The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-10-07
THE GREAT NEHALEM
A Paradise That Could Produce Claisop's
Bread.

The Nehalem valley is conceded by all
Astorians who have visited Il to te "A
paradise. The land is fertile. the clima to
is warmer than on the coast. and cereals
and vegetables grow there which cannot
grow closer to the Columbia or the Sea
where the cold winds have full sweep.
All that IS the matter with the Nehalcm
is its lack OF good roads.
There are now three -four mills tn tie
Nehalem. not one however. being In Cllt-
sop county. one will be built In Clatsop
soon. through the enterprise Of Mr.. Pc.
ter Wage. at lowell. Flour Is now selling
In the valley at 81 cents per barrel hollow
Portland prices. The flour - Of good
quality. made from local wheat. ana the
crop OF wheat this year Is good The
residents OF that district. IN order 10
patronlze home industry and see thcr
money stay at home. take heir grain IS
to % miles TO the grist mills, and the
new mill nt Jewell will be great con
venicnce. The large 1moult 81 -horts.
bran and wheat for chickens used m
Clatsop county and on the lower Column
bla could easily be raised and manufac-
tured In the Nehalem. and. In fact.
enough is produced there now FOR all
consumers in the county. but cannot be
utilized. as the expense of naulils u
roads Is too great. The bad roads aiSo
prevent the growing and marketing OF
vegetables and fruit 10 any great extent;
though the crops raised have yielded no
profit as against California goods In me
Astoria market. The magnificent weather
this summer and fall has been Of great
advantage TO the farmers. as the roads
are in better condition than they have
been for years Soon tho rains Will com.
and traffic cease. The farmer can't wait
TO market his goods In quantities to
suit the demands Of trade. but must
rush them in while the roads permit. o-
not sell his goods at all II the marke's
are glutted he can't help IT, II would
seem, however that in the summer time.
when the roads are fairly good, he ough.
TO have a chance against California.
1t is a matter Of knowledge to every
Nehalem farmer that a good wagon road
would increase the value Of n.s ..-...ngs
six times. This Il matter which II Is
believed the Astoria Progressive Assoc!u-
tion might take up with profit to every
merchant and business man in the city.
It would not be bad idea 10 improve
the Nehalem road now, a Ia Hammond
build the best road money will buy. There
Is probably not a resident in the Nehalem
but who would be willing 10 give some
one would stand back and the rest Of the !
land would be greatly increased in value |
and the whole county would be an I'm. |
mense gamer. The foremost merchants |
of Astoria would doubtless subscribe
money to the scheme, taking in return the |
land donated by the farmers No one
would lose a penny and the county and
city would be given a new impetus to
Of lncalculable value.
A bicyclist who rode up from Tnla-
HoDk county the Oiher day says that |
the roads there are graveled in fine con-
1ition. That county has twenty times
the roads Clatsop has, and pays only ore
half the amount N road tax paid here.
and the roads are 300 per cent better
than Clatsop roads.
Yesterday a Nehalem farmer brought
n half ton Of oats and a lot Of cabbage
With a pair Of horses. The fact is re-
and If the present extraordinary
weather continues they will be able 10
market considerable stuff. The roads are
'etter now than they have been in years.
rhe particular farmer referred to had
lot raised the oats for market, and WIS
Is much surprised az any one al the
exceptional opportunity Of getting to !
own.
From these instances It can be readily
cen what might be done by the farmers
With good system Of roads on which
hey could depend at all seasons. They
ould then watch the markets and bring ,