The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-06-09
Oreron Frnit nt Nt. I.onIs.

Hon, e. l.. Smith handed the Glacier
the following interesting letter from II.
L. Williams, who is now enjoying the
sights OF the great Worlds fair at St.
Louis. Mr.. Williams is we'll known to
Hood River fruit growers, having spent
three years here:
Epworth Hotel, st. Louis, Mo-, June
2, l904-My Dear Mr.. Smith. have
had good chance to see the great expo
sition, now, having been here ten days.
| visited the agricultural and horticul-
tural halls twice and have seen all the
exhibits. In the line OF fruits there is
no Eastern state making really great
exhipit of good apples except in very
varieties. Illinois and Missouri are
prominent with Winesap, Willow Twig,
Ben Davis. was surprised to see some
boxes of fine Jonathans from New
York. They must have kept well in
storage.
| thought that Washington, for
while, made the best display, but | OBJ
serve the apples do not keep long. So
far, in size and keeping quality | have
seen nothing better than the Hydes
King and the Arkansas Black, which
were sent by the Hood River Apple
Growers Union. There was but a small
table OF them, yet in prime
qualities OF appearance size and keeping,
saw nothing that was better.
How Hood River could have walked
over anything If only the apples
had been there in quantity The dollar,
/ am afraid, spoils the Hood River peo-
pie in these matters of exhibition.
Great efforts are being made by CALI
fornia and Missouri in large show Of
fruit in glass jars. Indeed the displays
were OF great size and variety. Cali
fOrnia was wonder everywhere in her
displays of dried fruits. / thought that
Montana had fine sample OF keeping
apples. The Alexander's were fine.
Who would think of keeping Alexanders
down to this time of year? Yet they
were there fine and beautiful. Hood
River has her chances Of becoming
world famous, but she does not show It
on the exhibition tables, or outside her
own locality, very much. Perhaps hav-
ing sold out everything she couldn't do
it, but If her people could have seen the
immense quantity of little five and six
tier apples presented by most of the
states, they would have felt more as if
Hood River could down them all easily
ii she had tried.
The attendance here has been large,
yet fully one-third Of the exhibits arenot
in place. There is plenty of amusement
and world OF instruction. The cleo
trio illumination of the buildings is per-
fectly wonderful. It is worth crossing
the continent to see it. Thousands and
hundreds of thousands of electric lights
on all the buildings, 1t seems like fairy
land.
In the horticultural show Of New
York there were pears on exhibition
which Hood River could have shown
any quantity twice the size and much
more handsome. There seems to be a
fine chance for Hood River to make her
impression on the world by showing her
ablities-what she can do with her re-
sources and favorable climate.
We have Strawberries to eat here
every day, but it is doubtful ii they
could be kept over till the next morning
yet we know Hood River berry has no
failing Of that nature. Many people
naturally ask: "What are the Hood
River berries made of, they keep so
we'll?
We are well known west of the noun
tains, but east of the mountains very
little. The markets we wholesale know
of US, but hespeople themselves hear of
us very seldom. l hope it will be bet
ter as our fruit gets more plentiful and
we can ship in quantities il will be more
widely distributed that Hood River
will be one Of the few wonderful placea of
celebrity. We should have more to
show. 1t helps to build up the value OF
our farms in Hood River, by showing
literally what we do and what we grow
there
Theoweaher has been quite comfort
able. The buildings are quite cool and
well protected from the heat OF the day,
and there is no mistake in saving one
can spend week here easily. It is
worth all the costs to come here. | have
enjoyed it exceedingly.
Sincerely yours,
HENRY 7. WILLIAMS.