COUNTY
OREGON
IS SITUATED IN THE NORTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE STATE
COMPRISES ABOUT NINETY TOWNSHIPS OR ABOUT 2,000,000 ACRES OF LAND.
UNION
to r
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The valleys nrc of an uverngo elevation of about 2,000 feet above pea level, the highest mountain
peaks being about 0,000 feet and continually covered with snow, which furnishes a wuter 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.
Tho mean temperature for tho winter months is about 20 degrees above freezing point, and for
the summer months about 70 alwve zero, tho heat of tho day being oll'set by cool nights that ensure
refreshing and invigorating Bleep and rest for the fatigued
The winter seaBon usually begins nltout tho first of December ami lasts till tho middle of February
or first of March, when tho husbandman is given an opportunity to prepare for his springs seeding.
From March 1st to July 1st, tho monotony of warm and dry weather is broken by frequent showers
of rain furnishing sufkiont moisture to tho ground and tempering the atmosphere so as to assure the
farmer an abundant yield.
During the months of July, August pud September, which are tho harvesting months i this
county, tho weather is usunly dry and adapted to the successful gathering of crops. Generally
enough rain falls in tliu autumn months to moisten tho ground sufficiently to permit the farmer to
prepare tho samo for his fall grain.
There is no country in tho United States more blessed by a healthful climate than Union County,
as the vigor and enterprise of is citizens will prove.
Tho various contagions prevalent in many localities aro almost wholly unknown here, and are
usually very mild in tneir attacks when they do impear. There has only been ono case of Smallpox in
union county since us settlement, and cuius ana lover aro totally unknown. Wo Have no tornadoes
to
est
or hurricanes to lay waste tho country, destroy property and tho lives of people, nor blizzards 1
freeze tho life out of humanity. Nor do wo have the fogy and damp atmosphere which is found Wei
of tho Cascade Mountains
SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.
There is 1,407,500 Acres of Surveyed Land in the County : the rest is unsurveyed, the tinsur-
veyed portion being valuulilo tor limber, l'asture and abounding in Mineral JJeposits. J hu vallevs
of tho County aro Grande Hondo, Indian, North I'owder, Big Creek, Eaglo, Pine and Starkoy. The
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, l'lums, Pears, Peaches, Cherries, strawberries, and
in fact all of the smaller varieties grow to perfection.
The yield of Wheat is from 25 to 50 bushels to the aero, Barley from 40 to 70, Oats about the samo
as Barley, with exceptions in some localities, when as high as 100 bu&hols of oats has been raised to
the acre. Tho Mountains are covered with a Fine Growth of Timber, consisting of Pine, Tamraek,
Spruce, etc. The most valuable is tho Pine, which is used in the lumbering industry, also some of
tho larger species ol Tainrac, but this class of timber is used chioily to furnish wood ties, etc., which
is amply sulllcient to supply tho surrounding country for ages
Tlie mineral resources of the County are only partialv developed.
mining has been done to prove that great ledges of ore interline the mountain sides, which, when
but sufficient prospecting and
suflicient capital is employed in their development, will bo a great factor in the general summary of
t''o wealth of the County. A more detailed account of the Mines and Mineral Resources o the
County will bo found further on.
STOCK K-VISIIVO.
The assessment roll of tho county tor the year 1888, shows that there were 21.740 head of horses,
28, 1 SiiJ Head of Cattle, 55,R(J6 Head of Sheep, and 5,570 Head of Swine, showing of itself that the County
Is o great Stock Raising Region. Thousands of head of stock aro yearly shipped, bringing to the owner
thereof a neat prollt on their Investment.
In fact, tho stock business lias been and still Is tho most paying of any in the country and it
bids fair to continue to be such for many years to como. The bunch griss growing upon tho hills and
mountains Is very nutritious, stock fat toning In a very short time, ready for market. Usually stock h
to hu fed ha for from one to two months during the winter, but In many places horses will winter upon
the bunch grass ami do well, Tho climate Is such that slo k rained is of a hardy and healthful charac
ter, ulving to work horses a strong constitution and powerful muscle.
The milk caw hero attains perfection. Sheep are very hoalthy and produce heavy tleeces. The
dairying business In the last few years has developed into a large and profitable one, tho country being
specially adapted to tho bulness by reason of tlio milk producing (ualltics of the grasses and the ex
cellent lange, the large (itiantlty of hay and g'aln raised per acre, the healthfulness of animals, the
largo water Hiipnly anl the (jitlcK marketof Hulter and Clienso. Tho Jersey, Holstine and Durham are
rapidly taking the nlneoof the common breed of cattle, and dairymen aro giving considerable attention
to the breeding of their cows. ...
It la said more prollt can ha realized per year from a milk cow in this country than any other In tho
United States, ono Instance being given of a single cow for one year, yielding a net prollt to the owner
of 9'73 besides the calf.
Two crcaineiles aro In operation at the Cove, In this county, whlni make 120,(00 pounds of cheese,
worth 11 cents per pound, and 75,01 0 pounds butter, worth 25 cents per p' und.
This year a creamery is in operation at I, a Grnde, with what success remains to bo seen, although
no doubt can be entertained but that It will prove to bo a prolltablo concern.
ITS MINING RESOURCES.
In tlio IS stern portion ot me county, ami e
are about TOO quartz locations. Tlio formal
and North wesitrly direction. Tho first loe
Silver, the gold predominating. Some of tl
'Pli iMInlnir lllslrlcts nf Un'on Countv aro Cornucopia, Sparta and Sanger. Cornucopia District is
In tho 15 stern portion of the County, and embraces a section about leu miles square, within which there
I no iormatiou is gmniiu nun mine; me icngL-H running in a, couwieai luny
. locations were Hindu Here in lt-M. I no quartz contains Uold and
the lodes are free milling, but thoy Keiforally contain base
nveinl hii In i niiHHiiiinnco will havo to bo treated in reduction works. Assays have been made of ore from
tho dillVront groups, showing an average yield of from 1J."5 to $1'U per ton. When the proper methods
am employed to work those ledges to the best advantage, Cornucopia will be considered the Now
"Kldorado of the West." .
The Or gon Gold Mining Company, of LouIbvIIIo, Ky , is the only company represented in tho dls
ti let. It has opened upovoral of Hh ledges, which wet e obtained at from SlO.HtX) to $20,000 each.
Tho lied Jacket, belonging to thin company, is a well denned ledge, averaging about four feet In
thickness and wlien struck on the lowest tunnel, was found to bo a mass of the golden metal. This
company has a 40-Stantp Mill running night and day upon the ore taken from this ledge. Seven thou
sand 11 vo hundred pounds of sulphurets wore iccured tho first month of thU spring's operations, besides
immense quantities of free gold caught upon tho amalgam pans.
This company's expenses in buildings, machinery, roads, developments, etc., has amotmtod to over
?:i00 OK). They liavo the Whitman, which has a shaft sunk oyer 1,600 feet and shows better as tho work
progresses; tho Attn No. 2, which Is developed sulllelently to Indicate a well dellned ledge of high grade
ore. Tho present superintendent. Professor Smith, Is hluhly pleased with tho prospect for his company
and predlcis a second Leadvlllo of Cornucopia. Many other ledges of the camp with 100 feet or more
of development work are showing up well, among which aro the Simmons group, comprising the Key
stone. Cheokma'e, Kmplro and Buckeye, all situated on tho Simmons Mountain and said to bo the best
group of mines In tho camp, Hso the Blue Bell, Utile Casino and Monte Chri-to, situated on tho same
mountain and extensions of tho Simmons ledges, showing namogrado and character of ore. Tho Way
northeast of Cornucon a. siiowm some ol mo ricnet ore oi any in camp ami u no uouni, an extension
of tho Blue Bell and Simmons group. Tho Union, Companion. Last Uianro, Hottert
tin
nf tlio HIiik Bell and Slnunons uroup. Tho Union, Companion, Last Chanre, Robert Kintnet, Forest
f)llrii,ll llml iinv. Mnv Klnwiir. Cox anil Al en. Bed Cross. Steen groupe. Stella. Tiger Boy. Climax
and Queen of the West aro all sulllelently developed to show them to bo good ledges and contain paying
oro in gnat quantities. The Cornucopia or Pino Creek district Is a rich ono with an unlimited amount
of ore and only lacks capital to prove its wonderful richness. It Is destined to be one of the richest
camps In existence. .., . , . ...
Tho Sanger mines aro operated by a San Francisco Company, which began Kb operations two years
ago, buying iho ledges for $17,0110 and now cleaning up on an avcrapo of 970,000 per month. Those
mines aro on tho road between Union and Cornucopia, about U J miles east of Union, having a tri-weekly
mail from Union on to Cornucopia, thus being placed In direct communication with Union, their trad-
'"K Tho Sparta mines aro about, eight miles southeast of Sanger and havo been worked for tho past
twenty years, still yielding large returns, i no apart mines are mostly itiaeor, nut quite a minuter oi
ledges havo lately been found wlilcli, as for as developed, indicate
built here and good returns are expected from lis worn.
good paying ore. A mill is being
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Now to return to the Agricultural Interests of the County, the Largest, most Fertile and attractive
Valley of Union County, is the Famous G anile Honde, whose beauty Is lecoining known far and wide,
Hut rounded by lofty mruntains upon wlib h seems to rest the blue vult above. Wherever the eye
gazes it cannot help being enchaute'1 i y our beautiful scenery. This valley embraces 30U,0lO acres of
us line Agricultural Land as can b fouml on the Pacific Const.
The Urande Uonrlo Hiver enters its boundary on the West, and Hows Kaeterly through the center
of tho va'ley and thence Northerly and out at i a Northern limits; :)0x25 miles is its length and bredth
and with Catherine Creek, the laigest tributary of the Grande Hondo entering the valley at the South,
Mill Creek entering at the Kat and Willow Creek entering at the North, with numerous other small
trlbuta'Ies, make the Grande Itonde Val'ey one of the best watered valleys in Oregon, all of the above
named streams affording abundance of water the 'eason round.
The soil of tlds valley is principally a black, rich lom wiih clay subsoil, there being aout three
Townships of land having a sandy soil, known as the Sand Ridge, all of which produces excellent grain.
Tho yield of Wheal, Oats, Barley, Bye, Tiinolhy, Alfalfa and Clover is large, tho cereals yielding
front 25 to 0 bushels per ncie of Wheat. 40 to 100 for Oats and Barley, and Hay from 2 to 8 tons per acre;
frequently three crops of Alfalfa being cut in one season.
PRODUCTIONS AND EXPORTS.
Th producing at export of grain and hay from this valley is large and growing In quantity each
year. Besides lite production of grain and hay for export, a t Immense quantity of fruits, including Ap
ples, Plums, Prunes, l'ear and sn alle f mils, al-o garden vegetables are raised in great quantities and
marketed in tlie neighltoring sections. Butter and Cheese is also one of our staple products. Stock
raising is engauen in largely and profitably; as fine stock may be seen upon the farms of Grande Itonde
Valley as anywhere, stockmen and farmers always securing tlie best bred animals for breeding pur
poses. Taxes are no higher on line than poor stock. Tlie lands of this valley have all been taken, but
choice places can i-e bought at from Slo to 30 per acre, wh'ch 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 rood farms.
TIMBER.
The hills and mountains are covered with timber of tlie best quality for lumbering purposes and
easily reached. But little of tho timber land has been entered or taken up.
RAILROAD FACILITIES.
The O. R. & N. R. B. entering tlie vallev at the southern portion and following the foothills on tho
Southwest, passes out of the valley on the West, traversing the Soulli western boundary of the valley
for a distance of 14 miles.
The Hunt Railroad system will be extended during tlie next year from "Wal'a Walla, W. T., through
the Blue Mouutans to SunnnerviUe, in the northern portion of the valley and will then traverse the en
tire length of tho valley through its center to Union. Upon the building of this road tlie valley will
have tho best railroad facilities.
Puget Sound, W. T., is the terminal point of this line, putting Portand, Or., and tho cities of the
So' nd in competition fur the trade of the Valley, the importance of which is evidenced by ihe building
ot this second line of road. In concluding this description of Grande Honde Valley, it can be said with
out fear of contradiction, that no better opportunity is offered anywnere in the Northwest for the home
seeker or capitalists than in Grande Rondo Valley and its vicinity. The resources of the valley and its
tributary sections will sustain manufacturing industries of nearly every kind, of which we now havo
but very few. It will sustain ten times the population it now has in the funning and dairying l usinesn.
ottering in this lino advantages not to be found but in verv few places. The raising of thorough bred
stock is a prolltablo business and there is hardl v an individual here solely in that business at present.
To visit Grande Roude 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
climale, soil and everything that goes to constitute a g3od country.
The Grande Roude 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, SunnnerviUe 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 Seat of Union County, is situated in the southern portion of the Fertile Groudo Hondo Valley, and has
the best Natural Location for a City of any town In Eastern Oregon. Sltuuteil, just at the base of rolling hills on both
sides of Catherine Creek, a beautiful, sparkling stream, whose waters are pure as nature ever distilled and held
suspended In her mountain reservoirs, furnishing immense waterpowor just waiting to bo .utilized by the hand of
man for all kluds of manufacturing industries. In fact the water power is amply sulllcient to make Union tho Lowell
of Oregon If the attention of her enterprising citizens were turned in that direction, which will be the ease when now
blood and Eastern capitalists come In. This is one of the best places lu Oregon for the erection of manufactories.
A woolen mill is greatly needed now, and somo 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 the couutry. No
high freights to pay, water-power In abundance, and In fact everything that such a business would consume is pro
duced hero lu tho valley.
Tho present population of Union Is about 1.200, but when the O. & W. T. railroad reaches hero she will double her
population inside of six months. Eager eyes are watching to take advantage of the present low prices In property and
procure for themselves a home where they may live lu peace and plenty. Water works can be put In at very little ex
pense by running a part of Catherine creek Into a large reservoir on the hill back of town. This will give all tho fall
we want-front loO feet up; no expense of keeping a steam pump and the necessary repairs. This mountulu stream
can be, made to run directly into the reservoir and all the waste can bo utilized in furnish iig power for inieW
found C wu,t'rworki, aru -'"l'leted there will bo no need for wells, springs, etc., for no purer Jrinkiug water can &
...i,i?uf 8ch00' ff.c,I1Itlcs re unsurpassed. We have In our public school, a High School Grade. The school Is siini.lled
with every possible convenience. Everything is furulshed'by our liberal handed citizens, wl o believe in giving their
children a , first-class education and that they can be educated lu no better way than by having a No. 1 bchool a liome
'I ho school at present is divided Into four compartments, all thoroughly graded. Students i on "omiuemtB the ore!
!Tn Ml UrS0 1Unll rT;lv,V " ertf "f to that elleet. An addition to the pivbJnl School bulldlM a" lu "on emp a
tlon, also several hundred dollars worth of apartments Is toon to be added. un, touitmpia
"u'riVn
bershops, biaeksmtthshops,
ejiieurian eau
coming to thl
't 'he' iv L'iVfjrt.T' w"e l'riu,t,"mI lotel and several restaurants, so that the most fastidious tasus vl the"
.an be fully satisrUd. e are also supplied with two first-class verv ami feed stables so that strnuVers
,":.".w ?", Vlvu no troub V 1,1 Procuring a llrst-clais team and taking a drive out into the exhlllemflnJ
A . i ; '.s"' s ",a upu mo grandeur oi our niountu u scenery, and breathing iu the llfe-L-lvliiL' :,Yrvi,uii
hat can be found now here so pure as in Union County. To the Easteuer. who 1 not used to iiiou lain scene w
first beholding our beautiful location, his first and involuntary oxelamat on Is, ''Paradise V ui d at 1 ast " '
Our county Court House is well liulshed in every particular, having a large and co u no I ous half amidv sufllM..,
to accommodate any and a 1 audiences. It also has In connection a Jail built by the Pauley ll?os with .1 1 m.d?iHtPt
lmproveed ce Is, thus making things secure against tho eseapoof any prisoner" that maj- be co'li ie 1 hur . i til
Opera House is one of tho largest this side of Portland, with handsomely decora eel curtains ami dsh?.d h.
w. nun n fs (.!. Ulttl ui it fill III 1H lltTt fllTI'M IV. A I I T II H r 1 tl iwiw tio.ul..,!
of the great Inducement, soon to be thrown at the feet of YeVy i erge tie mi m pos' uBdt w rZ or in-seli- "g
,,uc
r-m-
e,nlW beg.unl.gto advance In prices, though at
THE UNION REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION
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 firm basis, having within its power the means of handling property to a better advantaI
than any firm in Union County. They already have numerous tracts adjoining the city; farms, blocks lots eto tn
be sold on very reasonable terms or for cash. ' ' c"' 10
Parties desiring information of Union County can do no better than interview or address the managers of this
7TT ,rHVT Jfc-
a ssociation,
Who will uhcerfully furnish tluitn with all tlie information desired.
xjrvrorv, oregoiv,