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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (July 24, 1905)
19 THIS MUK-SUXix OKEGOyiAy,- MONDAY, JULY 24v 1903. PHASES OF INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN THE STATE OF OREGON FARM AND RftNCE, MINE AND ITER What the Year's Outlook' Is Promising in Lines of Industry. PROGRESS OF IRRIGATION Yield of Field and Orchard, "Wool Clip and Cattle Industry, New Methods of Agriculture. Talk of Hop Situation. It Is Intended on this rage to present a current account of the Industries o Oregon. The -word Is used In a wide sense. Since Oregon is, first of all, an agricultural and pastoral state, the prod ucts of farm, orchard and range, their conditions, prospects and possibilities, must be practically handled. Many of the farmers are successful by reason of adapting to Oregon soils, methods of cul ture, rotation of crops, varieties of seeds and relations of plant to animal life, if not actually new here, yet heretofore only experimentally used. The reasons and con ditions of their success should be known and commented on. On . the other hand antique and obsolete methods are still in occasional use. Contrast between expir ing and incoming ways may, by actual records, be emphasized. The same Is true of orchard and range. Thlsayear will see the best specimens of all stock in the United States gathered for competition at the Fair. Many of the animals will be Oregon bred. Judging from past exper ience the latter will not fear comparison with foreign-bred .stock. Much of the success will be due to Improved way of feeding. Forage and feed crops specially interest the stockralsers, and notes on these subjects must be gathered. So with the orchard. Friends and ene mies of the fruitralscr their customary and their occasional visits must be chron icled. Valuable experiences are often, dls cupscd at the farmers' institutes, held at divers points over the "state, and must be taken note of. As one of the matters of Interest to the farmers, good roads construction, their cost and value must be watched and re ported. The data of harvest and crops, of wool and mohair, records of stock sales and values, will be recorded,- and the move ment of markets' and, so far as possible, to ascertain them, the causes for fluctua tions studied and discussed. So the in tention is made plain that whatever Is of more than passing interest to the man who makes his living from the land shall not escape notice. Irrigation in Oregon is vital to the growth of the eastern and southern por tion of the state. Fresh projects, and ex tensions of existing enterprises must be described. Details will be obtained and supplied as far as possible of Government irrigation works, their inception and progress. Mining and minerals require notice. Prospecting Is going on In every district. Transportation in all 'its branches is a burning question. Pressure is being brought to bear by chambers of com merce. In Portland and throughout the state, on the management of the great system which now dominates Oregon, In favor of much-needed extensions. Inde pendent projects are contemplative. So the time appears to be at hand when the suspended animation In transportation af fairs over so large a portion of the state will pass for good. That the monopoly of the Harrlman system will be chal lenged seems very clear. The report of the transportation committee of the Port land Chamber of Commerce published on Saturday of last week Is a document to be read and studied by all men. An Important meeting of the Willamette Valley Development League was held in Salem a few days ago. Its transactions will receive fuller notice under Its appro priate heading. Many new Industries are being Introduced In Oregon. Effort will be made to keep track of them, and at tract attention to work of so great bene Jit to the state. ESTING IS WEIL ON HAY CUT AXD HEADERS BUSY WITH "WHEAT. What Hood River, Rogue River and Eastern Oregon Arc Aecom pllshlng; In Fruit Culture. Just now the hay harvest is being com pleted In Western Oregon. In Eastern Oregon the farmers have finished haying. Accounts differ locally. The crop Is heav ier than last year's, somewhat reduced "by the hot and dry weather immediately preceding harvest. The wheat harvest in Eastern Oregon is on. Wages are good. In Umatilla County labor conditions follow: For common labor such. a"s driving header wagons, not less than $1.50 will be paid, and in some cases $1.75 to $2 may "be given Then for the harder and more skilled work, better pay will be given. Header-bed loaders will get from $2 to $2.60; sack sewers, from $2 to $3; header drivers, from $3 to $150. One of the large stationary steam threshers Is equipped thus: Two headers and eight header-beds are used in cutting the wheat and the han dling of the grain is expedited by the use of nets in the boxes. Thirty men are employed to run the different parts of the machine, and 73 horses are used on the different wagons In the outfit. The following report from the East Oregonlan at Pendleton tells Its story: "The first load of this year's crop of Turkey red wheat was brought to the city from Tutullla and was delivered at Byers mills. The grain was cut by Shutrum Bros big steam combined thresher on the ranch owned by Mrs. Sophia McComas. but which is being farmed by Lee Huramell. .The wheat will average from present indications between A and 30 bushels to the acre, and is of the finest quality, testing 63 pounds to the bushel. "The Turkey red brand is the best wheat for flour. Having more gluten than any other wheat in the count). It is es pecially adapted to the baker's trade, as It has & greater affinity for water tkaa any other grade that is grawn. In some localities in Northeast era Ore gon a freeze In February injured the Winter-sown wheat so as to make resow ing advisable. Recent reports give 15 bushels to the acre as an average of such resown Spring wheat, and 35 to 40 bushels for the uninjured Winter wheat. Hood River reports over 300.000 cases of strawberries shipped this season, re turning to the growers $1(0,000. The ac tual yield far exceeded the early esti mates. It has been stated that the net return to some growers Is in the close neighborhood of $200 to the acre. This, of course. Is one factor In the prices re cently asked and .paid for "raw" land In this favored valley. This word "net" has many readings. One grower carries to debit of the crop not only cultivation, but water rent, taxes and all outgoings. On this basis, bis eight acres yielded him JS00 clear. .Hood River also ships this year between POM and 7000 boxes of cherries. California buyers are paying 5 cents a pound for this fruit. The general prospects of the apple crop are only fairly good. . In the Snake River orchards the prom ise is excellent. Orders for 20,050 apple boxes and 1700 pear boxes for one orchard are reported. Fniltralslng In Eastern Ore gon is yet fn its Infancy. Wherever the rainfall is assisted by even light Irriga tion, the orchard prospers. This seems true of the wiole of the Eastern empire Too much water on the apple trees In creases the size of the fruit and docs not Injure color but flavor and keeping quali ties are lost. Very fine apples were brought Into Port land last year from the Silver Lake country, on the edge of what Is marked on maps as the "Oregon Desert." And this country, by the bye. Is rapidly beings settled by families which are hauling their household goods 100 miles from the near est railway. Rogue River reports success in raising and selling Logan berries. It Is to be hoped that next year this delicious fruit will And larger demand in the Portland market. Its culture Is oven easier than that of the raspberry, which it so much resembles. From Medford comes the- fol lowing report: Deliveries of Loganberries have begun. j. he crop is very heavy. The acreage of these berries is probably four times that of any former year. The Loganberry has pretty well established Its character as a good seller and money-maker, hence the last two years have witnessed a great increase in the -amount of vines planted. They have been selling at $LK a crate. At this price a man could be sure of getting $S00 worth of berries from an acre of ground. Early peaches are holng shipped in con siderable quantities to Portland and other markets north of us, and bring good prices. They are not so much into com petition with the California product this year as formerly. WOOL lM MOHftiR GUP VALUE OP SHEEP AXD GOATS IX CLEARING LANDS. More 31111s to Utilize the Oregon Product Would Be Desirable and Profitable. The wool clip for the season of 1P03 is reported at more than 16,000,000 pounds. At prices ranging from 20 cents up to 27 cents a pound for Willamette Valley wools, and up to 26 cents for Eastern Oregon wools, sheepmen must be getting rich. Each year now the ranges tor sheep are being narrowed by the incoming of the ISO-acre farmer. But the raising of the Dawn and Cotswold sheep in the Willam ette Valley, indeed In Western Oregon generally. Is developing fast. So neither the total output of the state, nor the to tal returns from wool, are liable to de crease. Most of this year's, wool has gone to Boston houses, though the demand for Oregon mills has risen and Is rising. Scouring plants have been put In oper ation at The Dalles and at Pendleton, with the object of saving the shipment East of over 60 per cent weight In dirt, sand and grease. The freight rate East from Shanlko, the present southern ter minus of the Columbia Southern Rail road. Is $1.S8 for wool In the' grease, and $2.23 for the same scoured. While Oregon Is estimated to ship 15,000.000 pounds of wool to the East, and to pay out more than $3,000,000 annually for clothing Fhlpped from the East into Oregon. It seemB that more Oregon woolen mills and clothing factories would be both desirable and paying Investments. Heavy demand has grown In Eastern markets for East ern Oregon sheep. Three hundred and fifty carloads have been shipped from Shanlko at prices amounting to about $250,000. Polk, Benton and Lincoln are the coun ties laislng the largest number of goats. It Is astonishing that more men engaged In clearing upland do not utilize the An gora goats to aid them. To put on a clearing machine which not only does the HOP VINES OX A WILLAMETTE VALLEY YARD. work but repays each year over 30 per cent of Its cost would seem to be a good proposition. It cannot be too strongly stated that on Oregon brush-covered lands there arc few farming industries that will Justify paying out from $30 to $30 an acre for getting rid at one opera tion of brush, trees, and roots. To Increase the grass and clover-growing area of the farm, on the other hand, is to enable an immense increase of the number of stock that the farm will carry, and therein lies the chief source of profit. The slashing and burning of the brush and sowing the field down in grass and clover can in most cases be done for $10 an acre or even less. The next year cheep and goats can b turned in on the land. Each sheep on an average yields $1.10 a. head for wool, and each goat $L25 for mohair, On land where cherry, hazel Si vine maple are the chief brushes, the eep and goats will kill the brush out In from three to four years, and do well oh the feed all the time. The, roots can then be knocked -out with ax or grub-hoe. and then burned. The land can be plowed and cultivated aad thrown into the acre- I T'm 9m V age of plow land on the farm. Mean while the sheep and goats will have more than paid for themselves, and be ready to repeat the work on the next field. It Is estimated that, in clearing land, six goats will do the work of one man. Before passing on let If. be noticed that In no branch of stock Is quality more im portant than when securing goats. A good lot of grade nannies ST $3 a head, and a thoroughbred buck at $20 or $23. will be a very paying investment, when well cared for. On this point the Ore gonlan will bft glad to receive the experi ence of those qualified to speak. DISCUSS RAILWAY PROBLE3I Development League Members Pass Resolutions. The actual business of the meeting of the development League of the Willam ette Valley, hold last week at Salem, cen tered In the relation of the people to rail roads. The meeting passed resolutions of which the preamble stands in plain ac cord with the report of the Chamber of Commerce committee, now attracting so much attention. The compact between the great corporations parcelling out these Pacific States and allotting Oregon to the Harrlman system s stated as a basic fact which should govern the attitude of the people. A rate law was recommended, and a committee appointed to draft a bill to be brought before a subsequent meeting. The support of the Valley was pledged to all efforts at development In matters of transportation In particular, and also In introducing new and promising Industries. CROPS WILL BE SMALLER THAN 'LAST YEAR. Some Observations on the Question ' . of Pooling and Factors Deter mining Market Prices. The reports from the lowland hopyards arc conflicting. It was hoped that the bright, hot weather of the past two weeks would stop the increase both of hop Jlo and honey dew. Spraying was used, but not to the full extent desired, as many owners were not prepared" for this work. I Comparison of the reports from many I districts compels the belief that the crop J will be decidedly smaller thnn that of last year. Hops are beginning to bloom, j Picking will bgln In six or seven weeks' j time. A strong effort is under way from ; headquarters In Salem to collect all hop- growers Into one strong combine. Con- : slderable progress has been made, but not enough- to predict success. It seems proved that those growers who used their own judgment last season In making sales when the market showed a good figure have done better than those who pooled their product, held on, and are In many instances holding yet. In the first place, the range of hop growing land In Oregon Is very wide, and so wide that no common conditions will apply to -alL Hopgrowing on the uplands has also been proved a success, and many new yards have been recently planted, or ex isting yards enlarged. So that, simply from an Oregon point of view. It is xaore and more difficult to maintain such simi larity of conditions that growers gener- ally will agree to enter a pool. The general, or world s market, has s 1 many sources of supply outside of this state that Oregon, though an Important. Is not & determining factor In setting the common price Thus. In short. It U diffi cult to Indorse the views of those who are endeavoring to secure common ac tion among all growers In selling or heJd lng. Last year, without comMaatiea. sales ranged between "X and 22 "cents a powad. aad seed moaey was rate ar all who STRAWBERRY FIELD NEAR HOOD RIVER, took advantage of those prices. It is questionable policy to undertake a pool ing operation of any article as widely grown, and marketed In as many centers as Is the case with hops. From the Yakima yards In Washington the promise Is of an average crop, totaling there to about 22.KO bales, while probably 2300 bales of last year's crop are stlU unsold. PROGRESS OP IRRIGATION VAST DEVELOPMENT WORK IN ARID LANDS. What a for Complete System of Canals Eastern and Southern Oregon Means. Little is known outside the irrigable area In Middle Eastern Oregon of the progress, both in extending the canals building by the several companies oper ating under the Carey act and In the actual Increase of population, which Is growing so rapidly. Lands are being fast taken up In the areas opened by the Co lumbia Southern Irrigation Company and by the larger Deschutes Irrigation Com pany. Of the 27,000 acres under ditch of the former company. It Is reported that more than 20.00) have been sold. Under the system of the Deschutes company about 50,010 acres are stated iiot to Jbe reached by the water ditches. That whole country la In a stage of rapid develop ment. Towns are growing up. sawmills being put In, houses and fences built, sagebrush land In large areas being cleared, plowed and made ready for crops.. Much attention Is also given, to dry-land farming. A very suggestive Interview was given out a few days back by Colonel Judson. the Industrial agent of the O. R. & X. Co.. on his return from a trip Into Eastern Washington. What he there says of Eastern Washington dry lands Is equal ly applicable to immense areas of Eastern Oregon, where irrigation is not available, and railroads have not yet penetrated. Some extracts follow: "The more I examine Into dry-land farming as It Is conducted In Nebraska and Kansas, under what Is called the Campbell system, the more I am Im pressed with the need of such tilling of the soil In Eastern Oregon and Washing ton. Dry-land farming as it is conducted on farms that I have visited Is the rais ing of crops where the precipitation la light, ranging from 10 to 13 'inches, and mat aunng tne winter ana up xo iiay. The virgin soil or bench soil, as It Is usually termed. Is volcanic ash. with soma Ut or washing from the mountains. It has good retentive powers, and. It being rich In mineral plant food, makes It Ideal land, needing only molstureto produce the finest of crops. But water Is needed, and the source of supply, whether ued as mature onngs it or it is appuea arun- clally. When rain falls upon land, wbeth er hard or compact, some of It may pene trate the soil and some of It may run off. The proportion In either case depends upon the heaviness of the shower, the heaviness of. the land and the slope. From wliat I have observed and from examina tions of the soli. I find that when the soil is hard and compact the moisture evap- orates very rapidly from the surface Into J the air. On the other hand. If the land Is , plowed to the depth of eight or ten u Inches, the rain percolates down deep into the soli, to be again brought to the sur face by capillary attraction, j "Now, as regards the dry-land alfalfa, I will say that I never saw finer. May 1 sown alfalfa was 15 Inches tall, dark and of very rank growth; roots 13 to 14 inches In length, and ready for the first cutting, being partially in blossom. "On Mr. Cooper's farm. 5H miles from Washtucna. I found he had sown an acre on regular hard pan soil, and It was look ing fine and the soil was dried out so that it was hard to even get a sharp stick Into It. It was new land, just plowed rot the first time. Another piece was In soil that was simply- asb. one sinking. In to the depth of two to three Inches at every step. "Mr. Cooper, who Is one of the largest and best farmers In that county. Is more than pleased, and will put In a large tract next year and commence to diversify, raising hogs, cattle and horses on al falfa. His corn was extra fine, standing V feet in height. This bad been culti vated four times, while at other farms only one cultivation had been given, and that standing three feet in height. "To sum up: The experiments In dry land alfalfa and com on Summer-fallow in that -county are very gratifying, and set at rest the fact that the dry-land al falfa will grow to perfection there, also that fine com can be grown on the Summer-fallow." It must not be overlooked that growing of alfalfa on nonlrrlgated lands has passed beyond the experimental -stage In West em Oregon also. Not. only on the Agri cultural College farra at Corvallls, but In many other places in the Valley counties, especially In Lane and Benton counties, large fields of this most valuable crop may be now seen. Wherever subsoil drain age is secured, whether naturally or arti ficially, there the dry-land alfalfa will be. successfully grown, it tae conatuona ai a. clean and well-prepared seed bed are pro vided. It Is set too much to- suggest that the successful growth of alfalfa oa a dairy or stock farm will raise the -value of that farm from IS to 39 per cent. And this Is not only tn point of Increase of profit from raaalag the farm, but. as an Increase of salable price. The ergaalsatlea of the Goveraeat tr risatiea works at Klamath ae Is- ace eeedaac at last. Thai laami aaf aU OR. will soon be In progress. Its valuo to Oregon It is Impossible to estimate. There also the advent of railroad must precede full development. Lake County and the .whole tract through Harney County to the eastern boundary of the state are unknown to the great majority of Oregonlans. It will be a revelation to these who visit these lands. From the cattle Industry, there carried on In great proportions, prosper ity has resulted which cannot be hidden. Until better Informed, this district Is sup posed to suffer from a. climate of extreme severity In Winter. That it Is brighter, drier and somewhat colder than on tne western side of the Cascades Is not dis puted. But long-continued cold spells are practically unknown. On the fine farms bordering the lakes, all crops grown In Oregon prosper, fruit Is raised to per fection. Great progress Is being made In irriga tion enterprises generally. In reference to the long delays Interposed In framing and commencing Government Irrigation In the Malheur. It may turn out that Oregon will yet be greatly benefited by one of the very few railroad outlets towards the East escaping destruction by the proposed Irrigation dams on the Malheur River. The following detailed description of a new irrigation enterprise at Wallula. Eastern Washington, from the pen of A. R. Kanaga, one of the best-known West era writers on irrigation, will be read with Interest. " Wallula, Wash.. Is now coming into prom inence as one of the dlsticta where irriga tion will work Its miracles of enterprise and agricultural development, A new irrigation canal is now nearly completed from which water will be taken to tome 13.000 acres o. land, as rich as can be found In any tau la this TTnlon. and while much of the sagebrush lands In many states Is more or Ims tainted with alkali. I am free to ay that this land under the Colombia Cabal Company's ditch Is absolutely fre from every trace or taint. The Canal. The main line of the canal la now com plete for a distance of about 12 miles, and, as cut-off gates hare been put In. three miles apart. It is, therefore, ready to turn water on land between the dam and the town of Wallula; Just east of the town, last named, at a distance of about one-half mile, the company Is building a tunnel which, when completed, will be some 2200 feet In length, and at thA time over 1000 fet has been built, and by the time this article will have appeared In print, the re maining portion of the tunnel will be com pleted The northwest portion of the tunnel will connect with the main portion of th canal, which runs north In the direction of Two Hirers; for the present the terminal point will be near the latter town, making the main canal line some 18 miles in length. Early In June last. I made a careful ex amination of the canal, dam; gates, cut-offs, tunnel, and concrete walls, and. Judging ft by more than J30 canal systems that I have seen in the last four years. It stands. In my estimation, as one among a dozen of the very best and most thorough canal systems that 1 have seen. , The engineering and construction work reflects great credit on the chlet engineer. H. L. Phillips, under whose supervision th canal and dam are being built. How the Dam Was Built. The dam Is supported with stone and solIA concrete foundations and aide-walls. TU lower gates are .supported with steel brace, and the canal entrance Is screened by Iron HARVESTING THE HOP CROP rods to keep out all float matter and desrir "o that It can In no way enter the a waterway, the dam Is ao built that all fioat. auch as trees, logs. etc. will pass over th daxn and never come In contact with tha canal boose and Its solid walls. a Ceacrete) Walt. , Just below the. dam. and for several hun dred feet. Is 'a solid concrete wall, which la so strong that It will resist all the forew of any high water that may come alosg. For a distance of 200 feet Immediately be low the dam Is a heavy plank atdlag sailed In so that the Interior is ailed with, steae sad cracked rock. The eatk-s liae, from one end to the other, shows the workman ship of & master builder, and that It. was built to give the farmers permaaeal ami gaed service, aad X would naturally coaemde that It cost a lot of. moaey to da this work, yet aot a dollar has beea aseleasly expeaded. for with lesa outlay It weald have left imt thing- aadoae that eaght to kaveba da In tht line of taoraagh wark. - I have, seen many caaata m a dazes West era state that were bailt far specalfttJaa. aad werkataasala was peer and mcasy. aad M was a relief to see this katlt' ea Ua of aaaeaty aad mtegrRy aa tat R will Vut at lsr tar a. etatary. oc at lat i i mac after that ceatratlaa is dead Oae of the new and strong features of th canal Is the cut-off and outlet gates that hare been built at a distance of three miles apart. In the event of a break In the canal, two of the gates can be closed down and the water taken from the three-mile limit, and the farmers on the other part of the line are not Inconvenienced, as the ditch will hold enough water to supply, the lands, even If the cut-oft gates are closed down. Seeree of Water Supply. The water supply for this canal Is taken from the Walla Walla River, and the supply Is simply tsexhastible. as the river is fed by the melting snows, springs, and many small streayis. This river Is one of the feeders o the mighty Snake River, which empties .Into the Columbia a little lower down. Returning -again for an instant to the canal. It is 3t feet across the' top. and 22 feet across the bottom, this is true of the upper portion, but It will be narrowed somewhat as iif recedes toward the end. IS, 999 Acres. ' All along this canal Is a lot of land some 15.000 acres, that for richness cannot be sur passed in any state In the country. Quite a large amount of thlsxland belongs to the Columbia Canal Company, and I think will be put on the market at prices ranging from S73 to 100 per acre. If such Is the fact, erery farmer can pay for his farm In from two to three years, with the crops he can raise on the land. FosUlve Proof. Along the line of the canal for a distance of ten mites Is a settlement of prosperous farmers, who for 20 years past, have irri gated their lands by means of bucket water wheels, and can say that nowhere in the West will you see better crops, finer fruit or better, vegetables. The farms are heavy with rich, dark foliage that covers erery object that grows an the land. I saw al falfa, that was four feet In length, and that, too. In the early part of June. The farm. ers were very prosperous, and a more con tented lot of men I never saw. Ele-ratloa Above the Sea. I think that one of the most valuable as sets of the farmer In this locality Is due to the lands not being so high as to make the Winters long and the Summers abort. The elevation here Is not to exceed 500 feet above the sea, level, the Summer being leng. and as Spring sets In early. It enables the fruit to get into market from three to four weeks earlier than sections In high al titudes, thus enabling the farmer to get the very highest or top-notch price for his fruit or vegetables. Climate. 1 have visited this part of the country both Summer and Winter, and always found the climate one of the best in the world. This climate question is very closely allied with the general health of the country, and it Is everywhere apparent In the faces of the men. women and children, for a more rugged and healthy people I have never run across In my travels. It you want to get a correct Idea of the healthfulness of the climate. Just look Into the faces of the people, and you can get a correct estimate of the water, soil and air In that locality. A Thing Worth Knowing. It May not be generally known, but It Is neve "helesa true that Walla Walla County, Washington, within the boundaries of which this land Is located, is one of the five richer t agricultural counties In the United States. Fresno County. California. Is another of the illustrious five, and ' the other three are in as many different states. Schools and Churches. The Wallula country Is replete with as good schools and as efficient teachers as can be found In the state, and the opportunity here for the good people to attend such church as they may see fit. in brief, the moral at mosphere Is as pure and wholesome as It Is back In the state of Massachusetts. Railroads. I do not know of a place In the Northwest where they hare better railroad facilities than rlxht here In Wallula. It Is the Junc tion of the Northern Pacific Railroad and the Oregon Railroad Sc. Navigation' Company, -and two other branch roads also center here. Tu offering railroad facilities to Portland. Seattle. Spokane, and to every part of the country. Crops. So far as the crops are concerned. I should not forget to say that they can raise al most anything that Is capable of belnc grown on land corn, wheat, oats, rye. barley, alfalfa, apples, peaches. In brief, erery kind of vegetable and berry on earth is grown here, even figs grow here, a fruit that can only thrive in & semi-tropical coun try. I am gteatly pleased at the large measure of prosperity that Is now being enjoyed by this northwestern country, a prosperity that is due to the progressive and enterprising men that reside in this great and thrifty dis trict. People in the East who read this letter can hardly realize that a new West is be ing opened up. a Weit so vast that it ex ceeds the area by one-half of what was known as the Homestead and Pre-emption Lands of 30 years ago. Private enterprise Is doing a great work In reclaiming the arid West, and our reclamation sendee from now on for ten years to come, may be counted on to add about 1.000,000 acres each year to the public domain; and this soli is so rich that when Irrigated, will not require over 19 to 20 acres to support in comfort any of our arerage American families. In Hood River the survey for a new Irri gation ditch has been completed from Hadley's Gap to Green Point, above the forks of the river, on an attractive route. It Is hoped that from 10CO to 1200 Inches of Irrigating water will thus be secured. As soon as complete estimates of cost are arrived at. a special election is expected to be held to vote on bonding the dis trict for the cost of the new system. Woodburn is another town to secure electrical power for use In' the daytime, and Intends thereby to secure the placing IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLET. of industries In the city and its vicinity, to its great advantage. Eugene Is bestirring Itself to obtain an electric light plant to be owned and operated hy the city. The point, of sup ply Is at VIda, on the McKenrle River. 20 miles above the mouth- The franchise of the Lane County Electric ' Company will expire. It is stated. In about four years, and the. city proposes ' thenceforward "to provide Its own light. ALASKA EXCURSION Leave Seattle, iria Pacific Coast Steam ship Company's steamers City of Sfeattte, July as. Aasaat i; Cottage ty. July . Aagast 12; Saokase. August 17, calling glaciers. ladaan -villages. Alaska, citlea. Special rates. Office, MS Washing! o sfc. , j Any aa caa take Carter's LRtla Liver jPttta. taav are sa very sa&akL Na tmtMa. ta swanaw. paaa.ar griatac after PRICES OF TOE LOW HAVE NOT RECOVERED FROM FALL- OF THREE YEARS AGO. Big; Packing House at Baker City Promises Revolution in Indus try In Eastern Oregon. From some cause or causes yet undis closed the prices of cattle In Oreron havo not recovered from the sudden fall of three years ago. How much the manipulation of prices by the beef trust In the Eastern stock markets had to do with it. Is a Question often discussed but never solved. But It Is safe to say that from one of the most profitable to one of the least profitable businesses cattle rearing and selling has declined. The following record oC a recent sale at Baker City indicates some improvement! "One of the largest purchases of cattle made In this vicinity for some time is that Just closed by which the Baker City Pack ing .Company takes over all the fat cows and 3-year-old steers of the Hlndman band at Durkee and that of Odell and Fernald at Rye Valley, a total number of SCO head. The cattle brought CO and-$30 a head F. A. Phillips, of the Baker City Packing Company, was the buyer, and the cattlo are destined to the Puget Sound market. "The parties selling feel that they got ai good priceconsidering the market." - Even yet It must be borne In mind that four years ago similar cattle would prob ably have returned $30 and $4S. Instead of $20 and $30 a head. As the pioneer in local industry that should set an example to other stock cen ters, the Baker City Packing Company should receive attention and commenda tion. Cutting out of the description so much as refers to retail business, the ac count of the preparations made for tho legitimate packing- industry follows; "Before snow flies again there will bp In operation in Baker City a large packing-house. "This will be the result of the recent incorporation -or the Baker City Packing Company and the consolidation of several Baker City meat markets and several markets In outside territory. "J. I. Clemmer. who- Is a well-known packing-house man. has taken charge as manager of the new company which suc ceeds to the -usiness of Phillips, Brown & Geddes and several other firms here, and in Sumpter. "The wholesale house on Front street In the old establishment In the block between Washington and Court Is now in first-class condition and every depart ment Is In good running order. The ren- dering room and smokehouse in the rear ' of the-first floor, remodeled since the flre,"-gJ have ample capacity to take care o! the "J entirp trnrfo On tVilo artma. n.r I connection Is a large cold storage plant where fifteen head of cattle and as many sheep and hogs dressed can be taken care of at one time. "In the basement are the furnaces, cool ing tanks, pickling tanks, etc, the Sum mer cooling-room, two more cold storaye rooms and a large storage room for lard, bacon and hams. This department Is In charge of John Schult, who is thi boss butcher' of Baker City. This de partment handles about two tons of ba con, two tons of hams and from one? half, to a ton of lard each week, manu factured In the plant and bearing the brand of the Baker City Packing Com pany. "The company is the largest shipper of livestock In this portion of the Inlanff Kmplre. handling about a trainload a week out of Eastern Oregon and South ern Idaho. Land has been secured on the outskirts of the city on which the com pany will erect a large packing-house, tnls Fall, If possible, sufflclentjn capacity to take care of all the hogs raised In Eastern Oreron and other stock In pro portion. This Js one of tne industries that has long been demanded and te Baker City Packing Company now pro poses to see -if the farmers and stock men of the county will support It by rais ing sufficient hogs, properly fed and cured, to supply a packing-house." , TIMBER FOR PAPER - MAKING Value of Pine and Fir for This Pur pose to Be Tested. Many Inquiries have been recently made as to the adaptability of Oregon timber for paper-making. The supply of the great paper mills on the Fox River and at other points In Wisconsin Is. nearly at an end. Agents have been sent out to examine the woods of the Pacific Northwest, and experiments are stated to be in progress to utilize some of the less valuable timber trees there found. Tfii balm and cottonwood of the "Willamette and Its tributary streams have been long used. The spruce and some other varie-' ties of conlfera will give large supplies If found satisfactory. Attention is now- being given to the bull pine and experi ments made of which the results will be watched with Interest- CHECK IMMIGRATION EVILS Examination and Inspection Should Last for Year. Leslie's Weekly. Xo system, however effectively adminis tered, can perfectly sift and separate at the gateway of the country all of the de fectives from the good. Therefore, the ex amination and Inspection should continue beyond the Immigration station. The laws should be amended so as to empower the immigration authorities to compulsorily deport any alien Immigrant to the port fromwhencehe came whenever he became a. public charge, and, In the discretion of the courts, before or after serving sen tence, when he becomes a criminal, .this period' of probation to continue until he becomes a full-fledged citizen of the United States'. Existing: laws now authorize such deportation, but limit the time of its exer cise to one or two years after .arrival. Nearly all European countries exercise this right, and there is nt moral or treaty obligation which will prevent us from do ing the same. The atTssdIty of bestowing citizenfep. Indiscriminately after five years residence is now painfully evident, for it Is oaly ia exceptional Instances that Judges seem ingly appreciate the responsibility of mak ing citizens. Every immigrant, oa land ing, should be furnished with a desalptlve statement corresponding to the registry entries of the inspection clerks, which should be required as necessary docu mentary evidence in the naturalisation proceeding. This statement could be re corded la the office of the clerk of the District Court ia which the immigrant takes up his residence, and the origiaal records at the immigration station coald" be drawn upon for verification shoaia? loss of document or other cause make this necessary?- This process would in volve additional clerical machinery aad cause some trouble, but the end la view, the guarding of. the most vital aad easea tial feature of our citizenship the purifi cation of naturalization and the' baBot box worth the expense and laear in volved. Celery is the saturated variety af ae Ba. Msa; weed. masMtge. It was mtewda4 ' lata: kttaasa gajdeas ia Sagiaad aheac Ja aae af K Maaaa aama :Sri." M