The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-03-09
A FEw QuEsrIoNs ANswERED.
Hood River Valley.

It's northern boundary is the Colum-
bia river; its eastern a high spur or
divide putting out from Mount Hood,
1000 feet or more in height, admirably
protecting the valley from cold winds in
winter and the hot, destructive winds
in summer that come from the east; its
western boundary the timbered slopes
of the Cascade range, while the broad
base Of Mt. Hood completely blocks the
valley to the south. The arabic portion
Of the valley is some twenty miles in
length by an average width OF five miles,
or 81, 900 acres. Deduct IA 900 acres for
bluffs and tracts too rough for cultiya-
tion, and we have $4,000 acres suitable
for tillage Hood river receives all the
drainage Of the north and east side Of
Mt. Hood, and the melting SHOWS OF
summer maintain large and constant
flow Of water. The river has descent
of over go feet to the mile, and canal
eight miles in length would direct any
portion of its waters To the brow OF the
plateau just above the village and $50
feet above the railway line.
At the present time all the arabic
lands on the west side OF Hood river
have irrigation facilities, and good
commencement has been made on an
irrigation ditch on the east side Of the
valley that will cover $4,000 acres. In a
brief time there will not be ten-acre
tract in all this district but what may
hsve its running brook, its fragrant
meadow.
The country adjacent TO the upper
reaches OF Hood river ia covered with
forest growth, and the timber adjacent
to the river has been estimated as high
as billion of feet.
Last year were shipped some $1,000
crates, or over one million pounds of
Strawberries, which went to Omaha, St.
Paul, Duluth, Denver, Salt Lake and
other markets. There are also about
10000 standard fruit trees, largely ap-
pies, III orchard form.
Such, in brief, are some OF the char
acteristics Of Hood River Valley; but
apart from these it has an aesthetic value
that should not be overlooked. Here
beauty and sublimity are added to
wealth OF forest and soil. The climate
is most salubrious, the air a luxury to
breathe. The western breezes come fra
grant with the odOrs of the pines and
frs OF a hundred miles OF forest, and
nowhere does the glorious sunlight leave
warmer blush on fruit and flower than
in this mountain vale. Ascend to the
level OF the plateau just above the vii
lage and objects Of physical grandeur
are everywhere about. To the south, so
beautiful and seemingly so near, rises
the graceful immaculate shaft, Mt. Hood,
that all Oregonians love. To the north,
Adams rears its bulky form more
than $4,000 feet above the sea, sovereign
of all the lesser peaks from Shasta to
Rainier, while at their very feet flow in
ceasless measures the garnered waters of
an empire. Modest and plain our
homes, but grand and incompatible our
surroundings.
The fruit products are not limited to
apples and Strawberries, but include
pears, peaches, prunes, black berries and
all varieties of small fruits, while clover
and the various grasses, wheat, potatoes,
vegetables and garden products succeed
admirably, especially under irrigation.
Six or seven saw mills, three of which
cut from $4,000 to 100000 feet OF lumber
per day, employing many men, are OPP
Grating in the valley. The available
water power is fully 1000 horse power
and equals that OF Spokane. Hundreds
of visitors spend their summer vaea-
tions in the valley, camping, hunting,
fishing or wheeling, each year. There
are no cyclones to terrify, no billiards.
to chill nor thunder storms to destroy.
Water is pure and abundant, fuel to be
had at slight cost above the cutting.
Lands can be purchased ut from $25
to 5000 per acre, according to location,