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About The Monmouth herald. (Monmouth, Or.) 1908-1969 | View Entire Issue (July 23, 1909)
Vol I Monmouth, Polk County, Oregon, Friday, July 23 1909 No. 48 PRUNE ORCHARDS PROFITABLE What is True of Salem is True of Monmouth SHOULD BE PUT UP IN SMALL BOXES Large Areas in Prunes Conducive to Good Roads and High Priced Lands The following taken from the Oregonian is equally applicable to this part of the state so far as soil and other natural conditions obtain and it is only a question of a few years when Monmouth will be the center of a great fruit belt Land that is now selling for from $50 up will be bringing $250 to $500. "The foundation of the prune business in the Willamette Valley was laid 20 years ago by the Ore gon Land Company, composed of Dr. H. J. Minthorn, now located at Newport; B. S. Cook, now in the real estate business in Port land and C. B. Moores, now a resident of Portland. . These far sighted pioneers in the work of subdivision saw that the future of the country depended on the cultivation of fruit and the in creasing of population by the cut ting up of some of the large farms that had been devoted to the crowing of wheat and in many cases had been in the hands of original owners since the days of donation land claims. The company turned its atten tion to the fertile hills south of Salem, buying a farm wherever the chance presented itself, sub dividing it and planting it in most cases to prunes and dispos ing of it on easy terms within the reach of the small farmer. Business went along very smooth ly for some time. Buyers were not wanting and the company was making money. But soon the prune trees began to bear and the troubles of the company and the men who had bought the farms began to multiply. There was no satisfactory market, and had there been a market the in experienced prunegrowers would not have known how to take full advantage of it They packed their fruit in sacks, and when a buyer was found the fruit was graded as second-class. Pests came and, in the absence of spe cific information as how to fight them, they did great damage. But finally the business began to assume a more promising as pect Experience and study brought knowledge, and with knowledge came better cultiva tion, better packing, better mar ket'ngand more profits. Land began to increase in value and new people began to seek out the red hills to the south where men were making money in the prune business. As the growers became more prosperous and their loads of fruit became heavier and more difficult to handle, the more ap parent became the need of better roads. The agitation for improve ments commenced and was kept up for years, finally and grad ually resulting in the building of the Liberty-Rosedale rock road, which is today the equal of any piece of country road in the west The prune crop today is one of the most profitable and depend able in this part of the valley In only one year, 1902, has there been any over production. While the annual output has been in creasing rapidly the demand has more than kept pace with the output The annual production from the present acreage is now about 40,000,000 pounds. While the crop of 1908 was only about half that amount dealers and leading growers are of the opin ion that this year's output will reach the full average. Salem is the most important center in the state for the grow ing and marketing of the Oregon prune. Orchards cover many of the higher spots surrounding the city, while the red hills of the Liberty-Rosedale district south of the city is given over almost entirely to the cultivation of the prune. Excellent land in this neighborhood, splendidly adapted to this branch of horticulture, can still be had at from $50 to $150 per acre, bearing orchards $100 to $300 per acre, while in the famous Santa Chara Valley of California, where the Italian or Oregon prune cannot be pro duced, and where the yield per acre of inferior prunes is not as large as that of the Italian in Oregon, the price demanded and paid for prune land ranges from $500 to $1000 per acre. H. S. Gile, of the Willamette Prune Association, discussing the marketing phase of the industry, said: ' 'Many time more prunes would be sold to the best class of trade if their attention was drawn to the real merits of Oregon prunes as a food, and to the perfectly clean character of the fruit as it reaches them in the ten pound package, coming directly from the sterilizing plant to the con sumer, as it should. When the dust and dirtof the retail grocery store and the open box, biti or bag of prunes can be replaced by packages or by a container of some sort which will reach the consumer as originally packed similiarto seeded raisins, then there will come the day of the prune, for no cured fruit has greater merit". The problem of a market, which has been up for consideration for years, it is believed, has been solved by the organization of the Salem Fruit Union, which has kept a large force of workers busy all through the present fruit season preparing and shipping the highest grades of fruit, not only to Coast cities but as far east as Chicago. The lower grades are sold to the canneries. The organization has demonstrated its usefulness, and next year its plant will be enlarged by the erection of a cooling station so that fruit may be kept in the best of condition while being prepared for shipment. It is estimated that fully 1000 acres of prune land has changed hands in the past months. Prices are steadily increasing as grow ers begin to appreciate the profits of the business and the future of the industry. Monmouth Herald and Pacific Monthly $1.50 for one year. A BIC DEMAND FOR APPLES Says Pres. Newell of Board of Horticulture BETTER LIVESTOCK MARKET IN PORTLAND Live One Hundred Years in the Pacific Northwest Close to Nature July 20 That apple growers of Oregon have nothing to fear from the danger of overproduc tion is the statement of Wilbur K, Newell, president of the State Board of Horticulture, who has recently returned from the east. He says the industry is not likely to be overdone and that the de mand for Oregon fruit now ex ceeds the supply in many quart ers. While away, he visited many apple growing districts in the east. He found Oregon ap ples well established in eastern markets and said the price paid for fruit from this state exceeds that given for the eastern pro duct Portland will have an improved market for the livestock of the northwest early in the coming month when th j big stockyards on the Peninsu'a will be opened. It is said the new f xciluies to be offered for the Marketing of stock will be the best on the Pacific Coast At the' start the yards will have a capacity of 75 cars, or nearly 2000 head of cattle; 10,000 head of sheep, and 4000 head or 50 cars of, hogs. This capacity can easily be doubled as occasion requires. The yards will be run in connection with the new packing plants now be ing built on the Peninsula. That the climate of the Pacific Northwest is most favorable to long life is the belief of Dr. Ru dolph J. Hoague, exponent of the simple life and author of the book, "How to Live One Hundred Years." He is going to establish a colony of his followers near Vancouver, Wash., where life will be along simple lines and next to nature. Simplicity of diet and clothing will prevail, Dr. Hoague's followers Will be tuck ed into bed at sundown and will rise with the lark Worry and dull care will be tabooed and members of the colony will be told to be always cheerful and happy. Dr. Hoague promises all who will live after his rules a hundred years of life. The finding of a coin of the early Christian Era in a field near Forest Grove has caused no little speculation as to how it came there. Antiquarian finds in Ore gon are not common. The coin has been identified as of the per iod of Emperor Severus, who ruled Rome from 146 to 211 A. D. The coin is a very rare one, but a few being known to be in extistence. Oregon fir is becoming to be a favorite wood for car builders says A. B. Wastell, secretary of the Oregon and Washington Lum ber Manufactuers' Association, who has just returned from the east Not only is it used for sills and heavy timbers in building passenger equipment but for sid- incr and finishing as well. As a result of Mr. Wastell's visit the Oresron wood will be more ex tensively used for this purpose in future. Action taken by President Taf t in setting aside the Josephine county caves as a National re serve'.meets with the hearty ap proval of the people of this state, who are interested in preserving its natural wonders. One square mile including the entrance to the caves has been made a reser vation, belonging to the govern ment, by proclamation just sign ed. The caves make up a wonder ful collection of roomy caverns and ealleries in the side of a mountain in the Grayback range, about 30 miles south of Grants Pass. Luckiamute. Columbus Tetherow has great scads of hay. Earl and Orvill White are help ing J. J. Leveck. Robie Ground is assisting Ma rion Smith harvest. Mrs. Thomas Williams, of Lew isville, has been quite feeble. Farmers are nearly all hauling hay, being delayed by the rains. D. C. Henry was through these parts in the interest of the Her ald. Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Staats visited their son Tracy, of Salem, Sunday. Mr, and Mrs. Johnnie James were guests at Pioneer Dell farm Sunday. A. N. Halleck, the iron man, passed through here the first of the week. We are glad to learn that Ar chie Tetherow has recovered from his injuries received in the automobile wreck. J. J. Leveck has just finished cutting his fine crop of wheat. It will yield 40 bushels to the acre or we will smoke. Henry Smith visited his son, Loyd, a4-. Lebanon one day last week. Loyd is chief engineer at the Lebanon paper mills. Hay will sell for $10 loose and $12.50 baled. The late rains dam aged the hay but slightly, al though the hay is colored some. A problem for the school maams: How many cubic feet are there in a piece of timber 15 feet long, 16 inches square atone end. and 12 inches square at the other? Delightful Garden Party. A very pleasant afternoon was enjoyed Friday, July 16, when Mrs. Wm. Metzler enter tained at her home north of Mon mouth, in honor of her neices, Misses Nora and Clara Klemme, of Belleville, Illinois. The afternoon was spent on the shady lawn where delicious refreshments were served at" in tervals. Those present were: Mes damesJohn Orr, Will Riddell, Hartley Mulkey, Misses Hallie, Nettie, and Laverne. Gibson, Blanch Mulkey, Christina and Minnie Clow, Anna Longnecker, Charlotte Orr, Stella Black, Ha zel and Mabel Lorence, Messrs. Wm. Metzler and J. I. Phillipi. INDEPENDENCE NEWS BUDGET From Our Regular Corres pondent DAILY HAPPENINGS IN OUR SISTER CITY. Scan This Column For News of Importance From the Riverside. Mrs. Charley Allen is visiting in Salem this week. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Hays spent Sunday in town. Mr. and Mrs, F. L. Hooper were Salem visitors Monday. Miss Bessie Butler went to Portland Saturday for a short visit Miss Vera Brunk spent last week visiting her aunt and uncle near Eola. Mrs. Paddock and children, Dorothy and Elmer, spent Sun day in Dallas. Miss Elva Taylor, of Baker City, is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Taylor. Mrs. Livingood, of McMinn ville, was visiting her sister Miss Bertie Bentley last week. Mrs. Till Shinn, of Eugene, has returned to her home town to visit friends once more. Mrs. Charley Williams has re turned from Salem where she spent several days with friends. Rev. C. C. Foling preached to a large audience in the Evan gelical church Saturday evening. Will Campbell commenced bal ing hay with his steam baler Monday morning near Monmouth Velma and Ruby Tipton, of Hillsboro, returned home Tues day, after spending several days visiting Charlotte and Dorothy Hicks. Fifteen and a half and sixteen cent contracts have been refused for hops by hop growers of this vicinity. The hops are looking better than was expected. H. M. Reeves purchased the Towler property, the Harris home L. L. Bakers and the May resi dences last week. It is to be hoped that some one will build some new houses to rent Monday afternoon about three o'clock fire broke out in the fine house owned by J. L. Hanna, joining B. F. Jones. The fire company was called out and by hard work the fire was extin guished. The house has not been occupied for over two months and it is the opinion that the house caught fire from a defective light wire. Ladies Aid Entertained The Ladies aid society, of the Christian Church met last Mon day afternoon at the home of Mrs. Simpson for some special sewing. After their work was finished Mrs. T. J. Berry and Mrs. Simp son served these ladies in a dainty and beautiful way to cake and punch. The absent members may be sorry they were not present for Mrs. Berry and Mrs. Simpson know how to do things.
