Tillamook headlight., August 09, 1894, Image 3

TILLAMOOK’S KKMOl Kt'KM.
. the cost of logging right at the start. Many of
. these rivers are good sized streams on their lower
A Description of the County —Its Many , courses, but the Coast Range prevents their be­
ing very long, and dozens of creeks k airsedown
Advantage«.
l the innumerable canyons of the range, uniting
About fifty miles south of the mouth of the into one large stream. No less than five rivers
1 empty into Tillamook bav. The lower courses
Columbia river is the eutrauce to Tillamook bay,
of these streams arc affected by the tide and so
and here is the center of a county rich iu resour­ far as the tide water exteuds inland, steamboat
ces, and magnificient in its possibilities. Tilla­ navigation is carried 011. This makes the navig- :
' able extent of Tillamock bay and its arms very 1
mook county extends for about ninety mile*»
great, and the facilities for rafting logs are much I
north and south along the coast, and inland to
; l>etter than in most countries. There is at Hob- I
the Coast Range, au average distance of twenty j sonville, on Tillamook bay, a mill that cuts
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The county has an area of 2000 square miles,
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and is larger than some of the smallest states, j
and capable of supporting as great a population I
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as some of them.
Tillamook is in alaiut the same latitude as j
St. Paul, Minnesota, though the climate heie is i
much warmer aud moreeveu. The Japan current [
warms the shores of this region in such a way 1
that winter is hardly noticed here. There is !
little or 110 snow generally, and when it does fall I
it soon melts away. The principal feature of
winter is the longcontinued rains, always warm
and this season of the year is remarkably health­
ful. The summers are unsurpassed No finer
climatic conditions exist than those of a Tilla­
mook summer. This is the dry season,generally
speaking, but there are refreshing showers oc­
casionally, and the sea breeze tempered by the
Japan current, is perfectly delightful. People !
camp out doors six to eight months in the year J
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here with perfect comfort
THE TIMBER.
The immense torests of this county are its 1
chief and greatest resource. It is impossible to 1
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convey an idea of the magnitude of this item by
any description. It is necessary to travel through j
our dense forests in order to even comprehend
the least idea of their extent and immensity. A
great portion of the county is covered with a i
growth of trees, the like of which can not be ■
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seen in any other portion of the United States.
There may be a few larger trees in the redwood '
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forest of California, but (he fir trees of this sec
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tion will almost equal them in size and they
stand so thick that they are much taller: and
much more imposing in appearance. A man i
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can not enter into the glooms* shades of our
dense woods without feeling a sense of aw e, if
not reverence, towards the giant monstersof the
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forest. Trees ten 11 d twelve feet in diameter
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are often found, and the average size of the fir
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trees is perhaps six feel in diameter. And many
of these trees are 250 and 300 feet in height. The
trunks are very straight, and taper so slowly
that it is hardly noticeable, and many of them
have 110 vestige of a limb for the first hundred
feet above the ground. Near Skookum lake, in
this county, is a tree that is twenty-eight feet in
diameter near the ground, thus almost equaling
in size the famous “Big Trees of California.''
Once see the big trees in Tillamook county and
you will lose all desire to see the California
monsters. Here, it is possible to travel for miles
i
and miles through dense forests of big trees, any
and all of them being wonders in size to people
who are accustomed to the tooth pick timber of
Minnesota or Michigan. The largest specimens
ot timber in the eastern or central states, are
mere telegraph poles in comparison with the
stately fir of Oregon. I11 places were settlers
have tried to clear out a garden spot on their
homes, it is a common thing to see a large tree
that has been felled, used for a fence on one side
of a lot. Near this city, on the public road is a
log serving as a fence in tins way that is twelve
feet high as it lies, being higher han the top
buggies which pass by. In fact a man would
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have to be on top of a load of hay to look over
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into this particular field. These stories regard­ |
ing the immense size of the timber here are h a d !
for people to believe who have not seen it, and
those who have read the fullest descriptions of 1
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them are surprised to find them so large.
There are several kinds of timber here. The fir j
is most abundant and is in the rough and moun­ J
tainous regions. The tide land spruce is plenti­ I
ful along the coast and on the rivers and the j
spruce attains as large a size as the fir. Cedar i
is found in many localitiesalso, and larch grows
on the summit of the coast range. These are all 1
valuable timbers. The' fir (properly Douglas
spruce) is a very durable and strong wood, and
is manufactured into rough lumber for all pur­
poses, and is made into flooring and rustic
weather-boarding largely. A great deal of fir is
used for ship masts. Timbers, 150 feet long have
been sawed from it in many instances. Spruce
is a softer wood, is white ami is used mostly for
finishing lumber and for boxes and barrels.
Being odorless, it is good for packing butter
and fruits. The largest area of spruce in the
Northwest is found in Tillamook county, and as
it is growing scarce elsewhere, it will be of great
value in a short time. Most of the lumber man­
ufactured here now is made from spruce. The
cedar takes an elegant finish, and is the very
best material for doors, sash ami shingles. It
commands a high price at present.
Nearly all of the timber In this comity is ad­
jacent to streams that will float logs, and with a
little labor all of it can lie put in streams where
the winter freshets will bring it to the bay. The
expense of logging here will always lie small.
T .e county is a net work of rivers that cheapen
Francisco market. Two vessels are employed
in carrying the lumber there and it is all made
into boxes, mostly for raisins and fruit. At Bay
City is a small mill that cuts alauit 20,000 feet of
lumber per day, the product of which is mostly 1
consumed at home. The Cooperage works at
Bay City are capable of working a great amount
of spruce into barrel staves, and a large new’ mill
is partially built. At Tillamook City there is a
saw mill that runs steadily, cuttiug about 20,000
feet of lumlter per «lay, mostly for local use.
This mill has a planing attachment. At Woods,
on the Nestucca river, in the south end of the
county is a saw and plan'ng mill that supplies
the local demand and there is another local mill
ou the headwaters of the Big Nestucca. On Ne- I
halem there is a mill that supplies the local ;
wants, also a large mill and box factory, which
is capable of working 40,000 feet of lumber per
day into boxes.
Other large milling industries, some of them
much larger than any mentioned, will bo started
soon. A logging railway has been surveyed into
one of the finest bodies of timber in the county,
right of way secured and ample grounds for
yards, pastures and mill sites have been pro-
cured. It will not be long until active opera­
tions on a large scale will begin, and the im-
provement of the bay and bartof Tillamook and
Nehalem, both of which are being provided for
by the government, will give a great impetus
to the lumbering business of this county. A low
estimate puts the amount of lumber iu our
forests at 20,000,000.000 feet, and the work of
cutting this into lumber, w ith all the prelimi­
nary work of logging, will give a large popula-
tion employment for many years to come. A
great deal of money will be distributed here,
and the farming commiuunity can find a ready
market for all their produce right at home. Some
good sized towns are sure to spring up on Ti Ila
11100k bay and on Nehalem river as soon as the
lumbering business gets well started.
The lumbering interests are by far the most
important resource of the county, and this re­
source cannot possibly be exhausted within the
next hundred years. The improvement of the
harbors and the opening of the Nicaragua canal
will bring all the lumber produced on this coast
within reach of the Atlantic coast market, and
there will also at that time be a greater demand
for lumber on this coast as a general degree of
prosperity will begin on this coast as soon as
there is a canal across the isthmus and the high
trans- ontiuental rates broken.
DAIRYING.
Next in importance to Tillamook's lumbering
resources, are the dairy interests. Grai-s is good
here the year 'round. Feed is plentiful and
easily produced, the climate is so temperate that
cattle thrive; and all the conditions here con­
tribute towards making dairying successful.
The grasses and natural feed are of a kind
that produces the best milk and butter. The
climate is so even And cool, and the water so
pure that the butter here possesses the finest
flavor if any care is taken in making it. This
business is found very profitable here and
nearly two hundred tons of butter have been
¿hipped from here during the past year. Gene-
ral stock raising goes with dairying here gene-
rally, and is very profitable.
FARMING.
General farming pays well here, especially
when done in connection with stock raising,
Markets are getting better every year, and as
soon as the wagon roadsare put in belter shape,
which is being done rapidly, the farmer will not
have any trouble in finding a good market for
his produce all the year. Of course there is no
railroad yet, but the freight by the steamers is
low, besides there is a home market at present
for a great deal o produce. Barley and oats
grow here to perfection, making yields equal to
the richest sections of California or Oregon.
Hay of various kinds does as well here as in any
part of the United States. Potatoes and garden
vegetables of all kinds are at their best here,
and the yield is simply enormous. Hops grow
and mature well wherever tried, There i., a
large area of prairie and bottom land iu this
county, and it is capable of supplying a large
population. The hill land« are good for fruit
and for grazing, and there is plenty of this kind
of laud, with occasional patches of table laud or
bottom land, that can be obtained under the
government land laws. Land much less pro­
ductive than this in the eastern states is being
farmed. In fact there is very little of this county
but what can be made productive in some way.
The tide lands here are exceedingly rich, and
much more of it could easily lx? reclaimed from
the tidal overflow and made to yield immense
crops. A great deal of the tide land is covered
with a thick growth of nutritive grasses. and it
is the most renumerative land that the county
has. Cattle are often allowed to roam in the ing little towu, with stores, hotels, saw mill and
hills, and even iu the woods, all winter without school. Tillanmok city is the commercial center
other feed than the natural grasses, and come ' of the county, aud is situated at the edge of a
out in good condition in the spring. The hills beautiful prairie on an arm of Tillamook l»ay at
that have beeu denuded of their timber by fire the head of navigation. It is the natural loca­
make good sheep ranges. Fruits of all kiuds tion for the business center, and is built on a
grow to perfection here, especially app'es, pears, natural townsite. The farming country is nearly
prunes and small fruits, such as blackberries, all tributary to Tillamook and it is destined to
strawberries, raspberries, etc. are prolific bea- become a large town in a short time Tillamook
rers. The woods are full of wild berries, there city has now a population of about 800, has a
being almost a dozen distinct varieties ofhuekle-
good system of electric lights telegraphic con­
l>erries, besides salmonberries, thimbleberries,
nection with Forest Grove on the Western Union
and many other kinds, which goes to show that
lines aud with Bay City, liobsonville and Neha­
this is a natural fruit country. Bee-keeping is lem. This place has churches, excellent schools,
vctitivu uh iu some iota 11 lies, aua me nouey pro­ lodges ot the various secret orders, good hotels,
duced here always comma nds the highest price all the ordinary lines of business and professions
being of exceptionably fine flavor. A living can well represented, a bank, saw mill aud a news­
be made hereon a very small farm, and farmers paper. The streets are gravelled in a substantial
can always do well here. They are the class shape, lighted by elect:icity and there are miles
that is needed. Improved laud here sell at $20 to of good side walks. This will make a beautiful
$4« per acre and unimproved land is worth from place for homes, as well as becoming a prospe­
$5 to $20 per acre. A farm of 160 acres can be rous commercial town. The place is inco|K>ratetl
obtained from the government by residing on it and the people take an active interest in improv­
five years, or by residing ou it fourteen months ing the appearance of the town.
and paying the government $1.25 per acre. There
HOW TO GET HERE.
is yet much vacant timber land which can be
The steamer Harrison runs from Portland to
had on the same terms as above, or may be this place carrying freight and passengers about
bought outright from the government without once in ten days, and oflener when the weather
residing thereon for I2.50 per acre. This land is permits. The steamer Elmore runs here tw ice
selling to timber speculators at prices varying a week from Astoria, and the Columbia liver
from ftioo to fiboo per quarter section of 160 acres j steam boats from Portland 0011111*01 with the
and will soon be worth a great deal more.
Elmore in Astoria. The Elmore carries freight
ETC. EK.
Salmon fishing is carried on during the fishing and passengers. The Truckee Co’s steamers,
season on Tillamook bay, on Nehalem bay, and the Homer and the Truckee, running from San
sometimes oil Nestucca bay. The output of Francisco to Portland every ten days, stop here
canned salmon amounts in value to $50,000 to on their return from Portland, and load with
$200,000 every year, and gives employment to a lumber at liobsonville. They carry passengei s.
great many fishermen. There are canneries at There is a stage line from North Yamhill, on
each of the above named places and the item of the S. P. R. R. from Portland, on which daily
canned salmon amounts each year to much stages, carrying mail and passengers, run to
more than the wheat of some of the grain Tillamook. The road from Forest Grove to
Tillamook is completed and daily stages now
producing counties.
Coal is found in abundance on the Nehalem are running on this route. There is a good
and of good quality. These deposits will be | wagon road from Nestucca, in the south end ot
worked soon. Coal is also found in other locali­ the county to Sheridan on the P. * W. V. R. R.
ties, and other minerals are known to exist in Other routes of ingress w ill lie opened up soon
and the H eadlight w ill keep its readers in­
various parts of the county.
There is no better field for the sportsmen than formed as to progress in railroads and other en­
Tillamook. The hunter can find elk, deer, terprises. Persons who reside at a distance and
waterfowl, bear and cougars here; the fisherman contemplate coming here, will do well to corre­
can yank thousands of fine speckled trout spond with the editor of th s paper who will
from the mountain streams. Trolling for sal­ give free information as to the best route to take,
mon in the bay is an exhilarating sport. The according to the time of the year, and will also
salmon is a gamy fish, and sometimes it takes give other information regarding the county in
half an hour to bring in one of these lively a fair and reliable manner. Write for printed
fishes, and some of them w eigh as much as fifty descriptive m. tter.
pounds. There is no finer fish than the Royal
Chinook Salmon. For those who like totak.
the world easy there is a fine fish which can be
caught more readily. We refer to the succulent
clam, which grows in the sand bars and mud
flats every where on the bay or beach. A com­
mon farming utensil, a hoe or a shovel, is all
that is needed, or you can dig them out with
your hand. They are delicious in various ways,
and there are several varieties of clams, oysters
and mussels. Crabs are plentiful also. In the
bay, flounder, sturgeon, porgy, and other fish are
found. Deep sea fish are plentiful.
‘Nehalem beach, Netarts beach and Nestucca
beach are favorite resorts for campers, and they
are frequented by wagon loads of campers every
year who amuse themselves by digging clams,
gathering shells and bathing. There w ill soon
be better roads to these places, and they are sure
to become popular resorts.
ADDITIONAL.
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Since writing the above there has been great
development of the recourcea of the county
in many respects. The dairying interests have
grown to be of great importance. A large
creamery and cheese factory has been established
in Tillamook city, and a creamery at Fairview,
two miles east of town. There is a cheese fact­
ory now at Beaver, in the south end of the county
and a creamery at Nehalem. The ranchers are
giving much more attention to dairying, and it
has been demonstrated that the rancher not
only gets much better and quicker returns for
his milk or butter than heretofore, but the people
who run private dairies are doing better. The
indnsiry has been stimulated, shipping facilities
arc better, aud good markets have been dev
eloped. Tillamook butter brings the highest
prices i:i the markets. Many farmers have put
in power separators, and are dairying on an ex­
tensive scale. The development of this industry
is bringing many dollars into this county.
There is room for a thousand more dairymen.
The same general description is practically
good for every locality in the county, and as
lack of space will not permit a special review of
each valley or particular neighborhood, we men­
AFTER THE FIRE.
tion a few of the special ieatures only of each
June 19, 1893. Tillamook City was visited by fire.
locality: Nehalem is particularly noted for its
The In art of the town was laid in ashes in a few
vast resources of timber and for its coal. There
hours, all of the hotels, and most of the business
is, also, much fine bottom land ou the Nehalem,
houses being wiped out of existence. The hard
and at the mouth of the river will be an excel­
times were just getting under good headway,
lent harbor when the proposed government
banks were suspending everywhere, and it
work is done. The Nehalem river is a very fine
looked very discouraging. But, it only infused
stream, and for scenic grandeur is not surpassed
new vigor into Tillamook. Before the ashes
even by the majestic Columbia. The river is
had cooled rebuilding began, and in a short
more than one-hundred miles long and thou­
time the burnt district was rebuilt by far better
sands of sec ions of mi gnif cent mber are tri­
buildings It didn’t stop at this—others who
butary to it and its branches. The greatest area
did not suffer by the fire put up new structures.
of farming land is around Tillamook bay, and
And, this year, there is more building than there
on the various streams tributary to Tillamook
was the year of the fire. A large academy is
bay. These streams will lie the means of bring
going up. ami a bank building, of Tillamook
ing large bodies of timber to the saw mills on
county stone is being erected. Several other
the bay. Netarts is famous ns a summer resort,
business houses and a large number of dwellings
and some fine bodies of spruce timber are ad­
are being constructed. Hard times are not felt
jacent. Nestucca is a farming and stock raising
here like they are in other portions of the
country, the timber having been burnt away
count y. The construction of the Government
years ago. The people in that section are pros
light house road ami harbor Improvements last
perIng.
year was of great benefit and more work of the
There are twenty post-offices in the county,
1 same kind will be done this year. The Albany ft
and several little villages besides Tillamook
Astoria It R. Co. has secured right of way
City, the county seat. On the Nehalem, Tobi's
across Grand Ronde Indian reservation, by a t
landing and Nehalem are striving for supremacy.
of Congress, ami no doubt railroad building
There are good stores ami hotels on both places,
will begin soon. This proposed railroad will go
and a large saw mill at the first named place.
through Tillamook county from north to s >uth,
[ Garibaldi at the mouth of Tillamook bay is a
a distance of 60 miles.
picturesque little hamlet, has two hotels, a store
HORACE GREELEY’S ADVICE.
and a cannery, ami is a favorite resort. Hob-
This ia the time to come to Tillamook “and
sonville has a hotel, the Truckee Mills, and a
! large general merchandise itore. also a cannery. grow up with the country.” It is just the time
At Bay City there are good hotels, mills, a for energetic and industrious men to come here
church, several stores and various business en­ though like every other country, a man needs
terprises. Bay City is the largest town in the means to make a successful start In It.
county excepting Tillamook ami has a popula­
tion of about 300. There is a store and hotel at
Kipans Tabiile.H: standard remedy.
Dolph ill the south part ot the county, and at
Ki pans Tubules cut e c nisi ¡put ion.
Woods near the mouth of the Nestucca ia a thriv­