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About The Madras pioneer. (Madras, Crook County, Or.) 1904-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 1912)
THE MADRAS PIONEER Published every Thursday by PIONEER PUBLISHING CO. Subscription Rates One year. $1,60 Six months 80 Three months 50 Entered as second class matter August 29, 1904, at the Postof fice at Madras, Oregon, under the Act of Congress of March 3, .1879. Thursday, December 19, 1912. A Reminiscence As the merry, merry Christmas of 1912 draws nigh, we begin to think of another Christmas not sd many vears ago, before we 1 -ft the old homestead. How veil do we remember the old home, the ivy vines clinging to its sides, the old fashioned chim ney, the red-curtained windows and mother. Fo you remember mother, Loys? The mother who laughed at our baby antics, whose eyes grew dim and whose hair was b'eached in the care of us The mother who taught us to pray: "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep." But 'one day, after we had grown to manhood, we bid mo h r a fond fare well, and left the old place for the great city. For awhile the letters joj wrote to the one you left aione contained everything that a dutiful son could write words of encouragement during her sad hours, of affection, of the success you had achieved, and the pro mise to visit her the next Christ mas. Time worked a sad change in a few months. Mother's let ters begun to lose their former interest, and remained unopen ed, unanswered. Business wor r's crowded out the epistle for v, h ch you use to await in fever isn anxiety. But, one day, there cimea letter, written in a strange hand, and mother was no more. With a prayer on her lips for her bey she had assed over the great divide and entered the kingdom above. Always remember mother. She is your dearest friend on earth. Never forsake the one who suffered for you far yond your comprehension, too s:on mother will leave and then the realization of great loss you have sustained w '1 be accompained by the thought of how much you en deavored to make her happy. is be All us, the Inducements to Settlers With an area of public land al most 20,000,000 acres in extent, uregon oners to tne settler pro- bally greater inducements than aiy other Northwestern State. There are hundreds of thou sana? or acres here that require only the efforts of the settler to render them; highly productive. The homesteader or the irri gationist who would take advan tage of the land laws has a favor able opening here to make ho ne for himself and family. It should not be understood, however, that there are lands in this state open to entry in fully s -ttled districts or even the large communities. This idea is unwarranted. Much of the un appropriated iana remaining in the public domain is probably equal to any in the state in qua! t'.y, but it must be found "in the newer and little developed sec tions. Naturally it is in a wild c mdition. Anyone who seeks public land in Oregon should not delude himself with the idea tiat he can acquire, .free of charge, a quater section conver. J i A A I 1 lent to transportation lines or ready for the plow. He will meet with disappointment if this is his plan when he comes here, A great portion of the public lands in this state is naturally and remains Government proper it.v because it lies far from the railroads. With the construe tion of rail lines, however, now going forward in this state, these lands will become valu able. Thousands of acres have been filed upon during the pas year in Central Oregon where the approach of the Hill and Harriman lines up the Deschutes Canyon is solving the great pro blem of transportation. This the bucrbear that has hitherto kept interior Oregon from devc loping. It has been virtually i wilderness since the beginning of things because Oregon rail roads have been built almost wholly a'ong the border of the state. On the north the Harri man lines followed the Columbia River, on the west the Southern Pacific travereses the state from north to south west of the Cascade Mountians, the natural barrier that has fenced off the great mid state region . and de nied it an outlet. Government land is scattered throughout the state, every county, with the probable ex ception of Multnomah, having some unclaimed areas. The only practical way for the in tending settler to satisfy him self as to the value of these pub lic lands is to inspect the records in the various land offices and then make a personal visit to the tract desired. Another point should be borne in mina oy tne intending set tler. Laxity in the administra tion of the land laws which form .;rly prevailed permitted an evas ion of the strict letter of the law as regards homesteads, but that time has passed. The settler, if he hopes to secure a title, must occupy the land in good faith and make it his home. Government lands in this state are divided into agricultur al, timber, desert and mineral claims, depending upon their character and the manner in which they may be obtained. State lands include all of these classifications and are obtained by purchase, regardless of their character. Government lands are obtained through the land offices. of which there are six in this state, located at Roseburg, Port land, Lakeveiw, The Dalles, La Grande and Burns. The records are open to the public in these offices, and the officials of each will give such information as they possess regarding vacant tracts. Oregon has about 500,000 acres of school lands, the most of which lies east of the moutains, and it is sold at not less than $7. 50 per acre. A settler may pur chase any amount of this land up to 320 acres, and residence on it is not required. Payments may be made in five annual in stallments of $1.50 an acre. The character of the land howeve-, can be determined only by per sonal inspection, and this should be the rule in every case. The intending settler m uregon, as well as elsewhere, should not listen to the attractive lure of land companies, which promise to select a fertile Deice of land for him; too often these benevo lent land comDanies are rank swindlers. Under irrigation it produces enormous crops of grain, alfalfa and other grasses, fruits and vegetables. Without irrigation it is cultivated largely by dry farming methods, grain being the principal crop. From 15 to 45 bushels of wheat an acre is raised in this way. If brought within the scope of an irrigation project, this land immediately becomes exceedingly valuable, and $200 an acre is not consider ed an excessive price. Without water it is worth possibly $10 to 4zo an acre, rne g. eatest rai road development of the West is now going on in Central Oregon, and thegcompletion of this work will bring transportation facili ties to a territory heretofore unpuited to agricultural purposes largely neglected and will attract and has not been taken up for a great many settlers. una reaauii, muuii ui it, now- me uescnutes valley is prac ever, is desirabe for farming' tically divided into three sec tions, the upper being 30 by 10 miles, the central section '30 by 40 miles, and the Agency Plains section 25 by 7 miles. This Ival ley is now entered by railroads along both sides of the Deshutes River, and the bulk of the home steaders are headed that way. Several irrigation projects are under way, towns are building and the population is increasing rapidly. It seems best fitted for grain and livestock, large areas of sagebrush being found to raise good wheat crops. This district has long been neglected because of its distance from railroads. The Crooked River Valley, in Crook County, containing about 75 square miles, offers another inviting field for irrigation. Livestock is the chief product and it has great possibilities for general agriculture. Through out the John Day Val ey are many fine stock farms and much grain is raised, uovernment land is to be found along this stream which can be put to good use in raising wheat. Throughout Oregon the golden wealth to be secured by the agri culturist is immense. The chief inducements for the settler are favorable climate, good soil and good prices for almost every product of the farm, prices be- ingjnuch higher than in the East or Middle West This is due to the fact that production falls short of the demand, and great quantities of butter and eggs, poultry and livestock come here from the Middle West farms, while vetgeatbles are still ship ped irom uaiiiornia. mere is not the slightest excuse for this except that the people have turned their activities to other ines than tilling the soil. When the opportunties are un derstood by settlers there is every reason to believe that Ore gon will produce its own. food supplies as well as consign quan- lties to other markets, for all conditions here are extremely avorable to agriculture in all its branches. Oregonian. . t BM 4b 4fe m B aa 9 HIWISmHXMASSHOPPFRS HT'HR most rnmnlotn ntnrlr nfYmn. 1 Into Mtal diTZr iTS?1 mercantile establishment. Wo havo ovorvrlilm, m i ns could desire in the lino of Christmas gifts, and at ?U that will please the most economical. Wo invite. visit our storo today, and wo will bo pleased to rom?" t0 and every assistance in tho selection of your nroT 'WIIWJ, Largo Line of GROCERIES, NUTS AND CANDIES, CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS. 3 English Head Dressed Jointed China Head China Head Doll, Doll, sale sale price price ATS I 3 2 , f !$ J 15 Cents-1 10 nrf How to Bankrupt the Doctor A prominent New York physician says: "ll it were not lor the thin tockings and thin soled shoes worn by women the doctors would probably be brnkrupt." When you contract a cold do not watt for it to develop into pneu monia, but treat it at once. Chamber- ain's Cough Remedy is intended es pecially for coughs and colds, and has won a wide reputation by its cures of these diseases. It is moat effectual and is pleasant and safe to take. For sale by all dealers. EXTRA SPECIALS FOR CHRISTMAS: nrr ON all ladies MISSES AND on urr CHILDREN 1 u with long hair, sale price sale price Dolls with joint body, Doll, with joint body, EXTRA SPECIAL: Unbreakable Dressed Doll, sale price 50c, 75c. Large shipment fancy wide hair Ribbon, 40c, 50g, . New Manish Flannel Shirts for women, price - -Mens Neckties in Xmas boxes, 50 cents and CENTRAL OREGON MERCANTILE COMPANY apt1 $2,(10 75 cents The First National Bank OF PRINEVILl.E. OREGON B. tiler. P. Allb, Prcilflent. I. , HALDtriP, VI will wcuvnut vice rrei. II, IULDfflK, Mt Outlier. ESTABLISHED 1888 Capital, Hurplui and Undlrlded Pro 01 1 00,000.00 A. E. 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