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About Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1911)
mmm vol. xxvn. GRANTS PASS, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, OREGON Fill DAY, OCTOBER 1911. NO. 97. 6, I b I- I. ' ( GRANGE FAIR A BIG SUCCESS NEARLY 800 PEOPLE FROM THIS CITY" IN ATTENDANCE. INTERESTING BABY SHOW Attractive List of Premiums Brought Out Many Prize Winning Fruit and Vegetables The vriiiams grange fair, which took place Thursday and Friday, was an event of more than ordinary Importance not only to tee people of that Tlclnity but to 200 or 250 citizens of Grants Pass who graced the occasion by their prospnce. The weather during the two dav8 was Ideal In every particular. The fair was held in the two stiry grange building and the display of fruits, grains and vegetables wt splendid, and was spoken of In tan highest terms by all visitors. On the second floor was a collection of ladles' goods, consisting of artistic needle work of eveiy description, Including embroltlery, chochet, quilting and everyth'ng that "comes tinder ladles' textile fabrics. Cookery and domes tic science covered a considerable pace and attracted no little atten tion. Grants Pass Day. Friday was Grants Pass day and from early morning until late In the evening the people of the county seat came and went, seemingly without Intermission. A feature which attracted large this was managed most successfully. There were five entries and two prizes were awarded, consisting of a gold nugget for the handsomest girl under one year and another for the handsomest boy of the same ago. These were awarded as follows: The baby of Mrs.Warren Mee won the girl prize and the little son of Mr. G. E, Cox won the other. As i mut ter of course everybody was deplv Interested in this Incident of tho fair. Some Graceful Ridr. During the afternoon horses were exhibited. First came the ladl?3 mount with seven entni.-s. These were graceful riders and (Mr horsps bore evidence of being vr!l lne.l ani mals. The Judges, aftrr careful ex amination, awarded Miss Ll.:.:ie Lemon the blue ribbon and Mitts M!nnt vjnyard ih? red rlbhon . In buggy horsese there was a good display and th draft nnlmaU were spoken of as being of su lor qual ity. There was a flno showing of sucking colts and these attracted general attention. After the livestock exhibit had been passed upon, some of the boys ot up a pony ra e, which a mured the crowd and kept things moving. ; Following this rame a trotting race which closed the afternoon's pro ceedings. Grants Pass people were loud In their praises ot the fair and Its man agement. The ride from the city made everybody hungry, but ample provision had been made, and coffee and sandwiches, likewise . tea and cakes were served to all who desired such refreshments. Splendid Flrt Event. The expression seemed to bo gen eral that the Williams grange fair was the starting of most commend able movement which will make It highly popular In the future. WLwu It la considered that the whole busl ness was undertaken and carried out In less than two weeks. It certainly presents a remarkable Instance- of good work done In a very short time. J. W. Turrey, the manager, was the moving spirit everywhere; he pos sessed the happy faculty of drawing to his aid both men and women and through there the whole was made a success. More than 50 automobiles from Grants Tass were In the servlece to convey the people to and from the fair. Another year, the automo bllel will be largely Increased In numoer, not only In Grants Pass, but all over the county and The Courier predicts that grange fairs will become popular throughout Jo sephine county. Following is a list of the prize winners at the Williams Grange fair ager J. W. Turvey: B. M. Clute, best farm display; 1st, parsnips. N. Reynolds, 1st. Danver carrot; 1st, beets; 1st, five ears corn; 1st five stalks corn; 1st, mammoth Chile squash. A. Blodgett, 1st squash and head of kale. Dr. Sweeney, 1st, pears of any kind; 1st, Ben Davis apples; 1st, red cheek plppinB; 1st, trio Plym outh Rock chickens. J. S. Kennedy, 1st, Petite prunes; 1st, cabbage, 1st, totamtoes. Louis Carson, best display of grapes. J. W. Turvey, best bushel of pota toes, best five onions, best five stalks sorghum. E. E. Blanchard, 1st on Bartlett pears; 1, peaches. E. B. Hubbett, best bushel onions. W. A. Herd, best pumpkin. F. A. Topping, best display grain. N. Reynolds, best draft horse. Henry Stone, best draft colt. John Herrlott best horse and bug gy. Lizzie best equestrienne. "John Sparlln, best trio Leghorn chickens. ,' , Mrs. Osborn. best Cochin Ban tam chickens. Earl Topping, best trio chicks; best turkey gobbler. Mrs. E. E. Topping, best turkey hen. M. F. Bingham, best O. I. C. pig. Domestic Science. Best collection of cooking, Mrs. A. L. Blodgett. Best cake, Mrs. George Topping. Best' loaf of white bread Mrs. Wil kinson. Best layer cake, Mrs. M. Hall. - Bot . pW Mr. B., B. Topping. , Best collection of jellies and can ned fruit, 1st, Mrs. A. Blodgett; 2nd, Mrs. M. Hall. Best collection of needle work, 1st, Mrs. B. M. Grill; 2nd, Mrs. Hill. Best piece of embroidery, Mrs. Benedict. Best quilt. Mrs. E. Heyer. Best sofa cushion, Mrs. Williams. Best pnlnting, Mrs. Chastaln. Fiest collection of flowers, Mrs. Mel. Best collection of amateur photo graphs. Marguerite Heyer. Best pen drawing, Vlrglna Morri son. Best pencil drawing, Bertha Ken nedy. Children's Dcpurt incut. Best plain sewing, Daisy Sargent. Best piece of needlework, Mar guerite Heyer. Best collection Turvey. Best collection Frank Turvey. Best - collection lly Turvey. of Interest, Willie of manual work, of OrawlngB, Era- 5TH ANNUAL DISTRICT FAIR AT MEDFORD The fifth annual exhibition of the First Southern Oregon District agri cultural society and the first annual exhibition of the Rogue River Val ley Fair association opened at Med ford Tuesday and will continue through the week to and Including Saturday. In addition to the many other at traction, an Interesting tueed pro gram Is on the board. The displays of livestock, poultry, fruit, agricultural productions, the ladles' textile department, art, flor al, dairy products, and other fea ture! are proving of much Interest. There are seven premiums for minerals, each winner to be award ed 15. The prtxes are for copper ore, gold quart, marble In the rough, granite In tbe rough, clay and shale, and best display of nug gets. Quite a number of Grants Pass persona will attend tbe fair. Mr. and Mrs. 8. L. Buell, who are on ttxlr wedding trip, arrived here Wednesday afternoon from Falls City, to visit with Mrs. Buell's grand mother, Mrs. M. E. Pollock. GOOD ROADS AND BOND ISSUE PLAN IS MEETING WITH Need of Road Improvement in Jose phine County and Benefits to Be Derived by Highway. PROCLAMATION. To the'cltlzens of Grants Pass: There will be a general, mass meeting held In Commercial Club rooms Friday evening, October 6, 1911, at 8 o'clock to which all citi zens are requested to be present. This meeting Is called for the con sideration of the proposition of bonding the county for the purpose of constructing permanent highways In the county. ( This Is a very important metter to the people of this community at the present time, and a thorough understanding should be had In the matter and 1 urge every citizen to be present at this meeting. Personally the undersigned hear tll . favors the proposition of bonds for good roads, and believes the time Is now ripe when action should be taken in the matter. J. L. MEYERS, Mayor. Popular Move. It is' going with a momentum hardly expected by those whose earnest efforts brought it about. that move for a bond Issue for good roads In Josephine county, In cluding one to the California state line to connect with one to be built by Del Norte, thus giving Josephine county furmers, merchants and min ing men and industrial captains gen erally access to the sea, and a full enjoyment of the benefits of lower rates as a result of the building of the Panama canal. ' The movement launched yesterday has struck a popular chord, and has run through the civic life of the city with a vim. Tomorrow night a mass meeting of the people ot the city will be held at the opera house under the aus pices of the Commercial Club, and as a result Mayor Myers has Issued a proclamation calling on the people of tbe city to take heed and Lnd encouragement to the proposed bond Issue by being present tomorrow night. II. L. Gilkey. The Courier yesterday was able to give a brief report of the Initial meeting of the gathering assembled too late for a full report in an after noon paper. Hence the report ns printed was not able to carry a syn opsis of a brief, but able address by H. L. Gilkey, cashier of the First National bank. Mr. Gllkey's words were received with high favor, as they were words of sound common sense and wisdom. He said In part: "That God helps those who help themselves Is a truism as applicable to a community as an Individual. The good roads question Is one that Is In the air at the present time, not be cause we are more In need of them now than formerly, but the peopl" have become educated to the point where they are willing to put forth the effort to attain the results that other communities have alrcndy reached. "Judge Stephen Jewell stated cor rectly the matter from a business standpoint when he said that It would be a good Investment for the county to bond for sufficient to build a network of good roads throughout the county, as the Interest on the bonds would be less than the actual expenditure for the upkeep of the present Incomplete highways, By a bond Issue the present generation Is not creating a burden for the future, but Is In reality providing greater reveitue whereby a means of meeting said obligation may be reach-!, In addition to having Immediate bene fits of good highways for communi cation and traffic. "At the present time we hear a great deal said about the lack of business and 'hard times.' If we were to analyze this question I be lieve wt would all agree that the POPULAR APPROVAL present condition has been brought about by a lack of activity upon the part of capital investing in legiti mate enterprises. "While we may not be able to have any material effect upon gen eral conditions, you may be sure that if actual construction of a system of highways In this part of the country should be begun, business matters locally would take on new life. "I believe this la the psychological moment for taking up this matter and pushing It to early realization." John T. Flynn. The address of Engineer John T. Flynn was one which Interested ev ery man present. Mr. Flynn has an expert knowledge of traffic, both by sea and land, and he looks with a wide vision on the present and with keen vision Into the future. A brief excerpt from Mr. Flynn's remarks yesterday reads: "While the railroads have,- and are still opposing the establishment of a freight service through the can al through the claim of bankrupt cy, the time will come when they will actually welcome the change. Instead of pulling freight over three ranges of mountains between the At lantic and Pacific seaboards, which figuratively burns up rolling stock, they will allow that freight to1 come and go to and from the most con venient Beaport, and content them selves with the profitable short haul instead of tbe unprofitable long haul. That Is tbe true mission of the railroad. Under this policy, the producer will secure needed relief In rates, and the railroad relief from the present physical congestion. "Every well Informed railroad man knows that the physical limit of the single track railroad has been reached, with the country still In a sparsely sottled condition. Add firty per cent to the population of any of the Pacific states and the railroads would be completely paralyzed. That means double tracks, which Is not only expensive but In many cases physically Impossible. Instead of trying to preserve the monopoly of the transcontinental freights, by double tracks or otherwlso, the rail roads will eventually recognize th law of gravitation, InBtend of the law of combination, and pull freight down hill, Instead of up hill. "When that time conies the states of Oregon, Washington and Canvor- nla will take on new life and pros per as they have never prospered be fore. "The first step In that direction so far as Josephine county Is con cerned, Is the establishment of an auto freight service to the coast. That will be followed by a railroad from Grants Pass to Crescent City In a very Bhort time." It Is believed that the opera house will be packed tomorrow night, and plans made and funds provided for a campaign of education. Those who will profit most by good roads are, the farmers themselves and to the farmers will go tbe crusaders In the cause of good roads and a bond Is sue, It seems to be the consensus of opinion In the city that an Issue of $500,000 In bonds would be about correct. There are outstand ing now about I7C.000 or $80,000 In road and bridge warrants. A bond Issue of $500,000, It Is set forth, would wipe out this warrant Indebtedness and provide the money for the much wanted modern high ways. "Josephine county must get In Hoe with the other counties," said a resi dent todny. "If not, Josephine coun ty will soon bo shunned by the thou sand now pouring Into the north west. Jackson county voted a mil lion and a half bonds. Surely we ran vole one-third of that sum, or half a million." ENGINEER FAVORS ELK CREEK ROUTE W. J. Wimer, the pioneer road builder and mining operator ot Jo aephine county, is an ardent suppor ter ot an auto truck highway to the sea, and as published some days ago in The Courier, he recently wrote to Engineer J. S. Howard of Medford, who 30 years ago surveyed the route from this county to Crescent City. as a result of Mr. WImer'a efforts to furnish anew somel nformatlon on his work. Mr. Howard writes Mr. VVImer again, and In his second let ter states that the Elk creek route would be 20 mlleB further ITowev er, A. J. Howell, one of the first pio neers In the gold camps of Josehlce county, today Btated that the Elk creek route would only be ten miles further. Engineer Howard did not survey this route and no doubt esti mated thed lstance as 20 miles. Mr. Howell has gone over it often, timing himself and estimated It at 10 miles. Mr. Wimer stated today that U was inclined to favor the Elk creek route provided Del Norte would adopt It. The latest letter from Engineer Howard to Mr. Wimer follows: "Your favor of yesterday came this morning. Answering your queries I will say that while I did not survey a road line up Elk creek I went over that line and the winter trail down the Smith river to Gas quet's. ' I examined carefully the whole route and took altitudes, but, as I said before, those records were destroyed, by fire. -But I recollect that the pass' at the head of Elk creek Is much lower than where the roiid crosses now'. ' "I did not adopt the Ellc creen and Smith river route because It was about twenty miles longer than the line I adopted via the Howard pass and down Patrick's creek and the middle fork ot Smith river; and tor tho further reason that the con struction of the Elk creek line was much more expensive. The cross section along those side hills along Smltli river was steep, and contin ued so down to tho river edge, And owing to the greater length of road and. expense the road would have cost more than double that of the route I adopted. "Tho route via Elk creek Is JtiBt the route for a railroad owing to tbe long ai l roach to a lower divide and a water grade AoWa Smith river; and the alignment Is very good, "The greater length of tho Elk creek route and the cost of con struction almost prohibits Its adop tion for a wagon road. "On the rout" as I surveyed It there were no greater grades than six per cent. "If abopt two miles of tho present road, begtnlng at the Inst, crossing of the Illinois river at the foot of the mouutaln were macadamized, that is. covered with about fifteen Inches of crushed rock, and some ot the turns made ensler, as first surveyed, and the rest of the road to tho sum mit well rounded up and treated with crushed rock well rounded up and treated with a light surface of crushed rock well rollod and the road well drained so that the road It self would not be used as a ditch as at present, It would be a good road to the summit. Then from tho sum mit on to Patrick's creek macadam ize such portions as are all soil for mation and tho other portions along a rock bed grade would only need sur facing and drainage and you would have a road that could cot be beat en anywhere for a mountain road. "I guess 1 bad the misfortune to twi hirn ahmtt 9f viiari I nr mrt n tw I would be delTghted to superintend tho resurrection of the Crescent City road, but, being In my 80th year, must stand back. "Yours most truly, "J. 8. HOWARD," OuWIt lvr Hantt W. II. Taylor of the Grants rasa Hardware company and James Smith went on a hunting trip near Wood vllln Wednesday morning, leaving Grants Pass at 10 o'clock. At 12 o'clock Mr, Taylor was back In the city with one of two fine, large five point bucks he had killed. , Mr. Rtnlth also secured two big bucks which werrb fought to town later In the day, TAXPAYER FAVORS AUTO TRUCK ROAD MOST FEASIBLE RELIEF STEP TAKEN BY OOCNT1'. WOULD HASTEN RAILROAD Cut Freight Rate and Give Interior an Outlet to the Coast. John T. Flynn, harbor engineer of San Francisco and owner ot lands In the Tlclnity of Grant Pan la la the city, arriving Sunday night, and strongly advocates the building of an auto truck road to the Del Norte line, tho same to be paid for by a bond Issue. Mr. Flynn, as a result ot his tech nical knowledge of- all engineering works, is one who can apeak with authority on the subte-t wad one who, ns a taxpayer hore, has o right, to speak: ' Referring to tho proposod auto freight service to the coast, advocat ed by The Courier and supported by W. J. Wimer and John A. Dale In the columns of this paper, Mr. Flynn saidii , . ' "I regard the proposed auto freight movement as the most prats Meal and feasible ever taken for the relief of the producers and consum ers of Josephine county. There has been no public expenditure ever made or contemplated which means so much to the people of this great undeveloped section, as the propos ed auto road to the coast. "With a road extending from Merlin to Grants Pass, and others up the Applegate and Williams creek valley, the whole connecting with the main trunk road to the state line, Josephine and Jackson counties will experience a degree of development and prosperity never before known In the history of the country. Good Investment. "The probable length of the malu trunk and branch roads, connecting with the Jackson county system, will be about ISO miles. ' As a good por tion of the preliminary work Is al ready coverod by the old roads, the cost of Improvement and macadam izing would not exreed $2000 por mile, or a total of about $300,000. The Interest upon the bonds would amount to $12,000 per annum. If Issued on a twenty year basis, the sinking fund for redemption would amount to $18,000 per year or a to tal of $27,000, with the debt entire ly discharged in 20 year. The cost of keeping the road In repair, If properly constructed, would not. ex ceed, even If maintained under the present road tax law, the sum of $100 per mile per year, or a total of f 1 5,000. This would make a grand total of $42,000 peryear for the period of twenty years coveting the lifetime of the bonds, the vx thereafter being simply the cost of repair. Money Saved on Freight. "As a result of this road system, freight could be shipped to and from Portland and Ban Francisco, to Grants Pass, via Croscent City, for a sum not to exceed $12.50 per ton, as against a present average rate by railroad of about $25 per ton. As suming that the present rati ship ments for the territory mentioned, amount to only 10,000 tons per year, and the actual figures would probably be 85,000 tons, the saving to the producers and consumers would amount to $126,000 per year, or a sum equal to three times tbe fixed annual cost of the road system. And this does not take Into consid eration the all Important Interstate tourist travel,, the Increased land valued, or the Increasing settlement which Is certain to follow. California Will Help. "I have discussed your proposed auto freight service with several of ' the leading merchants and the big commercial bodies of San Francisco, and they hsre promised not only to provldu an ample steamship service (Continued on Page 41