Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1904-09-02
ON A WAVE OF PROSPERITY
(Morling Oregonian.) }

Bradstreet's last weekly report,
showing the bank clearings Of the
country, credited Portland with a
heavier percentage Of gain than was
shown by any oiher city west of the
Rocky mountains. With an average
Of over 100000 per day, the gain was
3l.4 per cent over the corresponding
week last year. This is highly salts
factory, but not surprising, for never
in the history Of the city has the bust
ness outlook in Portland territory
presented a brighter aspect. The
wheat crop Of Oregon, Washington
and Idaho is smaller than some Of its
predecessors, but the shortage is nearly
all in the remote portions OF Washing
ton, not tributary to this city. In
what is known as strictly Portland
territory. the crop is the largest on
record, and it is selling ut higher
prices than have prevailed at the open
ing of the season for more than ten
years. This big crop and big prices
will follow a number of other good
crop years which had already lifted
hundreds Of farmers from poverty to
affluence, and but little Of the money
received will be needed to make good
deficits due to the misfortunes Of the
past
But the wheat farmer has no mon
opoly Of this general prosperity that
has struck the Pacific Northwest A
news dispatch in yesterdays Oregon
ian stated that fruitgrowers at Hood
River had refused an offer of 1925 per
box for apples. Hood River is not a
large place and the area Of fruit land
tributary is In a measure restricted,
but out of that little station rolled 1876
carloads Of Strawberries this season,
and the other fruits that are following
will in the aggregate make much
the erstwhile desolate- looking "bars"
lying at the mouth of the ravines
along the Snake River, and from the
sand flats lying higher up, this year
is moving a crop of fruit which will
require 300 cars to carry it to market.
From Southern Oregon and from the
Willamette Valley fruit is now NOV
ing by the train-load The industry
gives employment to thousands of
people, and the money paid them
Immediately goes into circulation. 1t
quickens the pulse of trade and per-
meating every vein and artery of
commerce, shows outwardly in glow
ing colors that are but a reflection of
the health within.
Hops, 25 cents per pound What a
sound of prosperity rings in that
figure, when we hark back to the time
when the crop sought in vain for
buyers at to cents per pound. And
our dairy industry, not yet developed
into proportions sufficient to meet the
demands of home consumption, but
already adding vast sums, to the
agricultural collateral which keeps
the wheels Of trade moving! With
butter at 25 cents per pound and eggs
% cents per dozen, the dairying and
poultry business cannot be much less
profitable proportionately than the
wheat business. 1t is a long story,
this detailed review of all the wealth
that is now being created so rapidly
in Portland's territory, but the results
are so tangible and prominent that
none can overlook them. In the more
recently opened agricultural districts,
new villages and towns have come in
to existence within the past year or
two, and in the older districts every
city, town and hamlet show indis-
putable evidence of prosperity. In
the smaller places this prosperity is
reflected in numerous new dwelling
houses, a store or two that were not
there last year, sidewalks and other
improvements. In the larger towns
and cities handsome dwellings, new
brick blocks, paved streets, etc. all