground was broken for the
excavations. It is proved by the state
ments of the county's banking houses,
which, with the equal of one entire wheat
crop still In the hands of the growers,
are yet bursting with coin and currency,
over $1,000,000 being in the two Pendleton
bank3 alone. It Is proved to the thought
ful observer, who, visiting the towns o
the county, will make futile search for
one citizen heard uttering one complaint
of being "hard up." And it is still fur
ther proved by the fact that not an acre
of tillable land can now be rented, or a
quarter section of range land leased hx
the entire county.
Immigration has been steady, although
not large in volume. But. those added to
our population from other states have
been of the best class of cltlzen3, indus
trious, frugal, and in the majority of
cases possessed of money enough comfort
ably to settle themselves by the purchase
of lands or homes In the town3. The qual
ity rather than the quantity has been the
feature of Umatilla county's Influx of pop
ulation during 1899.
Agricultural Products.
It ha3 become a familiar fact that Uma
tilla county produces, on an average, one
per cent of the wheat crop of the United
States. The average for many years past
has been 5,000,000 bushels. This year the
crop was cut down not lesa than 23 per