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.