The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-01-05
3fcoa River Glacier
Our Prosperity.

= = = -
As retrospect Of Hood Rivers growth
and increase Of trade dnring 1899, we
publish below the interviews df our re-
porter, obtained from the business men,
Monday, on the conditions Of business
last year and prospects for the coming
year. With one accord the merchants
declare that business has been good, and
that indications are it will continue TO
increase, The business Of Hood River
has doubled within the past year, The
big crop Of strawberries last spring dis
tributed $4,000 in cash among the peo-
pie Of the valley, and consequently the
merchants report big cash trade. A
great deal al money is left here by the
transient population OF strawberry pick
ers, and this year the railroad camps
near town secnred their supplies from our
merchants. There has been a steady
increase Of population in the town and
valley that has materially increased the
business Of the merchants. There are
no empty business houses or residences
within the town, And the value OF
real estate has advanced accordingly,
the price demanded for suitable business
sites is in excess Of the value the bust
moss Of the town will warrant, Capital
cannot be induced to come here at q
sacrifice. 1t is the valley behind the
town that has made Hood River known
to the outside world.
The post Office receipts afford good
insight Of Hood Rivers increased popu-
lation and wealth, VIM, NJ, Yates, the
postmaster, reports the postal receipts
for the quarter ending Dec. 81, 1899, to
be SS00,53, while for the same quarter in
1898 they were s59l.O3, The number
Of money orders issued for the last qart-
er Of 1890 was 1887, while in 1893 it was
8G8. The Hood River post Office last
year was raised from fourth-class to
presidential Office with o remuneration
Of 81, 100 year. A free rural delivery
was established from the Hood River
post office last July, that is proving Of
value to many farmers Of the valley.
Some 500 people are enabled to take ad-
vantage of this delivery system.
A local telephone system was estab-
lished in Hood River last spring by the
Oregon Telephone Co., which has 20
subscribers, We are in need, though,
of an electric light plant There Is prom.
ise Of a big strawberry crop next spring,
and with good prices for the same, times
in Hood River ought to be better than
ever, Following is what the business
men say Of Hood Rivers prosperity:
Dallas & Spangler, hardware: eve
can't give you the exact figures Just now
but we know that our business last yeat
was lots better than ever before. 1t was
nearly double last year what IT was any
former year, Trade has been very good
lately but we expect the dull season in
our trade during the next two months,
though prospects for the coming yeai
are better than ever. The outlook il
very bright"
Williams & Brosius, Hood River Phar-
macy: 1--WE have done the most busi-
ness in the past IL months that we have
ever done since coming to Hood River.
1t has been the best business. We have
done more cash business than ever before.
Rand x Stewart, general merchandise
"The condition OF business has been
very satisfactory for us since we started
IN four months ago, We have disposed
OF the bankrupt stock of our predecessor,
and have an entirely new stock on hand. |
The general business situation is YER,
satisfactory"
II. y. Everhart, groceries and feed
Business has been good. / have been |
in the store but four months, but iudg.
ing from my experience while working
at the depot the business of Hood River
has increased fully 200 per cent over
previous years, Our logging camps are |
all running and rs the farmers are pros |
porous the prospects are bright for a
good business year in l900."
+. Il. Jackson, racket and feed store |
Business has been tip top. There is no
complaint at oil to make. In fact nv |
business last year was more than double |
that OF any previous year"
w. 4. Sheriff., furniture: Business
has been good. II has been especially |
good during the last six months since
building has commenced, When build
ings are going up everybody gets some
of the money distributed, Prospects for
the future are better than ever before"
Chas. Tempel, jewelry; "Business is
good. ! have had plenty of work in my
line, and enjoyed good Christmas
trade"
S. A. Knapp, shoes: "We can report
on excellent trade. Business has been
very satisfactory. There has been de-
cided INCREASE over last year"
S. II. Cox, general store; eve have
had good trade, though we have been
in business less than two months The
Christmas trade was good"
Mountain Stage & Livery Co.: "Bu-
siness has been good. II was the best
year for the livery business we ever had.
Last summer we took out lots of strang.
ers who came to look over the valley.
We did considerable staging for tourists
10 Trout Lake and Mt Adams
s, J. LaFrancc, book store: ''Busi-
ness has been as good. think, as in
1893, and my Christmas trade a great
deal better, The Christmas trade was
Tar beyond my expectation.
A. ). Rowers q Son, general merchan-
disc: Business has been OK. We
have record Of our business for the
past six years, and our trade ios '99 foots
up double that Of any other year, We
ind collections better than in former
years, Money is easier, and prospects are
good, Weare entering the new year very
Geo, p, Crowell, general merchandise:
'Brglness has been very satisfactory.
Collections have been better than ever.
The people have had more money, and
business has been better on that ac-
'ount, People are paying old accounts Ii