fcte
VOL. XXII.
GRANTS PASS, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1906.
No. 39.
3
8
4
4!
RECORD PRICES FOR
7 HOOD RIVER APPLES
Resume of the SeJee of Fruit for
This Fall From That
Famous Valley.
The subjoined - article from the
Hood River Glaoier giving a state
ment of the pricei realized tbit year
hj the Hood RiTer fruit raisers for
their apples and tbe large shipments
hat were made will be of interest to
tbe fruit growers of Rogoe River Val
ley:
"It is evident tbat tbe estimates
made early in the season of the size
of Hood River's apple crop were
somewhat wild. For while it is
shown that the crop is more than
twioe as large as it was last year, it
is not more than 150,000 boxes. Tbis
however is so muob greater than it
ever was before that at least 200 cars
of apples will be shipped from Hood
River. Tbis is a greater number of
oars than is shipped from any other
part of Western Oregon. Heretofore
Rogne River has led in the shipment
of fanoy frnit, bat tbis year she will
have to give way to Hood River as
her crop is said to be in tbe neibgbor
hood of ISO, 000 boxes. The large
shipment of applet from here has been
tbe means of making Hood River the
greatest shipping point on the line of
the O. R. & N. except tbe terminal
points of Spokane and Portland.
Hood River took the lead dnring tbe
pait month and passed Baker City
wbioh bad been first before that.
"Tbe prioes obtained for tbe union
apples tbis year are found to average
mucin higher than ever before for all
varieties bat Ben Davis. Tbe highest
price, whiob was for Spitz, was 93.15
a box and tbe lowest f 1.49. Tbe Ben
Davis brongbt 85 cents. The good
demand and good prices for the odd
varieties is tbe cause of muoh con
gratulation to tbe onion management
and their ready sale this year means
tbat they will be more readily taken
at good prioes next.
"The entire apple shipment will be
practically covered this season by
Christmas wbioh is somewhat earlier
than usual, exoept a few thonsand
boxes that are being held in oold
storage. Tbe business has grown to
each proportions tbis year that it
has awakened many to the faot that
there are several features whiob mast
be looked after closely next season.
"Indications are tbat many who al
ready have successful bearing orchards
will seek to add to their possessions
this Winter and a number have pur
chased additional orchard land either
cleared or uncleared and will spend
tbe Winter months getting it into
shape for planting in tbe Spring.
They have commenced to realize what
the apple business means and are
anxious to invest more heavily in a
proposition that is turning oat so
handsomely."
SAYS NEW APPLE
IS A RANK FAKE
Charles Waiters Tells History of
the Supposedly New
Seedless,
Charles Waters, more than 86 years
of age, an inmate of the Pattou Home
I Ynr the send, is anthoritr for the
statement that a seedless apple .dis
covery supposed to have been made in
Colorado reoently is nothing but a
'faVa mvi the Portland Journal.
"In the early fifties I received a
Sell
Ground Floor. Courier Building, Grants Pass, Ore.
shoot of a seedless apple tree from
Virginia," says Mr. Waters. "At that
time I was residing at White Salmon,
Wash., and placed the shoot in tbe
groand and later, made some cntitngs
from It. In the Wbite Salmon Valley
there are many of those trees remain
ing, bat not a single grower of that
place will even think of putting away
those seedless apples for long keep
ing. "Tbe frnit is of inferior quality
and is the same as that grown on the
trees furnished by the Spencer com
pany at 2 a tree. Mr. Spencer claims
to have discovered tbis wonderfal
seedleesapple, bat I myself took him
several dozen of them to his home at
Grand Junotion, Colorado, in 1890. ' I
took them to bim myself and know
they are tbe same tree. ,
''I have known this Spencer for
many years, in fact since be was a
baby, and know positively tbat he
never discovered anything in the hor
ticultural line in bis life. These seed
less trees he is selling at 13 a tree are
tbe old trees I secured a shoot of in
1850, and it was not a new disco very
even at that time.
"I have denounced this fraud on
several occasions, but tbey have
olever advertising writers who easily
persuade people to bay their worthless
stock. Sometime ago X was ap
proached by a member of the Spencer
company and offered 1100 if I wouldl
keep my month shut on tbis matter.
Tbey told me that the tree sold by
Spenoer was not the one I had given
him, but an entirely new one, bat I
know better."
Mr. Waters says be is denonncing
tbe seedless discovery because he does
not want the pnblio to be buncoed.
THE EXCISE QUESTION
IN ANCIENT BABYLON
An Old Code Gives Insight Into
the Life of the Great
' City of Babylon.
A translation of King Hamonrbi's
code, written about 3350 'years before
Christ, sives us an insight into tbe
life of the great City of Babrlon at
that remote time, and of the way in
which the excise question was
handled by its legislators.
Nearlv all the dealers of wines and
liquors at that time were women, as
many of tbe laws translated from tbe
oode speak only of women as sellers
of drinks. ' Severe measures were
taken against those who adulterated
the wiues or mixed them with water,
so as to safeguard the purity of the
article for tbe use or the public
The barmaid was held responsible for
all disorderly scenes or drunkenness in
her premises, and death was the
Tjenaltr for those who did not denounce
all cases of drunkenness to the police.
Those women who were employed in
tbe temples were forbidden to enter
public hostelries under penalty of
death, and even drinking in private
was forbidden to them.
Special police officers were detailed
for the enforcement of the excise laws
in the city of Babylon, bnt tben as
well as now. the officers charged with
this dutv were, if we are to believe
the oode in question, either negligent
n the nerformance of their duties or
too willing to accept bribes 'from the
barmaids in the shape of drinks or
even money.
Severe Duuishmnt is dealt out in tbe
document to the police officers who
hall accent bribes in connection wltn
the excise laws of the city of Babylon.
but it is probable tnat men an uuw,
many of tha fair saloon keepers found
the law.
Real Estate
SURETY BONDS.
FIRE INSURANCE
AND
RENT HOUSES.
W. L. IRELAND. P
X5hQ Real Estate Man. K
BURIED IN A SHAFT
FOR FIFTEEN DAYS
L. B. Hicks, the Miner, Wavs
Three Days Without Food
or Drink.
L. B. Hicks, tbe miner who was
resoaed Saturday night, was entombed
alive under 60 feet of debris 15 dava
ago in the tunnel of the Edison Eleo
trio Compauny, 17 miles northeast of
Bakersfleld. Cal. Five of bis fel
low workmen were buried at the
same time by tbe cave-in of thousands
of tons of earth and rock. The men
had jnst begun work in the tunnel,
wbich is being built to aid in generat
ing electrio power from the waters
of the Eern River, when, without
warning, the perpendicular walls of
the shaft above them collapsed. No
immediate help could be rendered.
The work of recovering tbe bodies
was immediately begun, and prose
cuted with vigor, but, owing to tbe
yieldiog nature of the soil slow pro
gress was made. Hope of rescuing
any of the victims had been
abandoned, when, three days after
tbe disaster the sound of tapping on
a water pipe in the shaft was heard.
Instantly a response was sent, and
the answering raps proved that at
least on of the imprisoned miners
was alive.
. Tbe water pipe was cleared and
communication established through it
witb the man at the bottom of the
shaft. He proved to be Hicks, a
fotmer soldier and an expert miner,
whose life had been saved by a steel
car under wbich he was pinned. His
five companions were dead.
Fearing to dislodge the debris in tbe
shaft, tbe rescuing party began work
on a drift from the side of the hill,
and work was not suspended day or
night Hicks was given milk through
the pipe and soon showed signs of re
newed vigor. He said tbat during
tbe three days previous to his dis
covery be had subsisted on a plug of
chewing tobaeso. Thereafter, during
tbe long hours of his imprisonment
in closely cramped quarters, he was
kept well nourished. Every effort
was made to keep his mind in a cheer
ful mood, so that it might not be
come unbalanced by his surroundings,
she stenob from the remains of tbe
dead miners was perceptible at the
surface of the ground, and was intense
in the close quarters where Hicks was
confined.
A phonograph was placed so tbat
the lonely man could be entertained
by music. He also wss in almost con
stant communication with his friends.
Only at rare intervals did hs seem
despondent, and frequently sent
words of cheer to those ou the outside.
His rescue was a most difficult piece
of work, and that it was accomplished
at all is regarded as marvelous by all
those acquainted with the conditions
wbich were met and overcome.
SUMMARY OF MINERAL
PRODUCTION FOR 1905
Iron evnd CoeJ Are the Most Im
portant of Our Mineral
Products
A most interesting chapter In the
volume entitled "Mineral Resources
of the United States, 190r), "published
by the United States Geological Har
vey, is that which contains a summary
of the mineral production of the
United States dnring tbat year.
In 1905 for the- seventh time, the
total value of our mineral production
exceeded the enormous sum of 11,000
000,000. Tbe exact figures for 1905
are 111,623,877,13?, as compared witb
1 1.300, 83, 5M in 1901. As heretofore,
iron and coal are the most important
of our mineral prod not. The value
of (he iron in 1905 was $328, 450, 000;
the value of tbe coal, 476,?56,9R3.
Tbe fuels increased from 584, 013, 33fi
in 190to '02,477.217 in 1905, a gain
of 18,433,981. or 8.16 per oent. An
thracite ooal showed an increase in
value of 3,904,9SO from $138,974,020
in 1904 to 1141,879,000 in 1905. The
increase in value of the bituminous
coal output over 1904 was f29,4H0,9t-2,
a oombined increase in "value of ooal
of $32,885,942 in 1905, or 7.S per oent.
Tbe gain of $262,993,578 in the total
value of cor mineral production is due
to gains in both metallic and non
metallio prod nets, the metallic pro
ductions showing an increase from
$501,099,950 in 1904 to $709,453,109 in
1905, a 'gain of""201,858Tw. and tbe
non-metallic nrodncta showing an in
crease from $859,883,604 in 1904 to
$921,024,019 In 1905, a gain of $61,
640,415. To these products should
be added estimated unspecified pro
ducts, including molybdenum, bis
muth, tungsten, and other mineral
prodnots. valued at $400,000, making
the total mineral production for 1905
of $1,623,877,127. Besides tbe usual
table and summary of quantities and
value of the country's mineral ontpnt
by products, the volume contains this
year, for the first time, a summary,
in tabulated form, of the value of the
mineral prodnots by States. These
tables were compiled by Mr. Wm.
Taylor Thorn.
A Banner Apple District.
The apple crop of Pajaro valley this
season was very muoh larger than
roost people imagine. Up to and in
eluding last nigbt 1618 carloads of
apples had been forwarded from
Wataonville for tbe season to date.
About 100 oarloads of such fruit may
be added to the above total as tbe
shipments'for this season from Pajaro,
Vega and Aromas. Tbe canneries.
older works,' etc, have used up fully
100 carloads of apples, and the seven
driers, whiob have been running
overtime sinoe tbe opening of the
season, bave converted no leas than
900 carloads of apples into evaporated
stock.
It will be seen from the above
figures that 2718 carloads of apples
bave thus tar been handled for tbe
season, and shipment will continue
for some time yet. Fruit Trade
Journal.
ANOTHER MARKET FOR
ROGUE RIVER FRUIT
Ureavt Northern Revllroad to Sup-
. ply Fruit Growers Unions
With List of Dealers.
J. I. Springer, of Portland, travel
ing freight and passenger agent of the
Great Northern Railway, was in
Grants Pass Wednesday looking up
business for his company. The Great
Northern, which is the road con
trolled by Jim Hill, the most pro
gressive, aggressive and successful
railroad mn In the United States,
has decided to make a vigorous effort
to secure traffic from this section and
hereafter Mr. Springer will make
regular trips through Southern Ore
gon. 2 The Great Northern reaches very
larRe fruit market in Montana, Da
kota, Minnesota and in Alberta,
Mauitoba and other sections of Cana
da and it is Mr. Hill's purpose to
build np a fruit trafflo for his roads
that cover tbis territory. To that
end tbe trafflo department of the
Great Northern is preparing a com
plete list of all the reliable dealers in
fruit in this vast extent of country.
A copy of this list is to be supplied to
each fruit growers union and other
large shippers of fruit. It was one of
the purposes of Mr. Springer's trip to
Rogue River Valley to work up the
shipment of fruit from this Valley to
the Northern markets and while in
Grants Pass he called on Secretary
Meserve of tbe Grants Pass Fruit
Growers Union to get information
as to the possibilities of trafflo from
this fruit district. To aid tbe Union
in getting in touch with the markets
of the various cities on the Great
Northern lines Mr. Springer stated
he wonld send Secretary Masrrve a
full list of all the reliable dealers in
fruit in Montana, Dakota and other
Northern states and in the Canadian
provinces. This list will be sent out
early this Spring in time for ths
Union to correspond and arrange witb
tbe dealers for handliog fruit this
coming season.
Production of Platinum.
The production of platinum from
domestic ores in 1905 was 818 ounoes,
valued at $5320, as compared with
200 ounces, valued at $4160 in 1904;
with 110 ounces, valued at $2080 in
1903; with 94 ouooes, valued at $1814
in 1902; witb 1408 ounces, valued at
$27,526 in 1901 ; and with 400 ounces,
valued at $2500 in 1900. In Decem
ber, 1904, tbe price of ingot platinum
at New York advanced from $13.50
to $19.50 an ounce; in April, 1905,
it was $20.60; in February, 1906, it
advanced to $25, and in September,
1906, it was $34 an ounce.
Job work at Portland prices at the
Courier office.
ROGUE RIVER APPLES
WIN COMMENDATION
A Shipment Made by the Grants
Pass Fruit Growers Union
Suits Ca.lifornln.ns.
The Grants Pass Fruit Growers
Union for its first year in the market
ing of fruit is making a commendable
and what will prove to be a profitable
reputation for sending out high grade
fruit, and on most of the shipments
very flattering compliments have been
received from the purchasers. A few
of the shipments bave fallen short of
the high standard Jset by ;the ;Hood
River and other older unions that put
up a fanoy pack that readily sells at
from $2 to 3 a box f. o. b., for tbe
reason tbat it was not possible under
the conditions with which the Grants
Pass Fruit Growers Union bad to oon
tend to enforce rigid rules for pick
log, grading, packing and hauling
that are essential in getting frnit
aboard the cars in the most perfect
oondition. Another year it is ex
pected tbat tbe Union will be able
to make its entire pack strictly first
class and to get the top prioe and com
mendations from its patrons.
President R. A. N. Reymers and
Secretary Charles Meserve Jhave each
reoeived a marked copy of the Sacra
mento Bee tbat oontalns a highly com
plimentary mention of "shipment of
apples that tbe Union made to a firm
in tbat oity. The apples were Spit
senbergs and were from Mr. Reymer's
orchard and were packed jnst as
should be to give satisfaction to the
buyers. The following is the artiole,
wbich was run as an advertisement in
tbe space in the Bee controlled by R.
D. Fionie, one of tbe leading grocery
firms of Sacramento :
ROGUE RIVER VAL
LEY BEAUTIES.
Luscious Spltzenbergs From the
"Land of Big Red Apples.",
Kvnr mail a trln tn nMinnl T
yon will remember, as you topped
tne rise over tne Hiskiyous, looking
down into a beautiful green vallev.
dotted with orchards and pretty wbite
rarm nouses, mat was Kogue Kiver
Valley, tbe most famous apple-growing
section of Oregon, whioh has it
self been koown for 80 years as
the " Land for Big Red Apples." In
tbat loveliest . of the Vallevs of
Southern Oregon the favorite table ap-
pie, me npuzeuDerg, reaones perfect
ion. Believing tbat in Sacramento
we'oouldflod a sufficient number of
people who, would bny some of these
toothsome, satisfying red follows, as
beautifully colored as a Summer sun
set. , we sent for 64 boxes. So careful
was tbe Grants Pass Growers' Asso
ciation with this consignment, that
we don't believe there is an unsound
apple in tbe lot. They are solid, free
from worms and taste better than a
nut sundae. In boxes of 8W and 4
tiers. Somewhat higher ' in pine
than ordinary kinds but that's
exactly the point; They're extra
ordinarily good oh, yum, yum. We
had a time getting thete, so we shall
probably have no more. Better use
ths telepone.
Pataro Orchardlsts In Hard Lines.
Ten years ago the Pajaro Valley
was the most famous apple district on
tbe Paoifio Coast and Watsonville
apples, as they were known, com
maned the highest price of any apples
sent East from this Coast. While that
valley still leads Rogue River or Hood
River in tbe number of cars shipped
Immense Carpet Sale
Carpets at the Prices of Common Matting
500 YARDS AT 30 CENTS PER YARD
For immediate purchase only and cash nt the
time of purchase, you can have it delivered
any time. These goods are sold at CO cents
any where.
YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS THIS SALE
Thomas
Hwulqunrtcs for
their prioe is no higher than that had
10 years ago and all because tha
growers have no union to market their
fruit but take just what the local
dealers offer them.
The following from the Pajaroian,
of Waiton vi lis, giving an extract from
an address by the president of the
Pajaro Valley Horticultural Society
dearly explains one of the principal
causes ;for tbe ICalifornians getting
only 90 cents a box for their apples:
"All I ask for is 60 men and in two
years I will revolutionize the whole
system of handling fruit," said Presi
dent Rodgers. "Yes, sir." he de
clared "if 50 of yon orchardlsts will
stand together we can revolutionise
the whole system of raising and sell
ing fruit. We have now an almost
perfect' condition and if we will only
organize I dare say that we should be
able to get from 15 to 90 per oent
more money for onr fruit. Take for
instance the Hood River apple dis
trict of Oregon. Up there they are
getting from $2 np a box for their ap
ples, while ws are satisfied with W
cents and $1.
"But a lot of people will laugh at
that and state that the quantity turned
out up there doesn't amouut to a drop
in the bucket. That isn't tbe ques
tion, gentlemen. The question is
that we are in tbe apple business to
make money, and not for fan. While
I admit tbat we can not raise quite
so fine an apple as the Hood River
apple, yet the Hood River apples did
not bring more than 90 oents a bos
theatselves before tbe orchardlsts of
that section organised. If we will
organize I am almost morally certain
that we can gt from IS to 90 per cent
more for our apples.
"Onr packing svstem is no good.
One man is pulling this way and the
other that, and au tbe time the repu
tation of the Pajaro valley Apple Is
being torn down. Lei ns take up tbis
discussion at the next meeting, the
last Saturday in December, and let as
get the 60 men together."
ITALIAN LABORERS
WARNED BY CITIZENS
Men of Douglas County Do Not
Wevnt Foreign Gangs In
Their Midst.
, The,. Italian . gangs employed on
railroad sections to displaoe Ameri
cans are not meeting (with the snooess
the railroad company (would wish.
Tbe first of last month a gang arrived
at Riddle, and after learning the oon
dition of things, left Immediately.
Last Monday another gang at Ithak
place was waited upon by a oomtnlttee
of oltisecs, and being informed that
the members were receiving less than
the former crew and that foreign
labor was not desirable In Douglas
County, it also left.
Sunday morning tbe gang at Green's
Station, five miles south of Rosnburg,
reoeived an anonymous fetter as fol
lows: "To the Italian Gang, Section 84.'
You are not wanted here. You will -get
out of here soon and avoid trouble
witb citizens of tbis part of the
county.
(Signed) "CITIZENS."
The lettur was forwarded to the
roadmastsr by the seotion foreman,
and the laborers assured tbat every
thing Is all right, but the Italians
are afraid of trouble, and niav leave,
as all of them are becoming familiar
with tbe stories of tbe Greek trouble
last year, which oost one life and the
county severl thousand dollars.
Quarts blanks at ths Courier office.
& O'Neill,
things for the House