Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Lexington wheatfield. (Lexington, Or.) 1905-19?? | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1906)
OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST MONEY IN K3TATOES. Grand Ronde Farmers Market Big Crops at Good Prices. La Grande Farmers who planted potatoes hint spring are reaping a boun tiful harvest in tho Grund Hondo val ley, Tlio gross income fromthlH year's crop 1h placed at $50,000 on tho output of potatoes from tliis valley. It is es timated that 100 earn will ho necessary to ship tills season's crop. These fig ures aro computed on tho hasls of 1,000 acres with an average yield of 00 sacks to the acre. This has been tho yield on unlrrigated lands on tho "Sand ridgo" section, and tho estimate Is con Hcrvat ive. More than half of tho entire potatoo acreage of tho valley is In the vicinity of Imblcn and Allcel. Fields that have produced 00 sacks to tho acre and very many tracts have lono better than that give a net re turn of $27.50 per acre. The, gross re ceipts from an aero at tho present price of 05 cents per sack amounts to $110. One of tho prominent growers figures tho cost of production per acre at .$11.50, as follows: Cultivating, $!!; digging, and sacking, $3; sacks, $3; need, $1 ; hauling, $1 .50. The heaviest yield so far- reported is that of A. J. Nurby, of Cove, who has well red ,'!00 sacks from an acre. At the j present market price, Mr. Surby's in-' come for an aero is $105, of which about $18.;j.50 is net. A six-acre field on the. Oregon Hed Apple company's ground, north of La (irande, gives a yield of 200 sacks per acre. These po tatoes are grown entirely without irri gation, and on account of their superior quality are rated 10 cents higher than the open market. Tho returns from tho six acres will be $000. The patch was planted as a .matter of getting the ground iif suitable condition for cultivation. Col. Hofer Tells His Hopes. University of Oregon, Eugene Col onel Ifofer, of Salem, addressed the as sembly at the university. Ho was full -of enthusiasm over the development of the state of Oregon, and predicted that the growth would be marvelous if there were two competing railroads in the state. lie was of the opinion if these two railroads enter the state, that Coos bay would see the terminus on one and that country would shortly develop a city of 150,000, and Portland would be the other center for tho end of the rail road system. ' Two such thriving cities would be of great benefit to the state. Benson Announces Changes. Salem In addition to the appoint ment of Walter Drennan, to succeed F. T. Wrigbtman as head of the corpora tion department, Secretary of State elect F. W. Benson has announced that S. A. Kozer will be promoted to chief clerk to succeed F. K. Lovell, and that Kozer will be succeeded by II. II. Cor ey, of Baker City. Kozer is now audit ing clerk. Tho remainder of the ollice force of Secretary of State Dunbar will be regained until after the session of the legislature. There will be no change in the force of janitors until after the legislature. Eager tor a New County. Hood River At a big mass meeting held here for the purpose of ascertain ing public feeling in regard to the movement to create a new county, to be known as Cascade county,- the senti ment was unanimous and committees will bo appointed to circulate petitions to be presented to the next legislature with that object in view. A number of prominent men here spoke on the ques tion, and statistics were presented -which show that the new county can be governed more economically than the .same treritory is under present condi tions. Big Option on Timber Lands. Atsoria An option covering the sale -of 9,040 acres of timber lands, 3,200 .acres being located in the northern part of Tillamook county and 5,840 .acres in the southern part of Clatsop county, at $2(5 per acre, has been filed for record in the county clerk's office. "The lands belong to A. W. Priest and the option for 30 days was given to R. V. Jones and R. F. Fox, of Portland, and sold by them to Godfrey von Platen. Races for the Land Office. North Bend The announcement by -the land department that contest filings would be received in a number of In dian allotment claims has caused many horse races from points in Curry county to the land office in Roseburg. It is alleged only such Indians and half breeds as belong to tribes or live' on reservations are entitled to allotment claims. Much Wheat at Weston.' Weston It is estimated that about a quarter of a million bushels of wheat are stored in the warehouses in this vi cinity. The local market has been dull, awaiting a solution of the car sit uation. It is thought that nearly five sixths of the crop is still in the hands of the growers. COAL MINE OPENED. Company Finds Eighteen-Foot Vein Near Ashland. Ashland There la no little interest and enthusiasm in thfs section of the state over the opening up of what ap pears to bo permanent coal deposits. Coal croppings have been discovered for 30 or 40 miles along the Cascades from the state lino northward, but no depos its of Hiiflicient extent to justify devel opment have been found in the pros pecting heretofore. Some lime ago the company that is opening the Blue Lead copper mines in this section, after se curing leases on a considerable area of land, began prospecting on the Furrey place on tho east Side of Bear creek, alo.tt seven miles from Ashland. They began by running two tunnels into the mountain. One of these is now 270 and the other 240 leet into the mountain, and an 18-foot vein of coal has been opened up. The coal has been tested and appears to be of excel lent quality. The tunnels are seven feet square and run parellel 70 feet apart. They are well timbered and tire being connected by cross cuts every 75 feet, for ventilation and to extract the coal. They extend into the moun tain from the west to tho east on a 7 per cent incline. About 25 men are being employed and the work is beinir pushed night and day. Other crews are employed in building coal bins, scales, grizzlies and screens for sorting tho coal. To Improve Federal Property. Salem Francis W. Grant, sunerin tendon t of construction of public build-: ings of the United States Treasury d ! partment, has been in the city to in-1 spect tno plans, look over uie grounds , and draft prospective plans, specifica- j tions and make estimates upon the proposed improvement of the grounds, surrounding the Federal building in this city, which have remained in an unfinished condition ever since the j erection of the building, three years ago, and for which improvement con gress has appropriated a fund of $10, 000. Pin Faith to Cherries. La Grande Cherries, of the ship ping varieties, have proven one of the most profitable products of the Grand Ronde valley, and for that reason there will be many new cherry orchards put out in the spring. George Thomas, of Cove, will plant 1,000 trees. Mr. Thomas is one of the most extensive cherry growers in the valley, and now has about 20 acres of cherry orchard in full bearing. During the past season these trees yielded at the rate of $325 per acre. PORTLAND MARKETS. Wheat Club, G4c; bluestem, 67c; valley, OGc; red, 61c. Oats No. 1 white, $24.5025.50; gray, $23.5024. Barley Feed, $21.50 per ton; brew ing, $22.50; rolled, $23. Rye $1.401.45 per cwt. Corn Whole, $25.50; cracked, $26.50 per ton. Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $11 12 per ton; Eastern Oregon timothy, $1416; clover, $78; cheat, $7.50 8.50; grain hay, $7.508.50; alfalfa, $11.50; vetch hay, $77.50. Fruits Apples, common to choice, 5075c per box; choice to fancy, $1 2.50; grapes, 60c$1.25 per crate; pears, 75c$1.25; cranberries, $10 12.50 per barrel; quinces, $11.25 per box; persimmons, $1.50 per box. Vegetables Cabbage, per pound; cauliflower, $1.25 per dozen; celery, 7585c per dozen; lettuce, had, 20c per dozen; onions, 1012)c perdizen; pumpkins, ljcper pound; spinach, 45c per pound; tomatoes, 3050c per box; parsley, 1015c ; squash, a per pound; turnips, 90c$l per sack; carrots, 90c$l per sack; beets, $1.251.50 per sack; horseradish, 910c per pound; sweet potatoes, 22c per pound. Onions Oregon, 75c$l per hun dred. Potatoes Oregon Burbanks, fancy, 7085c; common, 6070c. Butter Fancy creamery, 2527Jc per pound. Eggs Oregon ranch, 3537c doz. Poultry Average old hens, 10llc per pound ; mixed chickens, 10llc; spring, 10llc; old roosters, 910c; dressed chickens, 13 14c; turkeys, live, 17)c; turkeys, dressed, choice, 2021c; gee3e, live, 10c; ducks, 1416c. Veal Dressed, 5-8Jc per pound. Beef Dressed bulls, l2c per pound; cows, 45c; country steers, 55c. Mutton Dressed, fancy, 89c per pound; ordinary, 67c. Pork Dressed, 68)c per pound. Hops 1906, choice, 1415c; prime, 1213c; medium, 1012c per pound. Wool Eastern Oregon average best, 1318c per pound, according to shrink age; valley, 2021c, according to fine ness; mohair, choice, 2C28c. ORIGIN OP THANKSGIVING DAY. In 1031 the United States was a tiny babe In English long clothes; and it happened that there wan a great scarcity of food In that little colony that had settled on Massachusetts bay they were tnreatened with famine. The prospect grew dark and ominous; the people were brave; but their anxiety grew very keen for all that, and they knew not where to turn for earthly aid. It was the wont of those early pilgrims to turn to God In times of need and the elders decided that a special day he set alldo for fasting and prayer. Be fore the day arrived, however, their long expected boot hove In sight and the day set aside for fasting and praying wus transformed Into one of cheer ; good dinners and hearty thanksgivings prevailed. This was the first general Thanksgiving of which we have any record; it was by no means the last; from that day to this successive Governors and Presidents have set apart many different days for special Thanksgiving for some propitious event in State or county. After the Revolutionary War was successfully ended Washington ap pointed a Thanksgiving day that was universally observed with the greatest rejoicing, as we may well believe, and after our own sad Civil War was almost ended President Lincoln proclaimed another of similar sort Many hearts were full of grief then, yet there was much to be thankful for. For over a century now the States of New England have set apart a day In the autumn for giving thanks to God for the many blessings of the year. It gradually came to sewn a very pleasant, appropriate custom, and one Stats after another sdoirted it, until now, for many years past, the President Iihs Issued a proclamation for a day of public thanksgiving through out the Union. This day Is one of our legal holidays, a day that rich and poor alike can spend as they will. We all welcome It with delight, and It Is a day peculiar to America only. Peter bad scarcely closed Ms eyes Hefore his hair bfgan to rtne, For who should be perched on his bed Hut Barnyard Turkey, tierce and rod I "l'eter," be roared, "I saw to day You looked at me as if to say : 'Aha I You are so fat and fine On Thanksgiving I'll make you miner Iion't say you didn't, for I know Your greedy nature makes you so.' "Oh, sir," cried Peter, "that must be Some other lad that looks like me; I am not greedy: sir, at all ; In fact my appetite Is small. , "Fibber!" cried Barnyard Turkey. "What I Shall I destroy you on the spott Did I not sue you do your best To eat my brolber, leg and breast. Till you were stuffed so full with hlra It almost made my senses awim? Hut now things are the other way, There'll be no more Thanksgiving Day, We gobblers have It in our view To turn about and gobble you." With that he puffed and puffed until lie grew as big as any hill So big the walls Just burst apart, And Peter woke up with a start. With trembling voice be slj?hed : "Oh, dear! Turkey is bad for me, I fear," "Great Thanksgiving weather we'll be having, I'm thinking," remarked Mr. Wheeler as be came In to supper. "It's snowing hard, and the wind is coming up." "Oh, goody," exclaimed Martha in high glee. "What's Thanksgiving without Bnow?" The next morning it was still snowing, and the wind was buiily piling up great white drifts. "'Twon't be a pleasure trip to go to the village with the milk," said Mr. Wheeler, as ha prepared to start, "but I s'pose I've got to." He found the traveling sven worse than he expected ; it was very late when he reach ed the village, and he did not return home till nearly dark. Not being a robust man, he was completely exhausted from his ex ertions, and during the night became 111. "Whatever shall we do?" Mrs. Wheeler asked Martha despairingly. "We must have the doctor, and how to get the milk to town is a problem. And Thanksgiving Day, too !" "Oh, I'll go." volunteered Martha, cheerfully. "I'll tell Dr. Brown to come right up, and then I'll peddle the milk I've been with father so many times that I know all the customers." Martha bundled herself up, put on her mother's rubber boots, and two pairs of mittens, and set out. "Old Billy mint think I'm pretty heavy," she laughed, s she drove out of the yard with the milk cart. Getting to the village, two miles away, was not an easy matter for a girl not yet sixteen. The roads were not broken out, and badly drifted. The milk cam bumped Into each other with great force, and Martha had several narrow escapes from an upsetting. But finally, Grsfton was reached, and Martha drove through the almost deserted streets to Dr. Brown's house. When she had stated her errand, the doctor promised to go to her father im mediately, and urged her to come in and rest. "Oh, no, I can't," exclaimed Martha. "I've got all the milk to peddle, and I'm very late already. People need their milk for dinner, and the babies will be crying for it, too.'S Martha set out on her rounds. When she opened the door of Mrs. Judson, her first customer, that lady started as though she saw a ghost. "Mercy sakes, child," she cried, catch ing her by the arm and seating her In a chair by the store. "How on earth did you get here? I'm mighty glad to see you. There gin t a milkman been around yet. Where's yonr pa?" "Hes sick and eouldnl eome, and I thought foTlif ecmldn't get along without milk on Thanksgiving Day, anyway. How much do you want?" "I'll take five quarts," answered Mrs. Judaon, her heart aching for tired Mar tha. "I'm going to pay you double price for it, too, for you've earned it. You're th only milkman's had gumption enough to get around, so far.". Everywhere Martha went she was greeted with exclamations of surprise and delight. In nearly every instance she was voluntarily paid extra for the milk. "I'll bless you to the last day I live," cried Mrs. Morton, when Martha clumped into her kitchen with the milk can. "The baby's been crying for milk all morning and I didn't have a mite to give him." When Martha came to the house where her last customer, Mibs Webster, a maid en lady, lived alone on a side street, ahe was surprised to see -that snow had not yet been removed from the doorstep. All wa very quiet, and Miss Webster could be neither seen nor heard. Martha bang ed the door, stamped her feet and rattled the milk can to attract attention. Then she felt sure something must be wrong, and set out to Investigate. She opened the door leading from the sitting room into the hall. There lay Miss Webster unconscious, with a look of agony on her face. Martha felt a strong impulse to run. She conquered the feeling, got her milk can and dashed some of the icy cold liquid over Miss Webster's face, and at length she opened her eyes. The poor lady was too dazed to talk, but only moan' ed about her foot. Martha tried her best to assist her up, but found it impossible So she made her as comfortable as she could, and started for help. In the next house an Irish family lived. Mrs. Mulcahy caught sight of the milk cart. "And is it milk ye've got?" she asked joyously. "The saints be good to ye. child, for bringing it. I'll take three quarts, if ye please." "She's a foine lady," said Mrs. Mul cahy when Martha stated her errand, "and faith, darling, it's meself would be glad to do something, but Timmy's got the measles, and my man ain't home, neither, so what kin I do, at all, at all?" Martha conelaJed to go directly for the doctor. Fortunately Dr. Brown had just returned from the Wheeler farm. Leaving the milk cart at the barn, Mar tha got into the doctor's sleigh, and they drove back to Miss Webster's. Her ankle was broken, as Martha had guessed, and she assisted the doctor while he set the fracture. When he had finished, he said: "Now, little girl, just stay here a while longer till I can get somebody to come UNCLE SAM'S BOUNTEOUS THANKSGIVING. mm WW and take care of our patient, and then we'll go home and thankfully eat our din ner." No Thanksgiving dinner had ever tasty ed so good to Martha before, though she missed her parents. The doctor insisted upon heaping her plate at every oppor tunity. Late in the afternoon Martha drove home, tired but happy. Her father was comfortable, and was quite as much in terested as her mother in listening to the narrative of her experienc. But Martha's Thanksgiving surprises were not all ended. A few days later her father, who had nearly recovered, came home one morning and gave her a huge bundle. "Miss Webster told me to give that to you," he said. "It's good and heavy, whatever It is." The bundle proved to contain a mammoth turkey. Around its neck was tied a blue ribbon to which a card was attached bearing the words: "For Miss Martha Wheeler, with the compliments of those whom she made happy on Thanksgiving. Look at my heart." Martha was nearly overcome by this gift, but she proceeded to investigate the meaning of the card's last sentence. The inside of the turkey proved to be neatly lined with white paper and contained a dainty box, inside which reposed a beau tiful watch, suitably inscribed. "Why, mamma," exclaimed Martha, "we'll .have a second Thanksgiving day now, won't we? That wind and snow brought me good fortune, though I didn't think it was very nice then." Farm Life. Not Sent in Vain. urn Widow Gobbler Yes, Dr. Quack, my dear husband devoted his life to char itable purposes; he was served at a Thanksgiving dinner for the poor! Filling for a Turkey. Plain bread filling is always nice. It would require at least one loaf of stale bread and one-fourth pound of butter. It should be three days old at the very least. Reduce it to fine crumbs, salt and pepper to the taste. Use no water, milk or baking powder. There Is mois ture enough from the turkey. If you wish to add oysters drain all the liquor off them, see there are no shells, roll iu, bread crumbs and drop them in through the dressing. There should be about one and one-half pints of large oysters. Befors putting the turkey In the oven, brush it all over with soft butter and put it in breast down. Place the turkey on a rack over a pan containing two cups of hot water. It is well to have for basting also a pint of hot water on the stove In which are three level table spoons of butter. At first turn on full heat, then reduce the heat roasting the last hour and a half with slow heat. Lacking in Respect- , "I have a great respect for gray hair," said the humorous boarder as he raised his eyes from his plate. "That's very creditable of you, Mr. Jellaby," said the landlady. "But I have no respect," said the hu morous boarder, "for gray feathers!" And h tapped viciously on the tough fragment of turkey that lay before him. Cleveland Plain Dealer. wmmmamm