of Wwhin
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lire
Where many industries vie .with each other for supremacy. The greatest all around county in the state
Dairying, Farming. Fruit Raising, Etc.
FRUIT RAISING.
Washington County, Oregon, la re
markable for the great variety of her
product as well as the exceptionally
.nne quality to which they attain.
The fruit industry here Is still la
Its Infancy, but It Is rather from neg
lect, and the success obtained with
crops easier to plant and harvest than
from any other cause. As the land
becomes more densely populated and
farmers learn the value of smaller
farms with more careful attention,
doubtless fruits of many varieties will
be raised evtenslvely.
This Industry has been given a thor
ough test, and the results are most
satisfactory. In small home orchards,
N fruits of all the varieties which are
generally successfully raised undef
similar conditions of climate have
. shown remarkable hardiness and fine
quality.
Apples do particularly well, some
having been raised In Washington
County without a thorough under
standing of the Industry and therefore
not obtaining the extreme care and
attention which this fruit deserves,
but with unqualified success, practi
cally as good as any grown in the
state.
Grapes are very hardy and possess
an extremely fine flavor. An excel
lent quality of wine is obtained from
several vineyards in the county.
Berries are very successfully grown,
seeming to flourish with less care
than is generally found necessary, and
berry farms are now being thorough
ly exploited. In fact, we predict that
it Is only a question of a few years
when Washington County will be as
famous for her fruit products as aie
other sections of the State of Oregon
today.
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THE SOIL.
Conditions of climate and soil seem
to combine In order to make of Wash
ington County a veritable garden spot.
The soil Is a mixture of clay and silt,
forming a very dark loam, which is
to be found on most of the bottom
, I nad. The plain lands are slightly
lighter in color, and appear to con
tain less clay, while much of the hill
lands are almost Indian red in shad.),
all ot them lighter in color and more
porous than the soil on the lower flats.
The celebrated beaver dam lands
of Washington County are too well
known to require explanation. This
is the celebrated onion producing soil
which has made Washington County
famous as the largest producer of
onions of all counties in the United
States.
This soil Is very valuable and tha
owner of a small farm who will give
the same his careful attention, will
rapidly acquire wealth. As high as
1000 sacks of onions have been raised
to the acre.
Water Is to be found In abundanco,
but Irrigation Is rarely necessary. Lit
tle rock la encountered, the stratifica
tion being mostly uniform, the upper
layer of soil being from 14 to 20 feet
In depth, below which lies a layer of
sand some 10 to 18 feet deep. Similar al
ternate stratification continues inde
finitely, the sand formation Invariab'y
carrying a copious flow of water.
Of the 715 square miles In Wash
ington County, about 110,000 are im
proved and are valued at approxi
mately $12,000,000.
A fair average price per acre would
be 155, hill lands being valued at
from 125 to $50, prairie lands about
$85. and beaver dam lands from $250
to $400 per acre when ready for plant
ing. . There are some 7000 acres of gov
ernment land in the county, most ot
which Is Inaccessible and of little
value.
POPULATION.
The population of Washington Coun
ty la about 26.000. that of HlUaboro
alone being estimated at 2000. same
having practically doubled within th
last eight years.
There Is every reason to believe
that the population of the towns of
Hillsboro will double aIn within
the next two or three years, owing
to the extensive advertising whlca
will be given that section, and to thi
many Improvements to the city which
are now an assured fact.
The new steam railroad ot the Pa
cific Railway ft NavigaUon Co.. burn
ing to Tillamook, with terminal at
Hillsboro. will be an Important factor
In the development ot the town.
In fact the future never lookel
brighter for any aectlon of the stat.
Jhsnlt doe. today tor Hlll.boro All
condition, favor this locality and a.
the trend of settlement and borne
seeking to sll toward the West, It re
"In. only necessary that hearty
Lratlon and loyal .plrlt .hall b.
swnbyherclU.en. and those Inter-
.ited la b development. In
ttatw"ecuour.h.reoftbeben
fits no developing.
Some localities will benefit more
than others, although both be of equal
merit. Extra exertion Is necessary
for the winner of a difficult race, and
the same applies to localities as to Individuals.
COUNTY VALUES.
Assessor Wilcox has finished the
190S tax roll, the summary of whlca
Is:
100,000 acres tillable land.$ 4.822,995
344-073 ac. non-tillable land 3210,585
Improvements deeded lands 1,185,470
Value town lots 395,645
Improvements same 451,455
Improvements on lands not
deeded 29,740
Electric, telephone and tele
graph lines. 128.40 miles. 17.659
O.tCR. R.. 34 miles 310,120
O. ft C. rolling stock 29.200
Stationary engines and man
ufacturing machinery ... 108,385
Mdse. and stock In trade.. 222,865
Farm imp., wagons, etc.... 166,820
Money, notes and accounts 234,075
Bank stock, 250 shares.... 12,500
Household furniture 242,210
Horses. 6524 head 326,305
Cattle, 13,707 head 245,5,5
Sheep and goats, 11.977 hd. 24.206
Doss, 5 (by request) 85
Swine, 1862 head 8.220
Gross valuation ....$12,044,205
Exemptions 649,735
Total tax roll $11,394,270
Polls, 1853.
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RACE TRACK. T
This community boasts of a very
fine race track, and there 1. rumor
that attention will be accorded this
enterprise In the near future.
Here would be an excellent oppor
tunity to center the interest, ot sev
eral adjoining counties In Hillsboro
through the medium of annual fairs.
There is no method of advertising rur
al districts like well organized public
gathering of this sort.
It offers opportunity for every far
mer to exhibit his products and to
compete for prizes, which is always
a stimulant tor the Improvement ot
agricultural products, and the more
painstaking breeding of livestock.
Being proxlmlous to Portland, hun
dreds of people, both residents of the
city and visitors, would be attracted
to Hillsboro by this means, which
would result in inestimable benefit to
both the town and county.
VEGETABLE CULTURE. J
Washington County is indeed the
garden spot ot the Northwest Not
taking Into consideration her beaver
dam lands, which are simply marvel
ous producers, it seems apparent that
any kind ot vegetable will grow any
place In the county they may be planted.
Enormously large product, are ot fre
quent occurrence, and they Invariably
retain the fine texture and flavor of
the .mailer growth.
Onion, are a most valuable asset
to this county, the beaverdam lands
producing on an average about 730
sacks to the acre.
Potatoes grow here In abundance,
and when planted In the hill lands, are
dry and mealy, containing a large per
centage of starch and of excellent
flavor. Oregon potatoes are well
known and In great demand the en
tire length ot the Pacific Coast and
the local crop alone 1. worth half a
million dollar, per year.
Very good corn 1. raised in some
parts of the county, but culture of this
commodity has had little careful at
tention. Tobacco Is a prolific grower and of
excellent quality. This should prove,
a very profitable Industry and will
likely be engaged In on a large scale
by some enterprising agriculturalist
at no distant date.
Peanuts have been planted with
very successful results, the nuts be
ing unusually large.
In fact all varieties of garden pr-
duce are prolific growers and ot ex
tremely flr-.e quality.
Portland Is a handy and ready mar
ket. and will doubtless continue to
create an active demand for fresh
vegetables of "Washington County
quality. ,
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LUMBER MILL.
The new lumber mill which I. no
Bearing completion, I. a mo.t valua
ble adjunct to the manufacturing in-,
terests of Hillsboro.
It was erected at a cost of about
$20,000. and win have a capacity of
50,000 feet per day.
A. a tno.t excellent assortment of
hard woods suitable for furniture ar-
to be found la Washington County, a
factory for the manufacture ot same
will undoubtedly be erected In the
near future. ,
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WASHINGTON COUNTY, THE
COUNTY BOUNTIFUL OF
OREGON.
TRANSPORTATION.
Hillsboro Is on the main line of the
Southern Pacific Railroad from Port
land to Corvallis, and as several
trains per day are maintained, exce
tional transportation facilities is tho
result
The Psciflc Railway ft Navigation
STREET SCENE, HILLSBORO.
Co. chose Hillsboro for their eastern
terminal after cartful vtew of the
situation, which meuni that the rail
road officials consider tkli to be the
coming city of this jortlon of the
state. This, line, whlck will be ex
tended to Tillamook, li Uready com
pleted for a distance ot 20 miles. It
will tap the greatest timber belt In
the Northwest and all its traffic must
pass through Hillsboro. As the ter
minal, shops will be erected later,
and as Its business develops, as is
always true in the history of railroads,
the business of our town will develop
simultaneously.
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COUNTY COlilT HOUSE, HILLSBORO.
THE OREGON NURSERY COMPANY
It 1. a very significant fact that the
Oregon Nursery Company are combin
ing their three large plants and locat
ing near Hillsboro. As one of thete
planU was formerly In California and
the other In Washington, it appea.
that thl. company considers Oregon
the state best suited for the cultiva
tion of all varW18 of plants, shrub.,
fruit or ornamental tree., in fact of
all varieties of Dorsery stock, and that
it further conldr that condition,
near Hillsboro r the most .atlsfac
tory In this itt-
One thousand acres have been pur
chased by this company, which I. the
largest institution of its kind In the
By virtue of location alone, Wash
ington County is most favored. Be
ing Just a short run from Portland,
the busluess center ot the state, fur
nishes opportunity for tho farmer to
go there, dispose ot his products and
return home the same day. This it,
of course, always a most valuable
phase ot the situation, for many peo
ple of meaus desire to live within
comparatively easy access to a me
tropolis, and when the projected elec
tric road is complete, Hillsboro will
be an ideal spot for the country
homes of Portland business men who
can go to and from the city with
promptness and comfort.
The extremely diversified character
of soil found In this county makes it
possible to produce almost any va
riety of cereal, fruit or vegetable of
fine quality, in abundance.
Here the thrifty farmer or business
man may surround his home with nu
merous beautiful varieties ot treo.
and flower, and supply his table with
all agricultural products of the sea
son from his own garden.
The county Is bounded by Colurj
bia and Yamhill Counties respectively
on the north and south, and by Mult
nomah and Clatsop on the east and
west
There is pleuty of water at all
times, for in addition to the numerous
streams and tributaries ot the Tuala
tin River, a copious supply may be
obtained in almost any part of the
county at an extremely shallow depth.
Educational facilities are good, the
county being well provided with ex
cellent public school, and great care
is taken in the selection of competent
instructors.
Dairying, lumbering and the rais
ing of hops, bay and potatoes are the
principal Industrie, of the county, each
being carried on with eminent suc
cess. Taking Hillsboro as a center, and
looking north, we see for some 15
miles, fields ot bops, grain and mea
dow. Excellent orchards abound and
continue in profusion throughout thl.
section, which Is also famous for it
dairying.
For the same distance east we OnJ
again beauUful fields of hops, grain
and meadow, orchards In prime con
dition and prosperous dairy farms.
Twenty miles southeast from Hills
boro the country la Justly famed for
the production of all the above named
commodities, except probably there Is
less fruit grown. There Is In this sec
tion, however, valuable onion lands,
the productiveness of which Is almost
beyond belief.
Due south Is for about 10 miles
mostly a dairy country, while the same
applies westward, and in addition ar
grain lands, hop and onion farm..
Potatoes grow abundantly in many
localities and are a most profitable
crop. The county produces about 400,
00O pounds annually.
The area of Washington County U
715 square miles. The present pop
ulation of 26,000 Is an Increase ot al
most 100 per cent during the last .U
years The timber standing today Is
valued in ce8s of $2,000,000, farm,
about $21,000,000 and livestock abojt
$2,000,000.
There are about zioo iarms w ui-.
county, showing approximately 93,000
acres of Improved land.
Nearly 4,000,000 gallons ot mil is
cultivation will soon receive consid
erable attention.
A million pounds of grapes are pro
duced, the greater portion of which
are made Into wine, and the straw
berry crop already averages a bait
million pounds a year.
Three-quarters of a million eggs aie
now laid at our door annually, and
merely as a side Issue, our county
produces over half ia million pounds of
bacon.
The county abounds in excellent
timber; there are now mills in opK
atlon and the territory tapped by the
railroad now building will increase
this Industry several hundred ,icr
cent.
HILLSBORO.
Northwest ,
A shipment consisting of several
tons ot the celebrated Franquette wM
v.. ( huen received. This Is
one of the many specialties of this pro(,uced annually, which Is sold prin
The town of Hillsboro, which Is the
county seat ot Washington County, Is
situated on the main line ot the
Southern Pacific Railway, 21 miles
from the City ot oPrtland. It Is the
largest town in the county and owing
to Its advantageous situation and the
Improvements now under way, it will
soon be permanently established as
one of the Important cities of the
state.
Advantageously located as it is la
the center ot an unusually rich agri
cultural district, and being favored
with unlimited resource for industrial
and manufacturing enterprises, there
Is no possibility of doubt about tho
great future In store for this com
munity. All that is required is unity
of interest and the assistance and
co-operation of her citizens, and res
idents of her tributary territory.
The town is free from hills or
heavy grades; the streets are wide
and well planked, and there are a
large number of excellent stores and
pretty dwelling houses.
However more buildings are need
ed. "For Rent" signs are not in evi
dence in Hillsboro, and with the In
crease of population which i. sure
to come, doubtless building activity
will be quadrupled within the next
12 months.
Here are all the evidences ot pros
perity, and every resident Is contented
and busy. The town boasts of two
solid bank., the deposits in which at
test to the financial condition of the
community.
The excellent opera house lately
constructed and in which "full houses"
are the rule, is a great boon to the
people ot Hillsboro and vicinity.
In fact the only reason that the
growth of this town has not been more
rapid in the past, is that everybody
has been prospering without extra ex
ertion, and has been content to allow
the community to develop almost en
tirely of 1U own volition.
Certain town, in the West will be
rapidly forging to the front In tho
near future, while others will be
dropped from the race. Those which
take precedence will be the ones
willing to put forward earnest eu
deavor and public spirited unity jf
effort.
nr,rr0irfve company,
this section particularly adapted to
the successful propagation of nuts
and frulU.
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OPERA H0US6 TAGE, HILLSBORO,
who consider CUally to the condenser, to be manu
factured into condensed milk. Large
quantities of excellent butter and
cheese are also manufactured.
Some other products of the county
which are enumerated below, show
the value of Washington County lands
and the extreme versatility of her aolL
Sheep and goats are kept principally
as forage animals, but the average
output of wool Is 80,000 pounds.
Wheat, which grows luxuriantly,
with a bright plump kernel, yields
about C50.000 bushels per annum",
oats 800,000 bushels, barley 20.000
bushels, and corn about 2500 bushel.
Hop raising has been found ex
tremely profitable and ia securing
more attention every year. It Is es
timated that over 2,250,000 pounds are
produced annually.
Approximately GOO.OOO bushels of
onions are raised, and as this crop I.
of extremely fine quality it receive,
the highest current market prices,
being an extremely profitable Indus
try. Over half a million pounds of cab
bages are produced annually, Portland
supplying- a ready market for same.
Similar satisfactory condition, apply
to all varieties of garden truck.
A conservative estimate of the bay
crop would be 100,000 tons. Wheat,
oats and barley bay are all produced
In large quantities and of unusually
good quality. Alfalfa, which i. as yet
more or les. of an experiment. Is
grown successfully, and doubtless It.
LOCAL PROMOTION.
Mr. R. L. Cate, the real estate man
of Portland, has finally been induced
by his many friends in our town and
county, to Interest himself actively
In the development of our resource,
and in the general promotion and fur
therance of our local Interests.
He will cooperate with the resi
dents of Hillsboro and vicinity, tak
ing personal supervision of such de
tails as may be required.
The new hotel Is at present occu
pying Mr. Cate's attention.
CRESCENT THEATRE.
A fine opera house Is one of 111114
boro's latest acquisition.. The bullj
ing will accommodate approximately
800 people, and wa. erected at a to
tal expenditure ot $S0O0.
The building and It. equipment are
first-class, the seats being unusually
comfortable and the new regulations
as to exits, etc., being carefully pro
vided for.
Excellent plays are produced here
at frequent Intervals, the management
exerclstog all possible care In the
selection of attractions.