MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, arEDFORP, OREGON, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1911.
PAGE FIVE
J. W. Maddox Writes East
Medford, Oregon, D -- 1910.
l)car Jolin
It is rnininjj today, tho eominenuu
incnt of the rainy bcnson, which gen
erally begins about the middle of
November, nltcruntinjr with sunshine
and showers until about the middle of
February each year, giving us in all
from 1220 to 30 inches of rainfall dur
ing the entire period. The remainder
of the year is made up of almost per
petual sunshine, except now and then
a gentle shower during the months of
April and May, as a reminder that
,thc planting season is at hand. We
only know of winter by the falling of
the leaves, an occasional fall of snow
following a cool rain that disappears
almost as suddenly as it came. An
icicle is as rare in this climate as
an honest politician in New York,
Keithbburg or Aledo. Madam nature
was surely in her best mood when
she put on the finishing touch and
passed her gentle hand over this
beautiful valley. Why, John, it seems
to me that Old Sol turns his bright
est side toward us as he climbs tla
zenith, casting a happy glance back
ward as he descends the western
skies, into the deep blue sea; the
man in the moon seems to wink hit
other eye as he passes over. The
very air we breath seems ladened
with health giving ozone, so rarifiet'
and etherolized that one's vision cai.
penetrate and measure distance u.
the tallest of snow capped mountains
from 80 'to 100 miles in the distance.
You remember 1 snid in my last thai
I was getting my second eye sight.
Well I was out the oilier day with
a friend, lie called my attention to
a snow capped mountain in the dis
tance (called Mt. Pill.) I asked him
the distance as the crow flies. He
said "eighty miles." Why it seemed
as near (o me as the late bungalow
jail does to the Mercer county court
house.
Now, John. T must tell you a lit
tle more of Medford and it environ
ments.
First: It's a beautiful little city,
full of thrift and business enterprise.
The surrounding territory with its
hundreds of square miles of the fin
est fruit, stock, vcgetublo and alfalfa
lands in the world to draw from, bids
fair tp become one of the lending
and most prosporoun cities on the
western const. Its banks are run
ning over with good money. Idle
capital from tho principal money
centers of this, ns well as foreign
countries, is seeking investment here.
Now, don't take on an air of Aledo
enterprise, pucker up your mouth and
holler Ananins when I tell you of an
orchard sale made here a few days
ago to a merchant prince of Seattle,
aggregating in total three hundred
thousand dollars. The orchard proper'
contained something like 280 acres
of fourteen year old apple and pear
trees. There arc sale3 of loss amount
made nearly every day. Orchards
near the city often sell for .f.")00 to
$1,000 per acre, making it a Mecca
for tho rich man, while a little way
out, and not too far away, lies the
paradise for the man of jess means;
where unimproved lands are selling
at from $35 and $40 to $100 per
acre. Just think of it, John what
you and n lot more of them Klizn
township fellows are losing by mov
ing to Aledo, hunting county offices,
etc. Now I am in communication
with a number of good men in old
Mercer, who are asking for the facts
in relation to land values and cli
mate. To all I have answered truth
fully, and Mn conclusion will state
that I have spent considerable time
looking over the vnlley and studying
values here, and will willingly an
swer all inquiries.
Yours truly,
J. W. MADDOX.
P. S. Oh, yes, John, I forgot io
tell you we can't hardlv keep hoiibc
at all without tho Democrat.
J. W. M.
GOLD MINING IN
SOUTHERN OREGON
(Continued from Paco 1.)
their mines would pay wages, and in
their slow but suro way amassed
what was to them a fortune and
left for their native country. Grad
ually Yellow "John" has quit this
field of enterprise, and few Chinese
are seen today in the Rogue Rivci
Valley.
Placer mining in Southern Oregon
has gone through much the same
stages as in Calofirnia. First the
Mexican bates, or an ordinary cone
shaped pun, was used by the miners.
Then the rocker or cradle came into
use. After this came the torn, an
appartus with cross riffles which
permitted the play of a continual
stream of water. Then sluice boxes
were built across (he claims where
there was sufficient water. By this
method miners could shovel gold
bcariinr gravel into running water
from both sides. The gold in the
gravel was caught on the quicksilver
..l..i... ..i ii. ..:t'ci..r. i
imiii'K iii i lit; nines, ,
After tho sluice-box, the hydraulic
method was inaugurated. Water was
conveyed through pipes to tho work
Inns at a high pressure and played
upon tho Kold-hearing gravels. A I
whole hillside can be washed into
suico-boxes and tho gold saved by j
tills method. j
Tho greatest handicap to hydraulic I
mining in southern Oregon lias boon I
tho scarcity of water. Most of tho!
mines can only bo worked during tho
Tho initio includes 700
deoj) red clay gravol de-
tlio year,
acres of
posit.
There aro many signs of awaken
ing Interest In mining throughout tho
coast. California for tho first time
since 1897, has gained first place
from Colorado ns the foremost gold
producing state in tho Union. Tho
Increased production of gold in Cali
fornia has been duo to the develop
ment of dredgo mining. Operations
of this character aro being started on
Fool's creek in tho northern part of
Jackson county.
Tho possibilities of dredgo mining
In southern Oregon whoro many
streams with rich channels abound
aro just now beginning to bo Inves
tigated. As a reaction from concentration
of energy upon thu exploitation of
Oregon's horticulture possibilities
groat effort Is now being mado to
ward the advertisement and develop
ment of Oregon's mineral wealth.
Similiter, this year held its first min
ing congress representative mining
men coming from all parts of tho dls-
City Property
First class business proporty, Im
proved or unimproved, at tho lowest
figures.
Dwolllngs of all kinds in all parts
of tho city at prices ranging from
?500 to $1G,000.
A good platting proposition of sov-
rainy season, as tho majority of tho I on acros within city limits, on good
smaller streams dry up in tho sum- 8treot $6000.
mer. Projects have been proposed Best resldenco lots on West Main
several times to bilng water 50 or j street; south fronts; 70x140; corner
70 miles to tho mines from ono or or Jnsido lots, $15.75.
other of tho largo streams, but as yot
nono of them has materialized.
The Jacksonville Sentinel, In 1859,
referred to tho possibilities of hy
draulic power contained in tho open-
Lots on paved street, with all Im
provements, $050.
Lots on Second street, with water
and sowor, $350.
Call on us for anything in city
ing of artesian wells. Tho paper wont ' property and you will find wo have
on tho show that tho Roguo river I it at prices and terms thut aro always
mado the propor bend at a high nl-1 right.
tltudo and that the lower stratas of v. T. YORK & CO.
ground wore of tho proper gravelly 102 West Main.
nature to insure the presenco of these Bell phono 3301. Home phono 31.
artesian wells. However, only two "r - .
artesian wolls havo been found. These
nro In the Talent orchard, whore j
their limited flow of sparkling aqua
Is used In stimulating tho growth of
tho celebrated Roguo River valley I
bring a harvest as truly golden as
placer mining. I
At present tho Roguo River Canal i
company is preparing to build 200 1
miles of ditches from tho hoadwaters!
of nig Butto croek. Tho wator Is fori
lrrigatlonal pruposos, but there is no
cause to prevent somo of tho flow
being used In mining, as tho highest
ditch will run well back Into the hills
whore tho placers are situated.
The hoavlost producor of tho hy
draulic placers of southern Oregon
has boon tho Storllng or Ankony
nilno, on Sterling crook, a fow miles
from Jacksonville. This mine is said
to luvo producod from $25,000 to
$00,000 every yoar for tho last quar-l
ter century. The equipment consists;
of a 26-mlle ditch, oarrylng 2500 min-l
ors" inches, and supplying water for
two and three giunu nine months liii
Offutt Rornes
Auto Co.
Automobiles I
0ENKRAL OVERHAULING &
MACHINE REPAIRING.
First-Class
Workmanship Guaranteed.
PHONE MAIN 023L
Corner Central Ave, and 8th St
Medford. Or.
trict, which extends Into Idaho. A
meeting of miners of the southern
Oregon and northern California dis
tricts has been called at Ashland for
January 17. This gotting together
of mining men will mean much for
the development of tho mines of Ore
gon. Tho State Minors' association,
with L. D. Mahono as secretary, is
showing unexpected llfo and is bo
comlng a strong factor In putting
mining upon a practical business ba
sis. Gold Is by no means tho only min
eral to bo found In southern Oregon.
Quicksilver, coal and silver as well as
copper mines are being developed.
W. H. Jackson Is doveloping tho
Mammoth quicksilver mlno on the
Roguo rlvor, and cinnabar properties
are also bolng oponod on Evans
creek. A largo body of coal has been
found within five miles of Medford
nnd Is being sold for fuel. Tho coal
will bo of special value as fuel for
tho smelters of tho Blue Ledgo cop
per mines when railroad communica
tions nro built. Undeveloped depos
its of lead, salt, coal and limestone
exist in this region. Limestone for
years was burned in kilns situated on
Jackson creek.
Marblo and granlto quarries aro
being operated at Tolo and near Med
ford. The crushers at Tolo aro ablo
to turn out CO carloads of crushed
granlto for use on roads every day
whon In full operation. This plant
Is equipped with air compressors, air
drills and grinding nnd polishing ma
chinery to furnish granlto for build
ing purposes nnd monumental work.
Electric power generated at Gold Ray
dam, on the Roguo rlvor, is used in
thiB quarry.
The tremendous wator power now
running unharnessed In tho Rogue
river, Dig Butte creek nnd other
smaller streams will furnish all tho
power needed for the development of
mining nnd quarrying for centuries
to come.
Tho mineral springs which nro
found scattered through southern
Oregon nro another nntural resource
furnished by nature. Extensive bot
tling works are being operated at
Wagner, Colestln and Shasta
springs.
Thnt tho mining Industry of south
ern Oregon will soon camo Into Its
own, not oven a pessimist enn deny.
Tho mineral wealth which has here
tofore lain secluded In the mountains revolutionized mining will be given
will soon be reached by railroads. 'a chance.
Then tho capitalistic machinery and I Thero Is no rational ground for
advanced mining methods which Imvo, believing that the miners of the '50s
could have uncovered so much treas
ure as they did nnd not leave untold
wealth which their primitive methods
and tools could not reach.
I rrt i i ilisu'"i 1
uu iuu inuvy r
Pure
Clear
Sparkling
You cnu't afford to do without
this splondid, refreshing drink.
Call up and order a enso sent to
tho house. Tho purest, most
hoalthful drink known is
SISKIYOU
MINERAL
WATER
P. C. BIGHAM, Arjcnt.
That NOW is thetimo to replace your old fence with a new one. Thnt it will improvo the appcar
nnco of your properly fully VIVTY PER CENT if tho fcuco is riht nnd properly constructed.
That The Page Wire Fence
is best suited for tho purpose, ns it is made up of tho best High Carbon Steel Wire that is found in
fencing; in addition to this, it is the only fence which has the PAGE KNOT, and continuous cross
wire to wcavo it together, bunco it
Is The Best Fence
Into wire being coiled before tho
thnt money can buy or modem science produce. Owing to each
fence is woven, Page Icnco is easily creeled over
cutting and splicing. It is
?1lMu lliwl (tirrtlliflt sltilitfJ t!tlirtMf llin unannilif -f
(
MADE
at Adrian, Mich., and shipped by us in carload lots, direct from tho FACTORY TO THE CON
SUMER, thus insuring tho greatest value at tho lowest possiblo price.
Let us show you why you should uso Page Fence in preference to any other. Wo furnish,
without charge, cstimntes on cost of fencing tracts, nnd contract to build fences complete.
Wo will figuro with you on any amount of fencing, from ono rod to a carload. If you are
wanting Fence, Gates, or either yew or cedar posts, lull us figuro with you. Wo furnish man nnd
tools and assist in tho erection of Page Fence without extra cost.
GADDIS & DIXON
"THE PAGE FENCE MEN" PHONE 2081.
Distributors for Southern Oregon and Northern California.
MAIN OFFICE, 134 NORTH RIVERSIDE AVENUE, MEDFORD, ORE.
ssf jjfrj ss
r4h0'0042
Going! Going!! Going!!!
This Is What You Hear at This Big
REMOVAL
SALE
If you are wanting a single piece of Furniture; a Rug;
some Carpets; or anything in Housefurnishings, or
Wall Papers, don't fail to attend this sale
"The Best Values We Ever Saw"
This is the verdict of all who have visited the store since the starting ol' the sale, as voiced by the sales. The
greatest lot of goods ever sold by this store were turned out last week. .More will go out this week.
The Sale Has Tripled Our Fondest Dreams
Why You Should Look
We invite vou to look, whether vou are ready to purchase goods or not. &
The stock is in excellent shape i'or choosing; the assortments are large.
The prices are the lowest ever made in Southern Oregon and sure to please you. f
ICvory thing is stylish, up-to-date and worthy in every respect. ,
.If you don't know us by reputation for honest dealing, just ask your friends who have bought of us wo will
stand by their judgment.
W13 DO NOT JitiLIKVti TJ1AT Y10 WILL .MOV 10 A IMKCti OF FURNITUKIO TO Til III NICW STORM
Medford Furniture &
Hardware Co, Inc.
230 E. Main St.
Medford, Ore.
ri