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VOL. XXII.
GRANTS PASS. JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1906.
No. 18.
MANY NEW SCHOOL
HOUSES BEING BUILT
Josephine County Bettering Its
EducatloneJ System Longer
m
Terms and Higher Wages.
Josephine couoty ig making mote
progress this year in the betterment
' of Us schools than in auy previous
' '. year in its history. For several years
n3l . I. 1 V A J
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InnOAr karma anil a fiiohnt. alanda,!
( of teaching and better wages to
teachers nntil now the schools of
Josephine coanty compare well with
the most progressive oounties of Ore
gon. In the emotion of new school
j buildings this will be the banner year
i ' for the county for there will beat
least sis or eight pnt op. In size and
cost Grants Pass leads with a $15,000
brick strnoture that will make it the
third brick school bonse for the city
and the fonrtb in all, the
fourth ward baring a wooden build
ing. This new building will contain
eight rooms aad will be fully up-to
date in its conveniences and appli
ances. The board in seonring the
grounds for this school made an in
novation new to Oregon towns in
f providing a large playground for the
children. Usually there is barely
space about a city school building for
tbe children to walk about with no
playpriond except a, too often, germ
infected, basement. About tbe new
Grants Pass school building will be
two aores of ground, one acre of
which is a handsome grove of oaks
and madrones making a
healthful, delightful playground. The
basement for the bnilding is completed
and tbe brick work for the first story
I will be finished next week and it
will be well toward the close of this
month before tbe bricklaying is com
pleted and the roof on. As the finish
ing and plastering will take some
time there is no possibility of the
building beipg ready by the time
school begins the second Monday in
September. Until it is finished the
. old building and the rented rooms
f will be occupied.
Kerby, whiob found its school so
large last year as to require the rent
ing of a room to accommodate the
scholars, has commenced tbe erection
of an addition of one room to their
present building, making it a two
room structure. Tbe addition is to be
completed by tbe first of September,
when sohool will begin. Eighth
grade work will continue for this
year to be the highest in the school,
' but it is expected in another year to
add one or more grades.
Selma is another Illinois Valley
village that has outgrown its school
facilities. This village now his one
of the handsomest one room buildings
ia the county, and it is painted,
which is not the condition of all Jose
phine county school houses, and is
well furnished and has a bell in a
neat appearing belfry. The attend-
. ance at the school has iucretsed to
Vouch an extent that another room was
required to accommodate the scholar?.
It was decided to erect a separate
building near the present school
house. Work was begun on it and it
is expected to have it completed by
tbe time school is to begin in Septein
yber. The ninth grade is to be added
" to tbe course this year BDd next year
it is tbe expectation to add the 10th
grade.
The Jewell district, three miles
. jTVrath ' Grants Pass, will re pi ice
Latheir rniiu, aeiapiaateo. ooiiaing
-Jy! (t! a large fine school house. It will
road half a mile north of tbe preseot
Sell Real Estate
4
road. Tbe Upper district in Will
iams Valley known as tbe Burt dis
trict will build a new school house
tbis all to replace tbe present one that
is old and too small. The New Hope
district on the Applegate ia likely to
erect a new school house this year to
replace the present bnilding that has
long since outgrown its usefulness and
good appearance. Wonder is another
district that has a sohool that ia the
worse for wear aad bad appearance
The progressive settlers in the district
are planning to secure a new school
house for their district by next year
t least.
To raise the money to pay for school
buildings districts either levy a
special tax or issue bonds. Grants
Pass issued bcDds to meet the pay
ment for its uew building, but usually
the country districts raise the build
ing fund by taxes. As the settlers in
a new country have to open their
farms, erect bpildings, buy ma
chinery, build roads, chnrches and
meet other publio and private expen
ditures, it would be less burden
some to them If the districts issued
bonds instead of levying taxes. To
pay for a school house by taxation
means that the farmers have to raise
the entire amount in one or two years
while if by bonds the payments can
extend for 10 or more years. By the
latter method the settlers who moved
ia later and got tbe benefit of the
school could pay their share of tbe
cost of putting op the building. ' The
district would then be more wealthy,
a $1000 bond issue could be paid off
without great increase in taxation
while the same amount paid by one or
two tax levies on a new, sparoely set
tled district would make taxes so high
as to drive settlers out instead of
bringing them into tbe district.
CATTLE COMPANY
WINS MORE LAND
Question of Fraud in Acquiring
. Title to Alleged Swamp
Lands Not Admitted
. . '
' Tbe Oregon' supreme court recently
handed down the following decision :
Warner Valley Stook Oompaoy, re
spondent, vs. J. L. Morrow, appellant,
from Lake coontv, H. L. Benson,
Judge, affirmed; opinion by Justice
Hailey. The stock company brought
suit to recover possession of property
to which it claims tltlo by virtue of
purchase from the state under the
swamp-land laws. Morrow claimed
right of possession as administrator
of the estate of J. W. Morrow, who
took the land as a timber claim.
In the course of its opinion, tbe
so pre we court holds that the issuance
of the patent from the government to
the state was sufficient to convey
title, though the patent had not been
delivered; that a deed from the state
to the company was not invalid be
cause it oonveyed more than 3'20 acres
of land; that it was not permissible to
introduce evideuce to show that the
land was not swamp-laud, for when
patent has been issued it will be pre
sumed that all the prerequistes have
been complied with and the title con
veyed is impiegnable to collateral
attack; and, filially, that Morrow
could not hold poesePHion of a claim
upon which final proof had not been
made by the deceased, and, therefoie
he is in no position to' question
plaintiff's title.
Arnnuenients for the inauguration
of a through freight and passenger
service from Klamath Falls to the
outside world via Lairds Landing and
the California-Northeastern R. K. are
about completed, and operation of
same is expeoted to begiu about
August 15th.
1
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AND
Rent Houses
W. L. IRELAND,
GfjQ Real Estate Man.
Ground Floor, Courier Bldg.
Grants Pass, - Oregon.
V4
VACANT LAND IN
JOSEPHINE COUNTY
Homestead for the Talcing That
Would Make Good Fruit
Farms.
The United States Land Office in
Roseburg has issued tabulated state
ments, showing tbe status of land em
braced in its jurisdiction, up to June
30, of this year. The total area of all
lands in the distriot is 11,793,738 acres,
of which three-fourths have been ap
propriated or "entered upon." Of
the remainder, three and one-quarter
million acres have been thrown into
a reserve, nearly one million acres
are still open to public entry and
about one-half as much more will be
as soon as surveyed.
The following is the official state
ment in full :
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By the above statement it will' be
seen that Josephine county has a large
amount of land subject to entry and a
considerable amount is yet uoeurveyed
and 24 townships that are withdrawn
for forest reserves. Of the land sub
ject to entry in this connty there is
much of it that with irrigation would
make good farming land. Springs and
wells are numerous and with e'ectrio,
gasoline or steam power pumps irriga
tion could be carried on cheaply.
There are thousands of acres that
would growgrapes, apples, peaches,
vetch and Winter grain with no Irri
gation. As land becomes more
valuable this vacant land will be taken
up by eoergt o persons and by skill
ful farm methods be made to produce
profitable crops. There are thousands
of .aores of land in Josphine county now
not considered worth takiug up that
has deeper and richer soil than has
hundreds of acres in New England and
Pennsylvania. The day for getting a
quarter section of fine farming land
in the United States just for the cost
of the filing papers is gone hy and it
is going to be a hustle with the land
less to get even a tract of land hereto
fore considered worthless. Within
10 years there will be many fine farms
in Josephine county on land that the
early settlers would not take as a gift.
Three Cougars in One Do. v.
Having heard of a cougar being
seen oo the head of Grave creek, W.
B. Sherman and Herman Horning
took a trip out there Weduesday with
tbe result that they returned with the
skin of a large female coo gar that
they shot and with her two kittens,
one of which they captured alive, but
their dogs killed the other one before
they could get to it. The live kitten
is about the size of a house cat and
takes its captivity quite contentedly.
The trip was a hard one on the
hunters as they bad to travel about
30 miles to reach the section where
the cougars ranged and then they
were several boors climbing over
steep bills before tbey succeeded in
securing their game.
They now bave two young cougars,
tbey having secured the first from
near Olendale. Early io tbe Spring
tbey secured three young cougars but
they sold them some time ago to Eas
ern parties to be placed in menageries.
James Martin, of Ashland, has been
e looted principal of the Woodrille
school. Mr. Martin is a member of
theyOOclass'of tbe Konual.
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PEAR SHIPMENTS
SOON TO BEGIN
The Fruit Growers Union Will
Handle Fruit For Farmers
Hold Meeting This Saturday.
A meeting of the Grants Pass Fruit
Growers Union was held last
Saturday at the Courier office that
was attended by nearly all the mem
bers. Verbal . reports from the
growers present showed that the fruit
prospects were fine and that a good
yield and quality would be had. The
pears are extra fine and the Union
will be able to ship between two and
three car loads. To accommodate
the growers the Union will this year
handle pears for all whether members
of tbe Uoon or not, and will receive
them in any quantity, even but five
boxes. The packing will be done by
experts employed by the Union, they
doing tbe work at the orobard where
there is a quanity, but the small
growers will be required to deliver
tbeir pears at the Union's warehouse
in Grants Pass. The Union will also
handle apples for tbe farmers, whether
members or not for tbis year, the ob
ject being to demonstrate to the fruit
growers of Josephine county that they
oao market their fruit more profitably
through tbe Union than by each sell
ing his small quantity to a dealer.
While most of tbe fruit dealers are
honest and deal justly with the
farmers yet some of tbem are thieves
of the boldest kind. It would take
th entire eight pages of the Courier to
tell the hardluck stories of Josephine
county farmers in their dealings in
selling their fruit and melons to ir
responsible dealers. One farmer re
siding near Grants Pass sold last year
$138 worth of pears to a Medford
buyer and never got a cent, for the
fellow had no property and it was no
use to sue him. Another farmer in
response to a tempting offer shipped a
1000 boxes of floe Crawford peaches to
a San Francisco firm and got 11 cents
per box in return, which barely paid
for. the freight and boxes. He had
800 boxes more in his orchard that
he fed to his hogs aud gave to bis
neighbors.
Tbe Union is desirous of securing
the services of a number of expert
packers and two or three boss packers.
The resignation was accepted of Fred
D. Eismano as president and manager
of the Union. At tbe meeting this
Saturday a president aAd a director
will be eluded as required by the
constitution. For manager the board
of direotors has secured John Christie
who will superintend the picking and
packing and the (hipping of fruit
handled by the Union. Mr. Christie
was for years one of the largest
growers and shippers of fruit in Jose
phine county nntil he sold ti is floe
farm aud orchard to the Eismanu
Bros, and retired to take life com
fortably on a small, well kept farm
near this oity. Mr. Christie is au
expert in all that pertains to picking
and packing of fruit aud the assur
ance is oertain that a box of fruit pre-
pxred for the market under his direc
tion will be put in the best of shape
and be of 'uniform quality, the fruit
in the center being exactly as good as
that of the top and bottom layers. As
the Grauts Pats Fruit Growers Union
Is uuknown in the markets of the
xorld more than extra care w 11 hive
to be exercised in having Its pack up
to the highest standard that is in force
among fruit growers unions. That its
pack shall be absolutely true to grade
the Union has adopted very stringent
rules governing the picking, grading
and packing of fruit, for it is the
purpose that customers shall be so
well suited that they will become
regular buyers from the Union.
When onoe the Union has established
a reputation for handling high grade
fruit and for dealing in an upright
manner it can command tbe best price
the market affords for its fruits, and
always be certain of securing tue
patronage of big dealers who meet
tneir obligations promptly and fully.
The next meeting of the Union will
be oa Saturday, August 4, at 1 :30 p
m. sharp at the Courier offloe. It is
expected that all members will be
present and fruit growers not mem
bers are invited to attend and learn
of the plans and purposes of the
Union.
Carrier Pigeon Returns Home.
A carrier pigeon arrived In Grants
Pass Wednesday from Dallas, Oregon,
but was over a month making the 250
mile trip home. On June 19, Mr,
and Mrs. W. S. Barrie sent some
fine chickens to Mrs. Bertha "Barrie
Stuith, wno resides in Dallas, and
in the ' crate they sent a homing
pigeou. On June 21 Mr. Smith and
a party of friends turned , the bird
lose in the court house square at Dal
las, first attaching a message to one of
its legs. When the pigeon arrived
home the message was gone. As the
message was in tinfoil and fastened
very seourely it was evident that it
bad been removed by some person.
And the bird being so long on the
journey would Indicate that it had
stopped to rest some place and had
been captured and kept confined for
some time and on being released it
then made its way home.
ASHLAND AND MEDFORD
NOT MONEUD TOWNS
Little Ce.sh to Merry-Go-Round
Hew to Run Second Time
In Crsvn Is Perns.
Monday the merry-go-round closed
its discordant one-tuned ensaeement
of a week in Grants Pass and departed
for new fields. Tbis was the second
engagement In this oity for this Sum
mer it being here in June. The flrsl
stay here was for two weeks and the
managers stated thst Grants Pass was
the best small city in Oreson for
ready cash and a willingness to spend
it. From here thev took tbeir steam
awing to Medford and Ashland but
bad snob poor business in those n laces
that they bad to come baok to Grants
fass to make a raise of funds so they
could start on a tour of ths towns
north on the Southern Pact flo railroad.
The Salvation Army Deorie too find
that Grants Pass Is a orosDerona nlaon
where money comes easy and goes
easy for this is the only town south of
Salem la wbiob a Salvation corps is
maintained throughout each year.
Tbs Salvation Army has a barracks
in Urauta Pass and bold services In
it and on the business streets every
evening of the week except Monday.
Their expenses are kept bp by col
lections taken op at their street meet
ings. It is a saying among persons travel
ing and having business In many towns
that a place that supports a regular
Salvation Army Corps it. a moneyed
town and will spend money readilv
on amusements as well as business
ventures.
Tke Courier has the largest corps of
'r.rresnond.-m of niv rorter in South-
I
Thomas & O'Neill
The House Furnishers
Satisfaction
Guaranteed
Our
Motto
Commencirg Saturday, July 28, an J
continuing for one week we hold a
GRAB SALE
The articles in the window are samples
only of what is for sale ia the
BIO- BOX
in the store. You pay'
Then go to the 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, Rockine Chairs.
1
f
ILLINOIS VALLEY A
FINE FRUIT DISTRICT
Has The Best of Soil. Perfect Cli
me, te svnd Wetter for Irrigation
Lacking a Railroad. .
E. A. Hampton was in Grants Pass
Tuesday purchasing supplies. Mr.
Humpton resides in Deer Creek Val
ley, four miles above Drydun, on
Thompson creek where he and his
wife own 400 aces of land, 100 acres
ot which ia a homestead tho other 240
acres they purchased. Mr. Hampton
is preparing to make fruit raising his
principal business, though he will
raise some stook for he has a fine
range of a vast extent in the hills about
his place. He now has 250 fruit trees
planted, mostly Spitzenbergs and
Newtowns that hs planted last Win
ter and the year before. He will
plant as many more this Fall and
continue to inoreasa bis acreage to
fruit as he gets the land cleared. -While
he Is now 26 miles from Grants
Pass and a market yet he expects that
by tbe time his orchard is in full
bearing that a lailroad will be run
ning into Illinois Valley and be will
bave a shipping point near at hand.
Mr. Humpton has made a close
study of the soil and olimate of the
Illinois Valley and he Is confident
that when transportation facilities
are had that that Valley will be one
of the great fruit raising sections of
Southern Oregon. Muoh of tbe soil
is the deep red day that is noted for '
producing the best of grapes, peaches
and apples and there is ample water
for irrigation from tbe streams that
flow down from the bills and moun
tains that surround the Valley. Be
ing nearer the ocean this valley is not
so dry as tbe main Rogue River Val
ley and fruit trees would require lit
tle or no irrigation.
Mr. Humpton is one of the most
successful teachers of this oounty and
each Winter teaches in the schools of
hlsviolnity. For this Winter hs will
teach in the Wilderville district, the
school beglnniug on tbs first Monday '"
in September. Mr. Humpton will
move his family to Wilderville so'that
be can have his children in school for
there will be no Winter term in his
own distriot
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Sampson en-,
tertained a number of their friends
last Sunday at Walunt Hill fruit
farm. A fine dinner was enjoyed and
tbe afternoon spent in inspecting the
One orchard and walnut grove that la
on the farm.
Money
Back
If You
Want It
Some of our citizens
are at Newport or in
the mountains having
a good timo for thoso
who are at home wo
have arranged a
Grab
Sale
r