UNION
COUNTY, OREGON
9
IS SITUATED IN THE NORTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE STATE
.a. :v i
COMPRISES ABOUT NINETY TOWNSHIPS OR ABOUT 2,000,000 ACRES OF LAND,
Tli valleys lire of mi average elevation of uliont 2,(100 fcot above sea level, the highest mountain
penks being about ((,000 feet, and continually covered with snow, which furnishes a water supply for
numerous HtroaniH the year round.
THE CLIMATE
Ih dry and healthful, there being a sufficient rainfall to preserve the moisture of the Hoil and mature
cropn. Snow Heldom fallH to the depth of one foot, in the valleys, and never remains longer than from
two to three weekH at a time.
The mean temperature for tho winter months is about 20 degrees above freezing point, and for
the summer months about 70 above zero, the heat of the day being ofl'sct by cool nights that ensure
refreshing and invigorating sleep and rest for the fatigued
Tho winter season usua ly beginsaltout the first of December and lasts till the middle of February
or first of March, when the husbandman is given an opportunity to prepare for his springs seeding.
From March 1st to July 1st, the monotony of warm and dry weather is broken by frequent showers
of rain furnishing suflcient moisture to the ground and tempering the atmosphere so as to assure the
farmer an abundant yield.
During the months of July, August and September, which are the harvesting months in this
county, the weather is usnaly dry and adapted to the successful gathering of cropH. Generally
enough rain falls in thu autumn months to moisten the ground sufficiently to pi' rmit tho 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 aro
usually very mild in their attacks when thev do nimear. There- has only been one case of Smallpox in
Union County since its settlement, and chills ami lover aro totally unknown. We have no tornadoes
or hurricanes to lay wnso the country, destroy property and the lives of people, nor blizzards to
freeze tho life out ol humanity. Nor do we have the fogy and damp atmosphere which is found West
of the Cascade Mountains.
SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.
There is 1, -107,600 Acres of Surveyed Land in the County; tho rest is unsurveyed, the unsur
veyod portion being valuable for Timber, Pasture and abounding in Mineral Deposits. The valleys
of tho County tiro Grande Hondo, Indian, North Powder, Hig Creek, ICagle, Pine and Starkoy. Tho
soil in these valleys is well adapted to the raising of Wheat, Oats, Hurley, Hye, Timothy, Clover and
Alfalfa, Vegetables and Fruits, such us Apples, l'luins, Pears, Peaches, Cherries, strawberries, and
in fact all of tho smaller varieties grow to perlection.
Tho yield of Wheat is from 25 to bushels to the acre, Harloy from -10 to 70, Oats about the samo
lis Harloy, with exceptions in some localities, when as high as 100 bushels of oats Iiiib been raised to
the aero. Tho Mountains aro covered with a Fine Growth of Timber, consisting of Pine, Tamrack,
Spruce, etc. The most valuable is the Pino, which is used in tho lumbering industry, also some of
tho larger species of Tanirac, but this class of timber is used chiefly to furnish wood ties, etc., which
is amply sufllciont to supply tho surrounding country for ages.
Tho mineral resources of tho County aro only jiartialy developed, but sufficient prospecting and
mining lias been done to prove that great ledges of ore interline the mountain sides, which, when
sufficient capital 1b 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 Resources of tho
County will lie found further on.
HTOOK X.VIIIS'jJ.
The assessment roll of tho county lor the yeor 1888, shows that there were 21.740 head of horses,
28, : U;J Head of Cottle. 65,firt5 Head of Sheep, ami 5,570 Head of Swine, showing of itself that the County
is o great Slock liaising Jtegion. Thousands of head of slock are yearly shipped, bringing to the owners
thereof a nent profit on their lnveitiuont.
In fact. Die stock business litis been and still is the most paying of any in the country audit
bids fair to contlniio to bo such f r many years to conio The hunch grass growing upon the hills and
mountains is very nutritious, stock fattening In a very short time, ready for market. Usually stock h is
to ho fed bar for from one to two months during tlio winter, but in intinv places horses, will winter upon
the hunch grass ami do well. I'lie climate In such that slo k raised is of a hardy and healthful diame
ter, tflvlng.lo work horses a strong constitution ami powerful muscle.
Tim liitilc cow hero attains purfectl m. Sheep are very healthy and produce heavy lleeces. The
dairying business In the lo't few years has developed Into a 1 irgo and profitable one, Iho country being
specially adapted to the bu-iness by reason of the milk producing qualities of the grasses and the ex
rollout niiige, the lurpoquontlty of hay und gain raised per acre, tho healthfulness of animals, tho
largo water supply and tmtmiiok market of Butter und Cheeso. Tho.lersfy, llolstino mid Durham are
raimlly taking the place of lliocoinmon breed of eat le, and dairymen are giving considerable attention
to Iho tr ediig of tlielr cow .. ...... , ...
It is Mild more profit can In realized per year from a milk cow In this rountry than any other in the
United S ines, one ins'unco being given of a Hinglo cow for one year, yielding a net profit to tho owner
of 9'75 nides tho calf
Two creameries aio In operation at the Cove, In this county, will h make 12(1, 00 pounds of cheese,
worth 1 1 cents per pound, and 75,M 0 iiounds hulter, worlh 25 cents per p und.
TIiik year a creaini rv is In operation at La Or title, with what success remains to be seen, although
no doubt, can bo entertained hut that It will prove tj he a prolllablo concern.
ITS MINING RESOURCES.
The Mining District" of Un'on County aro Cornucopia, Sparta and Sanger. Cornucopia District is
in the IS stern portion of the County, and embraces a section about ten miles square, within which there
aro about CiOO qun tz locations. The formation in granite and slate; the ledges running In a i-outheaiiorly
and Northwesterly direction. Tho Ilrsl locations were made hero In 1881. The quartz contains Gold and
Silver, tho gold predominating. Some of tho lodes aro free milling, but they generally contain base
metal nu In consequence wl'l have to be treated in reduction wcrks. A-sajB have been made of oie from
tho dill'xront groups, showing on ovowgo yield of from s2." to $1 0 per ton. When tho proper moth' ds
are emnloxed to work these leclgen to the best advantigo, Cornucopia will bo considered t'io Now
'Kldorado of tho West."
Tho Or gon (Sold Mining Company, of LouUvllle, Ivy , Is the only company represented in the dls
tilet. It lias opened up'ovoral of 1'h ledges, which weio obtained at from S5l(i,i(Xl to $20,000 each.
The lied Jaektt, belonging to this company, is a well dollneU ledge, averaging about, four feet in
thieVness and when struck on the lowest tunnel, wan found to bo a mans of tho golden metal. This
company has a -lO Stunip Mill running night and day upon the ore taken from this ledgo. Seren thou
sand llvo hundred pounds of sulphurets were secured tho llrst month of this spring's operations, besides
immense quantities of free uold caught upon tho ama'gani pans.
This company's expenses in bulldlugii. machinery, roads, developments, etc., has amounted to over
f!l(X) 0 0. They hove tlio Whitman, which lias a shaft sunk over 1,500 feel and shows hotter as tho work
progresses; tho Alta No. 2, which Is developed sulllclontly to Indicate a well defined ledgo of high grade
ore. Tho present sitp'-rlutondent, ProfONSor Smith. Is hluhly pleased with tho prospect for his company
and predicts a second Leadvillo of Cornumplo. Many other ledges of tho camp w ith 100 feet or more
ofdevoloiinieiit work are showing up well, among which are tho Simmons gr up, comprising the Key
stone. Clieckina'e, Nmplro and Huckeye, all situated on tho Simmons Mountain and mid to bo the Vest
group of mines In tho camp, elso tho Hluo Hell, Little Casino and Monte Chrl to, situated 011 the same
mountain and extensions of tho Simmons ledges, showing same grade and character of ore. The AN ay
Up northeast of Cornucopia, shows some of the richest ore of any In camp and Is no doubt an extension
of tho Hluo Hell and Simmons group. The Union, Companion. Last Chan 0, Holert Kininet, Forest
Queen, Heil Hov, May Flower, Cox and Allen, Hod Cross, Stuvn groupe, Stella, Tiger Hoy. Climax
and Queen of tho West are all sulllclontly developed to show them to bo good ledges anil contain paying
ore In gnat nunntltloN, The Cornucopia or Pine Creek district U a rich one with on unlimited amount
of ore and only lacks capital to prove Its wondeiful richness. It Is destined to bo one of tho rlehe.t
camps In existence. , , . ...
The Sanger mines are operated by a Son I'rauclseo Company, which began Its operations two years
ago, buying iho ledges for 617,0:0 and now cleaning up on an averane of $70,000 per month. Tho-o
mines arc on tho road between Union and Cornucopia, iibaut ill miles cast of Union, having a tri-wookiy
mall from Union on to Cornucopia, thus being ploced In dtrtct communication with Union, their trail
'Fho Sparta mines aro ohout. eight miles southeast of Sanger and have been worked for the past
twenty years, still yleiillng huge returns. Tho Sparta mines 010 mostly placer, hut quite a number of
ledges have latelv been found which, as fr as developed, Indicate good paying ore. A mill is being
built hero and good returns aro expected from Its work.
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Now to return to the Agricultural Interests of the County, the I.nreest, most Fertile and attmclive
Valley of Union County, is the Famous C. ande Honde. whose beautv is ' ecomb g known far and wide,
suiroundcd by lofty mmntains upon whi h seems to rest, the blue vult above. Wherever the ejo
gazes it cannot help being enchantol I y our beautiful scenery. This valley embraces . 0,0 0 acres of
as tine Agricultural Land as can b found on the Pacific Const.
The (Jrande RoiKle River enters ils boundary 011 tho West and flows hi- tcrly through the center
of the va ley and thenre Northerly and oul at I Northern limits; HOx25 miles is its length ami bredln
and with Catherine Creek, the largest tributary of the Grande Honde entciincthe vuMe at the bnntli,
Mill Creek entering at the Kast 111 d Willow Creek entering at the North, w ith numerous other small
tributaries, make the Grande Honde Val'ey one of the best watered vollevs, in Ortgon, all of the above
named streams allo'ding abiutdtince of wat-r the e.ion round.
The soil of this vallev Is principally a black, rich lo-ni whit clay subsoil, there being a out three
Townships of land having a sandy soil, kn iwn as the Sand Hidge. all of which produces exce lent grain.
The yield of When', Oats, Harley. Hye, Tiniolhv, Alfalfa and Cloier Is large, the. cereals yielding
from 25 to ft) bushel- per acre of Wheat. K! to 100 for Oats and Harley, and Hay from 2 to 8 tons per acre;
frequently three crups of Alfalfa being cut in one season.
PRODUCTIONS AND EXPORTS.
Th produ -ing 1111H export of grain and hay from this valley is. large and grow ing in quantity each
year. Hesides the production of grain and hay for export, a immense quaniit of fruits, including Ap
ples, Planus, Prunes, 1'earn and sinatle fruits, al-ogarlen vegetables aie roiled in great quantities, and
marketed in the neighboring sections. Hutter and Cheese is also one of our staple products. Stcck
raising is enacsKeu in largely and profitably; as lino stock may be seen upon the forms of Giande Itonrie
Volley as anywhere, stockmen and farmery always seeming the best bied nniinoln for breeding pur
poses. Taxes aro no higher on line than poor stock. The lauds of this volley have all been taken, hut
choice place-can he bought at from SI") to 1)0 per acre, w heh is conipatively cheap. Many forge
bodies of loud owned by single individuals and of the best quality ca : be had at very reasonable rales,
which could be divided into scend cood farms.
TIMBER.
The hills and mountains are covered with timber of the best quality for lumbering purposes and
easily reached. Hut little of the timber land has been entered or taken up
RAILROAD FACILITIES.
Tho O. H. & N. H. H. entering the valley at the southern portion and following the foothills on the
Southwest, passes out of tlio valley on tho West, traversing the Southwestern boundary of tho valley
for a distance of 14 mil) s.
The Hunt Hailroad sjstem will be extended during the next, j ear from Wal'a Walla, W. T., through
the Hlue Mountans 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 tho best railroad facilities.
Puget Sound, W. T., is the terminal point of this line, putting Portond, Or., and the cities of tho
So' ml In competition for tho trade of the Valhy, the importance of which is evidenced by the building
or this second line of road. In concluding this description of Grande Honde Valley, it oiri be said with
out fear of contradiction, that no better oppotuii'tv is cifered anywnere in the Northwest for the home
seeker er capitalists than in Grande Honde Valley and Us vicinity. The resources of the valley and lis
tributary sections will sustain manufacturing industries of nearly eveiy kind, of which we now have
but very few. It wiil sustain ten times the population it now has in the f'trmii g and dairying I usiness.
offering in this line 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 Honde Valley mid see it and to investigate its advantages, is to locate here. In no
i stance have people, who have visited this valley given it other than the besLof reputation in regard to
climate, soil and everything that goes to constitute a gjod country.
The Grande Honde 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 Suuimerville in the northern
end of the valley, Cove about midway on tho eabt side, and Klgin in the extreme northern part of the
valley.
UNION,
The County Seat of Union County, Ih situated In tho southern portion of tho Fertile Oiuude Koude Valley, and has
the best Natural Location for a City of any town In Eastern Oregon. Situated, just at the base of rolling hills on both
sides of Catherine Creek, n beautiful, sparkling stream, whose waters aro pure as nature ever distilled ami held
suspeuded in her mountain reservoirs, tarnishing Immense wutorpowcr just waiting to be utilized by tho hand of
man for all kinds of niunufactuilug Industries, in fact the water power Is amply biillleleiit to make Union the Lowell
of Oregon If the attention of her enterprising citizens were turned in that direction, which will be the ease when new
blood and Eastern capitalists come in. This is one of the best places In Oregon for the erection of nianufacturles.
A woolen mill Is greatly needed now, and semm energetic capitalist who is engaged in such business would flud
here the chosen spot for such an enterprise, right in the heart of a great wool-growing section of the country. No
high freights to pay, water-power in abundance, and In fact everything that such a business would consume Is pro
dnced here in the valley.
Tho present population of Union Is about 1,200, but when the O. A V, T. railroad reaches here she will double her
population inside of six months. Eager eyes aro 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 ruuiilnic apart of Catherine ereek into a large reservoir on the hill back of town. This will give all the fall
wo want from ISO feet up; no expense of keening a steam pump and tho necessarv repairs. This mountain stream
can be, made to run directly Into tho reservoir aud all tho waste can be utilized in furnishing power for machinery
When once waterworks ure completed there will bo no need for wells, springs, etc., for no purer drinking water can be
found.
Our school facilities are unsurpassed. We hove in our public school, a High School Grade. Tho school is supplied
.with every tosslble convenience. Everything is furnished by our liberal banded citizens, who believe in giving their
children a Hrst-c'ass education and that they can be educated In no better way than bv having a No. 1 School at home
The school at present Is divided Into four compartments, all thoroughly graded. Students on completing the nrc
ncribed course of study receive u certificate to that etlect. An additlou to the present school building is in coutcmida
tlon, also several hundred dollars worth of apartments is soon to be added, '
Morally and socially. Union is unexcelled aud her hospitality Is widely known throughout tho surrounding comi
try. Wo have four churches, all In a nourishing condition. There aro six secret societies, doing much good to im
munity. Wo have a number of stores of different kinds, all doing a profitable business, as thev supply a great agricul
tural district and the numerous miuiiiK camps in the near vielnlty. We are also supplied with several saloons bar
borshons, blncksmlthshops, etc., one principal hotel and several restaurants, so that tho most fastidious tastes o'f tho
epicurian can be fully satisfied. We are also supplied with two first-class liverv and feed stables bo that strain.
coining to this town will have no trouble in procuring a first-class team and tak'ing a drive out into the exhllleratiii
atmosphere and feasting his eyes upon the grandeur of our mountain scenery, and breathing In the life-glviair uxvm'ii
that can be found nowhere so pun- us In Union Comity. To the Eastu.v, who is not used to mountain seenory.'wheu
a large aud commodious hall, ami
built by tho Pauley Uros., with ll
souers that may bo confined tl
w.vhi lu.iiri; iowni-,.1 mr niLMnuiinsim-ui iifiiiiiim, iui iiiiuu BuuiuLj ticcoraieu curtains und Mulshed 111 SUIlPrl
style. One huge and commodious Flouring Mill, full roller proces. with all modem improvements, is situated adfntii
lug the town. Also several saw mills in the near vlclnllv. The luiiilu-rlm' lntrkt i (..,., ,i ... V.' :.. ""J"1"
lure In our industries. ' " " " lu 'i"o a iea-
Taken till In all. Union is one of the best towns In Eastern Oregon. Heretofore she has been kept back on account
of poor railroad facilities, but when the Hunt System of ltallroad is completed into Union, its latent res'mrcos will I n
developed and It will take Its place among the thriving cities of our fund. Wo have one of the loveliest low.Vs m
Oregon, and a great deal of wealth Is here already. All that is now needed is for people to conio and take advauiain
of the great Inducements soon to be throw u at the feet of every energetic man possessing either brains or muscle
i in- iii-i,B.iii-ji-i-Ker iir me in, nun can mm no m-uer piucu io wuuo away me summer months. Only three ml lea
nun, i'iiii ihi iiiiiiiii mil riiriiiuN mill i.Mkt-K rt'vi'i I ill' ill iiit.il ii'ii I viriii.iu uiiii .-.
Springs, Uheinnntism and such complaints disappearing us If by tho hand of some magician. Uiversof iUl idscidorlSl
art will tlud the beaualful sparkling waters of Catherine ereek afive with tho gamy mountain mu! ' brook tro In in.
edge of the moiinta us nrgergamo may be found, uhlhi out In the miw .ilm,.- .i. V V. . . ,. ... "J" "V."'1" 111 ,uu
swan ami ducks In abundance. In the the grain field prairie chickens are -Ulite plentiful. Taking all heso muurai
betu'r ll'un the lSuUhilWoK MlVl' lUttS " ""a' "" WW U their wums
Since the iiiuch talked of lluiit Jtaliroad Is uu assured fact, property Is beglnnlsgto advance in prices, though at
the present time city lots und blocks may bo had at very reasonable rate?. 1 1 1 l"u"Mi 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 asso
ciation has started in on a firm basis, having within its power the means of handling property to a better advantage
than any firm in Union County. They already have numerous tracts adjoining the city; farms, loc 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
aefcnmation.
Ac MAC 14 h71T,
TJjXIOjX, OREGON,
Who will cheerfully furnish them with nil the information desired.