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About Coquille herald. (Coquille, Coos County, Or.) 1905-1917 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 1916)
I T he C oquille H erald Section Two VOL. 34, N O . 49 C O Q U IL L E , C O O S C O U N T Y , O R E G O N , T U E S D A Y , A U G U S T 22, 1916. Pages 7 to 14 P E R Y E A R $ 1 .5 0 Coquille, the County Seat, a Town of Natural Supremacy in Her Own®Rich, Attractive Field __ r . nothing to be desired. The best and sweetest onions the writer ever laid his lip over grew near Fairview, which is | tributary to Coquille. Some o f the finest tomatoes in the world are raised at Bridge. And it should be remem bered that up to this time irrigation has been unknown here. What this land will produce with irrigation is a in placing before some thousands o f tributaries to get an idea o f the agri problem in multiplication. prospective visitors an article descrip cultural resources which lie tributary Perhaps the resource next in import tive o f Coquille, the desire is to tell to this city. And even then the im ance is the timber industry which con- only the exact truth which will be fully pression conveyed would not be ade | tributes much toward the up-keep o f verified bv whatever investigation may quate unless the person could bring this city. While we do not receive so be made. It is not proposed to make himselt to realize that one acre o f the much benefit from this as do some other any claims that are not fully justified, land in this valley is actually worth, towns in the county, yet it helps mate nor to attract visitors here only to from the standpoint o f capacity for the rially and quite a number o f our citi their own disappointment. While it is production o f wealth, several times as zens are dependent to a greater or less but natural to put our best foot for much as an acre of land which, in other extent on the lumber industry. The ward, yet we will try not to keep our localities, looks so charming at certain one small mill which i& conducted here seasons, from the windows o f the by E. E. Johnson provides employment other foot entirely in concealment. The stranger visiting Coquille for the train. Perhaps the statement that the for quite a crew o f men and furnishes first time may wonder "w hat keeps the cow is queen of the land in the Coquille the largest real payroll o f the town. town up.” This is but natural, the valley will convey the best idea o f the Another establishment is the Myrtle configuration o f the country is such splendid and enduring foundation on wood plant o f J. H. Oerding and sons, that the splendid bodies o f farming which the prosperity and the future of and while no large payroll is connected lands which form the permanent asset Coquille is buiided. with this, yet it is an industry which o f this city cannot be seen from any It must not be inferred that the cow may well grow to considerable propor one point o f vantage. Even the large has a monopoly o f the crops grown on tions. Our myrtle wood is without a A n y fruits superior in the world for beauty, and body of rich river bottom that lies just Coquille valley lands. across the river is still so far under the grown in the temperate zone come to when worked up into furniture, or nov dominion of the wilderness that its cul perfection here. A high authority has elties such as the Oerdings now make, tivated areas are concealed by th e ! pronounced the Coos county soil and it needs only the proper marketing fa brush o f the parts still uncleared. To climate the best In the world for the cilities to find an unlimited demand. With that fact as one coming from the broad and lev el! Gravenstcin apple. The resources in the coal veins lying Willamette valley, where cultivated ] sured we can afford to acknowledge under the land near Coquille are im farms can be seen for mile3 on each that for peaches and pears some o f the mense, and it seems certain that the side o f the railroad track, it is hard ton interior valleys o f the state are better day will come when this city will de realize the real extent o f the farming adapted. For small fruits and berries rive incalculable benefit from the min land o f the Coquille valley and its tri we will not yield the palm to any other ing of the black diamonds. This for butaries. Days would have to be spent locality. For strawberries the season the future, hut it seems a future that in traveling different roads and follow lasts a I 1 summer—and then some. is certain. ing the branches o f the river and their Vegetables thrive in a way that leaves All literature o f this nature is so per able here than they are nearer the coast. The only really cold winds we ever have are those from the east, and they appear with extreme rarity, only often enough to remind us of what the unfortunate denizens o f the inland country have to endure. As for the town itself, without going into dry dates or statistics, it may be said that it is one o f the older towns o f the county; that it is situated at the head o f practicable deep water naviga tion o f the river 26 miles from the ocean; that it is the county seat; that it has in the neighborhood o f 2000 inhabitants. The v ie # shown at the head of this page will give a correct idea o f the town and its surroundings. It has two good banks, housed in brick buildings; two hotels and several lodging houses and restaurants? eight churches; a fine ly equipped post office, in a brick and concrete building erected by the Odd Fellows; one other good brick building besides the $15,000 eity hall, a view of which is in this issue. The usual lines o f business are represented. The busi ness streets are paved, that improve ment having been made in the last four years. The business houses are not imposing, many o f the old shacks sur viving from an earlier day being care fully cherished and bolsterod up hy their owners, as is always the case. Being the county seat, Coquille has the court house, and this handsome building is shown in another column. A concrete and brick annex is now being added, to furnish additional room. The court house sits in the middle o f a large block and the surrounding lawn, flower beds and shade trees are carefully taken care of. meated with extravagant claims on the score o f “ climate” that.it is with con siderable diffidence that tly* writer touches the subject. Nevertheless, one (of the actual resources o f this city is her climate. If not the "finest in the world,” it is undeniably the finest in Coos county, which means the finest in Oregon. To those who believe that the Oregon climate is best, the inference is unavoidable. Coquille is just far enough from the coast so that the north-west winds which prevail in summer, and which are too strong and “ r a v ” nearer the beach, are softened and modified in their passage over the hills, but still retain their refreshing coolness, which they lose a little farther inland. The south-west winds o f the rainy season are also dried and modified after leav ing the ocean and are far less disagree The population of the town is to a very large extent made up o f “ old set tlers" and their descendents. As might be expected, conservatism is the rule, although the street improvements made in the last few years and now un der way show the spirit o f enterprise and civic pride. The town has never had a boom, and probably a vote taken would show an overwhelming majority against one. A steady yearly growth, as the surrounding country fills up with a prosperous agricultural population would best meet the desires o f our citi zens.* City property is not high in price; in fact, it can be bought at very reason able fiigures. There are numerous openings f o r newcomers who have a little capital and who can bring to bear in a business enterprise the later ideas which win THOUSANDS OF FERTILE ACRES STIEL AWAIT DEVELOPMENT Coquille’s City Hall, New and Modern KODAK ___ out in larger places. As one small il lustration o f this, it may be stated that, here within a few miles o f the ocean, there is no fish market. With unlimited supplies o f deep sea fish, clams, crabs etc. within reach, the res ident o f this town must go without nine-tenths o f the time, although one o f the butcher shops occasionally shows The view at the head of this page is fiould the view be extended farther to a few pounds o f salmon for those who do their marketing early. It may be taken from Coquille Heights, part of the left it would reveal as much more said that “ bad debts” are not an una the property of the Coquille Land Com o f this great factor in the substantial voidable feature of doing business here, j pany, o f which Chas. Walker is the prosperity o f this city and in the future The cut is that lies in store for her. The river Both the dairy and lumber business put | resident representative. money into circulation at least once a furnished by the company from a pan runs next to the high ground on which month. The people are prosperous and orama photograph made especially for the town ia built, and the shrubliery have the money with which to pay for the purpose, and gives an idea o f the which clothes its banks is seen at the what they want. In fact, an experi magnificent view that can be obtained left o f the picture. The business part enced and enterprising man could find from the residence lots which belong to o f the town is partially hidden by the The spot where the high ground which lies between, but an opening here in almost any line of the property. business, and an infusion o f new blood camera stood is an easy walk from the the smoke o f the sawmill and electric in business circles would work no harm business center o f the town, and though plant can be seen rising straight up in it has been platted but a short time, it the calm morning air. The main body to the community. will be seen that residences are already o f the town is well shown. The beau While other towns of the county may springing up on the land. Three years tiful white court house is seen near the be better situated than Coquille to be ago this hill was covered by a dense center of the picture, and further to come great manufacturing or wholesale growth o f virgin timber. It was re the right is the large higli school build distributing centers, this town has ad moved by logging operations and the ] ing. Taken as a whhle, the view is vantages o f her own in other ways, ground was roughly cleared and burned extraordinary as showing so much o f and if she works out her destiny on the over last summer. It will be noted j the town and its surroundings. Better lines indicated by her environment she that some o f the stubs still stand. ' atmospheric conditions might have re will stand above them all in her own Such a view cannot be obtained from vealed more detail in the body o f valley field. As already said, she has the best any other spot within the limits o f the land, but on the whole we are pleased climate o f any town in this part o f the sister towns o f the county, and it is to present the view to our visitors. state and this gives her one essential of safe to predict that some day Coquille It will be acknowledged that this cut the ideal residence town. In line with Heights will be the “ Knob Hill” of bears out, in its way, the statement this is the fact that the moral, relig made in another column, that Coquille ious and social atmosphere o f the place this entire section. The view is taken looking west and is destined to be known as the most is unusually clean, giving splendid sur agreeable residence town in this part roundings for the young. With the al gives a good general idea o f the town o f Oregon. The day will come when most universal use o f the automobile and its surroShdings. At the left and and the building o f splendid hard-sur stretching away to the distant hills on Coquille heights will be covered by the face roads connecting with the larger the other side o f the valley can be seen magnificent homes of the wealthy, with towns, there is no question but Coquille wide and well-kept grounds, and will as a place o f residence will appeal a part o f the largest compact body o f be one of the beauty spots of the coun strongly to many who are doing busi arable land in this part o f the state. try. ness in other towns nearer.the coast. Bearing in mind what has gone be fore, it is seen that no other place in this part o f Oregon has the natural ad vantages for an educational center that must be accredited to Coquille. It is in this direction that her destiny lies. Many o f her people already recognize this and others will be brought to the same view as time passes. A good start has already been made. Coquille has a good school and one good school building. The construction o f another is in mind, and will probably be accom plished within a short time, as it is al ready needed. To sum up in brief: Coquille is a prosperous, conservative, clean town, surrounded by a section of great nat ural wealth, with the pleasantest cli mate in Oregon, the county seat, and populated by as fine a class o f citizens as can be found anywhere. She will give you a cordial welcome; The Coquille High School come and see her. MAONIFIEENI VIEW OBEAIIH FROM THE COQUILLE HEIGHTS SUPPLIES W e Can Fit Any Style Kodak A fresh stock of Eastman Films-the dependable kind-alwayr on hand D eveloping and Printing Prompt W ork Quality W ork Know lton’s Drug Store Quality Stationery Dependable Drugs •M l . Coquille O r e g o n