i
VOL. XXIV.
I
GRANTS PASS, JOSEPHINE COONTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1909.
VO. 43
PRESIDENT AN
DERSON'S LETTER
Energetic Action Needed
to Meet Emergency.
EVERYBODY INTERESTED
Bead the Letter Carefully and An.
swer It Either by Letter or
In Person
President M.J. Anderson of the
Commercial Club has Inaugurated
a strong movement to insure the
Issuing of a Josephine County Book
let to be sent to that class who are
writing the club for information re
garding this section of the country.
The Club Issued a Grants Pass
Booklet last year and these were
all sent out and at the present lime
there is no printed matter available
to send to the many hundreds who
are aBking for Information relating
to Grants Pass and the county at
large. Every property holder in
Josephine county is interested In
this matter and should respond
cheerfully to President Anderson's
request which is explained in the
letter printed in full below..
January 14, 1909.
Dear Sir: The very successful
system of advertising the resources
of this state, by booklets descript
ive of the respective localities, that
has prevailed for the past year, is
to be followed with increased energy
In one day last week, over six tons
of advertising material was sent
East by Portland, alone. Other
localities are doing their share of
the work in proport ion to their
ability and the progressive spirit of
the respective communities.,
The booklets of Grants Pass for
1908, which attracted the attention
of would-be settlers and investors
from all parts of the world, advanc
ed greatly the value of land and in
creased the taxable wealth of this
county, but were too local in de
scription. The edition is now about
exhausted, and with a publicity cam
paign on of such importance, the
time has come for Josephine County
to tell its story to the thousands of
prospective settlers and tourists
ready to visit this coast in 1909. The
time has come when the undevelped
landss, mineral wealth and forest
resources in farming and fruit
values should become known to
those ready and anxious to Invest
and to come among us and add to
the general wealth of the commu
nity. After consultation, the heaviest
tax-payers and most progressive citl
sens in the city and in the country
where they could be reached, a new
and larger campaign was planned:
A booklet descriptive of Josephine
County in which every section will
be represented by photo and read-'
tng matter. 1 !
This booklet to be Issued jointly
by the County Court and Commer
J
YOUR LAST CHANCE
10
Per Cent Off
ON nUR rTH?K LINK
OF COMFORTS, BLANK
ETS, NO PILLOWS
(Ten Days Only
O'NEILL
cial Club. At a meeting of the
ciud Tuesday evening, over $1000
was subscribed and an energetic
committee is adding to this fund.
The County Court is authorized
by act of "legislature to appropriate
each year $1000 for advertising the
county. The local character of last
year's booklet, prevented its co-od-
eration, but with a "Josephine
County Booklet" the Court has
agreed to appropriate this fund but
only after a canvas has shown that
a majority portion of the taxable
property endorses the action.
The necessity of closing the con
tract for publication In time to get
the benefit of cheap colonists rates
to Grants Pass, made prompt action
necessary, but the court and com
mittees having this campaign in
hand not only desires the endorse
ment of the majority of the tax
able property but also the endorse
ment of every progressive individual
taxpayer and citizen In the county,
that this may be a grand and unani
mous effort to bring our wonderful
natural resources to the attention
of the greatest crowd of prospective
settlers and Investors that ever
came west in one year, and thus in-
creaed the taxable wealth to the
benefit of all.
Enclosed Is a copy of a petition
to the county court. Please circu
late it and get it fully signed, show
ing your endorsement of the move
ment.
The second paper is a copy of the
one being circulated here and any
subscription you can get to help the
work along will be appreciated.
The Southern Pacific railroad is
putting a large sum (several
thousand dollars) into this booklet
and all we need is the assistance of
each community and the enthusiasm
which the merits of the work call
for to make it a great success.
Very truly, yours,
GRANTS PASS COM. CLUB.
M. J. Anderson, Pres.
WORK ON NEW BRIDGE
CARRIED OUT SATURDAY
The river has been on a rampage
for more than two . weeks and last
Friday night it reached its highest
point and about 3 o'clock Saturday
morning the ouly two piers set In
the new bridge at the foot of Sixth
street were toppled over and carried
down the river and deposited In the
deep water several hundred yards
below. These piers had been set In
the middle of the river and driven
from 1 to 15 feet in the bottom.
Heavy timbers had been placed on
them and it was supposed by the
bridge builders that the high water
would not disturb them, bnt the
Rogue river has a powerful current
and at times it sweeps everything
before it. The old timer informed
the bridge contractors that they
might expect high water and there
was only one way to escape its con
sequences and that was to finish
the bridge by the first of January,
the date mentioned in the contract.
It Is said the loss in consequence of
this mishap will be $4000. The
loss Is not so much however the
fault of the river rising as it is to the
company not keeping its contract
with the county. The loss to the
county by the neglect of the bridge
contractors will not be covered by
the above figure.
56aHousefurnisher
South Side of Zailroad on C St.
COMMISSIONER
CARSON'S REPORT
Document Showing Con
ditions In District.
HELP TO HORTICULTURISTS
A Discourse on Soils on Which to
Grow Apples, Pears, Peaches
and Other Fruits.
The Courier has received the bi
ennial report of Commissioner A.
H. Carson of the Third District of
the State Board of Horticulture.
It is a document containing much
valuable Information, showing c.ire-
ful investigation, and a thorough
knowledge of the Bubject which he
treats. The report covers condi
tions in Josephine, Jackson, Coos,
Curry, Douglas, Klamath and Lake,
seven counties in all and these com
prise Southern Oregon. We quote
from the first paragVaph of the in
troduction in which will be found
some highly important "suggestions
regarding good conditions in the
counties named and also notes on
soils and cultivation of land gener
ally. This part of the report
should be carefully read by the sub
scribers of the Courier as these opin
ions of Mr. Carson have been gained
from experience during a long per
iod of activity among the soils of the
Rogue River Valley.
The report Is in part as follows:
The topography of this sub-divis
ion of the state with mountains,
foot-hills, and valleys, is such that
there are varied climatic conditions,
as well as soils existing that one sec
tion of Oregon may be adapted to
the growth, and maturity of one
variety of fruit that in some other
section of the district the same var
iety would be a failure and yet all
parts of the section known as
Southern Oregon is adapted, by rea
son of soil, or prevailing climatic
conditions, to some special commer
cial fruit-growing.
On deep hill soils I have seen corn
that produced 35 bushels to the acre
without a drop of rain from planting
to gathering. Without cultivation
the corn would have perished for the
want of moisture.
Deep, alluvial, sandy loam soils
along the rivers, and creeks never
fail to yield, though the cultivation
may be poor, as these soils are al
ways sub-Irrigated.
Many Eastern men who come here,
desire to engage In apple, or pear
growing. Not being a Judge of
our Coast soils, purchases land from
surface indications, and in time finds
he has made a mistake.
To succeed here in fruit growing,
the grower must plant the variety of
fruit his soil, and location is adapt
ed to. Soil and location that the
peach and grape would succeed on
with reasonable attention to detail,
might be of such a character, and
depth that the apple, and pear
planted on the same would be a fail
ure. It Is my purpose In this report
to call the attention of the prospect
ive purchaser to the various soils
as they exist in this district, with
their character, and adaptability of
fruits that will grow with success.
The Apple and Pear.
The apple and pear to be a source
of profit here should be planted on
the best alluvial soils along the
streams, or if the hill lands are chos
n, they must be deep, not less than
five to six feet in depth, and a great
er depth would be better.
There are no soils too good, and
rich to grow the best apples, or
.tears. The greater success, and
profits of the Rogue River Valley ap
ple and pear growers Is In proportion
to the good quality of the soli his or
chards are planted on, and the at
tention of the grower to details in its
management.
A shallow soil will spell failure if
planted to the apple and pear, ex
cepting water is available for irri
gation during the months of Aug
ust and September. However, It
must be remembered that not all
shallow soils are adapted to irrlga
tion. v To irrigate with profit, the
subsoil must bs right. If the sub
soil is wrong, irrigation would be
detrimental.
A shallow loam soil, two and a
half feet deep resting on decompos
ed bed-rock, or broken bed-rock, or
loose gravel would be all right for
Irrigation. Irrigation, it intelli
gently done would be a great benefit
to an apple or pear orchard on such
land, for the reason the suru.u wa
ter in irrigating would readily drain
off through the gravel and bed-rock
without injury to the growing tree.
On the other hand, should a shal
low soil rest on a clay sub-soil, or a
cement hard pan, irrigation wouid
be detrimental to the growing ap
ple and pear trees. To success
fully Irrigate fruit trees on any
of our soils here underdralnage must
be had to carry off the surplus wa
ter during the Irrigation period.
These shallow soils with a clay
sub-soil, or cement hard-pan can be
made available for apple and pear
growing by tiling to a depth of not
less than five feet.
Where irrigation is resorted to
the conditions of the sub-soil in re
lation to the growth of the tree
must be intelligently understood.
The mechanical effect on Bhallow
soil by underdralnage with tile, Is
to deepen the soil to the depth the
tile Is laid. During the winter
rains, the surplus water where land
1b tiled, is drained through the soil,
and passes off through the tile, pre
venting' the fruit tree from injury
from excessive moisture during
protracted rain storms of win
ter, keeping it healthy and vigor
ous during the dormant period, so
that when it quickens into growth in
the spring it Is in the best possible
condition to grow and respond to ibe
skill, and cultivation of it owner.
Again, while the mechanical effeit
of underdralnage is to deepen the
soil and carry off the surplus mois
ture, as paradoxical as it may ap
pear, underdralnage makes these
shallow soils wet, and moist during
the growing period. During the
growing period the moisture ladened
air passes through the tile, and con
denses its moisture leaving it in the
soil for the growing tree. In fact,
with thorough intelligent cultivation
where these shallow soils are prop
erly underdralned, but little water is
necessary for irrigation during the
dryest season.
Many of these shallow soils, where
the exposure Is right, grapes can be
profitably grown without under
dralnage, and with good cultivation.
There are many acres of deep,
rolling lands, such as second bench,
red loam, that in normal years, un
der good cultivation, the apple and
pear can be grown at a profit, and
with water for Irrigation during the
dry seasons these deep bench lands
can, be made very valuable.
In past years I have noted many
acres of these shallow, dry soils be
ing planted to the apple and pear
without any consideration of the
character of the sub-soil, or what
the effects of underdralnage would
be were it tiled. I know In all rea
son that the results and profits in
planting such soils will be a disap
pointment to the grower, hence I call
the attention of the growers to this
subject of soils adapted to growing
various varieties of fruits.
The variety of climate, together
with soils in the various counties in
the Third District and annual pre
cipitation had in each county, I hope
by a detailed description of each
county, to give the prospective set
tler some data that will enable him
to intelligently Judge soil conditions
that will be congenial to the fruit
he may desire to grow.
Trees and HhrubH.
A collection is now being made at
the Commercial Club rooms of our
native evergreen trees and shrubs.
The exhibit, which now comprises
about 20 varieties, was started by
H. C. Bateham on Wednesday of last
week who brought down from Wolf
Creek an armful of very pretty
specimens, and has them correctly
named by the Forestry service.
Others are Invited to add to the
collection or replace faded specimens
from time y time for we feel sure
that the exhibit will not only orna
ment the Club rooms but also be
very Interesting to those who have
no opportunity to see the wealth of
verdure our forests possess at this
time of the year.
IRRIGATION REPORT
MADE WEDNESDAY
Wc Publish Document in
Part Thi Week.
VALLEY TO BE WATERED
Committee Having Daily Meetings
to Consider Recommendation
. of Expert Cumiulngs.
In an interview this morning with
the Board of Directors, then In ses
sion, we learned that the engineer's
report has been on file in full since
Wednesday last. Since that time a
sub-committee have been going over
the same considering each recom
mendation made therein.
We further learned that the re
port embodies three distinct propos
als each of which are being consider
ed by the board and we are permit
ted to say that negotiations are in
progress with each of these interests.
Reading these negotiations, which
will probably take from 10 to 14
days, the Doard are not prepared to
publish the full report but the fol-1
lowing Introductory remarks of the '
engineer in Introducing hii
will b of Interest:
The Need of Irrigation in Southern
Oregon.
The popular conception in regard
to irrigation Is that it is a practice
solely of benefit to the truly arid
sections of the West. That there
is profit to be gained through its use
In such sections as Eastern Oregon,
Eastern Washington or Southern
Idaho. Never was there a more er
roneous conception. Irrigation is
but a means of artificially making
up the deficiency in natural rain
fall. Perfect crop-growing condi
tions require a certain amount of
moisture in the soil. This mois
ture is Just as essential as the plant
food in the soil, or in the sunshine.
If there be a shortage in the amount
of moisture at any time during the
growing season, abnormal conditions
prevail and crops suffer as a conse
quence. The length of time over
which such a shortage may occur 1b
Immaterial, for the plant must have
Its moisture all the time, otherwise
It suffers, Its' growth is permanently
checked, and Its producing power
destroyed. A few weeks of drought
will cauBe Just as serious damage as
a drought that extends over months,
and the sections having the short,
droughty periods are Just as badly
In need of Irrigation as the truly
arid sections, whose dry period ex
tends over the entire growing sea
son. Two years intimate acquaintance
with conditions In Southern Oregon,
together with a number of years inti
mate acquaintance with arid condi
tions In Eastern Oregon and Wash
ington, has convinced the w.'Uer of
the absolute need of Irrigation in the
Koguo River Valley and impressed
him with the idea that until irriga
tion systems are provldedthe fullest
development cannot be brought
about in this valley. There Is a
human as well as physical reason
why the Rogue River Valley needs
Irrigation. The class of Investors
and homeseekers coming to this val
ley know the complete Insurance It
provides against crop failure. They
demand safe Investments, and until
Grants Pass and the surrounding
country can guarantee the invest
ments of these men "who build up
the country," the disappointment of
having them go onto other sections
must continue to be your lot.
The average precipitation per year
at Grants Pass, taken for a 10-year
period, is 32.4 Inches. The distri
bution of this yearly rainfall, based
upon a period of 10 years, Is shown
In the following diagram, for each
month in the year:
It will be seen from this that In
the winter months from October to
march 85 per cent of the rainfall
of the year occurs, leaving but 15
per cent, or approximately five Inch
es of rainfall distributed through
the summer months from April to
September and of this firs Inches 60
,per cent falls in April and May.
The rainfall for June, July. August
and September being less than one
half inch per month, a condition
which is entirly inadequate to main
tain enough moisture In the soil for
the average crop. This compares
with conditions existing In the arid
belts of Eastern Oregon and Wash
ington and is conclusive evidence
that irrigation in this valley is nec
essary for the profitable produc
tion of all crops.
The Value of Irrigation.
To the farmer who is raising crops
without Irrigation and who has
never given the subject thought the
first questtn will be, ,'What la it
worth?" Drawing from the exper
ience of other states where irriga
tion is practiced a few illustrations
may be presented:
In the Yakima ailey, in the state
of Washington, raw lands that were
worthless without water a few years
ago have increased in value until
now with water rights costing from
135 to $60 per acre they are worth
from $150 to $200, and the same
lands with bearing orchards sell
from $500 to $1000 per acre. In
the same valley, lands that will be
under the Tleton canal, now being
completed by the government, that
were a few yean ago consider!
worthless, are now selling from $50
to $200 per acre in advance of the
completion of the canal system,
which It Is estimated will cost about
$55 per acre.
From experiments made the past
year in the Willamette valley by A.
T. Stover, of the U. S. Department
of Agriculture, in charge of irriga
tion work in Oregon, in his Circular
No. 78, "Progress report of Irriga
tion experiments in Willamette Val
ley, Oregon." A few crop results
are given showing the increase due
to irrigation in what has always
been assumed to be a humid climate.
These results are at follows.
Yield of irrtgated and unlrrlgated
corn at Corvallls, Oregon:
Oreen fodder.
Treament. lb per per ct.
acre Increase.
Unlrrlgated 5,647 00
Irrigated once .... 7,000 24
Irrigated twice . , . 9,668 71
Yield of Irrigated and unlrrlgated
potateB at Corvallls, Oregon.
Per Ct.
Treatment. Yield per c. mrkt-
Ib Increase able
Unlrrlgated .. 2,604 00 89.2
Irrigated once 6,760 160 88.0
Irrigated twice 7,500 180 92.3
Yield of irrigated nd unlrrigaed
onions at Corvallls, Oregon.
lbs.
Yield from 24 Irrigated rows.. 850
Yield from 24 unlrrlgated rows.. 350
The preceding figures convey
some idea of t';e Increasing pro
ductiveness thi't would follow irri
gation in tuls valley and the value
of the- large area that Is now lying
Idle and tnproductlve for lack of
water.
While crops are grown In the val
ley without irrigation, the increase
that would result wiia irrigation is
well illustrated by the figures given
and the serious losses of crops due
to insufficient moisture in the soil,
that have been reported would not
have occurred if the water could
have been applied at the right time.
Bolls.
The soils vary with the locality,
from the rich alluvial soils of the
river bottom to the red lands of the
foothills. At the upper end of the
valley along both sides of the river,
are gravelly soils of considerable
depth, covered with a dense growth
of native timber, oak, laurel and
manzanita, which when cleared and
cultivated and watered will be high
ly productive. A the lower end of
the valley these gravelly soils are
overlaid with a sandy, and in Homo
places black loam, rich In humns,
which are the most fertile soils of
the valley. Around the foot hills
In different localities such ai Evans
creek, Frultdale and parts of Mer
lin district, are the high, red soils,
considered by many to be the best
grape and peach lands. This soil
is In isolated tracts not very great
in extent. Over the greater part of
the area, lying on both the north
and south sides and also to the south
of Merlin, the toll is what is termed
"granite" soil a disintegrate tele
pathic granite varying In depth
from a few feet to 20 feet. For
this granite soil, water is absolutely
necessary. While of a poorer qual
ity than tte soils mentioned above,
(Continued on Page Four.)