Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-09-29
FROM THE SOUTH.
Pays Corvallis Visit After Many
Years.

Years.
During the first of the week
Milton Conner was in Corvallis
for the FIRST time in many years.
During early manhood ard for
some time later he resided in
Benton county and nearly all
old-timers will recall him. Some
fifteen or twenty years ago he
left Benton. For some time
thereafter he was bookkeeper at
the asylum in Salem. Later he
moved to Los Angeles, California.
Mr.. Conner's wife is a sister of
Mrs. W. G. Emery, of this city.
After living in Los Angeles
for number Of years, MI. Con-
uer moved with his family to a
small valley that he heard OF not
far from the Mexico and Cali
fornia line. This was year OF
so ago. This valley is almost on
the. edge of the Mohaja desert.
Everything is as dry as a powder
house in that part of the world.
It seldom rains-in fact, rain is
of such infrequent occurrence
that it can not be depended upon
for anything.
The valley in which Mr.. Con-
nor now lives was until year or
two ago counted as naught save
an arid, worthless waste. But
comparatively recently it was
discovered that artesian water in
unlimited quantities were to be
had. Shortly after this fact was
discovered the old Bentonite
heard of the valley and made a
tour of investigation. He pur-
chased 20 acres of land paying
$I5 per acre. Later events have
proved that his speculation was a
wise one, for he can now dispose
of his tract of land for many
times what he paid.
This little valley was settled
up rapidly and many artesian
wells have been brought into
play for the reclamation of the
desert. When water was put on
the soil it was discovered that al
most anything on earth in the
way of tropical fruits can be
raised there. The cantaloupe is
the great thing produced there
for market. This melon natures
in this valley all the way from
ten days to two weeks earlier
than in any other part of the
United States and as a result
they are shipped at certain sea-
sons at fancy prices to New York,
Chicago, and St. Louis by the
carload.
EARLY in the season of develop
ment in the little valley the rail-
road company ran branch line
into the country, thus afording
a means of transportation for the
products of the pioneers. That
lit was a good investment for the
railroad company is proved by
the fact that during the past sea-
son 600 carloads of cantaloupes
alone were shipped to eastern
cities. That there was money
in it is determined by the fac,
that on the greater part of these
melons the producers clear 70
cents apiece.
The first year Mr.. Connor was
on his place he planted but two
acres ia melons and ON these two
acres he made 5000. He say:
that three crops a year may be
produced there as it is nearly al
ways summer aud with a gooe
supply of water for irrigation
purposes those who are cultivat
ling the desert are enabled prac
|tically to make their own season
Sweet potatoes do splendidly, bu
Irish potatoes are scarce. Yo,
can get the finest figs on eartl
there--must pay good money 70
an apple such as Oregon raises
! It gets warm down there ac
J eording to the thermometer, fron
}II5 to 12o in the shade. Still
Mr.. Connor said that he does nc
'Isuffer with the heat nearly 81
much as he used to in by-gon
days when as a young man b
worked in the harvest fields 6
lOld Benton.
i Mr.. Connor was in Corval1i
8 for only a day or two. He we
i enroute to Eastern Oregon, whe1