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About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1911)
Ntw Yea,', lain C The Willamette ValleyTthe Greatest Hop Section of World! Following is a Reliable Article. Pr.n. j i.. . it Industry of 0.:; ' UJ r n the Hop 6v, 1m r resent and Futi t ment Edition Daily Capital JournalSaturday. ZWmA, i MIMMHtlHti.. fM MM MMM HHf Although Continental Europe lves the world about half of its hops, whose value at 20 cents per pound is eighteen million dollars, Its hop yards are mere gardens of an acre or so In extent, while the dry houses, etc., are the property of the dealers, located In the nearby cities, who buy the uncured hops from the growers, and cart them to town for curing. About three hundred years ago the hop plant was brought to England and has ever since been one of her lead ing agricultural Industries. Her aver age crop Is about 225:000 bales, or the same as the present normal crop of the entire United States, while In 1905 she raised 400,000 bales. About 100 years ago hojw became an Industry of New York, and at one time the state crop reached 25O,0iio bales. Her 1911 crop, however, wrs but about one-tenth that amount, in appearance "State" hops, as they are called, compare favorably only with our poorest qualities; however, they have certain peculiarities, which ap peal to 'a great many brewers. , About 1858, the hop was Introduced Into Wisconsin, and the industry grew so rapidly there that In ten years her crop was 176,000 bales, which Is 16.000 bales more than Oregon's largest crop. That year, however, prices dropped from 20c to practically nothing, and the 1S68 growth was not entirely bought up until some nine years later. From this on her yield dropped off rapidly until today "there are but few yards left In thnt state. Some time In the early seventies Mr. Wells f Buena Vista planted Ore gon's first hop yard.' He was followed by the Kirkwoods of Wheatland, Doves of Eola, Thornsbury of Gervals, Ike Yoakum of Eugene and a good many others In time to reap the harvest of 1882 when hops soared to over a dol lar a pound, and almost as quickly dropped back to the 20c level. In fact the story Is still well known in the hop trade h6w Ralph Geer of the Waldo Hills refused $1.10 for his crop which he later sold for 10c per pound. I'p until the early nineties vermin was unknown in Oregon, and the hops were allowed to hang on the vines until fully matured, and being cleanly picked by Indians, the average Oregon hop was a strictly fancy article, and soon became a favorite of the English exporters. All during the eighties the industry grew, and though an Important one for Oregon, It was not until 1890 that our production became large enough to be a factor in the world's market. At that time shortage of crops abroad forced prices to 42c at one time dur ing the season, though they later dropped to a 25c level. Following this year, not only the butcher, the baker and candlestick maker, but the doctor, the lawyer and merchant as well saw visions of great wealth to be made In hops and ' thousands of acres were planted, with the Inevitable result that as soon as they came into bearing prices slumped so that for several years a 5c or 6c sale was a good one. The great loss this entailed to the growers caused a gradual decreased acreage, and proportionate rise in val ues, until In 1902, prices were again at 25c. This again started the hop planting, which, received a further Impetus the next year when 27o was paid, and reached tys climax In 1904 ' when a new record of 32c was made, and then all caution was thrown to the winds and new yards planted by the hundreds, and In September, 1905, the growers who refused 30c for their hops, sold them for 5c per pound. In 1904 we raised 90,000 bales and In 1905 115,000 bales, while the full acreage came into bearing In 1906 with a yield of 160,000 balea Twas in this latter year that, underestimating the crop, one firm attempted to corner the market, and bought up 40,000 bales, at a probable cost of one mil lion dollars. Stocks, however, were too large for the success of the under taking, and it was not until five years later that the firm was able to sell the hops without an enormous loss. The 1907 crop was smaller, only 138,000 bales, but he panic appearing In the midst of the hop season, forced prices down to five and six cents. In 1908 the effect of the adverse prices were shown In the state yield, and only 110,000 bales were raised, but the surpluses from the former years werev sufficient to keep priecs below 7c. These bad years Induced many growers to contract their crops for a number of years at ten cents, a pound which at that time was indeed a large Price, but looked very small the next year, 1909, when with a short English crop, and our own at but 82,000 baU-s, prices went to 25c, In November of that year. Many growers, however, felt that conditions warranted much higher prices, while on the other hand prices continued falling until some were sold as low as 5c. The 1910 crop was 92,000 bales, which with the old stocks carried over, was sufficient for our needs, if evenly distributed, however, the large Middle Western brewers were very heavy buyers and practically the entire crop went to them and to exporters at about 12c per pound, and our At lantic seboard brewers awoke In Jan uary to find storehouses empty and but a few thousand bales of 1910 hops available. Prices rose until 20c was reached, at which price practically evy bale was bought up. Then the demand dropped back on the old 1906 "P. until the last of It was lso boght at about 20c. " In fact the one last lot In the state sold for 28c, just before the 1911 crop was harvested. All these years, Blnce 1906, some of our growers had been holding their bops, some of them having as many as five different crops on hand, and as the ;i909s were exhausted, the de mand fell back on the older growths, which as far as Oregon was con cemed were, mostly absorbed before the new crop came on. A few 1906s, however, are held today, which are worth about 18c a pound. Early in 1911, when It was seen that 'l the hurplus old hops would be used rld over, for 8hnfi'r,ing C10th normal consumMn " be 'tocks ,o7a, TZlZ n 'd would preva hiSh Prices Prices for m, -VUU H ' IB by ahi A", Janu-y and on 1311s, start- were lbc unfavorable , TT' ,ooU t 20c was n ade' b h"r ivia however, extrenielv 1J V. from n unVnu,n5TOrbi "rices to 25a Then dn'r01e ton Ports of the extr.r? as 'be re en.e In, price rnBhe,at ln Gy ta the cliTabTut f adlly' 41c, when a cesml ??f 20th- many causfd Z ht A6 heat I'orts. and caused thi k 3 better r "evelopments duril buJ!e to alt Prices sagged to Sft ! !? walt "Mai Europe fnv0',.'! 2,0- cntln. two-thirds o a' i "ed .bout Picking in Oregon P: "J as 800,1 op Estimate! we COmmenced M.0OO bales to 70 000 h PPed ,rom the actual coun t, f?- anuben ably be found "Ut Z l " WiU prob" "an that amount Most tne8ted le8S satisfied with the . era were rp,in o ' " lne Prices, and unin Q f two, uurj Soon however, stocks reduced to a few " ,w ' ic nri.. " , ,r" oaies at well i,.. ' u 'o oc. ' 7, u,at 8 great Think II . 1,11 to.a rt t back is well known tk; . brewers are delavinT gl'eat many gon hops will be sold bagrta?;7h8rOWer 11 has netted VeirCners yDaerrdShaVe at these prices nni h n 8 p nt a a whofeZ d aVfty e'ents waPs worth over six mlUlon oUa s 'h Is over a million and a half Zi. n:precrhoan ts:B,.ur & value J'fh 8 a ruIe' however, the value of the crop does not vary this much, as the price Is nearly alwavs in "direct proportion to the yield wi S WZ'M(,,!T o anion M r millions to three and one-half thousand men, who are aided by at least one thousand women and child ren durin- the training season. At Picking time, however, for any average Oregon crop, fifty thousand pickers are required, wh6 earn eight hundred thousand dollars, and ten thousand day laborers who earn half that amount, and adding the value of the wood necessary to dry the hops, we have a total of one and one-quarter million dollars paid out direct for the harvesting labor of the crop, and al lowing that one-fourth of this goes to those, to whom It is not absolutely necessary, we still have paid out the most popular million dollars in the world. The factory, the railroad or the mine may have a pay roll of even greater amount, but it is the regular wage of the home and does not serve the pur pose that the hop picking money does, earned and brought home by the wives and children of the working man, and is ln addition to all the regular Incomes. The million from the factory goes to those who would have a 'million from some other source, were It not for the factory. The million from the hop fields goes to those who would otherwise have nothing. It means a new suit, new hat, gloves and shoes for the wife, who would otherwise have to draw on the regular income for her clothes, and not only winter clothes complete for the youngsters, but school books, and often enables them to secure some cherished luxury which they would otherwise be unable to have. No other million, probably. Is so quickly and so wisely spent, nor for such a variety of purposes. Every tradesman gets his share, as well as the professions, the dentist his for work that would otherwise be neglected, the doctor his for a bill long past due, the preacher his for the marriage fee, while the washerwoman not only gets her win ter's groceries and children's clothes from the million, but has been known to also use a portion of it to free herself from her recreant husband, in which way the lawyer gets his share. Regardless of market conditions, this popular million is handed out each year. It was paid In 1908 when the crop itself was hardly worth that amount, it was paid this year, and It will be paid next year, and the next and each year fifteen thousand fam ilies are thereby able to obtain neces saries, extras and perhaps luxuries that would otherwise be beyond their rTuhe International Hop and Barley exposition, Just closed at Chlcawi, Or egon took first prize on quality over California, Washington and New York which are the only othe. -three in the union producing hops. Oregon r many years has held the tanner as the largest producer and tho-igh with our crop 30 per cent short 0 al. ,1 ?ln9 in 1911. California took naryleadlnqaantl 1. ...jinn Orexon Will J erage - ;. - , 192. for ittaan regain . depiines r,oUP to net he gret hop growers, with av- :nore who carefully select tneir ! win,,, soil, build tneir r - nici " . . th.ir varus wiui nent plants, and work their j the same thoroughness ar a ye8!k regnf tie Orego'n industry, and backbone of the Oreg tM Tthrp t to Oregon's glory have in the pai i. h eyer. and profit wllho0"(,3,y favorable l6tIng .oil. u' Port cllmate. and our proximi y ft ;ZoT tbat th. rare. Industry win not fade he advent of low prices as ft ad miUl m0St to Product acd continue to dispense not only on? t popu.ar million, but to br!ng?n two to three extra millions yearly as land for three centuries, so will OrL fn be the Kent" of America flvt ten or perhaps u.emy geM- WILLIS S. Dl'MWAT-PBISTER, STATE The splendid record made In the office of the state printer during the enmbene, of Willis s. Dunlwfy so horoughly impressed the people of the state of Oregon that he was re elected to that important office last November and will continue to effect a. Phenomenal saving to the taxpayers k"B h0S i1'8 term' A compared with methods In vogue before Mr. Dun way took charge, the saving on all kinds of state printing averages more than UOOO per month, a strong Illustration of the absolute integrity of this popular official, as well as his marked ability In an executive capac ity. Honest officials have long been demanded by the people, and they are not slow to recognize and reward those who fulfill expectations. In the meantime Mr. Duniway con tinues to discharge his official duties as state printer in a manner highly pleasing to citizens of the state as a whole, and will further popularize himself thereby. The saving of more than $1000 per month Is actual, not theoretical, and the man who follows Willis S. Duniway as state printer will doubtless be forced to keep expenses of the office down to the low maxi mum established by this gentleman. Mr. Duniway enjoys a wide acquain tance throughout the state and is Justly popular with all who know him. He is an enthusiastic and consistent worker for the further development of the vast resources of the state; a public-spirited and progressive citizen, and highly worthy of the high esteem in which he Is held. 0 . r.F.ROTAL BRIDGE CONTRACTOR The development of a new section of country naturally Includes the building of a great many bridges over the various rivers and streams and for a man skilled ln the art, this country furnishes a fine field. Mr. C. P. Royal, long a resident of this city, has built more bridges In the western part of Oregon than any other contractor. He has always been held in high esteem by his business associates and neighbors. His busi ness connections are of the very highest. The particular line of bridge build ing gives emnloyment to a great num ber of workmen. They are one of the hlgheat-pald class of workmen there is, so this combined with the fact that Mr. RoyaJ, hires Salem men almost exclusively, makes him one of the leading contractors in this part of Oregon. Salem recently passed an ordinance to the effect that Salem workmen must be employed on public works. Mr. Royal has done this in all his work. Mr. Royal Is still in harness, and expects to build a good many bridges before the time comes for him to take the trin last long bridge. There are very few men In Salem who have done more to advance its Interests than Mr. Royal. He Is al ways willing to put In time and money for Its advancement. The office of Mr. Royal Is at 412 Twenty-first street North, where he resides. : 0. SQIIRE FAKRAB POSTMASTER. The postoffice at Salem Is the sec ond ln Importance in the state of Or egon, and it Is highly essential there fore, that a man of executive ability, sound judgment and progressive Ideas should be selected as postmaster. However, the past few years have de monstrated that Squire Farrar is the proper man to fill this very important office. The volume of business has Increased enormously during the past ten years, which has come through the rapid growth of the city and contigu ous territory. Mr. Farrar is now serving, his sec ond term as pnsimcster, and he Is directly responsible for the excellent mall service- that, we now enjoy. He is a pioneer of Salem, and his pro .ir.nn has done a great deal to build up the city; and as he Is a, firm believer In the future of Salem, he can be defended uron to do his; share of the ne-sry work to make " AU of Mr. Farrar' 1 friends are very) anxious that be shall be retained In 1 his presT-nt position upon tiie expira tion of his ivrm of iiffice-and so long as he is in oihoe the c'tlzens enn look forward to the very hghest class of service. o TILLSON k (0 IXC. TPe prune packing Industry of Sa lom Is one of the city's mam Indus tries and the firm of Tlllson & t o., !nc ' is one of the packers They have houses at both Salem and Rose burg the largest establishment being at Salem. Thf.y pack approxImatMy stx million pounds each year, and about half of their pack Is shipped to hThe?r business Is strictly commer cial, and they buy. their fruit, paying cash on delivery. Mr Tlllson Is manager, and Is an nrnt-ressive business man. I1E IU UU always w the upbulMing 01 m i - ----- The prune industry is one of the very valuable assets of Marion coun- . ia k fn.it.rf.d. AS cen- ty. ana 11 ww " . , . 'rally spiking prune growing Is more profitable than other fruit.. f " y .- IU J m-, llllllll ... ' iWsunsE. FLOWERS- ft?' II m ft to'- are famous the world over. Also its soen- did hostelries, fine beaches, . orange groves, hot springs, and Pleasure resorts. All . reached with ease by the SOUTHERN PACIFIC "Road of. a Thousand Wonders' Route of Shasta Limited Excursion Tickets Costing $ss.oo Portland to Los Angeles and return On tale daily, good tix months with stop -over going or returning. Corresponding low fares from other Oregon points 1 CALL ON OUR AGENTS FOR Handsomely Illus trated Literature Describing San Francisco, Oakland, Stan' ford University, Lick Observatory, Santa Cruz, Del Monte, Paso Roblea Hot Springs, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, The Old Spanish Missions, Yo Semite National Park and Big Trees, and other places of interest in the Golden State, or write to JOHN M. SCOTT jttY TU Cen'IPass'r Agent, : : Portland, Oregon M -'W1 tYr ----