DAILV CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM, OREGON, SATURDAY", JANUARY 1, 1010
PAGE SEVEN
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The Development of the Woolen Mill
Industry In Western Oregon
Owing to Its abundant water pow
ers, mild climate and fino soil for
grazing sheep, Western Oregon i3
tho ideal placo for the development
of tho woolen mill industry. Here,
it is literally true from the backs of
tho sheep to tho backs of the wear
ers, our people are tho best dressed
and best clothed people in tho world.
Tho first woolen mill was estab
lished in Salem in 18G0. It was a
two-set mill, erected in North Salem
by public spirited men of those days,
who aro now nearfy all dead. The
mill then erected was destroyed by
Are in tho early '70s. Tho founder
of the present woolen mill, Thomas
Kay, Sr., came to Salem in 1863 via
Panama. His family followed him
over the same route by steamer to
Portland, and then by team to
Brownsville n 18G3. That year is
interesting to Salem people, because
Thomas B. Kay, president and man
ager of the present woolen mills,
was born in 18.64.
This mill was built by Thomas Kay
in 1889. He formed a stock company
for the purpose, and tho first board
of directors were Thomas Kay, Squiro
Farrar, C. P. Bishop, T. B. Kay and
O. P. Coshow. By the death of Mr.
Kay one vacancy was created on the
board and, has been filled by A. N.
Bush, of Salem.
How tho Business Has Grown.
0 The original Kay Mill was what is
f known as a two-set mill with 14
looms, and it was operated as .such
until 1895, when a disastrous Are
overtook this industry and the mill
was rebuilt as a three-set mill, with
20 looms. Tho mill has been grad
ually enlarged until today it is onp
erating 32 looms, and is ono of the
largest mills on the Pacific Coast.
Tho plant has been operated con
tinuously for 20 years, except for six
months required to rebuild it after
tho fire. It is the only mill on the
Pacific Coast that has been operated
cont'nuously through two panics
and tho only mill west of tho Rocky
Mountains that did not shut down
in 1893.
Equipment of Mnnnger
As has been indicated above, the
. woolen mill business Is of a compli
cated nature, and the successful man
ageer must understand the business
from tho purchasing of the raw ma
terial to the details of the. retail
trade. He must be a good judge of
both wool and the finished products.
To obtain just such an equipment
has been the life work of Hon. T. B.
Kay. He was practically raised in a
woolen mill, working at it from his
boyhood.
He was educated In the public
schools at Brownsville, and for a
short time attended McMinnville Col
lego. He had a practical training of ten
years in the mercantile business in
McMinnville and Portland, where
ho got hold of the details of tho
woolen trado and learned tho busi
ness from the retail end, serving both
as a seller and a buyer, dealing
with shoppers and manufacturers.
Ho was instrumental in establishing
several largo retail houses that make
a speciality of handling tho clothing
made from the products of tho Sa
lem Woolen Mills.
In Mr. Kay!s opinion, there is the
greatest opening on tho Pacific Coast
for tho manufacture of clothing. At
present the products of the Salem
Woolen Mills ure shipped to tjio
largo cities in tho East, made up into
clothing and then sent back to the re
tailor in Oregon.
Something About tho Output.
The principal lines of manufacture
at the Salem Woouen Mills aro blan
kets, flannels, robes, and tweeds and
cassimeres. The principal market for
blankets is on tho Pacific Coast,
though it is not an uncommon sight
to see "Oregon made blankets" ad
vertised In the large cities of the
East. The flannels are retailed
both East and West. Oregon made
flannels are the standard in the mar
kets of the United States, and by
many aro considered the finest ma
terials of this kind in the country.
The robes aro made in great va
rieties, but are sold mostly In tho
West and very largely to the Indian
trade.
The suiting cloths made at the Sa
lem Woolen Mills are among the best
In the .country, and find a ready mar
ket. They are made up into tho most
stylish and dressy suits for men. The
products of tho Salem Woolen Mills
are all handled through jobbing
houses, and are ordered months and
sometimes years In advance, and are
literally made up to order, of certain
weights and qualities.
Pay Rolls and Market.
The Salem Woolen Mills have a
pay roll of about 120 persons, dis
tributing about $60,000 a year in
wages. They virtually support a
town of 1000 or 1200 people, and the
product is tho second largest In tho
state.
Nearly all the wool used is grown
in Oregon, five-sixths of it. It is a
well-know.n fact in the markets of tho
world that for both coarse and fino
wools Oregon has few equals. Both
grades aro as good as any raised In
the United States. The mills at Sa
lem consume about 600,000 pounds
a year, and the past year distributed
about $150,000 among the wool
growers of the state. Mr. Kay goes
over the state in June and July and
buys tho wool fram tho growers.
Tho Salem Woolen Mills afford
a fine local market for the wool
growers of the Willamette Valley.
Mr. Kay organized a company and
took over the Eugene Woolen Mills
In 1906, of which he Is also manager.
His success in this industry enabled
him to gain the confidence of tho Eu
gene people, and for the time that It
has been in operation it has been
doing fairly well.
Willammette Valley Prune
Association
This mutual organization of
prune growers was formed in tho
year 1900 and liandled tho first
year about 400,000 pounds of dried
fruit. Tho pack for 1909 will
amount to between 4,000,000 and
5,000,000 pounds. At first tho
Oregon prunes were forced upon
tho market with difficulty, but
aro now recognized as a standard
product and sold under their true
label in this country and aro
gradually taking tho markets of
tho world upon their merits. The
first packs of Willametto Valley
Prune Association were sold almost
entirely for domestic consumption.
But under the enterprising and tire
less policy of H. S. Gilo of this city
as Secretary and manager, the Ore
gon Prune is now shipped to nearly
all foreign countries. It is market
ed direct to the world's greatest
trading centers. The Association
uses tho "Pheasant" and "Hun
tor" brands, put up in boxes of ton,'
twenty-five -and fifty pounds weighU
The Association pays its members
handsome dividends and Mr. Gilo is
a recognized authority on prunes in
tho joblng trado of tho United
States. The fruits handled by tho
association are "processed" at the
plant c Trade street, where cars
aro loaded on it's own sidings. All
profits from packing and marketing
go to the growers and stockholders,
and most of tho stockholders are the
fruit growers themselves.
I THE RODGERS PAPER CO. j
1 Wholesale Paper Dealers
Book Binders and Paper Rulers
404 Court Street Salem, Oregon
Manufacture of Spray
Material at Salem
A very attractive exhibit of Wilr
lamette Valley apples can be seen
In tho show windows of D. A. White
& Son this week. Theso apples
were brought from tho Portland Ap
ple Show by the Gideon Stolz Co. as
a souvenir from that exhibition.
They were grown In Marlon and
surrpund'ng counties and are a
strong advertisement for what this
section of the Willamette valley can
do In raising peerless apples.
The Gideon Stolz Company are.
manufacturing tholr Dependable
Lime-Sulphur Solution and the
trefcs from which these apples were
taken were sprayed with this fav
orite material. The increase in the
uso of spray material as stated In
this paper some days ago, is very
materially on the increase and It
means more for the uplifting and
upbuilding of tho fruit Industry
than any other ono indication.
Whereas the output of tho Salem
factory was 10,000 gallons last
year, the demand was so great that
during 1909 over 60,000 gallons
weilo manufactured and sold. This
is a home product of which Salem
Is proud and tho fruit growers from
all sections of the state are demand
ing It In larger quantities from year
to year.
Go and look at those luscious ap
ples and remember that the Willam
etto valley stands first in growing
this kind of fruits.
Gas and
Electric Light
Baker City, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Pendleton, Oregon
Walla Walla, Wash.
Water and
Electric Light
Albany, Oregon.
Independence, Oregon
Springfield, Oregon
it ;
-1
orporation
A. WELCH, Manager
Principal Office, Portland, Oregon
Phone Main 309 Room S02 Fenton Building
h
Tillson Company's Prune
Packing Establishment
Tillson and" Company got into the
prune business in 1897 in a small
way and tho magnificent growth of
this business is shown by tho fact
that In 1909 their pack will amount
to about 0,000,000 lbs., all put up In
eight, ten, twbnty-flvo and fifty
pound boxes. Tho packages are
beautifully labeled and prepared for
the markets of tho world. Most of
tho Tillson pack is shipped to Eu
rope, fifty per cent going to Canada
and England. Tho Tillson Com
pany havo their packing houses at
Salom and Roseburg, employing
about ono hunuited persons for six
months in the year, and distributing
a largo amount of money in tho
shape of pay rolls at both of theso
cities, each of which is In the cen
ter of a largo prune growing dis
trict. Processing prunes and pre
paring them for the market has be
come a highly specialized industry.
Electric Railway
Walla Walla, Wash.
Gas
Lewiston, Idaho
North Yakima, Wash.
f sic-'--
Electric
Light
Corvallis, Oregon
Dallas, Oregon
Monmouth, Oregon
The Salem
Entered the Field in the Interest of the Producer
The latost organization of fruit growers, a corporation formed strictly in the interests of tho pro
ducer, was organized February 1, 1909, and at tho end of tho first year has two hundred and twonty
flvo active members. Under tho practical management of Mr. C. L. Dick, for many years a traveling
salesman for tho Mason Ehrman Company of Portland, tho largest business on record for a new or
ganization was transacted. Altogether sovonty-flvo carloads of green fruit wore handled, sixty enrs be
ing prunos, which were distributed to the fruit markets of noarly all tho b'g cltios in tho United States,
as far East as Philadelphia and New York. At tho height of the season ono hundred and fifty peo
ple wore employed In packing strawborrles, blackberries, loganberries, cherries, prunes, pears, peaches
aud apples. A very choice lot of fruit 'giving Salem a fine namo and reputation in tho markets of tho
world was sent out boarlng the labol, "Salom Fruit Union." It Is the. first time that a largo ahipmont
of green fruit was sont out of the Willametto Valley successfully and profitably. Tho fruit was packed
at Salem, Rosedalo, Turnor and Gilbert Station. Six cents a crate mora was reallzod for the prunos sont
out of Salem than for prunes from any other part of tho state. A great doal of this fruit would havo
gone to waste for lack of drying facilities had it not been for the enterprise of the Salem Fruit Un
ion. Negotiations for a Pre-coollng station to be established at Salom aro being conducted by the
Fruit Union. Thore is only one such government enterprise on the Pacific Coast, located in California,
and if successful Salom will havo the second. The Union bought a quartor block for ?4,000 at tho
pornor of High and Trado streets. Tholr property, with the Improvements which cost about $3,500,
oould oaslly be sold today for $12,000 to $15,000. Tho Union expeot next year to distribute ono hun
dred cars of prunes from Salem and thoro is a strong movoraont among the growers to add a dried frull
packing plant to tholr preeeut facilities.
The Offloers of tho Union are as follows:
C. L. McNAUY. President C. A. PARK,
C. O. CONSTABLE. Vice-President. W. J. BALL,
E. C. ARMSTRONG. Secretary. C. J. KURTZ,
C. L. DICK. Manager. A. VBRCLBR, Trustees.
The Tillson Company buys its
prunes from tho grower and flnd3
its markets In tho merits of its pack.
Mr. Tillson says tho business Is
more or less profitable according to
tho gains or losses mado in hand
ling tho dried fruit after it comes to
the packing house, Tho growth of
tho Tillson pack, with its well
known "Wobfoot" and "Ravon"
brands indicate that they havo con
ducted tho business on profltablo
lines. They are one of Salem's sub
stantial institutions.
o
One of Salem's Oldest and
Most Reliable Firms
In tho year 1892 F. N. Derby
moved from Iowa to Salom and
opened a real estato offlco in tho
Stato Insurance Block, corner Com
mercial and Chomuketa stroots, un
der tho name of Pacific Land & Or
chard Company. After conducting
this business successfully for a fow
years ho associated himsolf with
Jefferson Meyers, tho same being
known as Derby & Co. During his
seventeen yours resldenco in Salom,
ho has been in tho roal estato busi
ness all of tho timo with tho ex
ception of ono year. In May, 1902,
mo nrm or Derby & Wlnson com
menced doing business in tho cornor
room wiieno tho United States Na
tlonal bank now stands, and whore
tnoy aro doing business today, bo
Ing the first firm in tho city of Sn
lem to occupy offices in tho now
building. During tho past soven
years thoy havo occupied tho office
rooms, No. 110 Commercial stroet,
but tholr rapidly Increasing business
demanded more room, and thoy
were forced to move Into larger and
moro commodious quarters. While
thoy aro doing business at tholr now
location they aro not proporly fixed
to rocolvo tholr frlonds, but by tho
first of January, 1910, oxpect to
havo ovorythlng in shapo, when thoy
extend a cordial Invitation to all of
their frlonds to coma up and visit
them nnd enjoy a smoko.
A. A. LEE, Manager. ESTABLISHED 1880. TJ. G. BOxEH, Sec. T
Salem Abstract
and Land Co.
Office, First National. Bank Building
Only Complete Set of Abstract
Books in Marion County
Wo havo up-to-dato oquipmont to norfect Abstracts of Titlo
and search records In quickest timo consistent with first-class T
work.
Each day's county official recording In all departments trans
ferred to our books by competent exports.
Thousand Bushels of Potatoes
Taken off Three Acres
Tho river bottom lands flrn vnrv
fino for potatoes and yiold largo
crops on tho slightest provocation.
as an example or this wo clto tho
orop nroducod this voar hv
Moyer on tho Island across from this
city. On throe acres ho dug ono
inousana bushols. Tho largest in
tho lot wolghod six and a half
Pounds, and six notninna nlmwti nt
tho DdrbV and Wlllann rnnt naintn
parlors weighed 18 pounds. Thoae
potatoes were of tho Orogon Bur
bank variety, a staple article In the
marKeta or tne world, and aro soil
ing for fifty cents a bushel this
year. Oregon potatoes are shipped
from hero to Texas and as far north
as British Columbia.
5
I Capital Normal School
m
Business Institute
First National Bank Building
SALEM, OREGON
'' A SIX WEEKS' REVIEW class bo?
, gins January 3, on all branches for
stato and county papers, Bookkoop
Ing, Stenography, and Latin. Thj3 '
olass will bo largo, and will furnish
' ' an excellent opportunity to students
wishing to do thorough work for
a briof period, Address
J. j. KiUrs,
Salom, Oregon.