EASTERN' CLACKAM AS NEWS. THURSDAY. DECEMRER 23. 132*3
Eastern Clackamas County Has Wonderful Possibilities
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DRUGS AND MEDICINE
Steady incomes are being made and even small fortunes are accumulated by men
who follow the business of raising or gathering medicinal herbs. Visitors to the East­
ern C lackamas section are sure to ask w hat the sheds, which may be seen on every
hand, are for. These are the shelters set up over valuable beds of ginseng.
This
crop finds its market in China, chiefly, and is a very profitable one although it re­
quires great care and is a long time in maturing. Golden seal, Oregon grape root,
mint, and cascara are other medicinal products grown or gathered. The market for
balsam of fir is also presenting some possibilities in this section. The market for these
products is right at our door since the large wholesale houses of Portland are export­
ing many tons to the countries of the Orient.
W ATER POWER
When the easterner talks of Muscle Shoals, he thinks it is the last word in gigantic
electrical power development and yet Oregon has two projects which aro even larger
one of them being in Eastern Clackamas Ccounty. Cheap power alone will not make
industrial development, hut combined with easy living condition« raw materials and
transportation outlet to the sea there is no limit to the possibilities here. As ¡in ex­
ample of what may he done the West Linn paper mill is shown. Th's mill is produc-
ing 325 tons of paper per day. Wrapping paper, fruit wrappers, toweling, tissue, kraft,
manilla and other papers are being made in the northwest from hemlock and spruce
pulp.
Industries such as these do not, as a rule seek locations in congested districts since
their production costs would be higher there. Estacada would be an ideal location for
canneries, woolen mills, sash and door factories, furniture and novelty plants, potteries
leather manufacturing plants, or milk eondenseries.
LUMBER— OUR CHIEF PRODUCT
* h-l,t,” !,er inKEf i <rn C1* ck» maf c° u"ty. '« pmctirfcl!/ untouched. Small mills have been and are now cutting in easily
aecess'hle places, but the «Treat stand of fir in the national forest has not been called upon to contribute to our pros..!“ v
The time has come, however when we are to reap th*s crop which has been several hundred rears in the growing
Th,
La Dee logging company is beginning operations up the Clackamas under a large government sale
There are others in
prosnect. The day is not far o ff when a large lumber mill employing hundreds of men will occupv a site near Estacada
Timber areas have been cu oyer until today Oregon has one-fourth of the standing timber in the United States
The
yearly output of Oregon mills is over 4,000,000,000 feet. Thirty per cent of this is shipped to foreign countries' The
demand will increase as other timbered sections are cut over ami Oregon's mills will he added to to supply the demand
Developments along the Columbia river, at Bend, Klamath Falls, Longbell, Vernonia and on the harbor fronts of the west
coast of Oregon and Washington indicate the large demand there is for our timber crop.
PO U LTRY AND D AIRY PRODUCTS
Many fine herds are to be found in the eastern part of Clackamas county. Guern­
sey "and Jersey cattle seem to prdominste although there are some fine registered Hol-
sterns in this section. Due to the open winters, which obviate the necessity for much winter
feeding this region is ideal for dairying
The surplus milk is sold to eondenseries or
cheese factories, or the separated cream ie converted into butter which has a large de­
mand in California ar.d eastern markets.
Poultry and eggs are produced in large quantities. Mild winters and the abundance
o f green 'feed throughout the year add greatly to the production of poultry in this sec­
tion
Pure bred strain« are almost entirely used and the per hen output of eggs is
exceptionally large. The large white egg produced here commands s better price in
the eastern markets. Shipments of fresh eggs have been made thie year in large quan-
“ “ Th‘e° production "X h 'o n 'iy is another industry which is showing rapid development
here
Fruit blossoms and wild flowers furnish abundant material for the bee. to work
on. The bee. also aid in polleniz.ng the fruit blossoms and many growers, having gone
in for bees on this account alone, nave found a nice profit on the side.
SMALL FRUITS
Clackamas county is famous for her small fruiU, the eastern section being particu­
larly well adapted to their production. Logan berries ure one of the fruit* hung produced
to perfection in this region. Until recently the loganberry was not grown commercially,
but the flavor and general excellence make the future of this crop assured. They are
exported in the form of juice or canned goods and the pack for Oregon amounts to over
a quarter million case* yearly. In the present year up to December 1st, the value of the
exports o f this one fruit from Portland amounted to <034,152. There is a steadily in­
creasing demand which will have to be supplied from the Pacific northwest since from
our exceptionally favorable weather and s< il conditions, we are now furnishing nine-
tenths of the world's supply.
Blackberries raspberries, strawberries, cherries and prunes are staple crops here and
are packed in large quantities
O f prune.. Oregon products a quarter of the nation's
crop and in no section of the state does tnis luscious fruit produce better than in East-
ern < lackamas county. Applet and pears are alio grown here with excellent results,
but not as yet on such a large commercial scale.