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About The morning Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1899-1930 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1908)
,4 THE MORNING ASTORIAN, ASTORIA, OREGON. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1008. A Land of Unlimited Resources CLATSOP COUNTY is one of the most fertile in the state t,nd probably in the entire northwest. It is about thirty miles square, and lies in the northwest corner of the State of Oregon, It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north by the Columbia river. Across the southeast comer runs the Nehalcm river, on its way to the ocean near the boundary of Clatsop and Tillamook counties. Astoria is the county seat, and its largest city. The country is cut up by navigable rivers, which afford access to almost every part of it. The surface of the county is hilly and near the center rises a magnificent mountain that terminates in three lofty oeaks. and is known as Saddle Mountain. From this mountain and its immediate vicinity the water courses of Clatsop county radiate, empty ing into the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia and Nehalcm rivers. The largest of these tributaries is that entering the Young's Hay, through the heart of West Astoria, the I-owis and Clark river, made famous by Captains Lewis and Clerk, the historically renowned ex plorers, who wiutered in 1805-6 on its west bank, two miles from its mouth at Fort Clatsop. Next in importance is Young's River, the flood of which forms Young s Bay and thinks the south side of the peninsula on which Astoria is situated. The third in size, the Necanicuin, flows directly into the wean through the northern portion of Seaside, the river practically separating the latter from Oearhart Beach, fourteen miles south of the mouth of the Columbia river. A large part of the eonnty is covered with huge tracts of valuable fir, spruce, cedar, and hemlock trees of immense size, while the river Talleys and dyked tide lands along the Columbia and its tributaries are cleared and cannot be surpassed for the richness of their soil anywhere in the world. What used to be known as the Clatsop Plains and which is now growing into villages and towns such as Warrenton, Hammond and Flavel is a stretch of level country twenty miles long and with an average width of three miles. This stretch of laud reaches from Astoria to the wean and south to Tillamook Head, a distance of about twenty miles. The soil is a sandy loam, producing grasses, grains, fruits and vegetables. The principal root crops for stock are the rutabaga, carrot and beet, of which as high as thirty tons to the acre have been grow n. The northern portion of this plain, however, is destined to form part of Astoria in making the leading city and seaport on the Pacific Coast. Clatsop is essentially a grass-grow ing country, and the soil is par ticularly adapted to the growth of those vegetables which require cool moist weather, which is also excellent for dairying. A number of large dairies and creameries are already in successful operation in the north west part of Clatsop county and from the growing demand for thei" productions and the high prices prevailing there is ample opportunity i for further investment in this direction. The cool summers and nutri ! tious grass afford great advantage for making butter and cheese j Berries and almost every variety of fruit are grow n in most parts of the county. Berry-growing is becoming one of the most important productions r? the county and it has been found that the best flavored and lare-;t berries in the west can be raised successfully in this section. A small acreage : of land in the valley districts will easily make iftore money for th ; owner than a large section of wheat lands in the middle west. Then I is much less work in looking after it and the crop can he counted or yearly because of the equalization in the air currents. The climate of the county is better than anything in California The Japan current which comes nearer the Northwestern Oregon shore equalize the temperature during the entire year. The thermometer aver ages 60 deg. farenheit in summer and 44 deg. in the winter. Abundant Tains fall from November until May, and the hilLs are green the year round. Snow sometimes (but very rarely), falls in January mi February, but in such light quantities that it is almost a curiosity to the natives of Clatsop county. The summer months are the mast de lightful that may be experienced in any part of the United States. The sunshine is of the mellow, health-producing variety and the people living in it are the healthiest in the world. With an occasional shower to keep crops in good condition, there is sunshine the entire period of six months. The people of the county are cosmopolitan in character and come mostly from Northern Europe and every part of the United States. On account of the lumbering, logging and fishing industries, which are noted the world over, the majority of persons seeking employment have been seamen, fishermen and loggers. Consequently, the fanning in terests, which could be developed into fabulous values, have not been proportionately looked after like some of the other industries. The owners of camps, canneries and other businesses employing a large number of men, do not care to raise produce for themselves be cause they are too actively engaged in other lines. They import from other sections of the state and west the butter, eggs, bacon, hams, etc., which they cannot secure in large enough quantities from that part of the county now settled up. Industrious farmers with a few hundreds dollars and upwards c;r become independent in one year after their arrival in Clatsop county by securing a few acres of land and by raising fruit and berries. The hilly sections of the county are very suitable for stock-raising, and ' fact that no severe winters are counted in the expense of raising st ! is one of the strongest points in the favor of this business, tirazing i available the year round and the numerous creeks, st minis and spring interspersed between the various rivers gives plenty of fresh wide for cattle. p The timber in the county makes n splendid opening for any nuinbe of furniture, or sash and door factories to locate hero. The excellou transportation facilities by water and rail to all parts i f the world is in advantage possessed by few places in the United States, where then are uuiuuueu qtiaiumes or wooa nirnt at nana tor mo euuinir. i iic greater portion of the timber is lip, elsewhere known as the Oregon pine It is of splendid merchantable character ami spruce is also found here in large quantities, the latter being a valuable timber for lumber. Maple is plentiful in the Nehalcm Valley near the" southern part of the county, the knurls of "birdseye" maple being of the best 'quality; tor veneering. Hemlock, cedar and larch also altound on the variola claims in the county and in many instances the owners of the property near Astoria will give the timber gladly to anybody energetic enough to cut and carry it away in a business-like maimer. Coal has been found in several places in the county, but it has never been thoroughly prospected or developed. Pioneers of the county are confident that immense quantities will be found under the surface, an ! there is a movement on foot at present to have the county secure ;i diamond drill for the use of well-meaning prospectors, so that a prope investigation of the minerals in the county may be made, Under the forest clad hills there is no knowing what minerals li" unseen and untouched by the hand of man, with the exception of a few rambling prospectors and farmers scouring the surface of the country in search of what may be seen on the surface, the minerals in the ledges are unknown in spite of the fact that surface indications in numerous places make it well worth one's while to investigate further Charcoal and tanbark commands a go d price in Astoria and in the cities on the coast and offers another stvle of investment for the newcomer. The species of timber covering the hills is adequate to fur nish immense and practically unlimited quantities of both materials am! is another source of the undeveloped wealth of the county, Jfn i" m- m J. W. REITH'S DA 1 R ' FARM RESIDENCE. I . ... !.. 1 ,u t,- ill'' II "V K Mr &L&t J - I YOUNGS RIVER FALLS. One of the ricbet features of the county and of which no advant age has yet been taken is the famous black sand district south of J ort Stevens. Millit ns of dollars may be made by separating the sand fro u the magnetite which is mixed in equal quant ities with the soil. Carlo ids ' auspices, upon rich indications that have been far too long neglected. of this material were shipped to Washington and tested, the ore turning out to be equal to the finest steel produced in Norway and Cerinauy, which has formerly surpass! anything in the United States. Many square miles of tliis mixture of sand and ore can be secured at prices of ordinary land, and it is like buying it valuable ore mine for a song. Most of this womlrous H'ctii u has Itccn secured by oust era capi talists, however, and the- latent news in regard to it is that eastern men arc going to erect a $10,0(;0,)i'0 steel plant at the mouth tf the Columbia river for its development. There are also numerous sands in the county wliieh could he utilized, for the making of glass, uud numerous other iwes are recorded to w hich the various qualities of the sril miubt lie applied, There are days of numerous kinds suitable for making plain, fancy, pressed and colored brick and tile of almost any ilovriptirn. Some of it is fine enough for porcelain and there are untold quantities of each kind. The Astoria Chamber of Commerce is at present engaged in making arrangements for the erection of a pressed brick factory by eastern capitalists, because the nearest bricks of the kind to be secured are at n point more than one hundred miles distant, Clatsop county is simply teeming with possibilities for the enter prising man with small means who wishes to become independent and form the foundation of a lucrative business, Competition is practically unknown because the soil has so many natural advantage of which fuel gas and oil are now being carefully exploited under tMimilar I - j2 - mm MARINE, AND STflTIONERy A PARADISE FOR TROUT FISHING. J4 rVirOL 65 H. P. Throe Cylliilr "UNION" Murine Engine We make many sizes and types of the four cycle engines from one to six cylinders and feel assured that we can furnish the best engines at as low prices as consistent with the superior materials and workmanship used in their con struction, which renders them perfectly satisfactory for any class of work to which they may be subjected, Whether you require a small engine, either marine or stationery, or a plant including electric lighting outfit, do not fail to write us for catalogue and prices. 425 Bond Street, ASTORIA, OREGON. P. P. KENDALL, General Sales Agent, 17 Hamilton Building, PORTLAND, OREGON.