Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1888 — ROGUE RIVER VALLEY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ROGUE RIVER VALLEY.

IN THE HEART OF SOUTHWESTERN OREGON. Where Apples Weighing Two Pounds Each Are Common—Mineral Wealth, NeierFailing Crops, Fine Water Privileges, and a Climate Without Extremes. Ashland, Ore., Nov. 5,1888. The heart of Southwestern Oregon is the Rogue River Valley, the isolation of which is now happily ended by the building of two railroads —the Oregon and California from Portland, and the Southern Pacific from San Francisco the two forming a junction at this place. This section of Oregon has been settled some thirty years, the first comers being atracted by the finding of gold, the mining of which is still carried on to some extent. The mineral wealth of this section is not, however, confined to gold, as good indications of coal hi paying quantities have been recently discovered; also, copper, iron, lead, and cinnabar—all of which only await development to become the source of wealth. Of late years, however, the growing of stock, cereals, vegetables, and, particularly, fruit of all kinds, is proving far more remunerative than mining. Such a thing as a failure in crops of wheat, baric , oats, and corn is unknown—■wheat often yielding forty bushels per acre; and, while corn does not grow to the proportions attained in Nebraska and lowa, this is the only portion of Oregon in which it is raised with fair success. The agricultural capabilities of this valley, however, have been recently tested in many ways, and it is proven that sweet potatoes of fine quality, melons of unsurpassed sweetness and size (often weighing fifty pounds), and all the vegetables common to the temperate zone can here be raised to perfection; but the crowning superiority of this valley, as has been fully proven the past three years, is its peculiar adaptation to the profitable growing of fruit. Here, the peach, apple, plum, prune, pear, nectarine, cherry, and all small fruits and berries grow to proportions and in quality not excelled, if equaled, on this continent. Apples weighing one and one-half pounds each are

very common, and occasionally specimens may be found weighing over two pounds each; peaches weighing one-half pound each are very common, and specimens are often found weighing twelve ounces. Apples will sometimes hang on the trees half the winter, and keep in good condition, and their keeping qualities are remarkable, and San Francisco is already making demands for more ihan can be supplied. Peach trees have been known to bear fruit one and one-half years from the seed, and the short time in which all fruit trees bear fruit from the seed is remarkable. The profit to be realized from fruit culture in this valley has been fully demonstrated during the past two years, there having been instances fully substantiated of a gross return from one acre in peaches, four years from the seed, of $250; while the profits from apple orchards fully grown will range from SSOO to SI,OOO per acre. Fruit trees and fruit are comparatively free from insect pests of all kinds, and I do believe this valley must certainly attain celebrity as a fruit region. A large area of the Northwest must look to it for a supply; indeed, California is already making demands for apples, and a car load of pears is just now being shipped to Sacramento packed in boxes carrying a California brand. Canneries and evaporators are necessities of the near future, from which good profits must be realized. The climate of this section is another strong point in its favor. It has neither the wet of the Willamette on the north nor the drouth of the Sacramento Valley on the south, but seems to be the happy medium so seldom found, and enjoys the warmth of summer and the frosts of winter without any extreme in either. One characteristic at all seasons is the remarkable evenness of temperature. Often for a month at a time observations taken at the same hour day after day will show scarcely a degree of variation. The absence of wind is notable, an 1 such a thing as a gale or a cyclone is unknown. The mountains cut off the fogs from the ocean, which lies one hundred miles to the west. It certainly has one of the finest “all-the-year” climates to be found on the globe, and as to health this valley has no peer on the continent. Ashland is 341 miles south of Portland, and 415 miles north of San Francisco. Mountains, are near by on every side—in fact, you can’t get away from fine scenery anywhere in this section. Ashland is the chief town in the Rogue Valley, and has a population of about 2,500, and is 2,000 feet above sea level. It has fine water privileges, a stream rising in the snow-capped peaks furnishing power for a fine woolen njill, a roller flouring mill, two planing mills, and one saw mill, beside one mill site not now used. Wellwater of good quality is obtained at easy depths, and mineral springs of many varieties abound, principally, however, of iron, soda and sulphur. The railroad has just completed a fine eating-house and hotel at a cost of about $35,000, besides building a round-house. As this town has been made the end of a division, prospects for machine shops in the near future are flattering. The new year will greet the completion of a fine brick hotel, now in process of construction, of which the accompanying cut will give a fair idea, and it will be one of the finest to be found in any town of its size on this coast. There are two newspapers published in the place, the Tidings and the Record, with schools, churches, and an excellent class of citizens. There are more evidences of growth and activity here at this time than in any other town in Oregon, and we have no doubt the population will double within the next two years. i

ASHLAND HOTEL.