Where many industries vie with each other for supremacy. The greatest all around county in the state Dairying, Farming, Fruit Raising, Etc. FRUIT RAISING. t Washington County, Oregon, U re markable (or th great variety of h.r product, as wll a th. exceptionally nn quality to which they attain. Th. fruit ludutry bur. It .tilt in It. lufancy, but It U rather from neg loot, and tb. ucoe obtained with crop. easier to plant and barvert than from any other cause. A. th. laud boeonie mor. di'uioly populated and faruivr. loaru th. value of imaUer furui. with more carnful attention, duubtlosa fruits of many varieties will be ralaod evtuuslvely. Till Industry ha been given a thor ough test, and the result are moat satisfactory. In small bom. orchards, frulta of all th. variolic which ar. generally successfully raised unde atmllar conditions of ctlmat. bav. ahown remarkable hardiness and fin. quality. jkpplM. do particularly well, aom. having been raUed In Washington County without a thorough undor standing of the Industry and therefor, not obtaining the extreme care and attention which thl fruit duaerv., but with unqualified success, practi cally aa good aa any grown in th. stat.. Grapes ar. very hardy and possess an eitremoly fine flavor. An .xosl lent quality of win. I. obtained from everal vineyard In the county. Berries ar. very .uccefully grown, coming to flourUh with l.a car. 1 than la generally found necessary, and berry farm are now being thorough ly exploited. In fact, we prodlct that It la only a question of a few years when Washington County will be :i famous for ber fruit products m nr. other section of th. Stat, of Oregon today. THI SOIL. Conditions of climate and soil swim to oombln. In order to make of Wash ington County a verltablo garden spot Th. aoll la a mixture of clay and silt, forming a very dark loam, which Is to b. found on most of th. bottom land. Tb. plain lands art slightly lighter In color, and appear U con tain leas clay, while much of tb. hill lands art almost Indian red In shad, Vaii of them lighter In color and mor. porous than th. soli on th. lower flats. The celebrated beaver dam lands of Washington County nr. too well known to require explanation. This Is th. celebrated onion producing soil which has mad. Washington County famous as th. largest producer of onions of all counties In tb. United States. This soli Is very valuable and th. owner of a small farm who will give the same his careful attention, will rapidly acquire wealth. As high. 1000 sacks of onions have been raised to tha acre. Water is to b. found in abundanco, but Irrigation Is rarely necessary. Lit tle rock Is encountered, th. stratifica tion being mostly uniform, the upper layer of soil being from 14 to 20 feet In depth, below which lies a layer of sand aome 10 to 18 foot deep. Similar al ternate stratification continues Inde finitely, the sand formation tnvarlab'y carrying copious flow of water. Of th. 715 square miles In Wash ington County, about 110,000 are Im proved and are valued at approxi mately $13,000,000. A fair average price per acre would be 55, hill lands being valued at from $25 to $50, prairie lands about $85, and beaver dam lands from $250 to $100 per acre when ready for plant ing. There are some 7000 acres of gov ernment land In the county, most of which is Inaccessible and of little value. POPULATION, The population of Washington Coun ty is about 20,000, that of Hillsboro alone bolug estimated at 2000, same having practically doubled within tha last eight years. There is every reason to bolleve that the population of the towns of Hillsboro will double agtiln within the next two or three years, owing to the extensive advertising which will be given that section, and to tin many improvements to the city which are now an assured fact. The new stoam railroad of the Pa cific Railway & Navigation Co., burn ing to Tillamook, with terminal at milsboro, will be an important factor in the development of the town. In fact the future never looked brighter for any aectlon of the state than It does today tor Hillsboro. All conditions favor this locality, and as the trend of settlement and home seeking is all toward the West, it re main! only neoessary that hearty co operation and loyal spirit shall ba shown by her citizens and those Inter ested In her development, in ordor that we seoure our share of tha bene ' fits now, developing, 8om. localities will benefit mor. than others, although both b. of equal merit. Ultra exertion Is necessary for tb. winner of a difficult race, and th. earn, applies to localities as to Individuals. COUNTY VALUE!. Assessor Wilcox bas finished the 1906 tax roll, th. summary of which Is: 100,000 acres tillable land. I 4.822.115 344 978 ac. non tillable land 3210.6(5 Improvements deeded lands 1,185,470 Value town lot 395.545 Improvements same , 4(1,455 Improvement on lands not deeded 29.749 Electric, telephone and tele graph linos, 128.40 miles. 17.063 O. ft C. It R. 34 miles 310,120 O. ft C. rolling stock 29.200 Stationary engines and man ufacturing machinery ... 108.385 Mdse. and stock In trade.. 122.805 Farm Imp., wagons, etc.... 160.820 Money, coles and accounts 234,075 Bank stock, 250 share.... 12.S00 Household furniture 242.210 Horsos, 6524 head 326.3C.6 Cattle, 13,707 head 245.5'6 Shoup and goats, 11,977 hd. 24,206 Dogs, 6 (by request) 85 8wln, 1802 bead 1.220 Gross valuaUon $12,044,205 Exemptions 649,735 ' Total tax roll $11,394,270 rolls, 1853. RACE TRACK. This community boasts of a very fine race track, and there la rumor that attention wilt be accorded this enterprise la th. near future. Here would b. an excellent oppor tunity to center the Interests of sev eral adjoining counties in Hillsboro through th. medium of annual fairs. There Is no method of advertising rur al districts Uke well organised publlo gatherings of this sort. It offers opportunity for every far mer to exhibit his product, and to compete tor prises, which la always a stimulant for the Improvement, of agricultural products, and the more painstaking breeding of livestock. Being proxlmlous to Portland, hun dreds of people, both resident ot th. city and visitors, would b. attracted to Hillsboro by this means, which would result in ineitlmabl. benefit to both tha town and county. VEGETABLE CULTURE. Wahlngton County Is Indeed th. garden spot ot th. Northwest. Not taking Into consideration her beaver dam lands, which are simply marvel ous producers, it seems apparent that any kind ot vegetable will grow any place in the county they may be planted. Enormously large products are ot fre quent occurrence, and they Invariably retain the fine texture and flavor ot the smaller growth. Onions are a most valuable asset to this county, the beaverdam lands producing on an average about 700 sacks to the aore. Potatoes grow here in abundance, and when planted in th. hill lands, are dry and mealy, containing a large per centage ot starch and ot excellent flavor. Oregon potatoes are well known and In great demand th. en tire length ot the Paclflo Coast and the local crop alone Is worth halt a million dollars per year. Very good corn Is raised In some parts of the county, but culture ot this commodity has bad little careful at tention. Tobacco is a prolific grower and ot excellent quality. This should prove a very profitable industry and will likely be engaged in on a large scale by some enterprising agricultural at no distant date. Peanuts have been planted with very successful results, the nuts be ing unusually large. In fact all varieties ot garden pro duce are prollflo growers and of ex tremely fine quality, Portland is a handy and ready mar ket, and will doubtless continue to create an active demand for fresh vegetables of "Washington County" quality, LUMBER MILL. V1 The new lumber mill which Is now nearlng oompletlon, is a most valua ble adjunct to the manufacturing in terests of Hillsboro. It was erected at a cost of about $20,000, and will have a capacity ot 60,000 feet per day. As a most excellent assortment of . hard woods suitable tor furniture are to be found In Washington County, a factory tor the manufacture ot sam. will undoubtedly be erected In the near future, i V? :r-"--. TRANSPORTATION. Hillsboro is on th. main line of th. Southern Paclflo Railroad from Port land to Corvalll, and a several trains per day are maintained, excep tional transportation facilities Is the result The Pacific Railway ft Navigation THE OREGON NURSERY COMPANY It Is a very significant fact that the Oregon Nursery Company are combin ing their three large plants and locat ing near Hillsboro. As one ot thee plants was formerly In California and the other in Washington, it appears that this company considers Oregon th. state best suited tor the cultiva ill ' - w " C X? " P il,'LM ! i Ml "If,! STREET SCENE, HILLSBORO. Co. chose Hillsboro for their eastern terminal after a careful review of the situation, which meana that the rail road officials consider -this to be the coming city ot this portion ot the state. This line, which will be ex tended to Tillamook, Is already com pleted for a distance of 20 miles. It a- COUNTY COURT HOUSE, HILLSBORO. tion of all varieties ot plants, shrubs, fruit or ornamental trees, in fact ot all varieties ot nursery stock, and that it further considers that conditions near Hillsboro are the most satisfac tory in this state. One thousand acres have been pun chased by this company, which is the largest institution ot its kind in the OPERA HOU8E STAGE, HILLSBORO. will tap the greatest timber belt In the Northwest and all its traffic must pass through Hillsboro. As the ter minal, shops will be erected later, and as its business develops, as . always true in the history of railroads, the business of our town will develop simultaneously. 3 -irv ' Northwest. A shipment consisting of several tons ot the celebrated Franquette wal nut has just been received. This Is one ot the many specialties ot this progressive company, who consider this section particularly adapted to the successful propagation of nuts and fruits. WASHINGTON COUNTY, THE COUNTY BOUNTIFUL OF OREGON. By virtu, ot location alone, Wash ington County is most favored. Be ing just a short run from Portland, th. business center of the state, fur nishes opportunity for the fanner to go there, dispose ot his products and return home the same day. This U, ot course, always a most valuable phase of the situation, for many peo ple of means desire to live within comparatively easy access to a me tropolis, and when the projected elec tric road is complete, Hillsboro will be an ideal spot for the country homes of Portland business men who can go to and from the city with promptness and comfort. The extremely diversified character of soil found in this county makes it possible to produce almost any va riety of cereal, fruit or vegetable of One quality, in abundance.1 Here the thrifty fanner or business man may surround his home with nu merous beautiful varieties ot trees and flowers and supply bis table with all agricultural products of the sea son from hi. own garden. The county is bounded by Colum bla and Yamhill Counties respectively on the north and south, and by Mult nomah and Clatsop on the east and west There is plenty ot water at all times, for In addition to the numerous streams and tributaries of the Tuala tin River, a copious supply may be obtained in almost any part of the county at an extremely shallow depth. Educational facilities are good, the county being well provided with ex cellent public schools and great care is taken In the selection of competent Instructors. Dairying, lumbering and the rais ing ot hops, hay and potatoes are the principal Industries ot the county, each being carried on with eminent suc cess. Taking Hillsboro as a center, and looking north, we see for some 15 miles, fields of hops, grain and mea dow. Excellent orchards abound and continue in profusion throughout this section, which Is also famous for its dairying. For the same distance east we find again beautiful fields of hops, grain and meadow, orchards in prime con dition and prosperous dairy farms. Twenty miles southeast from Hills boro the country is justly famed for the production of all the above named commodities, except probably there Is less fruit grown. There is in this sec tion, however, valuable onion lands, the productiveness ot which la almost beyond belief. Due south is tor about 10 miles mostly a dairy country, while the same applies westward, and in addition are grain lands, hop and onion farms. Potatoes grow abundantly in many localities and are a most profitable crop. The county produces about 400, 000 pounds annually. The area of Washington County Is 715 square miles. The present pop ulation ot 26,000 is an increase ot al most 100 per cent during the last six years. The timber standing today is valued in excess of $2,000,000, farms about $24,000,000 and livestock abojt $2,000,000. There are about 2400 farms in the county, showing approximately 93,000 acres of Improved land. Nearly 4,000,000 gallons ot milk is produced annually, which is sold prin cipally to the condensers to be manu factured into condensed milk. Large quantities of excellent butter and cheese are also manufactured. ' Some other products ot the county which axe enumerated below, show the value ot Washington County lands and the extreme versatility of her soil. Sheep and goats are kept principally as forage animals, but the average output ot wool is 80,000 pounds. Wheat, which grows luxuriantly, with a bright' plump kernel, yields about 650,000 bushels per annum, oats 800,000 bushels, barley 20,000 bushels, and corn about 2500 bushels. Hop raising has been found ex tremely profitable and la securing more attention every year. It is es timated that over 2,250,000 pounds are , produced annually. Approximately 600,000 bushels ot onions are raised, and as this crop Is ot extremely fine quality it receives the highest current market prices, being an extremely profitable indus try. Over halt a million pounds ot cab bages are produced annually, Portland supplying a ready market for same. Similar satisfactory conditions apply to all varieties ot garden truck. A conservative estimate ot the hay crop would be 100,000 tons. Wheat, oats and barley hay are all produced in large quantities and of unusually good quality. Alfalfa, which is as yet more or less ot an experiment. Is grown successfully, and doubtless Its cultivation will soon receive consid erable attention. A million pounds ot grapes are pro duced, the greater portion ot which are made into wine, and the straw berry crop already averages a half million pounds a year. Three-quarters ot a million eggs ate now laid at oar door annually, and merely as a side Issue, our county produces over half a million pounds of bacon. The county abounds in excellont timber; there are bow mills In oper ation and the territory tapped by the railroad now building will Increase this industry several hundred per cent HILLSBORO. The town of Hillsboro, which is the county seat ot Washington County, Is situated on the main line of th. Southern Pacific Railway, 21 miles from the City of oPrtland. It la the largest town in the county and owing to its advantageous situation and the improvements now under way, it will soon be permanently established as one of the Important cities' ot the state. Advantageously located as it 1. In the center of an unusually rich agri cultural district, and being favored with unlimited resource for industrial and manufacturing enterprises, there is no possibility ot doubt about the great future in store for this com munity. All that is required la unity of Interest and the assistance and co-operation ot her citizens, and res idents of her tributary territory. The town la tree from hills or heavy grades; the streets are wide and well planked, and there are a large number of excellent stores and pretty dwelling houses. However more buildings are need ed. Tor Rent" signs are not In evi dence in Hillsboro, and with the In crease ot population which la sure to come, doubtless building activity will be quadrupled within the next 12 months. Here are all the evidences of pros perity, and every resident is contented and busy. The town boasts of two solid banks, the deposits In which at test to the financial condition of the community. The excellent opera house lately constructed and In which "full houses" are the rule, is a great boon to the people of Hillsboro and vicinity. In fact the only reason that th. growth ot this town has not been mors rapid in the past, is that everybody has been prospering without extra ex ertion, and has been content to allow the community to develop almost en tirely of its own volition. Certain towns in the West will be rapidly forging to the front in the near future, while others will be dropped from the race. Those which take precedence will be the ones willing to put forward earnest en deavor and public spirited unity of effort ; LOCAL PROMOTION. Mr. R. L. Cate, the real estate man ot Portland, has finally been Induced by his many friends in our town and county, to interest himself actively in the development of our resources, and in the general promotion and fur therance of our local interests. He will co-operate with the resi dents ot Hillsboro and vicinity, tak ing personal supervision of such de tails as may be required. The new hotel is at present occu pying Mr. Cate's attention. CRESCENT THEATRE. A fine opera house Is one of Hills boro's latest acquisitions. The build ing will accommodate approximately 800 people, and was erected at a to tal expenditure ot $8000. The building and its equipment ar. first-class, the seats being unusually comfortable and the new regulations as to exits, etc., being carefully pro vided for. Excellent plays are prodcd here at frequent intervals, thsmanagement exercising all possible care la tha selection of attractions.