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About The Oregon scout. (Union, Union County, Or.) 188?-1918 | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1890)
UNION COUNTY OREGON 1 9 IS SITUATED IN THE NORTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE STATE .A. IV X COMPRISES ABOUT MOIETY TOWWSHBPS OR ABOUT 2,000,000 ACRES OF LAND. Tlio valleys are of mi average elevation of nlont 2,000 foot above pen lovel, tin highest mountain peaks being about 0,000 feet-and continnnlly covered with snow, which furnishes a water supply for numerotifi streams the year round. THE CLIMATE Is dry and healthful, there being a Biiflleient rainfall to preserve the moisture of the soil and mature orops. Snow seldom falls to the depth of one foot, in the valleys, and never remains longer thtin from two to three weeks at a time. Tho mean temperature for the winter months is nbout '20 degrees ahove freezing point, and for the summer months about 70 ahove zero, the heat of tho day being offset by cool nights that ensure refreshing and invigorating sleep and rest for the fatigued The w inter season usua.ly begins about the first of December and lasts till the middle of FoJiruary or llrst of IWareh, when tho husbandman is given an opportunity to prepare for his springs seeding. From March 1st to July list, tho monotony of warm and dry weatlieris hroken by frequent show ers of rain furnishing sufieient moisturo to tho ground and tempering the atmosphere so as to assuro the farmer an abundant yield. During the months of July, August and September, which are the harvesting months in this county, tho weather is usuidy dry and adapted to the successful gathering of crops. Generally enough rain falls in tho autumn months to moisten the ground sufficiently to permit tho farmer to prepare tho same for his fall grain. There is no country in ho 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 w hen they do nnpear. There has only been ono case of Smallpox in Union County since its sottlonioiit, and chills and fever aro totally unknown. We have no tornadoes or hurricanes to lay waste the country, destroy property and ifio lives of people, 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. rest is unsurvcyed, the unstir- There is 1, -107,500 Acres of Surveyed Ijuid in tho Countv; tho voyed portion being valuable for Timber, Pasture and abounding in Mineral Deposits. The vallevs of the County are Grando Hondo, Indian, North Powder, Big Creek, Eagle, Pine and Starkoy. The soil in these valleys is well adapted to the raising of Wheat, Oats, Barley, Rye, Timothy, Clover and Alfalfa, Vegetahles and Fruits, such as Applet), Plums, Pears, Peaches, Cherries, strawberries, and in fact all of the smaller varieties grow to pertoction. The yield of Wheat is from 2." to 50 bushels to tho aero, Barloy from 10 to 70, Oats ahout the same as Barley, 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 Fino Grow th of Timber, consisting of Fine, Tamrack, Spruce, etc. Tho most valuable is the l'ine, which is used in tho lumbering industry, also some of tho larger species ot Jamrac, but tins class ot timber is used clneily to furnish wood ties, etc., winch is amply sulllclent to supply tlie surrounding country lor ages. Tho mineral resources of the County aro only nartialy developed, but sufficient prospecting and mining has been done to prove that grout ledges'ii ore interline tho mountain sides, which, when sufficient capital is employed in their development;, will bo a great, factor in tho general summary of f'o wealth of the County. A mom detailed account of tho Mines and Mineral Resources of tho County will be found further on. STOCK XtA-XSIIVO;. The assessment roll of tho county tor the veur 1888, show s that there were "1.710 lieait of horses, 2H,l2:t Head of Cuttle, fifi.finS Head of Sheep, and fi,7l Head of Swine, showing of itself that the County Is a greutSlook Hulslng Iloglon. Thousands of head of slock ure yearly shipped, bringing to the owners thereof a uent profit on llielr Investment. In fuel, Iho stock business lias been and wl III is the most paying of any In tho country and It bids fair to continue to bo such for many yoirs to coino. The bunch grass growing upon tho hills and mountains Is very mil rit Ions, stoik fintoi lug in n very short time, ready for market. Usually stock has to h fed hat for from one to two months during t'uj winter, but in ninny places horses will winter upon tho bunch grass anil do well. J'lie climate is such that sto k raised is of u hardy and healthful charac ter, glviugjo work horses a strong constitution and powerful muscle. Tim milk cow lion.) at tul us porfoctl'm. Sheep aro very healthy and produce heavy llecces. The dairying business In Iho hut few years has developed Into a largo and profitable one, tho country being specially adapted to the business by reason of the milk producing qualities of the grasses and the ex cellent uiiige, the large quantity of hay and g ain raised per acre, tho hcnlthfulness of animals, tho largo witter supply and tlionulolc niarketof Ituilerand Cheese. Tho .loisey, Ilolstino and Durham aro rapidly till big the place of I he common breed of cattle, and dairymen aro giving considerable attention to the iirteill' got their cows. It is K.ii I more profit can hi realized per year from a milk cow in this country than any other in the United Stu.cs, one Instance being given of a single cow for ono year, yielding a net prollt to tho ow ner of ?I75 l -ides the cair Twni ivuineiiesuio In operation at the Cove, In this county, whbh make 1"0,( DO pounds of cheese, worth 1 1 cents per pound, and 75,(H 0 pounds butter, worth 115 cents per p mill. Tins year a creuinrn' Is In operation at I.a (!r nde, with what success remains to bo scon, although no doubt can lie entertained lint that it will prove t he a prolllahlo concern. ITS MINING; RESOURCES. The Mining Districts of Un on County are Cornucopia, Spnrta and Sanger. Cornucopia District is In tlni K stein portion of the ( oiuily, and embraces a section about ten miles s-quaro, within which there am about 000 qiiHiiz locations. The foimation is granite and slate; the ledges miming In a Southemiorly and Northwesterly direction. The llrst locations were niiule here in 18hl. Tho quartz contains Gold and Silver, thi gold predominating. Some of (ho lodes are free milling, but they generally contain hist metal an In consequent'!) wid have to he treated in reduction works. Assays have been made of ore from thy inherent groups, showing an average ylehl of from t'25 to $li 0 per ton. When the proper niotlieds urn employed to work these ledges to the best advantage, Cornucopia will bo considered the New "Kidoiadoof the Wc.t." The Or gou Cold Mining Company, of Louisville, Ky , is tho only company repiosented in the ills 1 1 let. It has opened up u vend of J is ledges, which vvoie obtained at from tfio.i 00 to $2(1,000 each. The lted ,lai ki t, belonging to this company, m a ivoll defined ledge, averaging about four feet in thickness and when struck on tho lowest tunnel, was found to bo a iiiohh of tlie golden met il. This company has a 10-Jitanip ftlill running night and iNy upon tho ore taken from this ledge. Seven thou sand live hnidrurl pounds of sulphuret were secured the llrst month of this spring's operations, heebies immense quantttici of free pohl caught upon the amalgam pans. Tills company's expenses in buildings, machinery, roads, developments, etc., has amounted to ovor EHO0 0 0, Thoy have ibis Whitman, which !m a shaft sunk over 1,5(10 feet and shows better as tho work processes; the Alia No. If, which is developed sufficiently to Indlcoto a well defined ledge of high grade ore. The present superintendent. I'mle-sor Smith, is hluhly pleased with tho prospect for his company and predion a second Leadvilloof Conine iphi. Many other ledges of the camp with 100 foot or more of development, work are allowing un well, among which are the Simmons gr up, comprising the Key. stone. Choi'knia'o, Umpire and Ducket o, nil sltuuK'd on the Simmons Mwuniam and uid to be the cost group ofiulneti In tho camp, Uo the llluo Dell, Little Owine and Monte Chrl to, situated on the tunic mountain and exteimioiiH i f the Siiinuons ledui's, Khowing nunii grade anil diameter of ore. The Way Up noi'theiiHt of Cornucopia, shown some of iln rleho-t ore of any In camp ami In no doubt an extension of the lllun Hell and Simmons group. The Union, Companion. Last Chan-e, Robert Emmet, Forest (Jticoit, Hod Hoy, Aluv blower, t ox mm Allen, iteu cross, btoen groupe, Stella, Tiger Jlov. Climax ami (juoun of the West are all sullhituitiy developed to show them to be good ledges and contain paying oro in grfiit quoiitille. The Curnuconla or I'lue reek district is a ilch one with an unlimited amount of ore and only lacks eaidtal to prove Its woudetful richness. It Is destined to be one of tlie richest cum ok In existence. Tho Sanger mines are operated by a San Francisco Company, which began its operations two vears ngo, buying tho ledges for 317,00 ami now cleaning up on an averaue of 70,010 per month, Those minus aro on the road between Union and Cornucopia, about 11) miles east of Union, having a tri-woekly mail from Union on to Cornucopia, thus being placed in direct communication with Union, their trad lug point. Tho Sparta mines aro ahout eight miles southeast of Sanger and have boon worked for tlie past twenty years, htlll yielding largo returns. Tho Spuria mines aro mostly placer, but quito a number of ledges have lately been found which, as fnr us devclopeu, indicate good paying ore. A mill is being built here and good returns are expected from its work. Now to return to the Agricultural Interests of the County, the Largest, most Fertile and attractive Valley of Union County, is the Famous Grande Hondo, whose beauty is Vecoming known far and wide, surrounded bv lofty mountains upon whirh seems to rest the blue vxult above. herever the eye gazes it cannot help being enchanted by our beautiful scenery. This valley embraces 1400,010 acres of as fine Agricultural Land as cn b" found on the Pacillc Const. The Grande Rondo lllver enters its boundary on the West and Hows baeterly through the center of tlie va ley and thence Northerly and out at i's Northern limits; JiOxo miles is its length and bred t It and with Catherine Creek, the largest tributary of the Grande Hondo entering tlie valley at the South, Mill Creek entering at the Kat and Willow Creek entering at the North, with numerous other small tributaries, make the Grando Ronde Val'ey one of tlie best watered vallejs in Oregon, all of tlie above named htreams alloMling abundance ot water the eaon round. The soil of this vallev is principally a black, rich hvm whli clay subsoil, there being a' out three Townships of land having a sand v soil, know n as the Sand Ridge, all of which produces excellent grain. Tlie yield of Wheat, Oats, Uarlev. Hye, Tlinothv, Alfalfa and Clover is large, the cereals yielding from 25 to fill bushel per acre of Wheat )(.' to 100 for Oats and Rariey, and Hay from 2 to 8 tons per acre; frequently three crops of Alfalfa being cut in one season. PRODUCTIONS AND EXPORTS. Th produring and export of grain and hay from tills valley is large and growing in quantity each year. Resides tlie production of giain and hay for export, a i immense quantity of fruits, including Ap ples, Plums, Prunes, Pears and nina.lu fruits, al-o garden vegetables are robed in great quantities and marketed in the neighboring sections. Hotter and Cheese is also one of our staple products. Stock raising is engauert in largely and profitably; as line stock may be seen upon tlie fanns of Grande Ronde Valley as anywhere, stockmen and farmers ahvajs securing tlie best bred animals for breeding pur poses. Tuxes are no higher on line than poor stock. The lands of this valley have all been taken, but choice places can he bought at from 15 to :t0 per acre, wh ch is cnmp.Xntively cheap. Many largo bodies of land owned by single individuals and of tho best quality can be hud at very reasonable rates, which could be divided into several cood farms. TIMBER. The hills and mountains are covered with timber of the best quality for lumbering purposes and easily reached. Hut little of tho timber laud has been entered or taken up. RAILROAD FACILITIES. Tlie O. R. & N. R. R. entering the vallev at the southern portion and following the foothills on the Southwest, passes out of tiie valley on tlie Went, traversing the Southwestern boundary of the vulley for a distance of M miles. The Hunt Railroad system will bcuxtended during the next jear from Wal'a Walla, W. T., through the Blue Mountuns to Summerville, in the northern portion of tlie valley and will then traverse tlie en tire length of the vulley through its center to Union. Upon tlie building of this road the valley will have the best, railroad facilities. I'tigot Sound, "W. T., is the terminal point of this line, putting Porta nil, Or., and tho cities of tho Soend in competition for the trade of the Valley, the importance of which is evidenced by the building ot this second line of read. In concluding this description of Granite Ronde Vslley, it c-in be said with out fear of contradiction, that no better opportunity is offered nnyvvnere in the Northwest for the home seeker or capitalists than in Grando Hondo Valley and its vicinity. Tlie resources of iho valley and its tributary sections will sustain mnnulacturing industries of nearly eveiykind. of which we now have but very few. It will sustain ten times the population it now has in the f.irmii.g and dairying business, offering in this line advantages not to be found but in verv few places. The raising of thoroughbred stock is a profitable business and there is liardlv an individual here solely in that bu-duess at present. To visit Grande Ronde Valley and see it and to investigate its advantages, is to locate here. In no irHtunco have people, who have visited this valley given it other than the besiof reputation in regard to climate, soil and evert thing that goes to constitute a gaod country. The Grande Ronde Valley has several considerable towns and villages: Union in tlie southern end of tho valley, La Grande at the base of the mountains on the northwest Suinmerville in the northern end of the vulley, Cove about midway on the east side, and Elgin in the extreme northern part of tho valley. U IV 1 O JN , The County Seat of Union Vouuty, Is shunted In the southern portion of the fertile (iraniie Untitle Valley, unit lias the best Natural Location for u City of nny town in Kasteru Oregon. Situated, Just tit tho base of rolling hills on both pities of Catherine Creek, a beautiful, sjmrklliin stream, wIiom) waters are pure as nature ever distilled and held suspended In her mountain reservoirs, furnishing Immense waterpowor Just wailing to be utilized by the bund of mail for all kinds of manufacturing industries. In fact the water power is amply suillcieut 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 now blood and Eastern capitalists come in. Tills is one of the best places in Oregon for the erection of jnatiiifaetiirles. A woolen mill Is greatly needed now, and sowiu energetic capitalist who is engaged In such business would find hero the chosen bpot for such an enterprise, right in tho heart of a great wool-growing section of the country. No high freights to pay, wuter-power In abundance, and in fact ever) thing that Mieh a business would' consume is pro ilnced here in the valley. The present population of Union Is about 1,'JOO, but when the O. & W. T. railroad reaches here shu will double her population inside of six months. Kager eyes aro wntohiiig 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 tho fall wo want from l.'iO feet up; no expense of keeping u steam pump and the necessary lepalrs. This mountain stream can be, made to run directly into the reservoir and all the waste run be utilized In furnishing power for machinery When once waterworks are completed lliero will bo no need for wells, springs, etc., for no purer drinking water can bo found. Our school facilities are unsurpassed. We have in our public school, a High fcchool Urnde. The school is siiiiplled with every possible convenience. Kverjthiug is furnished by our liberal banded citizens, wlio believe in giving their children a iirst-cjass education and Unit they can be educated in no better way than by having a No. 1 fcchool at home Tlie school at present is divided into four compartments, all thoroughly Kruded. Situdenui on completing tho nre seribed course of study receive a certificate to that etlect. .n addition to the piesent school building is in contemiila tiou, also several hundred dollars worlb of apartments is soon to be added. Morally and socially, Union is unexe lied and her hospitality is wioely known throughout the surrounding coun try. We have four churches, all in a flourishing condition. There are six secret societies, doing much good to liu inanity. We have a number of stores of dltt'ereut kinds, all doing a profitable business, as ihev supplv a great agrlonl llliiii district anil the numerous mining camps in the near titinit). We are also supplied with several saloons bar bcrshops, bliicksmilbshops, etc., one principal hotel and several rcstaurunts, so that the mo-t fastidious tastes o'f Iho epii urian cmi be. fully satisfied. Wo Hre also supplied with two llrst class liverv and feed stables so that straueurs coming to ibis town vt III Imve no trouble m procuring a tlrst-tiass teilm and taking a drive out into tho exbllluratinir atmosphere and feasting his eyes upon the giund. ur of our mountain scenery, and breathing in the life giving exven that can be found nowhere so pur- as in Union County. To tin- Katen.-. who is not used to mountain scenery vvfiuu tlrot beholding our beautiful loiwition, bis first and iuvoluuiu-y exclamation Is, "Paradise Found at Last " oui iiutiil) Conn House is well tinislud in every particular, having a large anil commodious ball, amply sulllclent to accommodate nny and all aunlcuecs. II also has la connection a Jail built by the l'auiev llros., with ll their latest improtccd cells, Ibus making tb.ngs secure again.-r the escapeof au prisoners that mny'be con lined therein Our Opera House is one of the largest this side of 1'oiiluud, with handsome!) decorated curtains mid finished in s'uiierb si) le. One large and commodious Flouring .Mill, full roller proves, with all modern improvements, is situated adjoin ing thetowu. Alsoseveral saw mills iu the neur vicinity. The luuiberiuri intere.t is buuud to become oitito a feii. tu re Hi our Industries. 1 Taktn all In all, Union is one of the lies! towns In Eastern Oregon. Heretofore she has been kept back on account of poor raihoa l laeilities, but when the Hunt System of Ibiilroad is completed iuto Union, it latent resources will bo developed and It will take Us place among the thriving cities of our littiil. We have one of the loveliest towns in Oregon, and a great ileal of wealth is here already. All that is now needed is for jieople to come and take advanliieo nf tilt, trrcut I nillif'ttiiiut hiuili In lu ttirfiwil ut flit. fi.if nf nrv Aiiitrwullfi man tvr.. . . . ..I .I..... , : u . "s" " , .i h i i i i -. in viiuci uiiiina or muscle. The pleasiire-tecker or the invalid can rlud no better place to while away the summer months Only threo away can be found Hot Springs aud l-ukes reveling in medical vtriues and curative power the famous ''Kansi threo miles Kansas Hot i-prlngs." ltheuuialism ami such complaints disappearing as if by the baud of some magician, hovers of the niscatorbii art will find the beaiiHiful sparkling waters of Catherine creek alive with the gamv mountain nud brook trout In tin, edge of the mountains larger game may be fouud, while out in the valley along the i, ramie ilomie river are ueJse swim and ducks In abundance. In the the grain field prairie chickens are quite plentiful. Tukiugnll these nfttnriii advantages for pleasure and business, we think people looking for a home cau find no place supplving all their wiiiils belter than the beautiful city of Union. , ' ' ftucc uie mnciiiaiKeti 01 mini uaiirotiu isau nssurrti iiici, property is beginning to advance In nriiws tlimmt, ., the present time city lots and blocks iu) be had at very reusoukbli rate. 1 t m ' ,ll0U!l1 nt Wow 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 pronerty to a better advantage than any firm in Union County. They already have numerous tracts adjoining the city; farms, ioc, 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, to WILSON & HACKETT, Who will choorfully furnish them with till tho Information ilcalrod. 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