The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-08-22
Eood River @lacisr
FRIDAY, AUGUST %, 1902.
PeregrlnatIOns Of the Senior Editor

PeregrinatlOns Of the Senior Editor,
Last week the peregrinations of the
Glacier man, senior, took him to Dukes
Valley, Willow Flat and the Odell dis
trict. He could not visit all the set
tiers in these localities this trip, bat
may call upon the others later.
Dukes Valley lies at the head of Odell
creek. The little valley takes its name
from man named Dukes, who was
the first settler. None of the present
Inhabitants know anything about him
The valley is not very extensive; the
two principal farms, owned by nom
residents, take up most of the valley
land. The best farm In the valley was
formerly owned by ] H. Gerdes, 1t is
now farmed by J. o. Cameron, who
has lease for several years. Mr.. Cam
eron cultivates about forty acres TO
wheat, oats, timothy aud clover. Be
sides conducting this farm he has 40
acres of hay land leased on the Roberts
place at Odell, and also runs reaper
and binder that cuts grain for the
neighborhood. He cut so acres this
season. The binding twine for the ma
chine costs 20 cents an acre. The price
of binding twine is now Is cents a
pound; before the war with Spain II
cost cents pound.
j. A. Knox Is now the oldest settler
In the valley. He has a good claim
with nice young orchard, but being
the blacksmith for the neighborhood,
he has neglected the farm too much.
He has 40 acres for sale that would
make good buy for any one wishing
to set out AN apple orchard. The land
is mostly in cultivation and ready fol
the setting Of trees. 'The price he asks
is $50 an acre.
John #. Dodson, another old settler,
has good piece Of land but has worked
away from home in the logging camps
and neglected to improve his place
His son, w. g. Dodson, has a claim
here and is making good start to
wards farm and home. G. II. Stan,
ton has good piece of land and is
making good Improvements. He has
young orchard and one Of the best
gardens visited In our travels Rev.
ID. d. and A, I. Dodge have recently
located homesteads in the foothills
west of the valley, and as they are
workers, will no doubt make good
farms. There is some good saw timber
in the foothills, and a fine range fol
cattle. A new road laid out to Mount
Hood passes through Dukes Valley and
Is said to be the most direct route. II
needs considerable work to make 1t as
good as the stage road now travelled
Charles A. Suits has taken a home
stead on the head of Odell creek. He
has four acres cleared for apple trees
next fall.
Leaving Dukes Valley, we next Wis
tied G. w. Murphy's homestead. Mr.
Murphy has recently removed from hil
his place on the Mount Hood road. H,
has good start for good farm. His
garden is doing well under the infiu
ence of water from the Bone ditch
from which he can irrigate his whole
place. Mr.. Murphy will go largely
into the cultivation of strawberries
which In this, the Willow Flat neigh
borhood, is proving to be a valuable
crop. G. r. Bones homestead adjoinl
Mr.. Murphy's. Mr.. Bone is doing 6
grand work for Hood River. If th'
man who causes two blades of grass t.
grow where one grew before is called I
benefactor, what term would be goot
enough for g. R. Bone, by whose effort
the fertile lands of the East Side ar
being watered by the East Fork Iirri
eating company's ditch?
At the Davidson Fruit company
farm, on Willow Flat, we found Charlie
Davidson experimenting theirrigatioI
Of the l3-acre peach orchard and straw
berry patch Of the company. A fore
of Japs is clearing more land, and tn
company will not stop until their 0
acres at this place are planted to straw
berries and fruit trees of different kinds
George Booths place adjoining ha
proved that this section Is one of tb
best in Hood River valley for the grow
ing of apples, pears, cherries, peache
and strawberries, and the Davidson
Fruit company is making good use q
the experience gained by Mr.. Booth
The Glacier maj accepted an invite
ton to take dinner with Mr.. Davidson
aud we sat down and did full justice t
an excellent farm dinner prepared b
Mrs. A. Whitehead, Mr.. Davidson
daughter, who with her child, Mar
Whitmer, visited him several days las
week.
The Odell district was next visited
William Odell, who came to Hoo
River with d. A. Turner, settled her
in 1861. He was well known through
out Wasco county and much respecte
as man. He died on his home plac
here abont ten years ago. G. G.. Rot
erts, the well-known wool buyer, mar
ages the original 0dell farm. i.
Boyed, the well-known builder an
contractor, has fine farm here of l6
acres, 35 i'm cultivation. He has 100
apple trees, 500 in bearing; 1900 straw
berry plants, and win set $1,000 mex
spring. He has 12 acres in clovel
Part of his land lies on Willow Fla
He has unimproved land for sale as Sc
an acre. F. NJ. Orr, who came her
laat March for hpaith has 05 acrae & 4