Image provided by: Yamhill County Historical Society; McMinnville, OR
About The Yamhill County reporter. (McMinnville, Or.) 1886-1904 | View Entire Issue (July 8, 1898)
if ■> VOL. XXVIII Entered at the Postntfice in McMinnville, as Second-clash matter. M’MINNVILLE, ORE., FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1898 GREAT COUNTY OU YAMHILL. J An Unexcelled Agricultural Region and the Garden Spot of Oregon. Greatest Wheat-Growing Sec ! perfection here, hence this county is tion in the State. one of the best stock-raising and Adapt I dairying sections in western Oregon. In the extreme western part of the ability of the Country. ] county, the Cascade mountains fur J SUBSCRIPTION PRICE »3.00 PER YEAR. One Dollar if paid iu advance, Single numbers Ove cents. and invigorating. In winter the 1 those varieties that have proven best be more than a recoil of the wave. ground is only occasionally whitened in the section, and success will 1 It is as true today as it was yester with snow. I crown his efforts. There is no need day that “the star of empire west PRODUCTS. i to experiment on a large scale, as ward holds its way.” Wheat is the staple agricultural was the case perhaps at one time LAND. product of Yamhill county, and this , when uo one knew certainly just From what has been said of Yam cereal always commands the highest what species to select. The experi bill county, it might reasonably be price, owing to its exceptionally fine ment stations have been doing timely supposed that the lands of such a quality. The yield per acre runs work along this line and the results favored locality are held at too high a from fifteen to forty-five bushels and are open to anyone who-cares to in price to be reached by the average the berry is full and heavf, often ex quire. There is no earthly excuse i settler, whose small store of ready ceeding by five to nine pounds the I for not knowing just what the lay of ■ cash will be needed to lay out and standard weight of sixty pounds to] the land should be for the best at start his new possessions. However, the bushel. Oats do well, yielding tainable results. Those who have | on the contrary, the prices of lands from forty to seventy bushels to the] good orchards arc reaping handsome here are relatively and intrinsically acre. Barley is also a profitable profits from them, and those who set lower than in any other agricultural crop. On the river bottom lands out still more orchards in the near county in the state. No real estate hops are an important crop, running future may rest assured that the de boom has been attempted here. Val from 1,500 to 2,500 pounds to a single mand will keep ahead of the supply ues are founded on actual returns and acre. Vegetables grow in abundance for an untold number of years. sales have been confined largely to and they are of a superior quality. actual residents for many years. The IMMIGRATION TO YAMHILL COUNTY. FRUIT-RAISING. It is not pretended nor claimed county has thus been peculiar in its The kinds and varieties of fruit ( that Yamhill county affords any progress and development, and its which thrive and mature in Yamhill specific from the wealth of her soil history is prophetic of its future, county really embrace the entire list, ■ and sunshine that will kill outright Whilent is true that a great portion as the climate is well adapted for ap-1 bad judgment and lack of faculty, or of the prairie land has been settled pies, plums, pears, cherries and i conform the do-nothing into t he doer. for years, yet improved homes can prunes, and a failure of the fruit: But there is legitimate basis for the be purchased at prices ranging from crop never occurs. The hill lands ] belief that here the average man may $20 to $100 per acre and unimproved are better adapted to fruit grojving | work in greater comfort more days land from $5 up. DAIRYING. than the valleys. All the small fruits in the year and earn bis bread by the Butter and cheese-making in Yam —raspberries, blackberries, cu rran ts, sweat of his brow easier than under gooseberries, strawberries and huck existing conditions in the east. hill county have been sufficient to leberries are raised plentifully and ] Among the thousands of young men supply the demand. The dairying, profitably. from the east who came to the Pacific like that of fruit-growing, is capable A WORD TO FRUIT GROWERS. coast and the greater west, generally, of indefinite extensiou. EDUCATIONAL. There never has been a time per there were many who found it profit haps in the history of the country] able, made successful ventures, and The people of Yamhill county are nish the very best spring, summer and fall range, while in the foot hills, The Fertile Willamette N alley in proximity to the mountains, fine dairy and stock farms are found. As and its Soil, Climate and a general thing, the soil on the mountains and hills is as rich as it is Productions. in the valley. Vegetables grow to perfection and gardens have never been known to fail. Hops are a pro Some Advantages Offered the lific and profitable crop and are ex tensively grown. Berries of all Iloinc-Seeker, Health- kinds grow with but little cultivation and bear every year with unfailing Seeker and the certainty. Fruits of all kinds do Investor. well, with the single exception of peaches. Apples do splendidly and the trees begin to bear when young. A sketch of the history of Yamhill Pears, plums and prunes do excel county, even when kept within the lently well and the trees bear unusu bounds of facts, reads like a tale from ally early, at two and three years ' the “Arabian Nights.’’ The devel old. The raising of fruit and vege opment which has been accomplished tables is not confined to the valleys, within the past few years is but fee as they do equally well on the high bly described when it is called mar lands. Experiments in bee culture velous. The old simile of a desert in the foot hills and mountains have converted into a garden has been so been quite successful. The size of this valley is much frequently applied to many localities larger than is generally supposed, in Oregon that it has indeed become not alone the narrow strip of low a trite saying, nevertheless, there is not another portion of the state lands immediately adjacent to the where it is more emphatically appli- Yamhill river, but including the val cable than in Yamhill county, It is leys of the creeks flowing into the true that wonderful results have river and the farm lands between been attained in other places, but them, west of a line drawn north Yamhill ranks as high as any county and south through Bellevue in this in the state in the demonstration of county, in some instances fifteen the possibilities with a great variety miles, the distance from Bellevue tc of products. The spirit of unrest the upper Salt creek. North to the which now prevails in the states east upper settlement on Deer creek is of the Mississippi seems to have con twelve miles; from Bellevue west to tributed to the widespread desire for Grand Ronde is fifteen miles. Then a change of base, and as the star of commences the Grande Ronde Indian empire courses its way westward, all agency which continues eight miles; eyes are turned towards the Pa also, the settlements of Salmon and cific for some sign of encouragement Nestucca rivers have their inception and all ears listen for tidings of the here. This makes an area of country, ju. new land of the sunset shores. The without including the Indian agency, success of the majority of home-seek Salmon and Nestucca river countries ers in this favored portion of Oregon twenty-seven by fifteen miles, that inspired multitudes to follow in their for salubrious climate, rich, fertile footsteps and to try anew, with re- soil, timber for all purposes, water • newed determination, their fortunes for use in house, on farm and propel where success has crowned the ef ling machinery, stone for building when theoutlook for horticulture was forts of so many. It has recently purposes, including the famous mam- more encouraging as a pursuit of moth quarry, and ron^antic and sub dawned upon the eastern mind that life than at present. The people of the amount of good agricultural land, lime scenery, is not excelled on the this county and country are rapidly in proportion to the entire area of entire northwest c^ast. There are coming to appreciate the fact that this region, is greater than has been nine creeks, large enough to propel fruit as food is not only wholesome, properly shown, or even supposed. any machinery, meandering through but nutritious, and it has become an .All kinds and branches of farming the valley, well supplied with trout; indispensable adjunct to the table of and the hills and mountains from known to northern latitudes are car almost every household in $he land. ried onauore successfully in this sec which these creeks take their rise It is well that the consumption of are well supplied with deer, elk, bear tion of Oregon than in the eastern and other wild game, There are fruit be encouraged in every way, as or middle states. it is truly beneficial to health. The The county is bounded on the north many branches and smaller creeks man who engages in fruitgrowing by Washington county: on the east that flow from tablelands on either now is sure of a market price that by Marion and Clackamas; on the side of those creeks, making this a The will amply repay him for the time south by Polk and on the west by Til truly well-watered section. and care devoted to it. There never Yambill river is the largest stream lamook. The derivation of the name has been a time when a crop of fruit and is navigable at all seasons of the Yamhill is supposed to be from In did not pay well for all it cost, and year to Dayton, several miles from dian dialect, “cham ill,” meaning now that science has come to the aid bare hills, but there can be no signif the mouth,f and during the winter of the fruitgrower and taught him season boats ascend to McMinnville. icance in a name in this instance. The shipping facilities from this how to combat disease and the dead FERTILITY OF THE SOIL. county to the seaboard are excellent, ly ravages of insects, he is more The soil of the hills is usually of a both by’ rail and by water. certain of a crop than ever before. reddish color and the wheat grown The old way of setting out trees and CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE. is not excelled for flour in any other letting them care for themselves is An important factor in the up happily a practice of the past. Pro portion of the state, while the soil of the prairie is a rich, dark loam that building of McMinnville and Yamhill gressive men now fully realize that is abundantly productive in all ce- county is the climate. It is proverbi fruit trees require attention as well Veals. The greater portion of the ally excellent and cannot be excelled as any other crop. Orchards should county is prairie, and the foot hills —in fact, it is a theme that every be furnished with the proper plant that for years were thought to be stranger visiting this favored locality food and the soil kept under culti only good pasture lands, are now be loves to dwell upon with only words vation the same as if it were a crop Its equability that could be grown in a year. The ing extensively farmed, and are pro- of highes* praise. MSuving the finest quality of grain. through all the seasons is its chief day for large orchards is passing, ex At least one-half of the soil is under charm. As fast as people become cept where large companies and cor cultivation, the major portion in acquainted with the natural climatic porations or wealthy individuals have wheat. Several varieties of timber— advantages, they become enthusias- ’ them, and the day of excessive fruit fir, oak, ash and maple, are found in tic in their praise. In summer the growing is at hand. The small or the entire area, and from the fir in thermometer seldom ranges above 90 chard, say of five or ten acres, is to mountains bordering on the valley, a or 95 degrees, and in winter seldom | be preferred by the average farmer large amount of the best lumber is reaches zero. Summer days, that rather than the large one, which can manufactured by the mills through otherwise would be uncomfortable, not be given the proper attention. out the county. Grasses of all kinds, are fanned by refreshing ocean ] Let the man who seta out an orchard particularly timothy, grow to great breezes, which are at once healthful] now attend to the location and select I I " j HI " Ili i rj MCMINNVILLE NATIONAL BANK. settled themselves permanently in keenly alive to the benefits and im the new land. Those who failed had portance of education and public nothing left them to do but to re morals, and consequently schools turn home as best they could. The i and churches are quite numerous and effect of this on public opinion in the unusually well patronized. older states might have been calcu STOCK-RAISING. lated on from the start. The success The foothills in the immediate vi- ful settlers in the west were far from their old homes and were soon for cinity of McMinnville present a fine field for sheep-raising. The climate gotten. The unsuccessful ones were does not differ materially from that at home continually, talking to their friends and neighbors, and each one of the valley, the hills not having a greater elevation than 600 feet above by a natural impulse endeavoring to the level of the sea. The grass is account for his failure bv denouncing luxuriant at all seasons of the year, the land, the cities and the state in and the snows of winter do not re which the failure occurred. As a main more than three weeks at the natural result, the better features, outside. Numerous farmers in this advantages and inducements of the county are interested in the sheep greater west were lost sight of, while business in the foothills and many its drawbacks and defects, few as are going into it exclusively. Cli they were, were incessantly repeated matic conditions is one of the impor and magnified in the ears of the peo tant features in stock-raising, and ple. It will take the Pacific coast the evenness of the climate, the some time to overcome the evil ef abundance of pasturage, the pres fects of the by-gone booms. That it ence of running streams, make Yam will ultimately do so, however, ad bill county a most desirable section mits of no doubt. Our progress in of the country for the raising of the future, though, must be laid up stock. on lines materially different from SOME STATISTICS. these on which progress has con-] Last year the estimated export of ducted in other parts of the state. The drift of American population is ! wheat from Yamhid county was 1,- now towards cities. The factory (KK),(MH) bushels, valued at $750,000; draws better than the farm. The; oats and barley, 628,000 bushels, workshop is more attractive than valued at $150,000; hops, 1,350,000 the town lot. The people wish em pounds, valued at $168,750; 100,000 ployment and they trend to those bushels of potatoes, valued at $25,- commercial and manufacturing cen-1 000; wool, 300.000 pounds, valued ters where it is most likely to be at $39,000; dried prunes, 100,000, found. The wave of immigration pounds valued at $150,(XX),and 30,000 will turn westward again as soon as cords oak wood, valued at $60,000. Among other products and manu we develop on the Pacific coast a diversified industry. The reflex factures for 1897 may be mentioned; movement tward the east can hardly 1 Lumber, 600,000, valued at $40,000; NO. 29. brick and tile, valued at $12,500; brooms, $1,800; sash and doors, $12,- 000; poultry and eggs, $35,000; har ness, $20,000; apples, pears and prunes, undried, 177.000 pounds, valued at $25,500; butter and cheese, 200,000 pounds, valued at $30,000; hay, 20,000 tons, valued at $160,000; job printing, $3,000. Value of real estate, not including goverment, school and railroad lands, as follows: Land under cultivation, 116,670 acres, valued at $2,148,796; not under cultivation. 203,373 acres, valued at $702,871; town lots and improvements, valued at $796,700. Value of live stock: Cattle, 7,928 head, valued at $95,136; sheep, 23,- 951 head, valued at $57,902; swine, 6,193, valued at $24,772. The population of Yamhill county is, in round numbers, 16,000 souls; number employed in manufacturing, 500; number of school children, 5,- 000; number of public schools in the county, 85, giving employment to ever 100 teachers«- number of churches, 31, number of newspapers, 8; amount of bank deposits, $269,- 000. There are seven incorporated towns in the county, viz. McMinn ville, North Yamhill and Amity, sit uated on the Portland & Corvallis line of railroad, and Newberg, Laf ayette and Sheridan on the Portland and Sheridan line, with Dayton on the Yamhill river, at the head of navigation during the entire year. There are three first-class higher in stitutions of learning in the county, viz: McMinnville Baptist college, Pacific college at Newberg and Laf ayette seminary. SUGAR BEET CULTURE. As the soil of a great portiou of Yamhill county is peculiarly adapted to the growth of the sugar beet, an industry that is yielding well in other parts of the United States, something with regard to this profit able product may not be amiss in this issue of The Reporter. It seems about time that an effort should be made by the people of these parts to become producers as well as con sumers. Nature has been bountiful in producing climate and soil for the growing of the sugar beet and every household in the land is a user of sugar. Our neighboring state of California does not produce one- fiftieth of this indispensable luxury and sends into other countries thous ands of dollars annually for supplies. In our case, a beet sugar factory ought to be induced to locate in Mc Minnville and this money kept at home and paid out to our own people in wages and the like. Moreover, a beet sugar factory requires an enor mous amount of fuel and lime, aud the by-products of the factory are of great value as cattle food, fertilizer, etc.,so that there areoth^r industries that would be stimulated by the establishment of such a factory in our midst. It would require the cul tivation of from 3,000 to 5,000 acres of land to supply an ordinary sized factory,and with beets at $5 per ton, there would be a gold mine in it for the farmer. From the report of the proceed ings of the third general convention of the Nebraska beet sugar associa tion, it is seen that the beet farmers in that state netted on an average $50 per acre, which would mean $75 to $100 per acre in Yamhill county, Oregon. The value of sugar con sumed in this country is greater than Continued on bast Page.