Monmouth, Polk County, Oregon, Friday, January 8, 1909
No. 19
tei & jot b abu
Vem m Cam Is UaJ To
Fretkica.
WKFIT ff m N PROPER CULM
Dr. WivVycJre Of C.rvais
Eprmt SkaWn Says
As Muck.
Orf on i divided by'tfoe Cas
cade ranee of mountains into
two grand physical, divisions.
West of this range the elimate is
mild and the soil an alluvial for
mation. East of the rangethe
climate is semi-arid and the soi
is mainly of volcanic origin.
The Willamette valley in west
ern Oregon is one of the most re
markably fertile agricultural sec
tions of the United States. This
valley comprises approximately
five million acres of tillable land,
It is a section which enjoysa re
markably wide range of product
ion. Every cereal, fruit and veg
etable grown in a temperate cli
mate will not only grow here,
but grow profusely, and attain
the highest quality. It is an i
deal section for the small farmer
where cultivation takes the place
of irrigation. Althongh iriiga-
tion is profitable, nevertheless sat
isfactory results can be obtained
in its absence. The whole valley
is pre-eminently a dairying and
fruit growing section. Much of
the land, however, for best re
suits should be under-drained.
It is a valley where crop failure
is unknown, and where the far
mer has the widest range poss
lble of choice as to what class of
farming he may follow. Not only
is it a dairying and fruit growing
section, it is also the home of
some of the best livestock found
on the continent. However, the
small ten acre farm to be success
ful should be devoted either to
dairying, fruit growing, market
gardening or poultry or perhaps
a combination of all these upon
one farm.
It is understood that intensive
culture must characterize the op
eration of the small farm. Upon
a ten-acre farm one acre will be
utilized for the homestead, in
cluding house and lawn, kitchen
garden, barn and other buildings
and yards. The remaining nine
acres may be utilized as follows:
Six acres for growing rough feed
for four cows and one horse; one
acre to choice tree fruits; one
acre to small fruits, and one acre
to early vegetables, such as ear
ly potatoes and sweet corn. The
gross receipts from such a farm
should represent about as fol
lows, Four cows, $100 each,
$400; one hundred hens, $2.50
each, $250; one acre tree fruits,
$350; one acre small fruits $400;
1 i A.
one acre eany potatoes, corn,
etc., $150; total, $1550. From
this could be deducted for mill
feed for horse, cows, and poultry,
$200; for boxes, spray material,
etc. , for orchard and small fruits,
$100; total outlay, $300. Net re
turn from ten acres, $1250. In
addition to this the kitchen gar
den will suppiy the vegetables re
quired for the family. It is pre
sumed however, that the farmer
and his family will perform all
the labor required on the farm.
This is a conservative estimate
of the productivity of the Willa
mette valley soil. Even better
returns than this can often be
obtained. It is reported that a
five-acre peach orchard in Marion
county this year has yielded its
owner $2500. There is no ques
tion as to the feasibility of the
small farm. Of course, for the
highest achievement it will de
mand thought, industry and a
perfect utilization of every foot
of ground.
Oregon with her ninety-six
thousand square miles of land
has less than fifty thousand far
mers. The Willamette valley
alone should have one hundred
thousand farmers. This valley,
with reasonable cultural methods
can easily be made to yield two
hundred million dollars annually
from agriculture.
The Nelson Jersey Farm.
Several years ago a prize was
offered by a national horticultural
association. The amount of the
prize was $50 and was to be giv
en for the largest pansy shown.
Every state contested and Ore
gon won. The prize was won by
Ross Nelson, of Independence,
who was then a small boy. Be
ing economical he had saved "a
few pennies. " These pennies
and his $50 he invested in a few
cows and that was the start of
the Nelson Stock Farm. Now it
is one of the largest dairy and
stock farms in the vicinity of In
dependence, The herd is headed
by Dorinda, grandson of Peer's
Surprise. While they have two
yearlings coming on who are true
blue blooded aristocrats of the
highest order. Such skill and
foresight has been displayed by
Mr. Nelson, Jr., in the rearing of
his present young stock that they
are now conceded to be as high
quality as any A. J. C. 's on the
Coast. The Nelson farm com
prises a good many broad acres.
One of its features is a fine apple
orchard. Mr. Nelson, Sr., has
pruned and trimmed to that ex
tent that the apples produced
are almost perfect in quality.
Electric lights are installed in
both the house and barns, while
they are now contemplating the
erection of more new buildings.
Oregon Agriculturist.
Mackie Goodwin.
At high noon, on New Years
day, Miss Blanche I. Goodwin,
the beautiful and accomplished
daughter of Mrs. M. I. Goodwin.
a former student of the O. S. N.
S., of Monmouth, was united in
marriage to Mr. Alexander Mac
kie.
Rev. Hoover, pastor of the E-
vangelical church of Monmouth,
timing his service so as to utter
the words "I pronounce you hus
band and wife," at the stroke of
twelve, thereby making the beau
tiful ring service more impressive
ihe bride was a vision of lov-
liness in a princess gown of cream
chitton and nuns veiling. She
carried a bunch of white carna
tions and asparagus ferns.
The groom is one of our sub
tantial young farmers and a
snephew of Mr. W. Mackie. Only
a few relatives and friends were
present
After a delicious luncheon,
served by the bride's mother, the
happy couple left for an indefin
ite stay in Portland.
CAN FIND OIL IN POLK COUNTY
We Are In the Big Petroleum
Belt
SHALES AND OTHER INDICATIONS GOOD
Same Formation As Is Found In
The Rich California Oil
Fields.
R. M. Brereton, of Woodstock,
published a long and interesting
letter in Monday's Oregonian,
giving the data on which he bas
ed his belief that Oregon, and
especially the Willamette valley,
is rich in deposits of petroleum
and that all the state lacks is pro
per exploitation and scientific
drilling for oil, to make it an even
richer oil producing region than
California.
Extensive use of technical and
scientific terms make the letter
rather difficult reading, but the
points suggested are worthy of
serious consideration and the
fact that the writer announced
the presence of petroleum de
posits in California years before
they were actually discovered, in
the very regions he had indicat
ed, add weight to the statements
made concerning oil prospects in
Oregon.
Of principal local interest are
the statements he makes concern
ing the indications of oil in Polk
county. The subject has been
under investigation in this county
in recent years and several ten
tative prospects have been made
in different sec ionns, the one
most widely known having been
perhaps, the prospect on the
Whitaker farm near Monmouth
The salient facts, which have
bearing on the indications of the
presence of petroleum and nat
ural gas in Polk county are brief
ly as follows:
The geological formations in
Western Oregon are in the same
sequence as those in the oil reg
ions of California. The most pro
ductive petroleum producing sec
tions in California lie in the up
per miocene tertiary formation
and Yamhill and Polk counties
west of the Willamette River lie
in the same formation. The
structure of the shales and sand
stones in the hill range east of
Amity and McCoy and in Holmes'
Gap between McCoy and Rickre-
all are identical with those in the
oil bearing regions of California.
"Petroleum," says Mr. Brere
ton, "is a product of marine veg
etation and the strong salt
springs in the Salt Creek neigh
borhood and about Amity indicate
that it was once the bed of the
Pacific Ocean, prior to the uplift
of the Coast Range." He be
lieves that all prospecting here
tofore has been too superficial
and in many cases that the pros
pectors have drilled in the wrong
formations.
If the drilling were prosecuted
in the places where the oil bear
ing formation is found instead of
having been made in the more
difficult and frequently barren
strata, he is confident that both
oil and natural gas would be
found in abundance through the
Tualatin and Yamhill valleys and
a large section of northern and
central Polk county. Observer.
Independence School Notes.
Miss Crissie Branbery was a
visitor on Tuesday morning.
. Several new pupils entered
after the holidays, almost every
room having some addition.
Preparations are being made
for the celebration of the 100th
anniversary of Lincolns birthday.
Barbara Belt from the ninth
grade, enters the West Side
High Schooi in Portland this
week.
Miss Epley did not arrive Mon
day morning till ten o'clock, and
Mrs. Kirk took charge of the
fifth grade until her arrival.
Mrs Emily Armstrong has re
signed her position in the Seventh
Grade. The vacancy has been
filled by Miss Lena Spangle.
The Christmas spirit was not
lacking here. Rooms were dec
orated and appropriate programs
were rendered in celebration of
the occasion.
The tenth grade is less by two
than it was before the holidays.
Nettie Snyder has moved to
Gardner, Oreg n; and Olen
Whiteaker will take up other
work here.
Many were absent from school
Tuesday and Wednesday on ac
count of the snow, which is so
unusual that it seems to frighten
some people. Parents kept the
smaller children at home, while
some of the older ones had very
important duties to perform that
kept them out of school to their
very great sorrow.
Kind Words
Editor of the Herald :-
For a Xmas present from my
mother, Mrs. Ruth Murphy, of
your little city, I received a years
subscription to "The Monmouth
Herald" a present remembered
every week for a year, others
are too soon forgotten.
Your paper is a clean progress
ive sheet and I hope the people
of Monmouth will show their ap
preciation by giving you their
hearty support. A city without
a paper is like a church without
a bell. People may come and go,
but through a good live paper
they may be induced to come
and stay. Some fifteen years
ago I edited a paper called the
Monmouth Record. The people
took no interest in it and it soon
went the way of many other at
tempts to establish an advertiser
there.
You have elected a progressive
set of city officials. I know most
of them, and no doubt there will
be great advancement toward
ultimate municipal ownership of
all public utilities, which is the
issue of issues.
Monmouth is my native city
and I am always interested in
its success. The people must
stand by their local press so long
as it voices their sentiments.
Success to the "Herald" and
progress unbounded for Mon
mouth during 1909.
Yours Very Kindly
Chet V. Murphy, D. D. S.
Boulder Creek, Cal.
Jan. 1, '09.
INDEPENDENCE NEWS BUDGET
From Our Regular Corres
pondent. DAILY HAPPENINGS IN OUR SISTER CITY.
Scan This Column For News of
Importance From the
Riverside.
Dr. Butler made a business
trip to Portland Monday.
Mrs. Roy Bullard is visiting
friends at Forest Grove this
week.
Mr. and Mrs. Claire Irvine
visited friends in Corvallis New
Years.
Mrs. A. Gross and children
visited relatives in Portland over
Sunday.
Miss Dorothy Cooper left Sat
urday for Seattle where she will
visit several months.
Robert Duganne, of Portland,
is visiting his brother Dr. R. E.
Duganne in this city.
Miss Bess Butler visited over
Sunday in Portland returning
home Monday evening.
Miss Carrie Danneman, of
Corvallis, visited with Miss Flor
ence Burton, New Years.
Mrs. Ella Irvine returned to
Portland Saturday after several
days visit with friends in this
city.
Mrs. August Sperling and
daughter Leona returned Mon
day evening after several weeks
visit with relatives in Portland.
Mr. and Mrs. C. Hubbard re
turned to Portland Sunday after
several days visit at the home of
the formers parents Mr. and Mrs.
J. E. Hubbard.
Mrs. Captain Spong returned
Saturday to her home at Carson
Springs, after several weeks
visit at the home of her sister,
Mrs. A. C. Moore.
Crowley.
Miss Nellie Williams is visiting
friends here.
Miss Nora Smith is attending
school in Rickreall.
Miss Dorris Evans, of Salem,
is visiting Mrs. D. M. Pewtherer.
Tom Pettitt, of O. A. C, spent
a few days with his sister Mrs.
Clay Taylor.
Mr. and Mrs. Homer White
have returned to their home east
of the mountains.
Seth a"d sister Emma have re
turned to Portland after spend
ing the holidays here.
The leaving time of the Rick
reall R. F. D. carrier has been
changed from 11:15 to 8:30 untill
March 31 '09.
A school tax has been levied in
this district to prolong school
through the winter months and
to get a new desk and chair for
the teacher.
There was a basket ball game
Saturday evening at the Oak
Grove skating rink between "The
City Guys," of Rickreall, and
The Stiffs," of Oak Grove. The
score being 8 to 18, in favor of
the City Guys.