THE MOBBING- OKEGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, ANUAEY X, 1902.
which are manufactured fish barrels and
kegs of all descriptions. There are two
excellent schools back of Brookfield. Hon.
J. G. Megier has his cannery at Brook
field, which Is one of ,the largest and finest
equipped on the river. A mile or so below
Brookfield is located the Pillar Rock can
nery, owned by Everdins & Farrell and
John Harrington. It is a finely equipped
up-to-date cannery, and docs a good busi
ness. Gray's River and Deep River, at the
lower end of the county; are flourishing
farming communities, and there is a large
logging: cut on both rivers. Gray's River
will run about 12.000.000 feet this year.
There are several good country stores
here, which do a thriving business: there
ore good schools and churches. There Is
quite a large community of Finns on Deep
River.. They are progressive and good
neighbors, and are now building a new
church. S. G. "WILLIAMS.
Skamokawa.
PACIFIC COUNTY.
Cattlc-Ralsinj; and Dairying Are Be
coming: Important Pursuits.
Pacific County occupies the southwest
ern extreme of Washington. Its popu
lation, which is daily increasing, Is about
5500. Its area covers fle hundred and
fifty square miles, comprising a quantity
of rich alluvial bottom land, a vast sec
tion of rich timber, and a succession of
the most fertile and picturesque valleys
and rolling uplands in the state,' which
are eminently adapted to fruit culture,
grazing and dairying. The soil Is a rich,
dark loam of surprising depth, with gen
erally a clay subsoil. It yields most
bountiful crops of cereals, hops, grasses, 1
fruits and vegetables, and will produce
almost anything.
There are ten rivers In Pacific County,
seven emptying into Willapa Harbor, I. .e.
the Willapa, Palix, Bear, Nasel, Cedar,
Nema, Bone and North Rivers, and Into
the Columbia, the Waliicut and Chinook
Rivers. As a result, the extent of rich
bottom land along -so many streams is
remarkably large, logging is cheaper and
timber more accessible than in any other
county, and means of communication are
more convenient than where more roads
are necessary aad difficult to make pass
able. Perhaps the most authoritative and
cartful estimate of the timber resources
of the state was made by Henry Gan
nett, chief Geographer of the United
States Geological Survey, and It appears
In the nineteenth annual report of that
department. According to It Pacific
County is the heaviest timbered county
In the state in proportion to its size.
There are other counties which have more
timber, but they are Invariably counties
of twice or three times the size of Pacific
and they do not have timber In propor
tion thereto. The vaforcsaid estimate
calls for over 7,000.000 feet of timber of a
merchantable size and quality, or more
than the present 10 saw and shingle mills
in the county could make Into lumber
and shingles in two centuries. Further
more, the county lies In what is known
as the "fog belt," which all timbermen
who have investigated the matter, know
to be an advantage, as extensive forest
fires are almost Impossible, due to the
dense undergrowth almost tropical In Its
luxuriance, which practically never dries
out enough to permit fire to run to any
great extent. As for climate, GI N.
Salisbury, section director of the "Weather
Bureau, located at Seattle, says:
"Pacific County may fairly be said to
possess a mild and equable climate.
During the "Winter months it Is the -warmest
locality In the state, as is fully and
decisively shown" by. the Weather Bureau
records for many years, and In the Sum
mer months there are no protracted hot
spells, but the air Is generally balmy and
delightful.
"By the term 'equable,' as applied to
climate, Is understood a freedom from
sudden and violent changes of weather,
and a small range or difference of tem
perature from day to day and month to
month. The average range of tempera
ture between the warmest and coldest
months in Pacific County is only 20 de
grees, the mean temperature for the
warmest month being about 60 degrees,
and the coldest about 40 degrees. Snow Is
of extremely rare occurrence and remains
but a short time."
Good Markets for Dairy Product.
With such a climate it is but natural
that cattle-raising Is becoming more im
portant than any other agricultural pur
suit In the county and with It the dairy
ing business. It has been found that
cattle need only to be fed for three
months in the year, and there are a num
ber of farmers who do not feed their
cattle at all, but let them graze through
out the year. The establishment of the
creamery at Menlo three years ago has
revolutionized the dairying business
throughout the county. Those who could
not send their milk to the creameries
have bought separators and the old rancid
ranch butter, which was once so common,
no longer appears In the market from
this county. Owing to the number of
logging camps and small mill towns now
in the county the farmer here has a home
market for all of his produce and com
paratively little is shipped out. We have
naa our booms In town lots and In tim
ber lands, but a more substantial
boom has now commenced In the demand
for agricultural land, which is founded
on the success which the nroerresslvi
farmers of this section have made of
their business. Angora goat raising in
the county Is plainly in its Infancy. A
few farmers have been experimenting
with a few goats apiece and now that
they have demonstrated that they are
profitable not only for the mohair but also
for clearing up brush land, over 300 have
been imported during the past six months
and the goats bid fair to be Just what has
been needed to clear up the land after
the timber has been taken off, land which
has been permitted heretofore to be for
foreited to the county for taxes and re
garded as worthless, because so hard to
clear.
Owing to the phenomenal run of salmon
last Spring and to the enterprise of its
citizens, no town in the county has made
the growth In proportion to population
that the town of Chinook has done The
building activity has been especially great,
and though It is not incorporated, the
streets and sidewalks have been greatly
improved by private enterprise and pub
lie subscription.
During the Fall fishing season the two
Willapa Bay canneries, belonging to P J
McGowan and F. C. Barnes, respect
ively, were about the only canneries
on the Coast which were running, due
to special facilities offered here for ship
ping cheaply either by water or by rail.
Cultivation of Eastern Oysters.
With the oystermen it is no longer a
question of market, but of getting the
oysters with which to supply the de
mand. Two oyster firms have already gone
Into the business of raising and shipping
Eastern oysters M. Wachsmuth, of Oys
tervllle, and the Willapa Harbor Oyster
Company, located at Tokeland, from
whence the celebrated Toke Point oys
ters come. They have imported from the
East during the past year nine carloads
of young oysters. They began five, years
ago with half a carload. They have dem
onstrated beyond a doubt that there Is
money in Eastern oyster culture In Wil
lapa Bay, and others are preparing to
enter into it. The hundreds of acres of
clam-beds here have never been exploited,
and one of the grandest opportunities for
anyone versed In the difficult art of can
ning clams is right here in Pacific County.
The clams are largely of an excellent va
riety, transplanted here years ago, and
now they have spread all over the bay.
The supply is inexhaustible. The ocean
beach supplies the delicious razor clams In
seemingly unlimited quantities, and It has
been only of late years that they have
been shipped to Portland and other
points.
What. -with the salmon fisheries on ih
Columbia shore of the county and on
Willapa harbor, the logging industry and j
sawmills, the oystering. the bathing
beach, both on the ocean and bay. the
beef cattleralslng. the dairying and gen
eral farming, the industries and resources
of the county are perhaps more varied
than in any other county in the state, and
no such general depression in business Is
possible here as In counties where the
prosperity of the people depends upon
some particular crop or Industry. The
fish crop, the oyster crop, the crop of
Summer resorters, the demand for logs,
for beef, for butter, or the crops of grass-,
wheat and potatoes, never have failed all
In the same year, and never will. The re
sult Is that there are always some voca
tions In the county which are paying,
though others may be depressed. No one
who has lived here any length of time has
failed to note this feature and the Im
mense advantage that It is.
Opportunities for Settlers.
As for the openings In Pacific County for
settlers and investors, there are the graz
ing lands, whose "value la Just beginning
to be appreciated, and which can be
turned Into productive farms, though not
without hard work and considerable pa
tience. Some of this land is still unpat
ented and can be had from the Govern
ment under the homestead law. The
marshes, where they occur, can be turned
into cranberry marshes, the Pacific Cran
berry Company and others having demon- I
strated that a superior grade of berries
can be raised here at a profit The East
ern oyster business Is only in its In
fancy. There are hundreds of acres of
oyster land just as available for the
growing of Eastern oysters as that which
Is now in use. I have already referred
to the supply of clams here and the open
ing for a clam cannery at South Bend is
first class. The run of sardines in the
bay has never as yet been exploited at
all. When It comes to lumbering. It is
no longer -necessary to advertise the ad
vantages offered here In cheap logs, and
lots of them. It has come to be more a
question of suitable and available sites.
This refers to sawmills only. The cedar
supply is so great that it seems preposter
ous that South Bend has but one shingle
mill, when it should have a dozen. .
Other industries connected with the
lumbering business, and now unrepresent
ed in the county, might be mentioned a
pail and tub factory, a furniture factor',
a broom-handle factory to utilize the alder
and hemlock, a tannery and a cedar saw
mill. For all such industries this- county of
fers not only cheap raw material, but
also the best transportation facilities,
with a choice of a water or a rail route
In most Instances, for. In addition to
railroads. It has one of the finest natural
harbors on the Coast, a harbor for which
no Improvements at Its entrance have
ever been asked,.as they are not needed.
South Bend. F. A. HAZELTINE.
$
LEWIS COUNTY.
Thirty Saw Mil Having; a Capacity
of 170,000,000 Feet Annnally.
Lewis and Clark Counties are the two
oldest organized counties In the State of
Washington. They were named after the
explorers, Lewis and Clerk, who crossed
the continent neatly 100 years ago. Lewis
County has been organized nearly 50
years. Chehalis, at the Junction of the
Chehalis and Newaukum Rivers, Is the
county seat and most important city.
Lewis County Is 25 miles In width from
north to south, and about 90 miles long
from east to west, the eastern line being
the summit of the Cascade Mountains.
The area of the county is about 2300
square miles; the assessed acreage f land
Is 6S5.513 acres, and the number of acres
returned by the Assessor as Improved land
is 32,732. The total value placed on the
county by the Assessor In 1900 was 56,
934.3G0. The Chehalis and the Cowlitz Rivers
are the principal streams of the county.
The Chehalis River heads In the Coast
Range and enters the county near Its
southwest corner, flowing in a northern
and eastern course to its junction with
the Newaukum River, thence north a few
miles and then west toward the Pacific
Ocean, emptying into Gray's Harbor. The
Cowlitz River rises in the snow-coveted
mountains of Eastern Lewis County and
follows a general western course through
the southern part of the county until it
reaches a point about 20 miles from the
western boundary, where it flows south
through Cowlitz County and empties Into
the Columbia River. The Cowlitz River
is navigable for a short distance In Lewis
County and much of the farm produce of
that part of the county is shipped to mar
ket on the steamers. There are many
tributaries to these rivers on which
shinglebolts and logs are run to the mills
lower down the streams. The western
half of the county Is comparatively level.
There are wide stretches of farming land
in the Chehalis and Cowlitz Vallevs:
there are tillable valleys along all of the
streams: little prairies dot the higher
lands and the brush lands are rapidly
being cleared by Industrious settlers. Tho
eastern half of the county is more brok
en, gradually becoming mountainous to
ward the eastern end of the county, with
only narrow valleys of farming land along
the streams. There is little Government
land at present that Is available for set
tlement, but land values are low. and the
man with a small amount of money who
Is desirous of making a home can buy
much cheaper than he can afford to clear
the timber frcm the wild lands.
Lumber and Agriculture.
Lumbering is the greatest industry at
the present time. Henry Gannet estimates
that there are more than 8.500,000,000 feet
of standing timber In the county, only
three other counties In the state having
more timber than this. There are SO
saw mills In Lewis County, capable of cut
ting 170,000,000 feet annually, and 10 shin
gle mills, which can turn out 1,000,000
shingles daily. Chehalis. Centralia, Win
lock and Napavlne, on the main line of
the railway, and Dryad and Pe Ell, on the
branch, are the principal milling towns.
The past season has been a very busy one
In the lumber woods, every mill running
to Its full capacity, with an active mar
ket for the output Most of the Lewis
County mills are well equipped and mod
ern In every way. It Is estimated that
1500 men are regularly employed at lum
bering. Agriculture Is the second great Industry
of the county. The first settlers were
farmers, and there are. farms which have
been worked for over 50 years. This coun
ty has more available agricultural land
than any other county In Western Wash
ington. Thero are annually sent to mar
ket hundreds of cars of cattle, hogs, hay,
oats, hops, etc., not to mention the ship
ments of poultry, butter and eggs which
are rapidly coming to the front as the
biggest Item of farm produce. Many of
me neaviest ana best draft horses used
In the Pugct Sound cities and in the lum
ber woods are raised on the farms of
Lewis County. There are about 700 acres
In hops raised In. the county, and the
Chehalis district has become famous as
one where a most uniform and desirable
hop is prpduced. There are already three
creameries in the county, besides many
private dairies where senaratnr rr neo
and the dairy business Is rapidly forging
------ '" ""-- iiauie iorage crop
of the dairymen of this section, who are
also experimenting with other valuable
forage plants. This Is distinctly a land
where Intensive farming should be prac
ticed. The farmer who understands his
business can do well, here, and there Is
room for many more. The distinct ad
vantage of Lewis County as a farming
county over any other part of the West
Is that It Is best situated to sell in the
best markets. Portland, the chief com
mercial city of the Northwest, lies only
90 miles to the south, and Seattle, the biz
city of Pugct Sound, is equally distant
on tho north, with Tacoma and Olympla
the state capital, between. Sometimes
one market is better than another All
the farmer has to do Is to keep Informed
and send his products to the best market.
County. The Tchwh'Sr. attSrt byS
j.aere are iut, scnool districts In Lewis
pupils, and 150 teachers are employed.
There are 50 postoffices, most of them sup
plied daily with mail, and the service Is
in excellent condition. There are in the
county many miles of plank roads and
many more miles of substantial rock
roads, the plank gradually giving way to
rock. The whole of the western part Is
connected with the county seat by, sys
tems of good wagon roads.
Chehalis the county seat. Is the most
Important inland city of Western Wash
ington. It Is a modern little city of 2000
people, with well-planked and cleaned
streets, electric lights, waterworks and a
sewer system: there are two finely
equipped public school buildings-, Pres
byterian. Catholic. Methodist; Baptist.
Lutheran and Episcopal Churches, ahd a
Sisters' school: the Courthouse is of ample
dimensions, built of brick; there are many
substantial brick business blocks In the
town, and a number of handsome modern
dwellings, besides the hundreds of com
fortable homes. The Washington State
Reform School is located at Cbehalis. At
Chehalis is the junction of the South Bend
branch of the Northern Pacific Railway
with the main line. This branch Is 54
miles long, and Is one of the best feeders
I IZ9 . IZT US 123 W H9" 117 M5 I
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of the road. Chehalis reaps a large
measure of benefit from the business I
.brought here on the branch. Located
as the town is at the confluence of two
of the best farming valleys, the Chehalis
and Newaukum, It Is the trade center of
more than half the people of the county.
At no distant day mining will become
one of the largest, probably the largest,
industry of the county. The St Helens
mining district in North Skamania Coun
ty and Southeastern Lewis Is proving
rich in copper, gold and silver, is
rapidly passing the development stage,
and will soon become a producer. The
district is tributary to Chehalis and To
ledo, on the Cowlitz River In Southern
Lewis County. Besides the St Helens
mines there are vast deposits of coal
in the eastern part of the county, and
prospecttng Is being done on an extensive
scale. Several veins of great thickness
and fine quality are being- opened up, and
it will only be a question of a little time
until railroads penetrate thb coal mines as
well as the St Helens mining district
Chehalis. J. C. BUSH.
CLRRK JCOUNTY.
Last Year the Prune Crop Amounted
to 7,500,000 Pounds.
Opposite the mouth of the Willamette
In Oregon. In the bend of the Columbia
River, made by its abrupt turn to the
north, lies Clark County, oi the western
slope of the Cascade Mountains, a part of
the State of Washington.
The character of the country varies from
the low alluvial bottom lands along the
CEDAR STUMP
river, which usually overflow at tho time
of the June rise, to the level plateaus and
swales of the higher benches, theso being
succeeded In turn by the rolling foothills
with lnterlylng valleys, which again give
place to the higner hills and peaks found
along the eastern border of the county.
Clark County exlends from the Columbia
River, which forms Its southern boundary
and separates it from Oregon, to tne
Lewis River on the north, a distance or
about 28 miles, and from the Columbia
River on the west to the Cascades on the
east a distance of about 26 miles. In ad
dition to the two rivers forming its south
ern, western and northern boundary, it
has numerous other rivers and smaller
streams Interspersed at frequent'lntervals j
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so that it may fairly be classed as one ot
the best-watered counties In the State ot
Washington. Several of the streams
found within Its confines are of sufficient
size and capacity to furnish transporta
tion for logs and abundant water power
for manufacturing purposes.
Owing to the peculiar contour of the
country surrounding Clark County, It has
a climate peculiar to Itself. In general
terms its climate may be said to corre
spond with the conditions prevailing urcrt
of the Cascade Mountains, this being mild
and temperate, but this Is modified at va
rious seasons by the warm winds coming
down thb Willamette from the south, tne
cool and Invigorating breezes coming up
the Columbia from the Pacific Ocean, and
the winds, either warm or cold, that rush
from the higher altitudes cast of the Cas
cades down through the gorge of the Co
lumbia, to mingle with the moister and
more humid atmospllerc natural to this
section. Taken all in all. It Is one of the
most healtMuI, as well as most salubrious
sections of the state In which to live, and
the fact that the rainfall Is not so great
here as In rooht other localities west of
the Cascades is strongly in its favor as a
place in which to mako a permanent
home.
Notwithstanding the fact that Clark
County lies on the western slope of the
Cascade Mountains a large part of its
area Is comparatively fiat, and fully four
fifths of its entire area will ultimtely be
brought into successful and profitable cul
tivation. Lying along the Columbia River and ad
jacent to some of the other streams are
thousands of acres of low alluvial lands
which rival the famed Nile In productive
ness, caused by the character of the soil
and the frequent overflows. As a rule
theso bottom lands will produce a crop
after the water caused by the melting
snows In the Rocky Mountains has reced
ed. They are admirably adapted to stock
raising and the production of vegetables,
the nature of a swale. These lands are
very rich and productive. In addition to
stockralsing, they are made to produce
grains, grasses and vegetables In great
abundance, and the convenient market is
favorable to success, no matter which of
these prqducts is grown.
Interspersed with the swale lands Just
mentioned may be found tracts having a
Foil of loam mixed with sand and gravel.
This having good drainage, will produce
vegetables of excellent quality In abund
ance, when the season Is not too dry or
water is to be had. But It is more par
ticularly adapted to the production of
fruit Apples, cherries, pears, plums and
which are planted as soon as the water
recedes.
The grass grown upon this bottom land
Is luxuriant and nutritious, and is green
all the year, so that stock kept on the
bottoms requires but little hay to main
tain it in thriving condition. Numerous
IN THE FOREST OP WESTERN "WASHINGTON.
dairy ranches abound and this Industry,
coupled with the raising of stock for mar
ket, constitutes one of the principal indus
tries of the county.
While the bottom lands are peculiarly
adapted to the raising of stock and to the
production of dairy products, these Indus
tries are not confined to that part of the
county, but are to be met with In all
parts. On account of the nearness to
market and the good demand for dairy
products and meats, this business Is in
variably remunerative when properly con
ducted. Back of these bottom lands are found
plateaus partaking-In many Instances of
prunes all do remarkably well and can
be raised In great abundance and of ex
cellent quality. While all fruits grown j
In a temperate clime do wcllr Clark j
County Is noted for the immense quanti
ties of prunes of unsurpassed quality that
are raised here.
Th? prune crop of Clark County for
1S01 reached an output of not less than
230 carloads, of 15 tons each, or not less
than 7,500,000 pounds, which alone brought
into the county about $300,000, and tho
acreage now planted will within the next
five years nearly double the output
The prunes grown in Clark County are
the Italian variety, and owing to the pe
culiar climatic conditions they reach a
very large size here, and have a flavor
peculiar to the Clark County product
alone.
The question is frequently asked, "Is
th.re money In raising prunes?" Much
depends upon the way that the business
Is managed, and It can be most effectual
ly arswered by the statement that one
grower having an orchard of IS acres
cleared J30GO above all expenses the past
season.
A word about prune culture may not be
amUs at this time. About 100 grafted
tres arc planted to the acre, and in five
years after setting these trees may bear
a small crop, but it is best not to ex
pect returns before the seventh year,
wheii a fair crop of good-sized fruit
ought to be gathered. The orchards are
kept well cultivated from the time that
the ground becomes dry In the Spring
till about the 10th of July. In the Win
ter tne trees are pruned, and it is usually
well to raise a fertilizing plant on the
ground to be plowed under each season.
The real work of prune-ralslng comes
when the crop has to be harvested. The
fruit Is shaken from the trees, picked into
boxes and hauled to the dryer. There it
is dipped and washed, then spread upon
trays and placed In the evaporator, where
artificial heat Is applied till the fruit is
well cured. There arc at present over
200 piune-drylng plants in Clark County
alone, capable of drying all the way
from three to thirty tons of green fruit
per daw. Of these two are steam dryers,
prctajrty the only two In the country, one
of which Is without a doubt the largest
anl best equipped drying plant in the
United States devoted to prune-drying.
As dried prunes are among the most
healthful of fruits, it Is believed that this
Industry Is yet in its Infancy, and that on'
account of the superior quality of the
fruit raised here that eventually jnany
tlm.3 the amount now grown will be
produced.
During the past season a new departure
for this season ha3 been Inaugurated In
this county in the way of preparing and
packing the fruit for market Hereto
fore frute has been packed In boxes or
shipped in sacks to be marketed just as
It came from the dryers, but two large
proce.'slng plants have just been erected,
which are handling this year'se crop. In
these tho fruit is graded, after which it is
run through a steam cylinder at high
temperature and packed while hot This
not only gives it a much finer appear
ance, but prevents it from sugaring, and
nearly all fruit raised will hereafter be
treated in this way. "
In addition to tho industries already re
ferred to, the forests of Clark County are
one of the principal resources, and the
business of converting the magnificent
treps into lumber In future, as In the past.
Is destined to give employment to many
men and to bring much wealth Into the
county.
Plenty of Lumber for Export.
A good part of the area of the county
was originally covered with a heavy
growth of timber. Much of this was cut
oft and burned to clear the ground, but,
now that lumber Is In demand for foreign
shipment and to supply the prairie states,
It is cleared off chiefly to be converted
into lumber. There Is still left a large
area which Is covered with heavy timber.
fitted to make lumber of the best qual
ity. Numerous mills are already engaged
in converting thto into a finished prod
uct In the northern part of the county
there is, within an area of less than 10
miles square not less than 14 miles all
busy cutting tics and lumber, much of
which is sent abroad. Other parts of the
county have mills ranging In cutting ca
pacity from 20,000 to 75,000 feet per day of
10 hours. Some of the timber land yet
remaining In the county will cut not lce3
than 10,000.000 feet to the quarter section.
There Is also a large area thickly covered
with the.finest piling timber In the state.
There is yet a small area of Govern
ment land In the county which can be
homesteaded by those who are willing to
go back into the foothills and roush it.
Other land can be had at prices ranging
from the Government standard up to $100
or more per acre, all depending upon the
location and the degree of cultivation. I
should add that some prune orchards are
held at $500 or more per acre.
Heretofore the development of Clark
County has been slow, the principal rea
eon for this being the fact that thtf people
have had to depend upon the river to ship
all products to market Until lasE year
the only railroads in the county were two
short logging roads, aggregating only
about 20 miles of track; but the Oregon
& Washington, which connects with the
Northern Pacific at Kalama, CO miles to
to the north of Vancouver, has just been
completed, and for the first time in the
history of tho county communication by
rail with the outside world Is enjoyed.
That this will result In much benefit to
the county Is admitted by alL
In connection with the building of the
road just mentioned, the company plans
to build a bridge across the Columbia at
this point as soon as permission can be
obtained from Congress, and toextend
the line to Portland. The general im
pression is that when this is done that
the Northern Pacific will abandon its
ferry at Kalama and run all trains
through here to Portland. This would give
to the county the benefit of a transconti
nental railroad.
Besides the building of the road Just
mentioned, the Portland, Vancouver &
Yakima Railway Company Is now en
gaged In extending Its road through the
county in a northeasterly direction. As
this taps a rich section of agricultural
land. In addition to a largo area of fine
timber, It will materially assist in devel
oping the county. The intention of this
company is to build across the Cascade
Moumains to North Yakima, and It claims
one of the best passes over the moun
tains. Tho principal town in Clark County la
Vancouver, the oldest settled communlty
in the state, it having been the site of
I the first Hudson's Bay post In Washing
ton.
"Vancouver Is one of the prettiest small
citle3 In the State of Washington, situ
ated on the north bank of the Columbia
River, six -miles from Portland, with
which It Is connected with an electric line
and ferry, operated at intervals of 45 min
utes. It takes about one hour to make
the trip. It Is also connected with Port
land and other points on the Columbia
and Willamette Rivers by boat3, several
of which pass and repass dally, all touch
ing at Vancouver.
The city has a population of about 5000,
and Is the seat of government for Clark
County. It lies on a beautiful souiern
slope, from which a magnificent view of
the Columbia, the foothills and Cascade
Mountains, with old Mount Hood in the
background is obtained.
Vancouver Uarrnclcs.
Here Is located the military post, known
as Vancouver Barracks, where accommo
dations are provided for about 700 soldiers.
The headquarters of the Department of
the Columbia are also connected with the
post. This post Is frequently spoken of
by Army officers, as one of the prettiest,
most picturesque and pleasant In the
United States.
One of the state Institutions, styled, the
School for Feeble-Mlnded, is located just
east of the city. It includes besides a
building for the feeble-minded, a much
larger structure In which the blind and
the deaf and dumb are Instructed.
The Army post and the state institu
tions, together with the Catholic orphan
age, in which about 100 orphans are cared
for, provides a very good home market
for the products of the soil.
The city has good public schools, a
Catholic College, and numerous churches,
comparing favorably In this respect with
Eastern cities of like size.
The business houses of the city repre
sent nearly all-elasses of trade, and all
are enjoying a fair degree of prosperity.
Besides the usual lines of business, there
are two banks, good hotels, and two the
aters. On account of lack of transportation fa
cilities, other than by boat, it has been
impracticable to establish manufacturing
plants at this point, but with the advent
of railroads this will be changed ana
Vancouver will offer superior advantages
for manufacturers to locate here.
Vancouver Is enjoying general prosper
ity, the volume of business being the best
in. the history of the place. There arc no
f been considerable activity in building cir
cles during the year, so much so in fact
that mechanics have been in active de
mand. Vancouver Is connected with all other
parts of "the county by rail, boat and
stage lines, no less than three dally stage
lines being centered at this point, be
sides several others of less frequent in
tervals. Other towns In the county, are Camas,
where a large paper mill Is located, Wash
ougal, the center of a fine agricultural
section, from, which are shipped large
quantities of agricultural products. It
has also two good creameries. Washougai
Is also destined to be the shipping point
for the Bald Mountain, mines, which are
certain to be rich shippers. These mines
which carry principally copper and gold,
are just across the line to the east of
Clark County.
Hockinson Is the center of a rich agri
cultural and dairy country.
La Center on the East Fork of Lewis
River enjoys a good trade, having si rich
agricultural country tributary thereto, as
well as numerous saw mills which are
constantly busy.
Ridgefield has a fine agricultural and
dairy country tributary to it, and has
always been a good shipping and trading
point It is now connected with market
by the new railroad.
Amboy, the most northeasterly hamlet In
the county enjoys a good business for an.
Inland town, and sends out large quanti
ties of farm produce. Other trading
points are, Lewisville, Battle Ground.
Brush Prairie, Manor, Fellda, Fishers and
Yacolt
Good schools are maintained throughout
the county, and many churches may be
seen, In the rural districts.
Take It all in all, Clarke County oilers
as good or better inducements to the
homeseeker than any other portion of the
state. Its people are thrifty. Industrious,
intelligent and law-abiding. Its soil and
natural advantages are unsurpassed. Its
climate is neither too hot nor too cold, too
wet nor too dry. It Is a section, that has
not been boomed, yet satisfactory prog
ress has been made in converting the vir
gin fqrests Into comfortable homes. There
Is room for thousands more within Its
confines, and he who Is willing to make
the mos' if opportunities offered, and to
labor Intelligently with his might, need
not fear to choose this for his abiding
place.
Vancouver, Clark County, is the seat of
the United States Land Office, covering
public lands In Southwestern Washington.
The assessed valuation of the real
property in the County is $5,533,115, and
of personal property, ?$41,4S5. Thero are
upward of 200 fruitdryers In. the county,
two prune processing plants, 20 saw mills.
1 paper mill, 8 creameries, 1 brewery, 8
public schools, 7 of which are graded, 1
Catholic college and 24 churches.
Vancouver. E. M. RANDS.
MAKING LINSEED OIL.
Extent of a Leading; Local Industry
in Portland.
Any factory that converts a crude raw
material into a marketable article of com
merce is worthy of the best encourage
ment from the people of any community.
This applies with particular force to the
leading Industries of Portland, that is the
center of trade of an immense section of
country whose greatest claim to attention
Is found in the extent and diversity of its
resources. It is not generally recognized
that Portland contains today the largest
and most complete plant for the manu
facture of linseed oil on the Pacific Coast
This plant Is the property of the Amer
ican Linseed Company, and it Is known
throughout the Northwest as the Lln-
hseed Oil Works. It Is under the direct
management of Mr. Marcus Simpson.
One of the cheapest and most valuable
foods for milch cows is the old process
oil cake meal. This Is a residue left after
the extraction of oil frcm. Unseed. In
making a comparison between the value
of oil cake, mealand bran, based on its
nutritious qualities In milk and flesh mak
ing. It Is found that oil cake Is much
the cheaper of the two articles. Fixing
the relative values of oil cake and bran
at $35 and 516 a ton. respectively, oil cake
is much the more economical of the two
food products.
At the regular market value, based on
Its food properties, bran costs a third
more than the marketable oil cake. In ad
dition to Its feeding qualities, oil cake pro
duces better flesh and richer milk, under
proper feeding conditions, than any other
food product for cattle.
Under the efficient management of Mr.
Simpson, the Portland Linseed Oil Works
have made great progress during the past
few years. During the months of Septem
ber, October and November of this year,
for Instance, the output of the local fac
tory was 70 per cent In excess of the out
put for the corresponding months last
year. The company guarantees In all
cases the highest standard for Its goods.
This company publishes a valuable pam
phlet covering the special value of oil
cake for stock, and also Instructions cov
ering feeding of this cake, which wille
found of special value to farmers general
ly. This pamphlet will be mailed to any
address on application.
First to Write the "Word Orepron.
Jonathan 'Carver, the noted American
traveler, was the first writer to mention
the name Oregon. TI1I3 was in his book,
"Travels Through tho Interior Parts of
North America," which wa3 published in
London in 1778. In 1763 Carver formed a
resolution to explore the Interior of North
America from Lake Superior to the Pa
cific Ocean between the 43d and 46th
parallels, between which lies the ereater
part of the present State of Oregon. Had
he completed his journey he must have
met the Columbia River and proceeded
along Its course to the ocean. He hoped
to discover a northwest passage between
Hudson's Bay and the Pacific, and there
by open a channel tor conveying Intelli
gence to China and the English settle
ments In the East Indies with greater ex
pedition than by the tedious voyage round
the Cape of Good Hope or through the
Straits of Magellan. In. the Fall of 17CS
he left MIchlllimacklnac. the most west
erly of the British military posts, hav
ing received from its commander an as
sortment of goods to be distributed as
presents among the Indians along tno
route. It was also understood that other
goods should besent to him at the Fall3
of St. Anthony. These failed to reach
him, and In the following Sprint; having
passed the Winter on the River St. Pierre,
1400 miles west of his starting point, he
was obliged to return to Prairie du Chlcn
He then made a new start for the purpose
of discovering a connection between tho
headwaters of the Mississippi and Lake
Superior, and spent some tfrme on the
northern and eastern shores of that lake
exploring its base and tributaries and ob
serving the natural products and habits
of the Indians. He returned to Boston la
the Fall of 176S. having traveled nearly
i000 miles. Carver died in abject pov
erty In London, January. 31, 17S0 ased 43
years.
AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY.
Lime Iloclc and Gypsum Bed of
Eastern Oregon Made Profitable.
Most people in the Pacific Northwest
connected in any way with building op
erations during the past two years havo
either seen or heard of Adamant plaster.
So general has become its use lnthe local
field that many architects now specify that
Adamant must be used in plastering, to
the exclusion of other plastering materials
formerly used.
A comparatively small number of those
who have used Adamant plaster, however
know that this material is made from
gypsum, now mined m large quantities in
Eastern Oregon. The raw material for
the manufacture of Adamant is mined in
Oregon, and every process connected with
the manufacture of Adamant into the fin
ished article of commerce Is performed ny
home labor and with the sole support oC
local capital.
The Oregon Lime & Plaster Company
now- owns a large lime rock quarry at
Lime, Baker County, in Eastern Oregon.
At the site of this mine the company
operates a kiln with a capacity of 70.000
barrels of lime a year. The lime rock
quarried at this point is found In the
hillside In inexhaustible quantities. Just
across the railroad track from this mino
Is the extensive deposit of gypsum. Tho
gypsum is found In a solid mass 2000 feet
high, one-half mile through and con
ical In shape.
From gypsum the company makes a flno
land plaster and a plaster of paris of
superior excellence. Land plaster Is mado
from crude gypsum by grinding the raw
material to a powder-like fineness. Its
value as a fertilizer comes from the fact
that gypsum Is about 23 per cent water.
When the plaster Is applied to the soil
it gives off Its moisture to the grow
ing plant at a time when the vegetation,
Is in the greatest need of moisture. This
Is one of the most valuable fertilizers
sold In the local markets.
Plaster of parts is made from gypsum
by subjecting the crude material to great
heat, which evaporates the excessive
moisture that is a constituent part of
gypsum. When- water is applied to plaster
of parts the plaster absorbs the propor
tion of water which the gypsum rock
formerly contained, and this plaster on
drying hardens into the nature rock-liko
hardness.
The Adamant Company in Portland uses
the product of the Oregon Lime & Plaster
Company's gypsum deposits In. Oregon for
the manufacture of Adamant plaster. The
factory of this company Is located at tho
foot of Fourteenth street, Portland. The
general offices are at 5 First street The
officers of the Adamant Company are: C
E. Ladd, president and treasurer; Gen
eral C. F. Beebe. secretary, and A. K.
Bentley, vice-president and manager. So
popular is Adamant as a plastering ma
terial, that a majority of the new houses
built in Portland during the past year
have been plastered wholly with the prod
uct of tho Adamant Company.
THE HORSE-COLLAR TRADE.
P. Shnrlcey tfc Son, of This City, Con
duct the Larpfest Factory on Coast.
The trademark so long used by P. Shar
key & Son, manufacturers of horse col
lars, at 1S0-1S2 Union avenue, this city
(East Side), Is now recognized by dealers
in all parts of the Pacific Coast and
throughout the West generally, as a guar
antee of excellence and honest workman
ship. The trademark, a reproduction of which
is published with this article. Is a happy
combination of a shark and a key, a play
on the firm namn that Is as unique as It
is striking. This trademark stands for
tho best-known and the hlghest-grada
horse collar recognized by the trade.
The firm Is one of the most prominent
In its line on the Pacific Coast Goods
manufactured bv P. Sharkey & Son cro
distributed over thousands of square m'ies
of rich country, and this trade is being
rapidly extended. They employ Tver 25
men regularly. The output is confined en
tirely to horse collars. The keynote ta
the success of this firm Is found In tho
special skill and care taken in the manu
facture of their goods and to tho use of
only the best materials. Many of tho
largest jobbing houses on the Coast uso
the horse collars manufactured by P.
Sharkey & Son to the exclusion of all oth
er makes.
A special order for a large quantity of a
particular make of collar was recently
placed with P. Sharkey & Son for ship
ment to Australia. Tho firm has dono
much to advance the commercial promi
nence of Portland.
Rich. In Fossil Remains.
Considerable interest is taken by stu
dents of geology in some of the fossil re
mains brought to Baker City by the oil
prospectors who are looking for oil in
dications in Malheur county. Some per
fect oyster shells are found, some of the
rock strata carries salt water shells.
while in others far above are found speci
mens of fresh water shells. Several bones
resembling the bones of the mastodon
have been found, and it is believed that
if there was a careful search made, pos
sibly some perfect remains of the bones
of this prehistoric beast could be un
earthed. Specimens of gypsum, lignite,
salt, mineral oil and numerous other
things have been brought In from tlmo to
time, but as the prospectors are all In
search of coal oil they pay little atten
tion to these other finds, because to them
they are of little or no Importance.
Judging from what the prospectors say,
Malheur County, or portions of it, is
richer in fossil remains than the famous
Wyoming fossil beds In the vicinity of
Green River, In that state. The sea shells,
while decomposed, have made a lasting
Impression In the rocks, and their perfect
outline can be traced. It is believed that
at some distance below the surface the
shells will be more perfect, or rather will
not have become decomposed by the action
of the elements. Some of the better speci
mens will be sent to the Smithsonian In
stitution, at Washington, and doubtle33
this year a representative of that great
scientific Institution will visit the deposits
and make a thorough examination In tho
Interest of science
,