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About Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927 | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1906)
L , 4;;' ( .' . 3 t i. VOL. XXII. GRANTS PASS. JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON. FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1906. No. 17. liifin V A", V BIG FLOW CONTINUES AT ARTESIAN WELL Talent Gusher Irritating a. Big Orchard Another Well Being 1 Bored and Others Soon. Though it is now a mouth since tbe artesian well was opened on the fro it farm of M. L. Pel let t, near Talent, yet tbe flow of water is as strong as it was the day it first began to gosh forth. J. S. Howard, the veteran ivil engineer, formerly a resident of this oonnty bat now of Medford, has made a personal examination of this famons well, that bids fair to in augurate a new era of irrigation in Rogue Rirer Valley, and he gives the first accnrate description of the gusher that has been published in tbe the papers of Jackson oonnty. The fol lowing is Mr. Howard's report as published in the Medford Mail: "I visited tbe Pellett orchard last Sunday, ' said Mr. Howard, "and while I expected to find a flowing well, I was surprised at the volume of water ooming therefrom. Tbe 10 inoh hole is 800 feet deep and from it flows a stream which I estimate as closely as possible to e4aal 40 miners' inches, or about 480 gallons a minute over, twice the capacity of the Med ford water system when working on fall time, and this well works 24 hoars a day. The water is carried in a ditch 80 inches wide the water being about fonr iuches deep and moving at the rate of two feet a second along tbe south side of the or chard, and laterals carrying the water between the rows of trees. . Yon can readily see tbe improvement in the appearanoe of the trees. They look troog and thrifty and the foliage is healthy in its color. Tbe water is oft. pare and clear, and its temper ature about 60 degrees. This well, in my opinion, proves . that what the geologists have been tolling as abont this ooun'ry is not borne out by the facts. Tbe wise men have been In structing us that this country bad been so badly broken up by volcanio upheavals that .there would . be little if any likelihood of arteBian water being found in the valley. The difference between tbe flow of the well at tbe Ash laud depot yards and that at Pellett's seems to prove the theory I had formed. That is: That at one time this valley was a lake, perhaps an Inland sea. A convulsion of nature ocourred, which resulted in the surface formation being broken op, at the same time the gap through which Rogae river runs was made and the lake was drained. The surrounding hills were shattered by this internal convulsion, but the basin of the an cient lake remained intact. Figuring from that standpont, the small flow from the Ashland well and the larger flow from the Pellett well, confirms the theory. Ashland is nearly 100 feet higher tbau Pellett's plaoe and, assuming my idea to be correct, would be very nearly at the upper rim of the original rock basin of the prehistoric! lake, naturally reducing the pressure. If an artesian well should be sunk in Medford we might be compelled to go ( deeper than Mr. Pellett did, but I think we would have a stronger press ure, as according to my Idea, Medford j is located very neany ine center oi this ancient lake basin. I am willing ' to contribute my share towarl the capitalization of a company formed for the purpose of sinking a well in Medford or its vicinity. Three thousand dollars would be ample capi uWtalandl am of the opinion that it yf would be a pay lug investment." The day following that water was 'sysVsVsV'sVsVsV I Sell 51 struck In the Pellett woll E. E. An derson made a contract with tbe drill ers to put down a well on his farm, whiob adjoins that of Mr. Pellett. Good progress is being made and it is expected to bave the well to the 800 foot level, the dptb at which water was struck in tbe Pellett, orchard, within the next month. L. B. Warner, who has a farm a mile west of Medford, on the Jacksonville road, has made a contract with the drill men to sink a well on his place as soon as they have the one completed at tbe Anderson place. Several other large farmers and orcbardists of Jack, son county are planning ' to have wells drilled in the expectation of securing an artesian flow of " water. Medford having both an inferiorand limited supply of water a number of the citizens of that place are consid ering the advisability of forming a company to pat down a well in the hope of securing an adequate and pure supply of water for the town. Both Central Point and Jacksonville are considering the proposition of making an effort to seoore artesian Water. At Jacksonville it is proposed that the town stand the cost of sink ing the well. If a flow, of water is secured it will be used instead of tbe present very limited supply from Jackson creek of giving a service to all parts of the town. Those favoring tbe town olaim that it would be a very profitable investment to Jacksonville, for if artesian water should be se cored it would lead to a large number of other wells being sunk in that sec ton for irrigation purposes that would greatly stimulate fruit raising and farming and thereby increase tbe trade that wonld come to the town. The Opp mine now running bat half of its 20 stamps for lack of water would then be encouraged to try for a supply of artesian water. There is a probability that an ar teslan flow of water oonld be bad in and about Grants Pass for the geologi cal formation of this section of Rogue River Valley and the slope from the Cascade and Siskiyoa mountains is the same here as it ' is about that part of the Valley around Talent. The proposition is being considered by a number of citisens of this oity as well as several big farmers and it is likely that a wtll will be sunk this Fall to demonstrate if a flowing well oan be bad or not. "Better Fruit." Tbe Courier has received copy of Better Fruit, tbe latest venture in Oregon journalism. It is published at Hood River and is devoted strictly to the fruit indutsry, being in the fullest sense a technical publication that will deal with every phase of the fruit business from the growing of the nursery stock to the marketing of the fruit. Its publishers are E. H. Shepard and E. A. Franz both Hood River fruit growers. Mr. Shepard is manager and secretary of the Hood River Fruit Growers Union and is a recognized authority in Oregon on all questions pertaining to growing and marketing fruit. Mr. Franz is a practical newspaper man and for several years past was one of the most successful growers of famcus Hood River. The publishers plan to represent every section of the Northwest and to have contributors from all the fruit districts to furnish articles that will be of general interest. The paper will be illustrated with views per taining to the fruit industry, the first number containing a large number of fine half-tone pictures. The subscrip tion price is but $1 and as the paper will be practically a text book of re liable Instruction in the raising and marketing cf fruit every grower should take it. Send a dime for a sample copy and see if it is not the best paper published dealing with the fruit industry of tbe Northwest Real Estate a. AND Rent Houses $ W. L. IRELAND, fShQ Real Estate Man. Ground Floor, Courier Bldg. Grants Pass, - Oregon. t V4 RAILROAD BUILDING ERA IN OREGON Many Surveys Being Made for a Network of Lines Over State Soon to Be Built. That Oregon has entered on an era of railroad building, the greatest ever known in the history of the state is proven by the large amount of con strnction work now carried on in various parts of the state and by tbe much greater amount of railroad building tbat is being definitely planned to be done next year. In Eastern Oregon Hood Rivur is having a railroad built through that valley from the O. R. & N. to the big tim ber belt at the base of Mt. Hood. Tbe road will also 'bring out fruit for shipment from the orohards in tbe upper sections of the valley. Tbe Dalles Is having a line built south to bring trade to tbat enterprising little city. A survey is being made for a railroad up the Deschutes river. A half dozen other lines are being pro jected in that part of the slate, which is sure to be covered with a network of railroads within five years. In Western Oregon a great activity in railroad building is going on. H is expected to have 17 miles completed by Fall of the line from Hillsboro to Tillamook. Construction is nnder way on the eleotrio road from Port land to Salem which is to be extended on to Eugene and eventually to be a part of a system of electrio roads that is to connect all the towns of the Willamette Valley. An electrio line is to be built from Oregon City to Molalla and on to Wilboit Springs, a distance of SO miles. The railroad project for a road from Medford up Uogue river has taken new life, Mich igan capitalists having bought the 14 miles of completed road from Med ford to Eagle Point and will begin shorty to extend thav railroad to the big timber district on the upper Rogue river. The Southern Pacific has over 100 men in various engineer parties mak ing resarveys and setting grade stakes on Hi line from Drain to Eureka and from there to San Francisco. The depot grounds at Drain are piled full of heavy steel rials and eonstruction work is to be began probably in Sep tember. Last Spring the Southern Pacific, sent a reconnaissance party of surveyors to examine the county from Natron on up to head of the Will amette river and theooe on aorosB the Cascade mountains into Eaxtern Ore gon. That tbe Southern Pacifio has determined to build this line is indi cated by the following from the Port land Journal of Tuesday : "An army of surveyors is being rushed into the field on the proposed Harriraau line from Natron through Central Oregon. It is said Mr. Harri man has determined to forestall plans of rival companies in this region at all costs, and that the road from Natron over the Cascades will be the first construction work to be done this Fall by the Southern Pacific company in Oregon. It is believed Harrinian has learned the plans of two or three other syndicates having intentions on this route, and he has given orders to push the Central Oregon line ahead of all other work. ' "More than 60 Southern Pacific sur veyors are now making headquarters at the Herbert ranch, on the upper Willamette river, 60 miles east of Eugene. A party of eight more en gineers who arrived at Eugene yester day from San Francisco departed at once to join the camp. They are but a small portion of the total force of engineers who are now trying out every roote and pass and following up the preliminary work with the sotting of permanent grade stales, "Tbe road will follow the Will amette river and cross the Cascades at or near Crasuent lake, where two routes have been surveyed over the sammit. Reaching tbe east slopet of the range a brano1) of the toad will go to Klamath Falls while the main line will proceed eastward to meet the Oregon Short Line's projected ex tension from tbe Snake river. "It is believed tbat the'oontraots will be let for this road ahead of contracts for tbe Drain-Coos bay line, despite the fact tbat rails have been delivered and right-of-way is being clears 4 for the latter road. Tbe announcement that bids are wanted on tbe Oregon Central is expected any day." Fine commercial printing at the Courier office. JOSEPHINE COUNTY TO OWN POOR FARM Present System Too Expensive Inm&tes to Help Support . Themselves. One of the big expenses on the tax payers of Josephine oonnty is the care of the paupers, it costing last year close to 17000 to care for the homeless in the county. Tbat there should be so many indigent peisons in a county of but 10,000 populaton and a new country at that is a surprise to those not familiar with local conditions. The unusually large percentage of the poor, which almost equals that of European countries is due to tbe large number of prospectors and miners who spend a life time in the bills searching . for gold, many of them making fortunes but losing them through patting their money in worthless mines, or by drinking and gambling. When age makes it so these unfortunates can no longer go to the hills or the streams and make a raise then to become a county charge is their only recourse. About tbe first tbing that County Judge Stephen Jewell took nnder consideration after his election was the problem of properly caring for tbe county poor and of lessening their expense on the tax payers. He brought the matter np before the re oent session of the oounty ooort and both Commissioners Logan and Werts folly agreed with him tbat the pres ent system of hiring the paupers kept by private individuals was a greater expense than was warranted. Tbe plan proposed by Jndge Jewell and which the commissioners approved and authorized him to carry out is for the county to buy at least 10 acres of good farm land not over two or three miles distant from the county seat and erect suitable buildings on it and equip it with a team, tools, oows, bogs and poultry and make it the borne for all the county charges. A competent man and bis wife wonld be hired to have charge, be to attend to the outdoors work and she to be matron. -Most of fie men who would be inmates would be able to do some work, and they would be required and encouraged to assist in the labor of caring for tbe stock and in culti vating the garden, berry, orchard and farm tracts, to as to laise all the produce required on the premises. A small hill tract of woodland would also be a part of the oounty farm property and the inmates would cut and haul the fuel required for the establish ment. With this plan of Judge Jewell's the expense of keeping the county poor wonld be lessened fully one-half. Now; the paupers are scattered all over the county, some of them being distant fully 30 miles from the county seat.. Should they be sick to have a physician called costs $1 a mile for day service and $1.50 per mile for uigbt calls. Haviug them near Grants Pass the cost of medical attendance would be greatly reduced. As heretofore the custom has been for merchants and others furnishing supplies to persons getting county aid to send a bill for the gross amount leaving the court to guess whether the account was correct or the articles supplied were necessities or luxuries, for tobacco and chewing gum are quite as likely to be on these bills as flour and bacon. Hereafter all bills against the county will be thrown oat anles itemized In full. A careful invesgti- gntion of the subject has convinced Judge Jewell that within five years by the county owning its poor farm that a saving oouid be made over the present expense per capita of indig ents sufficient to pay for the land and all improvements. Tbe inmates could bare a better borne than they now get and be whrrs they could have baths and those Inclined to be slovenly could be made to bathe and be clean and respectable in appearance. It is often tbe case that a county charge Is treated more like a slave than one whose board is paid for, and amoog this unfortunate class there are many who have seen better and prosperous days and were well raised and it is but true humanity that they be treated considerately. Judge Jewell has looked over a number of tracts of laud suitable for the purpose and at tbe next term ofjoourt he will have a selection to recommend tc thejother members for the oonnty to buy. Tbe work of erecting soluble buildings woaldj'be began at once and at tbe earliest date possible all tbe'eonnty charges would be placed in a home that would be comfortable and wheie they would have an inoentive to work and thereby contribute very materially toward lessening tbe expense of their keep. This undertaking of Judge Jewell will be heartily oommeude'd by the taxpayers of Josephine oonnty for it is a practical economy in county finance that will salt every property owner. ANOTHER RURAL MAIL ROUTE Inspector Looks Over Route That Is to Cover Valley Below Grants Pa.se. There is a reasonable certainty that Grauts Pass will ' soon have the sec ond rnral free delivery mail route. This new route was petitioned for some time ago and last week O. H. Clements, Inspector of rural mail routes for the Pacifio Coast made an examination of the roads over which the carrier wonld drive and an esti mate of the nomcber of patrons to be served . Postmaster O. E. Harmon of this city acoomtianied Innnantni- Clements on the trip and whlie the uuierr made no statement as to its opinion of tbe route vet Mr. TTam.nn thinks that he will make a favorable report to the postoffloe department ana tnai tbe route will be established. Tbe service will be inaugurated proba bly by September. So soon as tbe route is approved then Inspeotr Elements will hold an examination in Grants Pass to select a carrier and a substitute carrier. The salary will be fuo a month and the oarrim- will furnish bis team and vehlnlo. This new route will 1m rt-nf. Pass by what is k nowo as the hill road along the north bank nf R ,,, river down which valley it will rnn to the ' new ferrv Mfahtlah . Kogue river near tbe month of Rhn creek. There the route will cross the river and go np the Rogue river to the month of the Anleaate and thnnn n the latter valley to the WJlderville bridge where il will cross th Anni.. gate river. -At . this , point the route tne stage road and come to Grants Pass by tbe Jerome Prairie road. The total dlstanoe will be 26 miles and the road is a foiri nA one for Josephine oounty. There will oe aoonc Vib families to get their man by this route and its establish. mnt will be a great benefit tn large and growing farm community as well as to the business mail nf fir an fa PflFH. f Thomas The House Satisfaction Guaranteed Our Motto T.Z . " V PA Commencirg Saturday, July 28, and continuing for one week we hold a GRAB SALE The articles in the window are samples only of what is for sale in the BIQ- BOX in the store. You pay 25C Then go to tho Box and help yourself to an order for the goods--it may be a Rocker or a Boiler. All kinds of Crockery ware, Granite and Tin ware, Wooden ware, China, Glassware, Rocking Chairs. ENLARGED, EQUIPMENT FOR DEEP GRAVEL MINE This Famous Placer to Have Additional Pipe Past Season a Profitable One. J. W. Wimer, manager of the Deep Gravsl Mlues, one of the big placers near Waldo, was in Grants Pass Mon day. Mr. Wimer stated they fur nished their clean-up two weeks age and it yielded sufficient gold, which with what they heretofore secured to, make their season's ran qalts . profitable. ; Manager Wimer has begun work patting the mine in shape for next season's work. He now has a force of men moving the elevator that lifts the tailings to the large race that carries them to the dump. As it la from 60 to 70 feet to bedrock and this elevator is one of the most powerful in a mine in Southern Oregon, but so successfully does it do Its work ' that it keeps the mine clear aod the boulders and gravel are shot out of It by the terrifio force of the water as thongh mere paper balls. Owing to this mine being located on' tbe low bottom adjaoent to the Illinois river the handling of the tailings by gray ity oonld not be accomplished so it was necessary to install a powerful hy dra olio elevator. Heretofore the en tire banks have been cnt down by the ' giants in the mine, necessitating tbe lifting of vast quantities of earth and ' gravel to race to carry it to the dump. Where they will pipe this next year the npper 80 feet of the bank will be above the race so that it would be possible to ose a surface pipe and oat off the top section of bank and drive it direct to dump. That would leave only 20 to 40 feet of the lowerjwotlon ' to" be handled by the elevator. MrT Wimer has not 'decided on the ln- sTailation ' of ?a surface pipe to lessen the work for tbe elevation but may do so. The Deep Gravel mine has one of the largest and most oonstant water sapplies'or any placer in Soothers. Oregon. Two large ditches bringing la tbe water from the Illinois river and as this stream" heads in tbe Siskiyou mountains the snow keeps np a steady flow of water nntil late In tbe season, . 5 M. T. Utley and J. Harper arejpot tlng'a'new" roof '"Ju ' theTnflsblock7 ; The former roof was of galvanized , iron but the hot weather each Sum mer so expanded the iron as to break the solder in the seams and oause the roof to leak. The new roof is of paper painted and sanded. & O'lleill Furnishers Money Back If You Want It T Some of our citizens late at Newport" or in tno mountains having a good time for those who are at home wo have arranged a Grab Sale