Page Three
Illinois Valley News, Thursday. October 5, 1939
Minerals, Agriculture Are Source of Income
■I* 1
Mines Offer
Biggest
Possibilities
VAST STORES
LAY HERE
UNDEVELOPED
Josephine county is one of the
richest mineral sections in the
state of Oregon, and very little
development along this line has
been accomplished. It has been,
in the past, an easy matter for
any prospector to go out into the
hills and make a living panning
or sluicing for gold, but this is al­
most a thing of the past. How­
ever, there are many miners in
the hills and mountains making a
living today, doing this very thing.
The stores in the valley take in
thousands of dollars annually
from this source and the miners
and prospectors bring in their
gold, get a fresh grub stake and
go back in the mountains for
more.
The geological structure of this
section is one of the oldest in the
country, and the mineral possibili-
1
—S •
ties have hardly been scratched.
All the easy gold has been taken,
now it is a matter of scientific
mining enterprise and this tak?s
capital and lots of it. However.
there are a few miners who have
set up machinery and have de­
veloped quite a lot of property.
If this present war continues,
which looks feasible from the re­
ports gianed from daily papers,
this section will have a boom it
has seldom experienced. Many
are waiting to see what congress
does before going into production
in a big scale. This section has all
the chrome Uncle Sam needs and
then some.
but the shipping
charge is so expensive that the lo­
cal men can not make any money
with present transportation facili-
ties.
Chrome and copper are found
in great quantities in this terri-
tory. Also gold, platinum and
mercury are plentiful. Mercury
has gone to the clouds in price
and it would pay the miners to
get some of this material and
start a retort They can be easily
obtained or manufactured locally.
There is one mine that is making
satisfactory progress with this
material
and we understand
others are contemplated.
Gold, mercury, copper and
chrome are the minerals in de­
mand at the present time and
great development in these metals
are in the making in Josephine
county.
Need Seen
For Proper
Irrigation
CATTLE HERDS
GIVE WAY TO
SMALL FARMS
Agriculturally speaking, the II-
linois Valley is in a class all by
itself. The possibilities for great
development along this line are
immense.
Years ago, before good roads,
this section was a great cattle
raising valley, the farmers feed­
ing their own hay and grain and
driving their cattle to markets.
Since highways have been built
the cattle industry has dwindled
to almost nothing and other di­
versified crops have taken the
place of live stock. One of the
principal industries for farmers is
I dairying. Hundreds of dairy cows
are kept in the valley and the
herds are being increased yearly.
It may surprise the average lay­
man to know that approximately
$2,500.00 a month comes into
the valley from cream checks.
This is not a payroll to be sneezed
at. BUT—It could be doubled
and trebled. The valley is a nat­
ural for raising dairy stock, and
climate conditions add to the pos­
sibilities for further expansion
along this line.
-----------------------------------------------—
Ladino clover is getting a start
on a special built trailer.
Projects which are on the im­ here and in the near future it may
mediate work plan for the Caves become a good producer, This
CCC camp are the construction of year some ladino was raised and
the Cave Junction Airport, build­ it has proven a satisfactory crop
ing of an organization site on for our farmers.
Irrigation is the secret of suc-
Grayback Creek, more road con­
cess
in the valley. However, most
struction some fire breaks, and a
new telephone line near old of our farmers are using methods
Waldo. Work has all ready start­ that could be improved upon with
ed on the Grayback Organization new ideas being brought out. One
Site which when completed can of the new systems is sprinkling.
be used by any public spirited or­ This conserves water and adds to
ganization for summer camp the length of life of the soil.
Small fruits are getting a good
periods. It will consist mainly of a
large combination lodge and mess start and every year there is in­
hall and many small open sided crease in this line. Illinois Valley
shelters capable of accommodat­ strawberries are still on the mar­
ing 8 people each. The Grayback ket and the quality is of the best.
-------------- o
road will be built at least as far as
Mr.
and Mrs. J. M. Smock of
the organization site.
The airport has been surveyed Holland, left last Sunday for a
and the Department of Interior two weeks vacation to San Fran­
has withdrawn the land necessary cisco where they will visit rela­
for its construction. Mr. Hussey tives and friends and take in the
and another land owner in Pasa­ exposition.
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
AIDS ILLINOIS VALLEY
_____
Forest Service
Piays Big Part
In Road Program
Much development on roads
and trails has been accomplished
by the Forest Service in the val­
ley and surrounding area, and
there is still more to come. Fol­
lowing is a survey of contemplat­
ed work from Ranger Nelson at
the Redwood Forest station:
An Illinois River Bridge at
Josephine Creek, five miles of
telephone line, four miles of RU-
per trail, improved camp grounds,
forty man crew camp, and a fish
rearing pond are some of the new
improvements accomplished by
the Forest Service with the aid of
Park Service CCC's and others
during the past season. The bridge
at Josephine Creek is not com­
plete yet, but work continues
daily by the 40-man crew. It will
be a Howe trusss creosoted timber
bridge with a span of 137 feet.
The same crew is also busy clear­
ing road right of way up Jose­
phine Creek.
The Oregon Caves CCC camp
completed a number of projects
for the Forest Service. They have
now finished half acre fish rear­
ing pond which will be used to
rear fish to a larger size before
they are liberated in Grayback
and Sucker Creeks. They con­
tinued work on the French Peak
road which is now within the Na­
tional Forest boundry at the head
of No. 8 Gulch. They built several
miles of trail adjacent to the Na-
tionl Monument and greatly im­
proved the Grayback Forest camp
by installing some tables stoves,
and benches. Five miles of new
telephone line was constructed
near O'Brien and Holland.
With the use of a new “baby''
trail tractor the Forest Service
has completed four miles of super
trail on the ridge between Bald­
face Creek and the South Fork of
Rough and Ready. This trail open­
ed up a big country here to fore
trailless. The trail is four foot
wide and with it a small tractor
can be used to transport supplies
dena have donated small tracts i
necessary, The CCC’s will prob-
ably work on the project during
the middle of the winter. Work
will continue on the Organization
site.
A Junior Forester was engaged
most of the summer in field work
on this district making visibility
studies and a forest fire fuel type
map. This winter a complete re­
planning will be in effect which
may show the necessity of far
more lookouts and guards.
Mrs.
Last week Mr. and
O'Harra leased the camp, former­
ly Camp U-Rest, to Mr. and Mrs.
T. L. Stewart of Grants Pass. Mr.
and Mra. Stewart are well ac­
quainted with the camp business
and will give their patrons the
best service they can.
»
Many changes are contemplat­
ed in the near future by the new
operators of the camp and when
thoroughly renovated and changes
contemplated made, the camp will
be practically made over.
,Mr. and Mrs. O’Harra found the
camp too much work for them and
they decided to lease the place
and return to Ashland where they
will make their home.
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The county-owned Josephine
General hospital will hereafter
pay its bills directly from its own
receipts, Commissioners Richard
McElligott and John Valen said
Monday. In the past, collections
have been turned over to the
county treasurer, who has paid
the bills, but the new system
should be more efficient, avoid­
ing much duplication in book­
keeping they said.
To enable the hospital to make 1
an immediate start in paying its
bills, a $3,000 loan has been ob-
GRANTS PASS
HOTEL
MINERS HEADQUARTERS
«15 “G” Street
Grants Pass, Oregon
Complete Service On
All types domestic, commercial
Refrigerators
Leave Orders at News Office
Duo-Therm Heaters
Prices Range from $54.50
The Rains are Welcome to You
MINERS
TED PAULUS’
VALLEY HARDWARE
GRANTS PASS
210 S. SIXTH ST.
After the
HARVEST
It’s the Logical thing
to do ... . Prepare
the Home for Winter
Living ....
Machineless
Permanent Wave
$3.95
Spare Yourself the
DRUDGERY
................. Let us do the
“DIRTY WORK” . . .
For the Month of October only
CAVE JUNCTION
BEAUTY SALON
Gertrude Bloomingcamp
ASK US ABOUT
CLEANING YOUR—
BUT
If there are any of you good folk»
of the lllinoia Valley who weren't
among the Hundred» who overran
the place last week . . . whip up
the horae», get down here a» soon
a» you can to visit our new lay­
out I
Yo-all Know How Good They Are—
• INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS
• OLDSMOBILE CARS
• MOBILGAS and MOBILOIL
J. S. Wolke
I
Make it a Point Today to See the
NEW 1940
Introducing the
Newest Type
AT THE CORNER OF “D" AND SIXTH
IN GRANTS PASS, OREGON
SIXTH & D STS.
• No Ashes ....
• No Wood to Haul............
• Constant, Controlled Temperatures
Harvest Home Special
Oldsmobile Garage
Selma, Oregon
HEAT
F. A. RIGBY
and
Lew Hammer’s
ETHEL and LILLY ANN NELSON
FEATURING..............
• “CHICKEN in the ROUGH’’
Something New—
“Every Bite a Tender Delight’’
REMEMBER—WE HAVE SUPPLIES!
Mobilgas Station
Bridgeview' Grange
Hall
GRANTS PASS
I jMMtt
about the opening of the
Saturday,
October 7th
Nelson Sister’s Cafe
Hospital Will Direct
Own Bills, Collections
There's No Secret
Attend the
Grange
HARVEST HOME
PARTY
tained from the H. G. Pownell in­ tions as soon as the new system
surance agency. The loan will be is functioning, the commissioners
paid back out of hospital collec-1 said.—Grants Pass Courier
O’HARRA’S CAMP
IS LEASED TO
NEW OPERATORS
Ph. 271
GRANTS PASS
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Curtains
Blankets
Rugs
Pillows
We appeal to Exacting
Housekeepers . . . Women
who are enemies to Dust,
Dirt and Dinginess.................
Our ‘‘Approved’* service will
please you .....
Watch for the Red and White Truck
Pickup and Delivery Service Twice Each Week
for the Illinois Valley
Grants Pass
Steam Laundry
SINCE 1900
Fifth and H Streets
Ph. 37
Grants Pass, Ore