AT
VOL. XXI.
GRANTS PASS. JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1906.
No. 47.
A
-t
HISTORICAL SKETCH
5 OF GRANTS PASS
Interesting Facts of Eaily Ds as
Told by a Formtr Editor
of the Courier.
In 1883 the O. & 0. R. R. Oo. be
gan to build rapidly from Rosebarg to
Ashland, and and lata in that year or
Very early in '84 it arrived at Grant
Pass and located the preient townsite,
which is one mile south of the old
overland stage station of that name
Icept so long by the late Eb Dimick
and where J. O. Campbell conducted
stock of general merchandise.
The first glimpse I got of the town
was lu May, '84, on my way from
Portland in the ooinpany of a yonng
lady ooDsin. We got off there at 10 a.
TO. for breakfast, the train having
been delayed several honrs in tho
Cow oreek canyon by a caved -in tun
nel. There was an apology for a
hotel where the old Commercial after
ward stood, At that time the block
boanded by Fifth and Sixth, Front
and H streets was covered with
ho ages, cheaply bnilt, tents and tall
winging bnll pine trees. The land
lady bad bread oo the table which no
hi) man being could eat if he was
where he con Id rnn from it. We were
fearfully hangry bat we conld not eat
this petrified mammy. So after eat
ing a dollars worth of other food
I asked the waiter if she wouldn't
please take that bread away and set
gome that was better; she blushed and
said she won Id do her best. She went
oat the back door, which was in plain
sight, and went among those tents and
trees to borrow bread. In 15 minutes
lie came back with the same bread
eaying it was impossible to do better,
but that as soon as they could bake
ehe would have some good breud.
The rickety railroad from Roseburg
to Grants Pass was bnilt npou stilts
and was a sight to look npon. I
imagined that the little engines and
cars looked tired and was half tempted
to suggest that we let them rest while
the landlady baked the promised bread.
There being n5 conveyance from
Gauts Pass to Waldo we were com
pelled to go to Waldo via Medford and
Jacksonville.
Soon the town began to grow and
among the pioneers were Campbell &
Tuffs, George W. Riddle and J. W.
Howard, general merchandise, Mr.
Boward being first Mrs. C. M.
Stone, drags, came early also. Mrs.
McKoight millinery ; Pigney & Cook,
blacksmiths; G. Davis, shoe and boot
repairing; Geo. Gliessman, bakery;
James Jordan, Commercial hotel; J.
R. Jennings, Pioneer ' hotel ; O. L.
Gray and M. V. Loving, jewelers; J.
M. Chiles and J. B. Marshall & Son,
grocers; Edwin Smith, A. J. Sedge
and G. O. Farr, house builders, Geo.
W. Merrill, real estate; Robert Przy,
barber; Green & Son, gunsmiths;
J. B. Hutoh and L. L. Jennings,
saloons; Spears & Freasure, J. S.
Flannary and J. B. Sohaffer,
painters; Volney Colvig and C. K.
Chanslor, notaries' Soloman & Ahlf,
batchers; Sam White, a U. Mitchell
and Davis Brower, attorneys at law ;
D. W. Keith, ferry; O. H. Starr,
tinner; 0. W. Beacom, dentist; Hott
4 Hardin, brick burners; DrB. W. F.
Kremer and F. W. Vaa Drke, whose
card in the Courier says "German
and English spoken." Dr. W. H.
Flanagan was also here early. L. S.
Smith, livery stable; C. F. Messerve,
meat market
For the year ending December 81,
'86, the Courier summary shows the
erection of 60 residences and four im
provements; 83 business structures,
whioh includes Rogue River bridge
oostinir complete 19780; S. P. D. &
L. Co. ' factory, 133,500; County jail,
Sell Ileal Estate f
W. L. IRELAND! "The Real Estate Man'
d Ground Fioor Courier Bldg. Grants Pass, Ore. 0
flOOO; Courier's first building f400;
It was on Frout street, three doors
from Palace hotel, west; M. E.
church, 1200; Pagley Hotel, (now
Western, hoilt where the First
National Bank now is) $4000 and
court house. $2800.
Prof. Benson was principal of the
school and was assisted by Mies
Gertie Pollock. The Courier of April
23, '80, says of the schools: "Whole
number of organized districts, 23;
number of male school children, 6.18,
females, 636; total of pupils enrolled
dnring year ending March 1, '80, 727;
Average wages paid teachers, males
139.75; females 24.50. (The county
tax rolls that year showed $14,000.)
Annual apportionment, Airil 6, '86,
Grants Pass had 185 school children
and drew $142.50. Total amount of
school money distributed during the
year in the county, $1647. A. J.
Chapman superintendent.
I am of the opinion that an arte
sian flow of water can be got by bor
ing for it in the Grants Pass basin; if
this could be realized, Grants Pars
would experience a growth utterly
impossible wlthont it. The Courier
of Jan. 21, '87, says: "Messrs.
Strieker & Newrath informs ns they
have bored a well at their brewery
on Gilbert oreek SO feet deep wnich
when the driving cap is removed
throws a stream of soft, sparkling
water the size of the pipe. I went to
examine for myself and witnessed the
fact that the flow was goo 3 and strong
on the basement floor, but the water
pipe was extended to the upper floor
when the flow of water ceased. The
Herald-DiBseminatcr commenting ou
this said: "This water is said to be
of a very superior quality, oold,
pare and sparkling like newly opened
champagne. The water is quite
strooglj impregnated with carbolic
acid and therefore is to be highly
valued for its medicinal and curative
properties. " I know also that Mr.
Hardin dag a well at his brick yard
on the north side and that he dug as
deep as possible in the evening before
quitting. During the night the hard
pan he was in gave way and in the
morning his well was fall of water.
When I went n California in '88 I
carefully looked up the artesian flow
of water in that state. I bought a
book and sent it to George B. Curry,
then the editor of the Courier, re
questing him to take up and disouss
the book's contents in the Courier,
which showed that the conditions in
Grnats Pass were identical. He not
oulv ignored the subject but kept the
book, making no reply to me per
sonally when I met him. In Califor
nia they have artesian flow where the
elevation is surrounded by mountains
or hill ranges aud underlaid with
stratums of tiarpan which con flues the
water that follows the bedrock down
from the hills and gives pressure.
These are the conditions at Grants
Pass. ' W. J. WIMER,
Beat Spray for General Vse.
In a letter replying to a question as
to the best spray to' use at this time,
Prof. A. B. Cordley of the State Agri
cultural College, says:
The best general cleaning up spray
which can be applied to fruit trees at
the present time, is the lime-sulphur
salt mixture. This not only destroys
San Jose scale but also the egrs of the
green aphis, the woolly aphis, moss,
and is one of the best preventives for
the apple scab, being nearly equal to
the Bordeaux for this purpose.
As to the cost per acre of spraving
an orchard, it is almost impossible to
give accurate figures si ace it depends
so mncb on the size of trees and the
appliances used. The cost for the
material, however, is not excessixe.
Ordinarily two to three gallons per
treo would be the average amount
usod in orchard work, and in prepar
ing the lime-sulphur salt mixtnre 60
pounds of lime, 50 pounds of sulphur
and 25 to 60 ponnds of salt are used
to each 150 gallons of water. With
this formula iu mind you ran, know
ing the coFt of the ingredients, very
readily get an approximate estimate
of the cost of the materials.
The edition of my bulletin 75 oo
Insecticides and FuDgioides is com
pletely exhausted bat a second oue is
Soing through the Press and will soon
e ready for distribution..
Rent Houses
Make Loans
Agent For
Phillips Hydraulic Ram
and
American Fire Extinguisher
Call upon or write
FARMERS INSTITUTES
DESPITE FLOODS
Dr. Wlthycombe and Stuff Hold
Sessions With Good Attend
ance at Eight Places.
With the farmers institute at Mer
lin this Thursday closed the series of
eight institutes held In Rogue River
Valley under the auspices of the State
Agricultural College institute staff
made np of Dr. James Withycombe,
Prof. A. L. Enisely, E. T. Judd and
William Schulmerich. Dr. Withy
oombe" is head of the Agricultural
College experiment station and aa an
InBittute worker he has no equal in
Oregon, and bis reputation in the
work of advancing the standard of
agriculture in this state 1ms gained
for him commendation from the De
partment of Agricultnre at Washing
ton and of the leading farmers and
business men of Oregon. His ad
dresses are always given in plain
words, clear and oonoise.and bia state
ments are so told as to be leadily
comprehended by his hearers. So
well ronnded is his fund of informa
tion on every phase of agricultural
activity in Oregon that no topic it
brought up in an institute bat what
he is able to speak on it in a manner
that carries the impress of a per
fect knowledge of the subject And
he is equity broad in his attainments
in other lines of thought. His
genial, optimistio presence is the life
of the institutes and his helpful
words of encouragement has given
many a farmer new hope and now
courage aud a tangible plan of bring
ing anccess out of his previous failures
in making bis farm work profitable.
-Prof. Knisely is the cheuiits at the
Argicc'tural College experiment
station, where he conducts an extend
ed reeearci. in the work of unlocking
the secrets of Nature's labratory that
the farmer may learu the soil condi
tions that govern to such an extent
the crops that they may grow success
fully. The addresses of the Professor
were one of the best appreciated
features of the institutes. His state
menst were plain aud readily un
derstood and contained no mystifying,
scientific terms that confused his
hoareres more than to instruct them.
By the many questions asked it was
evident that the farmers were realiz
ing that planting and cultivating was
not all that went to secure a crop bat
that certain soils were only good for
certain grains, grasses and fruits.
Mr. Judd resides near Turner,
where he has one of the finest farms
in Willamette Valley. That he finds
farming a profitable vocation is
proven by the fine buildings, broad
acres and splendid stock that are to
be seen on Boulder Lodge farm.
While Mr. Judd engages iu diversi
fied farming horses and cows are his
specialty. As a breeder cf heavy
draft horses he has been highly suc
cessful and his sales each year of
work horses at from f-00 to t'lHO each
and of breeding aniamls at from 5C0
to 12000 each proves that he makes
money in the business. He gave
figures that showed that his large
band of dairy cows were also money
makers. Mr. Jadd's talks at the
various institutes were along strictly
practical lines and the attention that
was given and the questions that were
asked i.im at the close of his addresses
was proof that the farmers of Rogue
River Valley appreciated hearing the
experience of a farmer in solving the
problems that confront them.
William Scholmerich is a Washing
ton county dairyman and his herd of
Jerseys and fine farm .near Hillsboro
is a credit to Oregon. Mr. Scholmer
ich was raised in California aud as
sis ed his father in placer mining un
til he was 25 years of age. Having a
miner's lack, that is the luck of 95
per cent of them, Mr. Schulmerich
gave np that vocation and casting
about for something that promised
more tangible lesolts he selected
dairying. H and his young wire
came to Oregon and he bought a small
tract of land in Washington county
on credit and a few cows. His
previous dairy experience had been
in milking the one family cow, but
he bought books, subscribed for
Hoard's Dairyman and sought the ex
prerienoe of successful dairymen,
with the result that his little 40 acre
ranoh baa expanded into a magniS
cient farm and bis three scrub cows
by breeding and by purchase have de
veloped Into a herd of high grade and
pure bred Jerseys that now yield him
an income of from $300 to $450 a
month the year around. While Mr.
Schnlmerii h is not so polished an
orator as are some of the lawyers,
who in florery words efsay to tell the
farmers how to farm, but more es
pecially how to vote so that an Ore
god legislature always looks more like
a session of the State Bar Association
thno it does of men to represent the
wealth producing interests of the
state, yet his words were well chosen
and his addresses were forceful and
convincing and held the close atten
tion of his hearers. That dairying
as demonstrated by a successful dairy
man interested the farmers was
evinced by the many questions asked
of Mr. Shulinerich when be was on
the floor, and, at eaoh Institute so
soon as the sessions were closed the
farmers would gather about him for
more detailed information on the
subjct
Dr. Withcyombe and the other mem
bers of"" his staff-arrived ' in (grants
Pass'last Friday morning on the 5:20
tra'n from Talent, where they were
compelled to arise at 8 a. m. in order
to catch the train. The previous day
they closed au institute at. Talent,
that had an atteudanoe of 300, with
an evening session so it was 11 p. m.
before they could get to bed, so it can
be seen that a farmers institute tour
is not all a pleasure jaunt to tire
speakers. The sessions at Eagle Point
and Central Point were quite as suc
cessful as was that at Talent. Fri
day forenoon was spent iu Orants
Pass by the gentlemen in recuperating
for the strenaousness of the seven
days trip iu Josephine county. And
that it was strenuous enough to snit
even President Roosevelt was the
unanimous opinion' of the gentlemen
whin they had completed their en
gagements aud boarded the oars at
Merlin for their return home. It
only rained once duriug the week,
but this torrential downpour began
the morning that the party left
Grants Pass and continued with scarce
a letup until the following Thursday
wheu the Webfooters left ths Italy of
America for the land of sunless skies
aud rain. Every brook that was
crossed was a raging torrent aud every
creek was a wild, rushing flood.
The teriiflo rains, the uufordable
streams and the bad roads prevented
muDy from attending the institutes,
yet with all this handicap they were
all a success. Every appointmeut
was kept and the speakers were on
time at eaoh, but it took all the en-
duranoe of the fine team from Dicki
son's stable, the skill of the driver,
Johnnie Lance and the courage of
Dr. Withcyombe and associates to
brave the dangers of the all but im
passable fords and the hardships of
the trip.
Friday noon the institute staff ac
companied by Charles Meserve, of the
Courier, drove to Pruvolt, where a
most hospitable welcome was given
them and they were entertained at
the homes of E. N. Provolt, Rev. E.
Badger and Q. A. Dunlap. The only
embarrassing feature to the guests
wus that there was not enough of
thorn to go around, for every home
in the neighborhood was open to
them, the three homes selected being
quite near the place of meeting. And
these generous people would have no
pay not even for the feed for the
team. Saturday morning iu a rain
that would put Willamette Valley, to
shame the farmers aod their wives
from about Provolt and from the more
dis'aut sections of Williams, Murphy,
Kubll, Davidson and Applegate, some
even coming from Humbog creek
throe milos beyond Applegate, came
iu such numbers that by 10:80 when
the morning session opened the church
building, in which the institute was
held, and which is owned by Rev. E.
Badge' and its use generously donated
by him, there was a fine audience
gathered. All said that if the
weather had been favorable there
would have been gathered the largest
crowd ever seen In Applegate Valley.
The institute was ably presided over
by E. N. Provolt and it was opened
by an invocation by Rev. E. Badger,
after which he gave a very appro
priate address of weluome, to which
Dr. Withcyombe responded.
The various speakers of the staff
occupied the time of the forenooon
and afternoon sessions. At the even
ing session Dr. Wlthycomba gave the
principal address, with illustrations
by stereopticon views given by Prof.
Knisely. Under the direction of the
local committee some pleaMng features
had b.en prepared fcr the evening
session. These consisted of musical
selections, recitatons by school
children and a laughable farce en
titled "Oragnlziug a Farmers Club,"
and all were given in a most credit
able manner. Wheu it comes to fine
dinners the one at Provolt could not
be excelled and was only equaled by
the fine dinners that were enjoyed by
the speakers at the other places where
institutes were held. The committee
Jo: link's hiding the d'nntr in chargo
bad prepared additional food and
a supper was served to the crowd, so
that all were able to stay for the
three sessions. The proposition of
organizing a co-operative telephone
company was presented by Charles
Meserve at the afternoon session. Mr.
Judd strongly endorsed the movement
and told of the successful woking of
the independent telephone lines in
Willamette Valley. A committee
consisting of Rev. E. Badger, Pro
volt. C. O. Biglow, Williams and K.
J. Eubli, was appointed to get prioes
on installing the system and the
methods nnder which co-operative
telephone companies worked. Some
40 members were secured that day and
it is expected to raise the number to
over 100 in that part of Applegate
Valley. A oommittee on membership
was appointed consisting of E. N.
Provolt, Provolt, Samuel Tetherow,
Williams, W. a Bailey, Davidson,
John Pernoll, Applagte and L.M.
Mitohell, Murphy.
- With a 88-mile drive to make and
roads next to impassable by reason of
floods and mud the institute staff were
forced to arise soon after 6 o'clock
Sunday morning and in a driving rain
the party were early on the road for
Kerby. In order to avoid driving back
to Orants Pass and thereby adding 23
miles to ths distance and making it
impossible to reach Kerby in time for
the institute the next morning the
party took the old aod little nsed and
still less repaired rood down the west
bank of Applegate river to Wilderville.
Arriving at noon on the opposite side
of Slate creek from Wilderville it was
fouud that the Slate oreek bridge was
gone and that stream a raging flood
nearly 100 feet wide and running like
a millraoe. The swimming of the
horses across Slate creek and the tow
ing of the hack over with one chance
of landing it safely to two that it
oold be carried into the nearby Ap
plegate river, as well as the remainder
of 'he narative of this strenuous in
stitute trip, that Dr. Withcyombe in
all his Oregon experience had not had
the like, will be given in the Courier
of next week, as the editor iu keeping
his promise to help make the institute
a sucoess stayed with the staff until
the last session closed and thug was not
able to reach the office until publica
tion day.
GROWER TELLS OF
WANLUT GROWING
Thomas Prince, of Dundee, has
3500 Trees in His Orchard
IS00 Bearing.
That walnuts are a profitable crop
to grow ia Southern Oregon has been
proven by several who have planted
orchards in this section. The late
Peter Britt, of Jacksonville, originat
ed a nut which when planted bears
fruit true to itself. The shell is a
trifle thicker than the soft shell En
glish walnut, but the nut is fully as
good for marketing aa the best Cali
fornia walnut C. II. Sampson, of
Orants Pass, has 20 trees each of
Franaquette, Moyette, ParlsienBe,
Chaberte aud Proeparturians, on his
place just north of town. The trees
are 9 years old and this year he had
a gunny sack full of nuts. There was
about the same amount on the trees
last year, but the boys got ahead of ,
Mr. Sampson so he did not get any.
One of these trees produced a growth
of nine feet and two inches last year
a branch that length having been oot
from the tree this week.
The trees do not need the care given
toother kinds of fruit. Although they
do not come into full bearing uqtil
they are 12 years of age, yet will
A Downpour of Bargains
We are getting ready for the
Spring Goods now on the way.
Wall Papers Handsome Ingrain Taper, Heavy
Gilt Ceiling and Borders, very rich
and decorative. A room 12x15x9 will
only cost you $2.50.
Mattings 17 new patterns just arrived, 20 to 35js
per yard.
One-Third of Your Life is spent in bod; our
Mattresses will make that J easy; let
us show you some of the best mat
tresses on earth at reasonable prices.
IJlue Porcelain Baking Dishes Special this
week, 10c.
Plenty of other bargains.
Thomas & 0 Neill
HOUSEFURNISHERS
pay good interest on the money in
vetsed. In this oouuectiou the follow
ing address, delivered by Thomas
Prince of Dundee, Yamhill connty,
at the horticultural meeting held la
Forest Orove last Saturday, will no
doubt prove of iuterest :
Mr. Prince said that bo was in
duced to plant walnuts through the ad
vice of Felix Uillett, of Nevada
City, CaL, and because he had
learned that our climate was similar
to that of England, where walnuts
have long been successfully grown.
He took his chauoea on the outcome
aod ha planted 3500 trees, 1500 of
which are 9 years old and averaged
last season eight to 10 pounds a tree.
His nu's had uniformly brought
higher prioes than the California oat.
Some of his 8-year-old trees are a
foot ln diameter and have a top
spread of 30 feet, but there is con
siderable lack of nniformiy in si as.
The trees are very hardy and Mr.
Prinoe baa not lost a dozen trees la
all his plantings.
Mr. Prince did not reoomtnend the
grafted trees on account of its cost,
scarcity, lack of vigor and tardiness
about coming into bearing. He ad
vised planting nothing but second
generation trees, that is, seedlings
raised from nuts from grafted trees.
All snoh nuts had to be imported
from France. He was now importing;
nnts from that country for his .owa
plantings.
The story that he planted nuts from
his own trees was a pure fabrication.
He had not done so aud would not do
so, nor had he ever knowingly sold a
nnt for planting such nuts would
make third-generation trees, whose
product would be inferior in ever
respect.
The speaker feared that the use of
the black walnut aa a Btook might
result In a dark-colored not, and ad
vised planting none but the late
blooming French varieties, suoh as
Franaquette, Moyette, Parisienne,
Chaberte and Proepartnrluns. These
varieties had proved frost-proof here,
while the contrary was known as to
the varieties originating lu Southern
California, such as Ford's and Santa
Barbara.
He did not fear over-production in
view of the large importation, rapid
devolopmeut of a taste for nuts and
the limited area suited to their pro
duction. I would plant 40 to 50 feet apart,
lu a deep, rich, well-drained soil
Don't be afraid to trim the tap root,
or any of the roots, when tliev are
broken, In transplanting. Start the
top not less thuu six feet from the
ground.
In this I have followed Mr. Oillutt'e
advice, aud I am convinced of its
soundness.
The walnut requires little pruning,
is an annual bearer, producing a crop
easy to harvest aud is a tree of great
longevity.
Mr. Prince ridiculed the claims
made by unscrupulous troe peddlers
that walnuts would yield a reveuue
of 1500 to $1000 an acre. He would
be satisfied with ISO to f 100, and that
was all he expected.
He said many worthless seedlings
were being sold and nuts offered far
planting whioh had been bought ia
Southern California, or in some
grocery store, the planting of whioh
could not but prove disastrous. He
admonished his hearers to plaut only
the right varieties and to be certain
they were getting them when they
bought.
An Industrial Number.
The oomlng week the Courier will
present to its readers and the public at
large a special Industrial Keview edi
tion in which all the Interelstng fea
tures of Orants Pass and surrounding
territory will be fully described in
articles of great moment to all people
Interested in the development of this
territory. Attention will be given re
description of our resources and the
possibilities of this locality will be
dwelt upon at length. The industrial,
professional, educational and social In
terests of Ornnts Pass will be given
particular attention, special articles
having been compiled on the individ
ual interests whioh go to make up the
business fabric of our city.