Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-12-04
What People Do Here - A Para
disc for the True Nan
of Sport.

concerning Oregon was written to the
South Bend, (Ind Tribune by Elmer
Crockett, brother of Judge Garrett
Crockett Of our county. Mr., Crockett
is president Of the Tribune Printing
Co,
With hundred and sixty acre ranch
with from 80 to 20 acres undor cultiva-
tion and with a few head of stock, an
industrious family can make living
easier in southern Oregon than in any
other section of the country. Few are
very wealthy, but all live with case
and comfort, and are happy
The three important valleys of
western and southern Oregon are
namod for the rivers, viz, Willamette
Umpqua and Rogue The Rogue
river valley is mountainous country
with innumerable creeks and valleys.
The valleys vary in length and width.
Some are SO narrow that the ranches
have but three or four fields of from
10 to 90 acres and sufficiently level to
cultivate and the remainder of the 100
acres extends up the mountains. This
makes il very convenient for cattle
raising, rs the mountains for miles
back of the ranches furnish a profit
able range for stock for at least nine
TO 10 months Of the year
Cattle return to the ranch during the
winter months in good marketable con
dition Hay is fed to cattle but two
or three months in the year and often
it is not used at all as stock feed
on the range all winter. Many Of the
cultivated fields are mountain sides
and vary in richness as well as depth
of soil The valleys are from 800 to
1, 500 feet elevation and the surround
ing beautiful timbor-coverod noun
tains are from 500 to 80, 90 feet above
the ranches.
Hay, such as cheat, timothy,
clover, wheat oats and alfalfa is
easily raised and is the principal
crop, but vegetables and berries-are
raised in abundance. Corn is not
profitable. Three crops Of alfalfa are
gathered each year and win produce
good hay for 10 years, if irrigated,
without ro-socding. When a farmer
wishes to seed field to timothy and
clover and it is not convenient to
plow the old grass is burned off, the
seed is narrowed in and the result is
usually good Hops are raised cx-
cossiyoly and this year are very profit
able.
Some mountains and ranches are
covered with "a rcd clay soil, others
are covered with fine granite and still
others are rocky. In the large val
leys, black, sticky soil such as we
have in Indiana pniries, abounds.
This is very productive. Owing to
hostile Indians much Of this valuable
land was not occupied for number
Of years after other portions of the
country were inhabited Whole noun
tains are composed Of crumbled gran
ite. Il looks like coarse sand or rock
SALT makes good solid road and is
used 10y the Southern Pacific railway
for the roadbed Largo pieces of this
formation can be easily crushed by the
hand
These valleys are well adapted for
fruit raising and the country has
gained q great reputation for the fno
quality Of its apples, peaches and
watermelons
The mining industry is rapidly in
Icreasiug, bothplacer and quartz Gold
bearing deposits, are found every
where, but in many places not in pay
ing quantity, yet paying mines arc be
ing developed at eyory.point Of the
compass Both coarse and fine gold
is found in what is supposed to have
been the bed OF a river, from 100 to
| 4, 900 feet above the present river /
was shown several plates full Of
gold Nuggets. valued at from $40 to
$3.50 each Iatcusive copper mines
arc being dos. lopad and railroads aro
in course OF construction 20 carry this
ore 10 market
I Greeks running into Rogue riyor
have queer names, such as Jump-oiI-
Joe, Grave, Cow, Louise, Sucker,
Rough and Ready hummer Red
Dog, slrdiue, Mulo, Whisscy, Steam
boat Ell, Wolf, c,c. You do not say
o man hyas on the Michigan or Por.
tag road, but rather that ho lives on
Applesats crock or Jump-oR-Joc.
The people are from the eastern
states, from Maine TO Iowa But fow
foreign born citizens live in this part
Of Oregon aud no coioroi people arc
seen. W0rkueu on the railroads, 10
saw mills and in mines are Americans
It Is surprising 20 learn Of Che great
number Of bachelors living alone on
ranches Tho trouble is they are old.
Each one La- a history.
The climate Of Oregon is peculiar
unto itself The summers are dry
the days are warm end the nights are
cool The winters are always mild
and snow IS rarely seen. But it rains,
rains, rains. and 90 is necessary 70
insure good crops Il rains easily,
slowly aud mildly No black or blue
clouds no thunder It just rain.
Men work in So, wcmen walk in f.
children play in 81. No one seem.
20 take cold By being wet Il i'
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