THE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY. OCTOBER 21, 1907.
PHASES OF INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
F
IRON
MlfJES
Rich Ore Thought to Exist
Near Portland.
EXPERTS CALL-IT GOOD
Deve lopment Promised of St. Helens
Property That May Make This
State the Leading Producer
of the Pacific Coast.
ST. HELENS. Or., Oct. 20. (Special.)
A discovery that may prove of great
benefit to the Iron industry of the world
and make Portland one of the greatest
manufacturing cities of this continent,
has recently been made In Columbia
County, about 30 miles from Portland, by
the Prescott Brothers, experienced iron
men. whose home until recently was in
the neighborhood of the famous Mecaba
range of Wisconsin. They are all col
lege bred men, one being a graduate of
the Houghton School of Mines, Michigan,
and another from DePauw University,
Indiana. They have all had years of ex
perience In the Iron business, in both
shaft and mine, and are fully qualified to
pass upon any proposition involving the
question of quantity and quality of Iron
ore.
They have been investigating Columbia
County's Iron resources for about eight
mouths, and are fully satisfied that It
excels In quantity and quality the famous
Mecaba range, whose richness and pro
ductivity put the Iron Mountain region
out of business.
The iron area extends between the
Beaver and Clatskanle and the head
waters of Scappoose Creek and the
Nehalem River, part of it being in Wash
ington County, and throughout this scope
of country there are many places where
It shows In considerable quantities, rang
ing in depth from ten to 200 feet, and
possibly much deeper.
Oswego ore ran 18 to 24 per cent, ' and
required 22 per cent of fluxing material.
It is claimed that the firm who ran the
Oswego Iron Works the last year of Us
active career, upon a lease and paying a
royalty upon the iron, made a profit of
175,000. and It Is understood the Only
reason that property is not now running
ts because it is under the contral of the
Heel trust. The Iron ore of Columbia
County runs, according to the assays
made by "Wells & Proebstel, of Portland,
s high as 77 per cent In oxides, which
means about 64 per cent metallic Iron.
This is higher than any iron ore known,
even that of the Chopin mine in the
Menominee range, Michigan.
The Menominee range is what is known
s a deep mine and hard ore proposition,
while the iron discovery In Columbia
County is soft ore and can be worke
with steam shovels, blasting powder being
used to shatter it.
The ore carries no sulphur, no arsenic,
no titanic acid, and less than two-tenths
f 1 per cent of phosphorus, according to
An assay made by Moore, of the Irondale
furnace. It contains a small per cent of
lime and will require only 7 per cent of
flux, as against 22 per cenf at Oswego,
an advantage which, places It in a class
above any iron heretofore discovered on
the Pacific C,oast. It Is possible that the
marl which exists in large quantities in
this county, may furnish the fluxing ma
terial. All of this ground is to be proved by
drilling, but there Is one property, about
four miles west of St. Helens; which has
been thoroughly explored, and It is
claimed that this body contains 60,000,000
tons of ore of the very highest grade.
This is the property it is proposed to open
up as soon as possible, and there seems
to be no doubt of the ability to secure
means. A logging railroad makes a cut
20 feet deep through this iron, and it can
be put on the water's edge at a very
trifling cost. It is the Intention of the
promoters to build a 100-ton plant in
the vicinity of St. Helens, and it Is
claimed such a plant will pay 30 per cent
upon a capitalization of $2,500,000.
If the project is successful. It means
that Columhla County will be the greatest
Iron producing region in the' United
States. The ore Is what is known as
"Bessemer" and will make the highest
grade of steel. There Is a possibility that
before many years Oregon may control
the iron trade of the West and that the
clangor of rolling mills may supersede
the softer sound of the gang paws as iron
takes the place of lumber along Port
land's waterfront.
MONEY IX CRANBERRY MARSH
Coos Bay Farmers Add' New Crop
That Brings Profit.
MAESHFIELD, Or., Oct. 20. (Spe
cial.) The growing -of cranberries is
proving to be one of the most profit
able farm crops for Coos County. Sev
eral ranch-owners for. a number of
years past have raised the crop with
profit, but it was not generally taken
tip until the past year. Now quite a
number have planted cranberry
marshes.
Land which is known as peat or veg
etable bog is required for the raising
of the crop, and nearby there must be
an unlimited supply of fresh water,
which can be placed under control.
There are, however, many such tracts
of land In the county, and cranberry
growing promises to be one of the most
important of the farming industries of
the community.
W. D. McFarlan, who is 'the pioneer
cranberry man of the- Pacific Coast,
has followed the business in Coos
County for many years. He has a six
acre marsh which has never failed to
yield a large crop. He has never made
less than $200 an acre clear profit,
some seasons the net amount has been
greater. Excepting at harvest time,
when help is needed in picking, one
man can attend to a marsh of IS or
20 acres and have time for other farm
work, as the crop is flooded during
the Winter and needs no attention. The
yield- on the Coos County cranberry
marshes this year is particularly good.
GOOD SHOWING AT ' NEWPORT
Popular Summer Resort Carries Out
Many Improvements.
NEWPORT, Or., Oct. 20. (Special.)
Newport Is making a very creditable
showing. - One year ago the City Council
and Newport Improvement Company
commenced to wot is for a railroad, saw
mills and other Industries for the town.
It was soon found that the C. & E. R. R.
held all of the available waterfront and
did not care to assist any sawmills, hav
ing timber Interests of its own, or favor
any movement that would attract notice
to the country until it should have ac
quired title to more timber land. The
extension of the Une from Yaquina City
to Newport was promised and a franchise
was granted on condition that the road
was to be built to Newport by September
1 of this year. A survey was made but
nothing more was done. At the first meet
ing of the Newport City Council after
September 1 steps were taken to annul
the franchise, and as soon as the neces
sary action has been taken to set it aside,
an effort will be made to get some other
road tt build to Newport. . .
The city has a Summer resort business
which is worth from $50,000 to $75,000 a
year to a railroad. It is hoped that with
these advantages and such franchises
and perhaps a small bonus in land and
money the city will be able to induce some
railroad to build a line to this place. A
route for such a line could be located
through an extensive timber area which
would furnish freight both ways.
Newport is growing steadily. More
than 30 houses have been built since the
first of the year. An extensive cement
bulkhead has been built on the water
front property owned by the city. An
addition to the city school building giving
four large school rooms, a recttation room
and a library was also recently com
pleted. Streets have been graded and
sidewalks built and the sanitary condition
of the city greatly improved 4n the past
year. The Summer visitors leave from
$250,000 to $300,000 each year and the busi
ness increases at the rate of 20 per cent
each year.
T BE UP
VALLEY ORCHARDISTS SHOULD
BOOST COMING FAIR.
M. O. Lownsdale Urges Apple
, growers to Make Good Show
ing of Their Products. , i
LA FAYETTE, Or., Oct. 20. (An Open
Letter to the Applegrowers of the Wil
lamette Valley.) It Is up to you, gentle
men, to enhance or to mar the reputa
tion of your valley as an apple producing
section. During the past year a vigorous
campaign has been waged against cer
tain Intolerant individuals who would
have liked to ignore us and had at
tempted to elbow us off the earth. But
we have not been elbowed: and perhaps
we shall not be Ignored. The apple war
has resulted in the closing of several
ignoring stands and forced recognition of
the possibilities of your valley. Tills
fight has been waged almost single
handed. Not a little help was given by
a few energetic growers at the hastily
arranged display made at Portland last
November. But beyond this nothing.
It is up to you now, gentlemen, to help
in the fight; up to you to maintain the
prestige regained by last year's display
and its sequences, by making, a telling
display at the Willamette Valley Apple
Fair, to be held In Portland November
14, 15 and 16.
Many sof our nearby critics are from
Missouri. Bat them in the eye with such
a display as will prove beyond all cavil
that there are thousands of acres of
apple lands In our valley, and that It is
fustian to say that a certain little rook
ery . In the hills is the hatching place
for the angels of God who are supposed
to farm its apple fields.
The time' has passed when we could
sit at ease and chuckle, one to the
other,' "our apples are the best In the
world." We must show what we are
doing; must show our intolerant neigh
bors that we are still on the map and
that we will fight for our own; must
show them that our fruit is Just as
good as in the days when our i Valley
apples sold for $20, $40 and $60 per box;
when Captain Crawford, of Yamhill
County, sold the product of one tree for
$160; when Mr. Llewelling, of our valley,
sold a box containing 75 apples for $75.
Let us show our critics the same fruit
grown today.
The display at the fair this year will
consist of plate exhibits, as well as com
mercially packed boxes. This will give
a pleasing variety to the fair and will
permit small growers to make special
exhibits. Atl fruit should be in Portland
by Saturday, November 9, to give plenty
of time for repacking and arranging for
exhibition. I will have my packers In
Portland to assist In this work. All
apples should be doubled wrapped In
paper and packed in excelsior, or they
will oertainly be marred in transit. All
entries must "be made In due form by
the evening of November IS, as fruit
will be Judged before being shown to the
public.
The grand prise in the competitions will
be a Studebaker wagon, donated- by the
Studebaker Manufacturing Company, for
the bst general exhibit. Cups have been
offered for Spltsenbergs, Yellow New
towns, Baldwins, Ben Davis, Oano, Ar
kansas Black, Northern Spy and Jona
than. Diplomas will be given for all
other varieties shown. Better Fruit
Publishing Company offers V cup for th
best commercially packed box.
I wish to announce that I will make a
large exhibit at the fair, but as I am
very closely Identified with the manage
ment of the fair, and with the selection
of judges. I do not care to enter my
apples for competition. But they will be
on exhibition to speak for themselves.
. ' M. O. LOWNSDALE.
IX NEED OF MORE RAILROADS
Chehalis Valley's Development Is
Retarded by'Lack of Facilities.
ELMA, Wash., Oot 20 (Special.) Con
ditions in the Chehalis Valley were never
more prosperous than they are today, de
spite the fact that the car shortage has
limited the output of the lumbering camps
and mills. Wages in the lumbering in
dustry were never higher in years and
very few idle menxare to be ound. The
threatened shutdown of the mills has been
staved off from time to time, and consid
erable lumber is being piled up in the
yards.
The great needs of Grays Harbor coun
try Is two more railroads and the numer
ous surveys that have been made is al
most a guarantee that they will be built.
The Grays Harbor branch is said to be
the best piece of producing line owned by
the Northern Pacific Railway Company;
that company has for many years ab
sorbed and .controlled all the traffic of
this great section .of the state; Its service
has not been as good as it might be,
and for that reason when the Sr. Paul
and Union Pacific build to Grays Harbor
and around the Peninsula, which they
will within the next few years, they will
be favored with much business originat
ing here.
Much Fall Grain in Linn.
ALBANY, Or., Oct. 20. (Special.)
With Ideal seeding conditions for the
past few weeks. Linn County farmers
have been planting hundreds of acres
in Fall grain. From present Indica
tions the acreage of Fall grain this
year will far exceed that planted last
Fall. This Is due to the fact that last
year continued rains made the seeding
season unfavorable, -while this year a
good rain came early to moisten the
ground and since then it has been good
weather for work. Rain is beginning
to be needed now, however.
KISr.K FOB SOUVENIR PHOTOS.
Northwest Scenery Imperial Hotel.
X
At '
PRODUCTS OF LINCOLN COUNTY
Two potatoes and three spples that completely filled a box 13 Inches long by 6H
Lincoln County. The gift shows that this county is capable of producing fruits
state. The apples are colored a rich rd. of exceptional flavor, and well formed,
size and are entirely free from blemishes.
CENSURES THE 1LBHS
TOLEDO FRdTRAISER MAKES
COMPtiAlNT.
Colonel Frank J. Parker Says Railroads-
Have Retarded Develop
ment of Lincoln County.
BY FRANK J. PARKER.
Ihave read Mr. J. P. Stewart's com
munication from Toledo, and The Ore
gonian' s answer.
Mr. Stewart Is one of the few . wide
awake citizens of Lincoln County, and If
the county had more men like him it
would not be handicapped as it is. He
has a profit-making creamery at Toledo
and Is always to the fore in everything
to keep things moving. He is the only
man I know of who buys apples for ship
plng and has offered for the pick of my
orchard on Big Elk river no less than
35 cents per box. If he pays 15 cents for
the box; as we have to (when we can get
them), It will cost him 60 cents per box
with the cost for picking, packing and
transportation added. He should get $1.50
per box, for he only takes the best, which
leaves a good margin of profit.
Mr. Stewart knows the conditions down
there as well, or better, than any one,
but of course he has to stand up for the
people, and as he as well as myself is
an --old newspaper man, I do not blame
him. For while it is a. cult for news
papers to abuse and give people what Is
coming to them, we will not allow any
one else to do so. That we are an easy
going community, and do no more work
than we are obliged to is true and ell
known. Now we know the complaint let
us provide the remedy. About 20 years
ago the Oregon Pacific Railroad, now the
Corvallis & Eastern, owned a steamer
that made regular trips to San Francisco
and the rate on potatoes and apples was
$2.50 per ton. They also had steamers
running from Corvallis to Portland, with
also living rates. What are the rates
now?
A few months ago a steamer from San
Francisco called in at Newport or Ya
quina and, as I am informed, was 'charged
$140 per day for tying up at the wharf.
Since the Oregon Pacific got into difficul
ties and the road went into the hands of
a receiver, about four years ago, and was
sold for $100,000, including all the land,
wharves, steamers and everything else
belonging to the old company, the situa
tion is about as it was 1n Oregon In early
days, when the whole community went
broke by betting on "Milliard's thousand
dollar mare." .
They ain't bought nothing-; ain't sold noth
ing And in the whole country therealn't a
darned oent left.
It is hardly to be expected that when
men can make nothing they are going to
work for the pleasure of paying freight
to a railroad that does nothing for them.
I have taken old settlers of Lincoln
County to the Southern Pacific officials
on many occasions, and while tbey admit
the adverse conditions they say they can
do nothing, as the C. & E. road is under
other management. If that is the case,
the sooner they take the road over and
operate it themselves under entirely new
management the better for them and the
country. As it is it seems to be the ob
ject to keep up rates and give nothing in
return.
It is 150 miles from Portland to Elk
City and the rate quoted me on apples is
45 cents per 100 pounds. Can you tell us
If this is a fair pro rata rate. Bay from
Hood river, Ashland, Rogue river, etc.?
A friend of mine when I was a boy on
the point of starting to this land of the
free, said "Frank, if you have a friend,
he will do something for you; If you
make it worth his while, he will do a
fiVeat deal more." Now the people of
Lincoln County are not particularly down
on the railroad. In fact they are friendly;
therefore my advice Is to make It worth
their while and something will be doing.
I -read In a Lincoln County paper very
recently some advice, to farmers to raise
more-hay, as it is now quoted at $16 per
ton. This, too, in a country where we
boast it is green all the year round. Also
there have been items ill the papers that
residents cannot obtain dressed lumber
from the mills for building, and advising
them to supply the home demand before
shipping it away. There Is great truth in
this, for last Winter my house burned
down, so I ordered a bill of lumber, gave
the mill manager my plan and he wrote
me a letter offering to supply it at the
head of tide above Elk City for $115 in
ten or twelve days.
I sent the bill for lumber and engaged
a carpenter here In Portland 4o come
down and build the house. The man on
my ranch also agreed to haul It to the
place, as he and his family were to live
In It. I also engaged the fittings, roof
ing material, etc - That was last June.
PRIZE APPLES
::-Sg. s,::: jr?,v f'v1
Do you imagine I got It? Ask my renter,
and hear his opinion of the mill men of
Toledo.
Another thing I would sk Mr. Stewart
to look up and remedy, if it is in his
power. We formerly paid about 8 cents
for apple boxes. Now they are 18 cents,
and at last accounts none could be ob
tained anywhere. Albany and Corvallis
could not supply them. I could go on
ad libitum ad infinitum, but enough said.
There are faults all round which must
be remedied.
With the vast Immigration coming to
Oregon there is bound to be an overflow
to the Coast counties. Let Lincoln Coun
ty take' the initiative and be up and do
ing, raise less disturbance and more
produce. I know The Oregonian and the
rest of those who want to see a progres
sive community will pat us on the back
and give us every encouragement in the
good work. "
To conclude, I only hope the railroads
will do their small share. When on Big
Eilk river last week an old settler told
me he had sent a lot of early apples to
a Portland commission man. They were
SO- long getting there that they rotted.
Instead of receiving his little $2 per box
he had a bill for the freight which, know
ing the man, I do not think he will pay.
Money In Colfax Apples.
COLFAX, Wash., Oct 20. (Special.)
C. F. Hornby, a rancher, living two miles
west of Colfax, picked 117 boxes of King
apples this week from 14 trees, netting
$8.50 per tree. Mr. Hornby sold the ap
ples to an Eastern firm for $1 per box,
f. o. b. Colfax. At the same ratio, the
yield would be "$400 per acre. George
Ruedy, owner of the Colfax nursery sold
his entire crop to a Great Falls, Mont.,
dealer for $1.25 per box, f. o. b. Colfax;
the second car will leave Colfax next
week containing 700 boxes. The Burrell
Investment Company of Portland has a
large packing plant at . Diamond and ex
pects to ship 80 cars this year.
One car of the Newtown apples will be
shipped direct to London.,
School Attendance Grows.
VALE, Or., Oct. - 20. (Special.) The
school report for Vale shows a decided In
crease this year over last. Professor
Mayburry, who has cTfarge. reports there
is about 30 pupils more this year than
last. There has been one teacher added
and two rooms have been completed that
were never finished in the stone school
houBe before this year.
tK-
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im
MODERN OFFICE BUILDING FOR BIG COOS BAY MILL.
MAKSHFIELD. Or.. Oct. 20. (Special). The office building for the milling
plant of the C. A. Eraith Lumber Manufacturing Company, which firm is
installing a large plant at Marsh field, win be as finely equipped as any on the
Pacific Coast. The office building, which U only one of the many structures
which will go to make up the plant, is about completed. The firm believes
in making the employes as comfortable as possible, and with this idea in view
the office building will in itself be the business seat of the big plant, rooming
and boacding-house, place of amusement, hotel for entertainment of guests
and a home which wilt afford every comfort and pleasure for the office force,
both when working and when at leisure.
Besides the general offices and those for the heads of departments, there
will be sleeping rooms and parlors for those of the office force who care to
live in the building. First-class meals will be served at reasonable charges.
There will also be smoking and rest rooms, bowling alley, baths, billiard and
pool rooms and other arrangements affording recreation and' amusement. Every
modern convenience will be provided in the building and the furnishings and
fittings will be first-class. '
Several sleeping - rooms and parlors will be reserved for the use of business
visitors, whom the firm want to entertain while In the city, and these will be
'handsomely furnished and ruesta will enjoy the same luxury as though they
were in m first-class city hotel. .
The office building and a large boarding-house for the laborers were con
structed, first on acoount of the need of places for the employes who are brought
here' to live. Construction work is now being carried en on the mill proper
and other buildings.
Ihe plant when completed will be one of the largest sawmills on the Coasf,
and' will employ 1000 to 1SO0 men. The work of building will continue for an
other year, but the mill wlU be In operation early in 1808.
AND POTATOES
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FARMS THAT SHOW THEIR FERTILITY.
inches wide were' received by The Oregonian yesterday from an unknown donor tn
and vegetables fully equal to those grown in more widely advertised sections of the
the largest being over 12 Inches in circumference. The potatoes are of unusual
WILL OPEN UP M HIE
QUICKSILVER CLAIMS READY
TO DEVELOP.
Years of Experiment on Processes
for Treatment of Ore Are
Finally Successful.
. COTTAGE GROVE, Or., Oct. 20.
(Special.) There is not an industry In
the State of Oregon where so much Is
being done and so little said about It
as the Black Butte quicksilver mines,
18 miles south of Cottage Grove, In
the Coast Fork range. W. B. Dennis,
the manager, acquired this property
eight years ago and since that time
not a day has been lost or money
spared in the development of this prop
erty. The company has now over three
miles of tunnels and underground
works. A village has been built that
would be a credit to an addition to
Portland. The cottages are all nicely
designed, the yards are set with beau
tiful lawns and flowers and the.drlve
ways are well built and covered with
crushed ores. Even the barns and
fences are neatly painted and every
thing kept in a state of neatness.
It has been reported a number of
times that thiB company has begun op
erations, but this is a mistake. What
has been done in the past has only
been experimental, as the old process
of treating cinnibar ores Mr. Dennis
found to be top expensive and he went
In with might and main determined to
solve the problem of treating the ores
for less money. After seven years' toil
with all manner of tests he finally suc
ceeded In solving the' problem. The
small plant erected last year, was so
satisfactory that he has patented the
process.
The company has a large force of
skilled laborers at work erecting an
immense plant, consisting of huge ore
bins, large concrete) structures, for
the segregation of the ores, and the
most modern type of an electric plant
that will have about 800 horse-power.
This plant will furnish power for every
department of this Immense plant with
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speed motors to destroy the Iron In the
ores. In addition, a large furnace was
Just completed that was built of fire
proof brick, shipped from California.
The plant will be ready to begin opera
tions next month.
BRINGS MORE TIIAX $350,000
Vancouver Prune Market Is Strong.
Other Industrial Activity.
VANCOUVER. Wash., Oct. 20. (Spe
cial.) The greater part of Clark County's
Immense prune crop is now In the pack
ing houses. The packers are working
night and day and are hardly able to
keep the floors clear for the incoming
prunes. Not a prune has been sold in
this county for less than BVs cents and
a great many have sold for 8 cents and
upwards. It is now estimated that the
entire crop will" sell for more than $3J0,0i0.
Vancouver's prosperity received a de
cided check last week when PIttock and
Leadbetter's large plants were shut down.
Two hundred men- were suddenly thrown
out of employment. Fortunately, how
ever, the shutdown is only temporary.
They will be started again as soon as the
stock of lumbernow on hand can be
worked down.
Everything is ready for the resumption
of work on the Vancouver Street Rail-way.'-The
engineers are expected to be. on
hand tomorrow morning and the work
will be rushed to completion. Senator
Rands, the president of the new railway
company, states that although there has
been more delay than was expected,
everything is now in readiness". The
engineers will be at work tomorrow
morning. The orders for material are
being filled and no delay Is expected from
that cause.
IDAHO GRAIN IS HARVESTED
Clearwater Country Cleans Up
Largest Crop in Its History.
LEWISTON. Idaho. Oct.' 20. (Special.
With the completion of the harvest in
the Ilo section of Nez Perce Prairie this
week the most backward section of the
Clearwater country is enabled to clean
up on its grain crop and the big yield
of 1907 is safely stored from the weather
and saved to the farmers.
The estimated grain yield for the
Clearwater seotlon is fixed at 6,000,000
bushels,, an Increase of 25 per cent over
former years, and the price is another
25 per cent Increase, leaving the farmers
of this section in highly prosperous con
dition asthe result of their labors for
the year.
The bulk of this crop is In wheat and In
barley, the former being choice milling
and the latter a prime variety of brew
ing barley; the prices for both are be
yond the current market of the Interior
section. This grain is all being mar
keted at warehouses on the Clearwater
Short Line and on the new extension
being built Into the Nes Perce and Camas
Prairies from Culdesac , to Grangevllle.
The market on the river points is today
from 10 to 12 cents higher than on the
line of the new road, owing to the fact
that on the river the crop can be moved
to market at once, though by a longer
haul, while it is uncertain when the new.
road will be completed to make its de
livery from interior1 points.
MORE WATER FOR ABERDEEN
City Will Vote on Bond Issue for
New System.
ABERDEEN, Wash., Oct. 20. (Special.)
In a district like Grays Harbor, where
the total rainfall Is as .great as any por
tion of the world, it would seem that the
question of an adequate water supply
would be an easy one to solve. In the
past it has been easy. Until this year
few, if any, persons stopped long enough
to consides that perhaps Aberdeen might
some day be placed in the Irrigated sec
tion. The oldest Inhabitant would have
laughed the suggestion to scorn. Never
theless the past Summer in Aberdeen has
been a very dry one. Mills have had to
close for days at a time and the condi
tions still, though Winter Is near, have
not improved. , .
The Mayor and Council ask the taxpay
ers to vote bonds to the amount of $-'00,000
for the purpose of getting an adequate
water supply. There is no doubt that
the bonds will be voted.
In the meantime the source of the
water will be considered. - Engineers
have examined the route and made sur
veys of the ground between here and the
Wynooche River, a distance of 30 miles
and it has been found that $100,000 will
provide the city with the necessary water.
The amount of the bond issue is large but
it will provide an extra $35,000 in case the
money is needed and $65,000 to retire pres
ent water bonds.
For . Rent Wholesale storage ware
house. Inquire Graves' Music Store.
CITIES MAY MERGE
Coos Bay Centers Already
Have Common Interests.
UNITE IN DREDGING BAY
Marthfield, North Bend and Emptr
Plan to Consolidate at Later
Date, Making One Munici
pality on Peninsula. ' '
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MARSHFIELD, Or., Oot. 20. (Special.)
The plan of consolidating the cities on
Coos Bay has been contemplated for a
year or more, but while no definite ac
tion toward making one municipality
has been taken, the bay cities are Joining
their Interests In several ways, which it
Is believed will eventually lead up te the
forming of one large city by Joining the
small ones together. An ordinance now
pending before the City Council, if
passed, will bring the city limits of
Marshfield to the recently extended limits
of North Bend, so that the two cities Will
literally connect. While Empire is soma
diHtance below North Bend and nearer
the entrance of the harbor, it will also ba
Included In the consolidation which is be
lieved to be the ultimate destiny of tin
bay cities.
At the present time Marshfield, North
Bend and Empire are preparing to Join
their Interests in a plan to dredge tha
bay. A company is being formed for the
purpose of buying and owning a suction
dredge, and this will be used in widen
ing the channel of the bay to 2000 feet and
making It deeper so that the largest ves
sels can at all times come Into the port.
It is believed that the cities together can
Jointly do more in this line thanlf sep
arate projects are carried out.
The C. A. Smith Lumber & Manufac
turing Co., at Marshfield, is doing some
dredging work individually in prepara
tion for a large lumber vessel, the "Nan
Smith," which has Just been completed
at Newport News- It will be a steel
steam schooner and will carry 2,225,000
feet of lumber 'and will be the largest
lumber schooner on either the Atlantic or
Pacific Coast and will be operated ex
clusively out of Coos Bay. The schooner
has just been launched and will be
brought around tho Horn by Captain
Nelson, formerly master of the M. F.
Plant, plying between this port and San
Francisco, and will reach Coos Bay about
February 1.
Marshfield and North Bend are to be
connected in a very material way by a
broad driveway, extending along tho
waterfront between the two cities. Marsh
field has built the new roadway to the
city limits and Major L. J. Simpson, of
North Bend, who has been foremost in
the development of that city, has an
nounced that he will build the rest of
the road to North Bend at his own ex
pense. Heretofore the only mode of trans
portation between the two cities has been
by gasoline launch or over a roadway
which is practically Impassable In Win
ter. The new driveway will make the dis
tance between the two cities much shorter
and a line of automobiles for the use of
the general public will be operated over
It.
It is also expected that the electric line
which is to be built by Hewitt and Bell,
of Portland, will be started soon, i'he
franchise is now In the hands of the City
Council of Marshfield, and when it is
passed the work will begin, all other
rights of way having been obtained.
Plans have also been completed for tha
connection of Marshfield with East
Marshfield, on the opposite side of the
bay. The suburb has grown rapidly and.
the city limits are to be extended so as to
Include the district. The County Court
has decided to give county aid for the es
tablishment of a free ferry across the
bay, on the condltidns that Marshfield
build proper landing places. This ar
rangement will make East Marshfield
much more convenient as a place of res
idence. CORVALLIS IS GROWING FAST
Much Buildlnc Is in Progress and
Schools Are Crowded.
CORVALLIS, Or., Oct. 20. (Special.)
This town is enjoying a period of very
great growth. Though 40 or 60 per cent
has been added to the number of houses
In the past three years none are vacant
and houses are hard to get. For the
quarter ending June 30. the PoBtoffice
revenues showed an Increase of more
than 20 per cent over the preceding year,
and for the quarter ending September 20,
the Increase was S0.4. January 1, appli
cation Is to be made to the department
at Washington for Installation of free
mail delivery in the cily.
An equally Important sign of growth, is
in the public school enrollment. The
number of pupils today is 22.5 per cent
greater than a year ago. In one of the
school buildings, school has been dis
missed In order to give carpenters and
painters time to finish up two additional
rooms to accommodate the overflow, and
the prospect is that two other unfinished
rooms in the same building will have to
be completed and occupied within the
next few weeks, increasing the number
of teachers from 13 to 17. The installa
tion of a gravity - water system with
water taken from Rock River near the
snow line of Mary's Peak Is In progress.
GREAT NORTHERN AIDS WORK
Graugeville Extension to Reubens to
Be Completed November 1.
LEWISTON, Idaho, Oct. 20.-(Speclal.)-Word
received from the prairie section
Is to the effect that the force on the
extension to Grangeville has been aug
mented by the arrival of a bridge gang
with a complete equipment of derrick
and air car. from the Great Northern
railway. The crew is in charge of Super
intendent McKlnzle and it is expected
with this help that the top of the hill at
Reubens will be reached in two weeks.
The completion of the line to Reubens
by November 1 will allow the completion
to Volimer by January 1, at which time
It is expected that portion of the prairie
line will be put in operation.
There is some signlncance too in the
fact that the construction forces of the
Great Northern are rushed into Idaho to
heln complete this lino of branch road.
Activity on the part of the O. R. & N.
In the operation of its part of the joint
road is said to be the cause.
New Opera House Is Completed.
VALE, Or., Oct. 20. (Special.) The new
opera-house is about completed and will
be opened with a big dance. The size
of the building ts SO by 60 and will be
used for both an opera-house and dance
hall. It is of native stone, with store
rooms below.
After serious' Illness Hood's Sarsa
parilla imparts the strength and vigor
80 much needed.
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