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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1889)
UNION COUNTY OREGON IS SITUATED IN THE NORTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE STATE A KD COMPRISES ABOUT NINETY TOWNSHIPS OR ABOUT 2,000,000 ACRES OF LAND. The valleys are of an average elevation of about 2,000 feet above fea level, the hlghoflt mountain peaks being about ((,000 feet and continually covered with snow, which furnishes u water supply for numerous streams the year round. THE CLIMATE Is dry and healthful, there being a sufficient rainfall to preserve the moisture of the soil and mature crops. Snow seldom falls to the depth of one foot, in the valleys, and never remains longer than from two to three weeks at a time. . The mean temperature for the winter months is about 20 degrees above freezing point, and for the summer months about 70 nljovo zero, the heat of the day being offset by cool nights that ensure refreshing and invigorating sleep and rest for the fatigued The winter season usually begins alwut the first of December and lasts till the middle of February or first of March, when the husbandman is given an opjwrtunity to prepare for his springs seeding. From March 1 st to July 1st, the monotony of warm and dry weather is broken by frequent showers of rain furnishing suficient moisture to the ground and tempering the atmosphere so as to assure the farmer an abundant yield. During the montliSiof July, August and September, which are the harvesting months i this county, the weather is usualy dry and adapted to the successful gathering of crops. Generally enough rain falls in thw autumn months to moisten the ground sufficiently to permit the farmer to prepare the same for his fall grain. There is no country in the United States more blessed by a healthful climate than Union County, as the vigor and enterprise of is citizens will prove. The various contagions prevalent in many localities are almost wholly unknown here, and are usually very mild in their attacks when thev do appear. There has only been one case of Smallpox in Union County since its settlement, and chifls and fever are totally unknown. We have no tornadoes or hurricanes" to lay waste tho country, destroy property and the lives of pcople; nor blizzards to freeze the life out of humanity. Nor do wo have the fogy and damp atmosphere which is found West of the Cascade Mountains. SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS. There is 1,107,500 Acres of Surveyed Land in the County; the rest is unsurvcyed, tho tinstir voyed portion being valuable for Timber, Pasture and abounding in Mineral Deposits. The valleys of the County are Grande Hondo, Indian, North Powder, Big Creek, Eagle, Pino and Stiirkoy. Tho soil in these valleys is well adapted to the raising of Wheat, Oats, Barley, Kye, Timothy, Clover and Alfalfa, Vegetables and Fruits, such as Apples, Plums, Pears, Peaches, Cherries, strawberries, and in fact all of the smaller varieties grow to perfection. Tho yield of Wheat is from 25 to 50 bushels to the aero, Barley from 40 to 70, Oats about the same as Hurley, with exceptions in some localities, when as high as 100 bushels of oats has been raised to the acre. Tho Mountains are covered with a Fine Growth of Timber, consisting of Pino, Tamrack, Spruce, etc. The most valuablo is tho Pine, which is used in the lumbering industry, also some of the larger species of Tnmrac, but this class of timber is used chiefly to furnish wood ties, etc., which is amply sufficient to supply the surrounding country for ages. The mineral resources of the County are only imrtialy developed, but sufficient prospecting and mining has been done to prove that great ledges of ore interline- tho mountain sides, which, when sufficient capital is employed in their development, will bo a great factor in tho general summary of t'o wealth of the County. A more detailed account of the Mines and Mineral Hesources of tho County will bo found further on. (STOCK IR.A.ISINCjJ. The assessment roll of tho county tor tho year 1888, shows that there were 21.740 head of horses, 28,12;i Head of Cattle, 5.VtJ5 Head of Sheep, and 6,570 Head of Swine, showing of itself that tho County is a great Stock Halslng HukIoh. Tlioimnnds of head of stock are yearly shipped, bringing to the owners thoieof a neat profit on their investment. In fact, the stock business lias been and still is tho most paying of any in the country and it bids fair to continue to be mich for many years to como. The bunch grass growing upon the hills and mountains is verv nuiritlous, stock fattening- in a very short time, ready for market. Usually stock Iihb to l)i fed hay for from one to two months during the winter, but in maiiv places horses will winter upon the bunch grass ami do well, l'lie climate is such that sio k raised is of a hardy and healthful charac ter, Kivlng to work horses a strong constitution and powerful muscle. Tho milk cow here attains perfection. Sheep are very healthy and produce heavy lleoces. The dairying business in tho lavt few years has developed Into a largo and profitable one, tho country being uiuwinllv nilimti'il to tint ImxIiu'KH Fiv reason of the milk nrmlucinir oualltieH of the nrasHon and the ex- cellent iange, the largo quantity of hay and gmin raised per acre, the healthfulness of animals, the largo water supply and tlio quick market of Butter and Clieose. The Jersey, Holstino and Durham are raiifdly taking tho place of the common breed of cattle, and dairymen aro giving considerable attention to tho Itrt'edliiLT of their cows, It. Ih sstil mnm nmflt ran lis realized ner vear from a milk cow in this country than any other in the United Stales, one instance being given of a singlo cow for one year, yielding a net profit to tho owner of $175 bosiilus tho calf. ,,, Two t v. niueriea aro In operation at the Cove, in this county, which make 120.C00 pounds of cheese, worth II cents per pound, and 75,0 H pounds butter, worth 25 cents por pcund. Tills year a creamery Is in operation at La Gruido, with what succoss remains to be seen, although no doubt can be entertained but that it will prove to bo a profitable concern. ITS MINING RESOURCES. The Mining Districts of Un'on County aro Cornucopia, Sparta and Sanger, in tho K (stern portion of the County, and embrace a section about ten miles square, within which are about (MH) qurtz locations. Tlio formation 1b granite and slate; the ledges running in a Southeai and Northwesterly direction. The first locations wero made hero In 1884. The quartz contain Goh .... . .1 . I I . 1 t till.... I.... .I..... ...... . . II ............ Cornucopia District is there jtheartorly Gold and Silver, tho cold predominating. Some of tho lodes aro free milling, but tliey generally contain hwo metal an in consequence will have to be treated in reduction works. Assays Have been made or ore from tho clillerenl groups, showing an average yield of from 25 to $1' 0 per ton. When tho proper methods aro employed to work these ledgen to tho best advantage, Cornucopia will be considered ttio New 'Kldorado of tho West." , , , , , Tho Orgon Gold Mining Company, of Loulavllle, Ky , is tho only company represented in tho dis ti let. It has opened up several of lis ledges, which weie obtained at from fclU.HOO to $20,000 each. The Bed Jacket, belonging to tills company, is a well defined ledge, averaging about four feet In thickness and when struck on the lowest tunnel, was found to be a mass of the golden metal. This conipanv ban a KI Stamp'Mill running night and dny upon tho ore taken from this ledge. Seven thou sand live hundred pound of sulphurets were secured the first month of this spring's operations, besides Immense quantities of free iolil caught upon tho amalgam pans. This company's expenses in buildings, machinery, roads, development, otc., has amounted to over SDOOOiX). They have tho Whitman, which ban a shaft sunk over 1,500 feet and shows better us the work progresses; the 'Mti No. 2, which is developed sufficiently to Indicate a well defined ledgo of high grade ore. Tho present superintendent. Professor Smith, is hluhly pleased with the prospect for his company and predicts a second l.eadvillo of Cornucopia. Many other ledges of tho camp with 100 feet or more of development work are showing up well, among which are the Simmons group, comprising tho Key stone, Checkma'e, Umpire and Buckeye, all situated on tho Simmons Mountain and said to bo the best group of mines in tho camp, Hso the Blue Boll, Little Casino and Monte Chrl-to, situated on tho Mime mountain and extensions of tho Simmons ledires, showing same grade and character of ore. Tho Way Up northeast of Cornucopia, shows some of tho rlchet ore of anydn camp and 1m no doubt an extension of tho Blue Bell and Simmons group. Tho Union, Companion. Last Chance. Bobert F.nunot, Forest Queen, Bed Bov, May Flower, Cox and Allen, Bed Cross, Steen groupe, Stella, Tiger Boy. Climax and Queen or the West are all sufficiently developed to show them to bo good ledges and contain paying ore in great quantities. Tho Cornucopia or Pine Creek district is a rich one with an unlimited amount of ore and only lacks capital to prove Its wonderful richness. It is destined to be ono of tho richest catntis In existence. ,., . .. ... Tho Sangur mines are operated bv a San Francisco Company, which began its operations two years ago, buvlng the ledges for $ 17,010 and now cleaning up on an average of $70,000 per month. These mines are on the load between Union and Cornucopia, about III miles east of Union, having n tri-weekly mall from Union on to Cornucopia, thus being placed In direct communication with Union, their trad- 'I'he's'parta ndnes are about eight miles southeast of Sanger and have been worked for the past tweutv years, still yielding largo returns. Tho Sparta mines aie mostly placer, but quite a number of ledges' huve latelv been found which, as fr as developed, indicate good paying ore. A mill is being built here and good returns are expected from its, work. u N I O N C O U N T Y O R E G O N Now to return to the Agricultural Interests of the County, the Lareest, most Fertile and attractive Valley of Union County, is the Famous Grande Ronde. whose beauty is becoming known far and wide, surrounded by lofty mountains upon which seems to ret the blue vault above. Wherever tho eyo gazes it cannot help being enchanted hy our beautiful scenery. This valley embraces 300,010 acres of as flue Agricultural Land as can l found on the Pacific CoRt. The Grande Ronde River enters its boundary on the West and flows Kasterly through the center of the va'ley and thence Northerly and out at ii Northern limits; (50x25 miles Is its length and bredth and with Catherine Creek, the largest tributary of the Grande Ronde. entering the valley at the South, Mill Creek entering at the East and Willow Creek entering at the North, with numerous other small tributaries, make the Grande Ronde Valley one of tho best watered valleys in Oregon, all of the above named streams afToMiing abundance of water the reason round. The soil of this valley is principally a black, rich loam with clay subsoil, there being aout three Townships of land having a sandy soil, known as the Sand Ridge, all of which produces excellent grain. The yield of Wheat, Oats, Barley. Rye, Timothy, Alfalfa and Clover is large, the cereals yielding from 25 to 0 bushel per acre of Wheat 40 to 100 for Oats and Barley, and Hay from 1 to S tons per acre; frequently three crops of Alfalfa being cut in one season. PRODUCTIONS AND EXPORTS. Th producing and export of grain and hay from this valley is large and growing in quantity each year. Besides the production of grain and hay for export, a immense quantity of fruits, including Ap ples, Plums, Prunes, Pears and srnallo fruits, aKo garden vegetables are raised in great quantities and marketed in the neighboring sections. Butter and Cheese is also one of our staple product. Stock raising is engaged in largely and profitably; as fine stock may be seen upon the farms of Grande Ronde Valley as anywhere. stocKinen and farmers always securing the best bred animals for breeding pur poses. Taxes are no higher on fine than poor stock. The lands of this valley have all been taken, but choice places can be bought at from $15 to $H0 per acre, wh eh is comparatively cheap. Many largo bodies of land owned by single individuals and of the best quality can be had at very reasonable rates, which could be divided into several trood farms. TIMBER. The hills and mountains are covered with timber of the best quality for lumbering purposes and easily reached. But little of the timber laud has been entered or taken up. RAILROAD FACILITIES. The O. R. & N. R. R. entering the valley at the southern portion and following the foothills on the Southwest, passes out of the valley on the West, traversing the Southwestern boundury of the valley for a distance of 14 miles. The Hunt Railroad system will be extended during the next year from Walla Walla, W. T., through the Blue Mouutaus to Summerville, in the northern portion of the valley and will then traverse the en tire length of the valley through its center to Union. Upon the building of this road the valley will have the best railroad facilities. Puget Sound, W. T is the terminal point of this line, putting Portand, Or., and the cities of the Soi'iul in competition for the trade of the Valley, the importance of which is evidenced bv the building of this second line of road. In concluding this description of Grande Ronde Valley, it can' bo said with out fear of contradiction, that no better opportunity is oll'ercd any wnere in the Northwest for the home seeker r capitalists than in Grande Ronde Valley and IU vicinity. The resources of the valley and its tributary sections will sustain manufacturing industiies of nearly every kind, of which we now have but very few. It will sustain ten times the population it now has in the farming and dairying business, ottering in this lino advantages not to be found but in very few places. The raising of thorough bred stock is a profitable business and there is hardlv an individual here solely in that business at present. To visit Grande Ronde Valley and see it and to investigate its advantages, is to locate here. In no irstance have people, who have visited this valley given it other than the best of reputation in regard to climate, soil and everything that goes to constitute a good country. The Grande Ronde Valley has several considerable towns and villages: Union in the southern end of the valley, La Grande at the base of the mountains on the northwest. Summerville in the northern end of the valley, Cove about midway on the east side, and Elgin in the extreme northern part of the valley. UNION, The County Scat of Union Ccumy, ia situated In the southern portion of the Fertile Grande rtoude Valley, Riid has the best Natural Location for a City of any towu In Eastern Oregon. Situated, just at the base of rolling hills on both sides of Catherine Creek, a beautiful, spurklinK stream, whose waters are pure as nature ever distilled and held suspended in her mountain reservoirs, furnishing immense waterpower just wuttlng to ho utilized by the baud of mau for all kinds of manufacturing industries. In fact the water power is amply suttlcient to make Union tho Lowell of Oregon if tho attention of her enterprising citizens were turned in thut direction, which will be the ease when now blood ami Eastern capitalists como in. This is one of the best places In oregou for the erection of mauufacturies. A woolen mill is greatly needed now, and some energetic capitalist who is engaged in such business would find here the chosen spot for such an enterprise, right in the heart of a great wool-growing section of tho country. No high freights to .ay. water-power in abundance, and in fact everything that such a business would consume is pro duced here in tho valley. The present population of Union is about 1,200, but when the 0. & W. T. railroad reaches here she will double her population inside of six mouths. Eager eyes are watching to take advantage of the present low prices in property and procure for themselves a home where they may live in peace and plenty. Water works can be put in at very little ex pense by running apart of Catherine creek into a large reservoir on the hill back of town. This will give all the fall we want-from 150 feel up; no expense of keening a steam pump and tho necessary repairs. This mountain stream can be, made to run directly into the reservoir and all the waste can be utilized in ' furnishing power for machinery found "CU wa,orworks aru -'oml'leted there will be no need for wells, springs, etc., for no purer drinking water can bo Our school facilities are unsurpassed. We have In our public school, a High School Grade. Tho school is supplied with every possible convenfcuce. Everything is furnished by our liberal handed citizens, who believe In glvnig their children a first-class education and that they can be educated in no better way than by having a No. 1 school at home 'the school at present Is divided Into four compartments, all thoroughly graded. Students on completing the ire serlbod course of study receive a certificate to that eitect. An addition to the present school building is in con em da tlou. also several hundred dollars worth of apartments Is soon to be added. lomuupia Morally and socially. Union is unexcelled and her hnsnit.illtv is wi.iniv Lnnwn i,rn..hn try. Ve have four churches, all in a nourishing condition. There are six secret societies, .ioli.1- , ,,Vi , i!r, S ! .. i ll . i . i .1 v.. in i jiiii.13, nn Hum " luiiniiiuie uiiMiicss, as inev supply a emit airrleul. lira district and the numerous mining camps in tho near vicinity. We are also supplied w 1th several va oo is har bershops, blackMulthshops etc., one principal hotel and several restaurants, so that the niost fas ldlous tastes of the eplcunan can be fully satisfied. We are also supplied with two lirst-class livery and feed stable" so that shanYers coming to ibis town will have uo trouble in procuring a tlrst-clao team and taking a drive out into the Ahiller tine atmosphere and feasting his eyes upon the grandeur of our mountain scenery, and breathing h o kglvlag exviuu that can be found nowhere so pure as n Union County. To the Eastenor, w ho Is not used to niou tain sceuerv w hen first boholdhlgour beautiful location, his first and involuntary exclamation Is, "Paradise Foul it at I , st ?,uucr "uul Our county Court House is well finished In every particular, having a large and eoinmod o is all . midv sufficient o accommodate any and a 1 audiences. It aUo has In connection a Jaif built by the Pauley HroV. vi 1 il thi r latest improvoed ce Is, thus imikiug things secure against the escape of any prisoners that in aj- be coil ti lied t hurei n Our Opera House is one of the largest this side ol Portland, with handsomely decorated curtains and tu ihed hi uirb style. One large and commodious Flouring Mill, full roller process, with all modern in proveni? n t i situated ifdfeln. mo'ln ouY h.,lushtles'Vl'ral ""lls ,he m"ttr vlcln,,'' lraB 1 mn" to 'bViome'uho !f f!: Taken all In all. Union is one of the host tnu-us In pnetn rwenu Heretofore she li il liiu.ti 1-itrit Tionl- .... nn,n.... i, out w ueii me mint system ol Kallroad Is completed Into Union, it- i,it..i,t ,mT. leveiopeu ana it will take Its place anioug the thriving cities of our land. We have one of the Oregon, and a great deal of wealth Is hero already. All that Is now needed Is for people m coi iJ and take adu mUu of the great inducements soon to b thrown at the feel of every energetic man possessing either 'bra I ni or mu"ck 8 The pUasiire-seekeror the invalid can Hud no better place to while away the sun ner Vuonth" O ul thr away can bo found Hot Springs and Lakes reveling in inedleal virtues and curative owws th II'i'um' . h,7l'"'"'" d such eomplHints disappearing as if by the hand of some mVgieYaiii oA'r" the p "c tor ul art will find the beaualful sparkling waters of Catherine creek alive with the gamy numuta a id' brook tro t In ih. edge of the mountains largergamo may be found, w bile out in the alley along the lir" i e on k ri ver are L.'. s . swan and ducks in abundance. In the the grain field prairie chickens are quite p entlful Takl u .ill diJs. namril boVtor1 E h'e r,,u7'! r1:: ,h,"k -loklugIor a home can .lull no & ail' thW'wa'utl Since the ; imirli i talked of Hunt Kallroad Is mi assured fact, property Is beginning to advance In oriees ilinnph nt the present time city lots and blocks may be had at very reasonable rates. """' lu mn nult ' I'ricis, though at THE UNION REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION sso- Now has in its possession tracts of land suitable for small farms, or they could be laid off into blocks. This ciation has started in on a tirm basis, having within its power the means of handling prooerty to a better advanta than any firm in Union County. They already have numerous tracts adjoining the city; farms, blocks lots etc to be sold on very reasonable terms or for cash. ' ' Parties desiring information of Union County can do no better than interview or address the managers of this association, TVTLLSOIST & HACKETT, Who will uhoorfully furnish thorn with nil tho information tluslrexl. xiiviOiV, osfeise-oiv,