s THE SUNDAY OREGOMAN, PORTLAND, JTE 15, 1913. HOMESTEADERS' OPPORTUNITIES MANY FN UMPQUA VALLEY Addison Bennett Writes of Rich Country Surrounding Roseburg, of Virgin Soil as Yet Touched Only Sufficiently to Show Its Hidden Wealth.

BY ADDISON BENNETT. BURG, " OfC;jjjEg? the state. He resides in a splendid Or., June 14. (Special -- , mansion on the site of the old Governor Correspondence.) ir you should Chadwick residence, one of the beauty take a launch at Winchester Head, at spots of Roseburg. Mr. Herman re- the mouth of the Umpqua River and sides in a fine residence in the south- follow up that stream about 100 miles, ern part of the town. you would come to the junction of the I particularly mention these two two forks of that stream at a point gentlemen because as I go over the about six rallia northwest of Roseburg, state I meet the victims of the dar it not far from the little town of Melrose. days of Oregon, when, from a scowl by From here you might follow the north Henry or a frown from Burns, any of fork for the distance of perhaps 75 us was liable to be branded as a felon miles In an easterly direction .to the such men as "Bill" Hanley, "Newt" summit of the Cascade Mountains, or Williamson, W. W. Stelwer. Bingt r you might take the south fork and by Hermann and J. H. Booth and I find pursuing its course somewhat farther th?m the most respected men In their to the southeast, thence northeast you Various communities, as they undoubt- would arrive also at the summit of the edly are of the state at large. Cascades at a point not over 15 or 20 It cost each of these men, as it did miles from where the north fork rises. a dozen or two others whom I have I do not say you could navigate the not mentioned, a small fortune to "es- launch all of the distance, but In ex- cape" from the nets which Roosevelt's treme high water you might get above two "desirable" citizens, Heney and Roseburg in it. Burns, threw around them, but what There Is between these two forks an they lost in purse they gained in approximate area of 60,000 acres of friendship of a long, long list of their tillable land and the main portion of fellow citizens. this, and a good many thousand acres There is no portion of our state lying north of the north fork, south of where the conditions are better for the south fork and contiguous to the dairying than in the wonderful Ump- main stream, constitute what is gen-all- y qua Valley. The pasturage is of the spoken of as the Umpqua Valley. best and is almost as good in January It must be remembered that the Ump- as in June. qua and Its forks, branches and tribu- If this article falls under the eyes taries are wonderfully crooked streams. of any person in the East or Middle If it is convenient and you wish to get West who is in search of a location into full touch with my faint descrip- where to make a home on the land, let tion of this valley, it would be a good him ' remember that statement and idea for you to get a map of Oregon compare ii with the conditions where and spread it out before you. You will he lives. For wheat and other cereals see there are more twists and turns in the Umpqua lands have long stood as these streams than there are in a poli- equal to any In the state; for corn a tician's arguments just before an elec- line record is being made from 40 to tion. The main stream not only turns 60 bushels of well matured corn to the upon itself and runs towards every acre. Alfalfa produces two crops, point of the compass it does this many three or four tons to the acre, and sev- times. It reminds one of the tale of the eignment as in other fruit branches. eral months pasturage. Wild and tame Kansan who asked a man on the op- But there is not, to the best of my be hays do as well as in any place you can posite side of a little stream on which lief, a landowner in the valley who de llnd, and for all sorts of garden truck. side of It he was on. "I am on the pends entirely upon any one product. small fruits and melons, splendid yields south side of the east side of the north Saying: that, I can also say that I have are universal. As to strawberries! side," was the response. "Which side traveled far and have traveled wide in Well, the Roseburg strawberry is un- are you on?" "I am on the other side." the Northwest and I know of no other surpassed for flavor and shipping qual- section where the landowners and rent-er- a ities. Umpqua I Valley of Valley. are more prosperous than they are Section Arouses Pride. The Umpqua Valley! Do not forget n the Lmpqua valley. Finally I can sum up the conditions the name of this valley but do not This is evidenced in many ways. In by saying that the Umpqua Valley is for a moment think it is just one large the first place the places are almost a section of our state to be proud of, valley of 60.000 or 70.000 acres of land, universally well kept. The fences are' a section that will one day be famous, and with a number of towns In it. The not in a state of decay or dilapidation, firmly believe, as a dairy country Umpqua Aralley Is a large valley made the buildings are in a good state up and everybody who knows anything of a number of smaller ones, and a de- of repair and as a rule well painted, the about farming knows that a dairy sec- scription of the main valley would ne- outbuildings are commodious and com- tion, where conditions are of the best, cessitate a description of these. By name fortable in fact the majority of the is about the most prosperous farming they are as follows: Garden, Glide, little valleys remind one of the old community to be found. Roberts Creek. Winston. Round Prairie. Dutch settlements in Pennsylvania. Thu3 far the landowners of the val- Dlllard, Myrtle Creek, Missouri Bottom, where the landowners are about as ley made money so easily Cow Creek, Canyonvllle. Looking Glass, comfortable as any place in the country. have that Flournoy, Camas, Olalla, they have not as a rule turned their Yoncalla, Farmer, Are Money-Lender- s. attention to the cow and hog ex- Scotts, Coles, Calapooia, Elk-to- n the Kellogg, I went beyond this I went to the cept to range the former on the fine and Long Prairie. Anyhow that Is pasturage and feed the on the the majority of them, most of which I men themselves and their families and grows latter have recently to the bankers and merchants. I found mast that In every direction so visited. prolincally. One rs Right here and now I wish to say any number of farmers who are large cannot blame the lenders of money very few who are for wishing to live easily when that I am writing this letter for the they could do so and at the same time purpose of calling the lands in this borrowers, and those principally to buy grow valley or valleys, you stock to feed for market, or perhaps for wealthy. these as prefer, of a larger crop Conditions are changing, and soon to the attention of those people who are the putting out than we saying to incoming usual. And the banks! Suppose you will see stock shows as well as settlers wishing compare the deposits of the Roseburg strawberry carnivals held in Roseburg, homes that there are no good opportu- and these a principal place nities for the homeseeker west of the banks and Trust Company with those at shows go of any other city in Oregon of about will be given to the cow and the hog. Cascades. Indeed, some further and the same population. According to the And may it come quickly for the good say there are no good lands that are of all. well wooded and well watered for sale census of 1910 it was 4738. Say it is anywhere in Oregon at a reasonably 6000 now Including the suburbs that Not a word about timber! And Doug- price really belong to the town. The two las County one of the principal timber fair if taken in small or medium banks and the Trust Company have on sections of the Northwest! By going farm tracts, say from 40 to 160 acres. deposit $2,500,000, back a way As a result of these statements settlers and the Trust Com little into the mountains. are being away pany is just fairly started. The banks back from the low hills covered with kept from the state, have each about a million dollars of de oaks, one comes to this timber, and and thereby much harm Is done those posits. Just think that over and make some day It will mean wealth to many, who ought to come and would come comparisons with banks in other places for it must find a market down one of with proper encouragement as well as of Umpqua. to such settlers as for on reason or of similar size. the branches the Stating the to The elevation of the valley as a amount of standing merchantable tim- another wish sell their lands. And whole is say around 500 feet. In places ber in millions or billions of feet is be- also for the good of the communities yond new it Is well up to 800 feet. Roseburg, me, but one citizen assured me which need blood. for instance, is 488 feet: Oakland, 566 there was enough to furnish 40,000 car- At the outset then let me say that feet; Yoncalla, 382 loads a year for 40 years any person looking for land in Oregon feet and Riddle, at and then upon the extreme southern end of the valley commence over and repeat indefinitely! which to make a home and then is 734 feet above sea level. To say wanting a home on the land: "Go to surely a lovely townsite. The Win- I do not give that as a strictly scien- make a living from the land, should Just what the precipitation is over Roseburg and look around before mak- chester people thought they could make tific estimate, but it Is look over the opportunities to be found the ing a final selection. Perhaps the a pretty good thing out of Holladay, no certain that the Umpqua whole valley would be difficult owing wealth of the Douglas County timber in the Valley. This is resrard to its variance, but as a rule the crops prices will astonish you. as they did doubt- - Anyhow they did not offer any- is almost beyond computation. less of the branch of agriculture the are irrigation. me by their reasonableness. And I thing like what Aaron Rose did, and he in tending land owner wishes to buy it raised without At Rose really believe if the people of those val- got the shops, the county seat, the land ror. burg the weather record has been kept leys i might mention fruit first for with precision since 1877, 36 years, do not get bitten by the bug of office and about everything else going the benefit of those who think the fu avarice that hundreds and thousands of to make a city. Everything but the ELECTION EXPENSE TOLD and the lowest precipitation for any new on ture prosperity of Oregon will rest upon one year was 21.10 inches, in 1905; settlers will flock in them and beauty of the Winchester site and the me rruit Business. I do not so buy portions of their farms. loyalty of the Winchester people. And People's Rights think the highest was 46.90. in 1891. The lfswBWSllW you a league Reports Er- never did think so and never preached average is 25 Another thing cannot find a It surely is as lovely a location for tne single crop about Inches, a trifle better lot of people to flock with than town as there Is in Oregon. roneously to Secretary. doctrine either for fruit, less than what is generally considered you State wneat or livestock normal. To show in will find in the Umpqua Valley. In mentioning the names of the Rose- For those, however, who pin their what seasons the Nor a more orderly community to live burg "first citizens" I have not taken any moisture falls I will give the record in. Roseburg, the county seat, is a into account those who still reside SALEM, Or.. June 14. (Special.) xaitn to branch of fruit it can safe for each month of 1908. av- Secretary ly be said that the Umpqua Valley lands about an beautiful city. Already they have about there. Two of these, Blnger Hermann of State Olcott has returned erage year: January, inches. 3.31; Feb- that can be cultivated, the precipita- and the blooming orchards as they a dozen of paved streets, some of J. H. Booth, who is always spoken to the organization a re- "will produce as good apples, pears. ruary, 3.53; March, 1.98; is miles and statement of peaches, prunes, berries or any April, 0.44; tion usually amply sufficient. This were when I vaid my visit for real the handsomest buildings in Oregon, of as Henry, were branded as crimi- ceipts and disbursements of the Peo- other May. 1.47; June, 1.41; is particularly Roosevelt-Heney-Burn- rruit as can be raised in Oregon. July, 0.04; true of f iuit orchards. pastoral pictures of beauty and love- and more going up, and everybody is nals by the s ple's Rights League, of Portland, which might go a step say August, 0.29; September, 0.43: October, I think that section can, anyhow, show liness, the Umpqua Valley stands out doing well In the town. crowd, and a desperate effort was made fought the Heusner franchise, declar- farther and that 5.29; November, 2.99, and December, as fine prune orchards as there are nt in Oregon. Old you ever to penitentiary. there are several hundred acres of 3.00. know what a figure shunt them into the ing that the report should be made to prune trees in the valley in the Northwest. They are cultivated Having followed this article thus far, that country has cut in Oregon his- After long and expensive trials they the Auditor of the city. that have The average standing of the ther- well, I don t know how many times the no say: tory? as borne a good crop every year since thev a year, homeseeker will doubt Just look at the names of these "escaped," and today they stand, The league, it is said, spent about came of bearing age, say mometer at Roseburg for the same pe- but those kept the best are in "This is all very well, but I suppose men; General Joseph Lane. Jesse Apple-gat- e, they have always stood at home, as $2000. from five to riod is as 40.9; as fine a of as -- 0 years ago. And any person can ex follows: January, Feb- state tilth soil could the landowners ask about two or three Judge Matthew P. Deady, Gover- two of the most honorable citizens of ruary. 43.1; March. 47.0; April, 51.1. possibly be In. nor Addison C. GIbbs, Oregon. Is necessary to enume- amine the records of these prune or May. times what the land is worth, so the Rufus Mallory, It not chards and find that they have netted 56.4: June. 61.0; July. 66.3: August, It would be practically impossible to picture does not interest me ; what I Judge L. P. Mosher, Iafayette Lane, rate minutely the services Mr. Her- Springfield Abandons Celebration. 66.4; 61.0; give a general coun- . their owners in excess of $100 per September, October. 53.4; description of the want is a good tract of land, say from Governor S. F. Chadwick, Governor mann has performed, from receiver of 14 acre November, 46.0 try say is rolling. 20 SPRINGFIELD, Or., June (Spe- a year ever since they came into full and December. 42.3. further than to it to 160 acres, at somewhere near Benson, Judge H. L. Benson and the Roseburg Land Office to commis- cial.) fruitage. Mean for the year. 52.9. The average There Is a good deal of level land, to what I could buy such land for in the Attorney-Gener- al Crawford. Then how sioner of the General Land Office, and Because the business men of late Spring frost for the same period be sure, but as a rule the level parcels Middle West." about the man who made Roseburg and 12 years in Congress aside from his Eugene had announced that they would Diversified Farming Leads. was April 15. average are of rev- get up Just as good can given early Fall frost, less size than a quarter section. Mr. Homeseeker, I am writing this gave it his name Aaron Rose, and that services as collector of internal a celebration in that city on records be October 30. Earliest Fall frost for the Perhaps that statement is misleading, article for just such folks as you other great private in the ranks, Fendal enue and as a member of both branches July 4, the project to celebrate In of other fruit and berry lands and this 18 years, Calipooia Valley and this valley, in fact, Douglas County as last October 9; latest Spring for the seems to have yours are, and if you will go down to Sutherlln? Take those names and com of the State Legislature. Mr. Booth city has been dropped. A committee wnoie, frost for same period, May 16. around Sutherlln, two or three sections Roseburg and nose around among the pare them with the same number of was register of the Roseburg office, had succeeded in securing pledges for will certainly become a section The snow-fa- ll is pretty level. So only of the finest and profitable or record for th that perhaps It is best people there you will find the best prominent men from anv state, and which is practically the political $1700 to be applied toward the expense most 22 years gives an average annual fall better to say as a rule, the level por- bargains in small farms and small Oregon may well feel pioud of her office he ever held, but he has been of a celebration, but It was thought chards in the state. But when you of 8.2 Inches. it tions will average 80 to 160 Umpqua many of good "scatter" around over the valley as I (These figures are all from acres. tracts you can find. Now, I do not wish valley pioneers. connected with the works best and more conducive of harmony official, taken from the records of the The hills separating the valleys are to seem to be trying to show Rose- for the upbuilding of the state, notably and good feeling between the two did, and interview farmers as I did. and perhaps 200 350 that Winchester la Beauty Spot. of Associa- cities see what they are doing, you will find Weather Bureau). from to feet in height, burg and the Roseburg country stand Winchester was the county as president the State Fair not to push the matter! with good pasturage clear to the tops. alone. To make a statement of first seat tion, an office which he still holds, those who are diversifying their in- Climate Is Delightful. prevailing that of the old Umpqua County, then Douglas long to hold, dustries are far in majority. is. might be The brush and timber of the kind would be unfair to other com- probably will continue the It It well for the intending entire valley is oak, with scattering munities. And I suppose I came away County was formed and Roseburg took for no man in the state is better quali- Site for Shops Surveyed. however, conceded that the area set to homeseeker to analyse those figures maples. dog- be- position, no man ever ful- r firs and There are also badly prejudiced, for there I the honor away, and principally fied for the SPRINGFIELD, Or., prunes will be largely increased each and compare any-othe- rather June 14. (Spe- them with those of woods and all sorts of flowering trees found very old lib- filled its duties better. year, for this is practically a le of the hills and dales, the cause Aaron Rose was a broad and cial.) Several Southern Pacific civil section the United States, for and. shrubs chrysanthemums, Scotch same winding roads, the very identical man. He owned a crop, which can be sold at any it surely can be said that there is no broom, hydran- eral donation claim Booth Is Prominent Banker. engineers have been at work during from to July, or even more delightful azaleas, rhododendrons, old swimmin holes, the same trout at the present site of the town and one the week on the land recently pur- time October until climate to live in geas many, many well-ke- Mr. Booth is of the foremost of the new crop comes on. this country than in Umpqua beautiful flowers streams, the same fences, when Ben Holladay was building his being chased by the company for roundhouses Buyers, the Val- in every thicket, and acres and. acres verdant meadows arid blooming orch- railroad he wanted to make a division our state bankers, president of and shops, presumably too. are ever scouring the ley within a radius of 20 or 30 miles of poppies of the most wonderful hues. ards yes, it seemed like the boyhood repair shop point Winchester, the Douglas National Bank of Rose- preparing for valley for prunes at the top market of Roseburg. It is true that for farm- Add to of and at the erection of the buildings, it was price. There are no sales days as in ing, the is a all these the various shades home I left back in York state over seven miles north of Roseburg. That burg. and Is also a member of the cele. announced that a roundhouse be rainfall trifle light dur- of green too many to century ago. Booth-Kell- y would wool business, no con- - ing shades classi- half a was at the old crossing of the Canyon brated concern, one of erected this Summer the shipping on the growing season, but for crops well-ke- pt the and other build- fy and to these the fields I can safely say this to any person vllle road over the Umpqua, and it in heavy Umber and lumber concerns of ings are projected.