The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-11-02
fine LAND IN
UPPER VALLEY
COUNTRY WITH BRIGHT FUTURE
Railroad in Near Future Will Give
Mount Hood all the Advantages
Of the Lower Valley.


Mount Hood trip IN the Glacier few
weeks ago, taking in the fine farms
along the stage road to Cloud Can
Inn, the half had not been told about
the upper valley
The upper Mount Hood country
comprises "A section that is a reyela.
tlon to the visitor, and much larger
i'll extent than Is dreamed of in simp-
! ly passing along the regular travelled
route to the mountain. Possessing all
the advantages of the lower valley,
except that of railroad transportation
near at hand at the present time, but
which it will also have ano' her seaeon,
it is an ideal location for the settler.
The question Is often asked wi Y many
of the early pioneers in search of a
home drove through the lower valley
and climbed the steep grades to make
a home at the very base of Mount
Hood. There was lenty of govern
ment land near the Columbia, and
many choice tracts of land to pick
from. But ut that time there we're no
large irrigation bitches. Improve
ments were few and fruit raising was
given little attention.
40 Wv NhtliN llibliNNl Ntuutu Ills
way up the valley, he found that as
he neared the perpetual snow of the
grand old mountain, water was more
plentiful, the scenery grander, and the
opportunities for making home ap-
| parently better than in the lower val
ley,
The climate is even better in sum-
mer, and while the snow fall is heav-
ier in winter, yet it is but little If
any colder than ON the banks of the
Columbia The distance from the
modes of transportation, however, has
retarded tte rapid growth of the up
per country, and there are still hund-
reds of acres of virgin forests still
untouched by the hand of man.
Scattered throughout the compare
lively level stretches of land from the
Booth hill to the governn ent resel We,
are to be found clusters of homes, fill
ed with happy families, and every
where are evidences of thrift and i'm
! provements that mark the growth of
the country. All are contented with
their lot, and have no wish to change
their location. What better evidence
could be found of brilliant future?
Most Of the land holders have
quarter section of land, and are will
! ing to sell a portion of it to settlers
who will improve the country, and
| give them means to make extensive
improvements for themselves. For
the farmer with limited means, here
is an opportunity to get cheap land,
that will in a few years be among the
most valuable in Oregon. There is
no place on the Pacific coast where
irrigating water can be had as plenti-
ful and as cheap as in the Upper
Mount Hood valley. The land lies
favorably for irrigation at nearly
every point, and water in abundance.
Free water in more or less quantities
is at hand, and the ditch copmanies
now operating ale owned by the farm
ers, who deliver water at cost, which
amounts to but nominal sum.
West of the East Fork of Hood Riv-
or lies a fine stretch of country OK
tending from Winans to the snow line
of Mount Hood that is seldom SEE
by the tourist who makes the Mount
Hood trip. 1t can be reached either
from the road leading from Winans,
or across the East Fork from Helm
er's or Gribble's stores. Here and
there at intervals of a mile or more
are located beautiful ranches, most of
the improved places being in clusters
of homes, so to speak.
About two miles north Of Winans
is the homestead Of A. b. Billings,
who came into the country about
eleven years ago, and found an ideal
spot near the junction of the East
and Middle forks. lie is now reaping
the reward of his labors, having a
clearing of fifteen or twenty acres,
and a small bearing orchard that il
bringing him handsome returns. Al
though feeling the effects of the unug.
ual frost last spring, he has fair
crop Of apples, which are of the first
quality, and will bring top prices.
Although the orchard has never been
sprayed, there are but few worms.
Mr.. Billings will begin spraying next
year, however, and it will take but
little work to eradicate the fruit
pests. He intends to set out six more
acres Of apples next spring, and in an
other year will have ten acres in or
: chard. Besides his fruit, Mr.. Billings
! dug about six tons of carrots from u
quarter Of an acre, and over 40 sacks
Of potatoes was the yield off an equal
, area Of ground. A comfortable home,
Commodious barn and many per-
manent improvements give an air of
: thrift and comfort to the place that is
3 at once apparent to the visitor. A
fine spring of water runs close to the
3 house, furnishing pure cold water for
; domestic purposes, while the Middle
E Fork ditch supplies the ranch with
plenty Of irrigating water.
; Across the road, hidden by the tim
ber that skirts Trout creek, are the
q ranches of W. II, Marshall, j. Ii. Tho
mas, H. Il. Hanson and Allen Macrum.
: A private road leads across the creek,
= and as it is followed to the Marshall
- place, a grand scene of mountain and
b canyon bursts into view. TO the
; north the snow capped peak of Mount
t Hood towers up into the sky in all its
; grandeur, seeming so close that one
, could almost reach it in ten min
uto's walk, while to the north through
4, the deep canyon winds the turbulant
; stream Of Hood River, with the vista
t of mountain and valley in the dis
. tanCe.
/, Upon the level peninsula formed by
, the junction of the two forks of the
river, W. II. Marshall has erected a
e pretty little cottage. about twenty
/; acres have been cleared around the
+ home, and with the well kept grass
!, plot aud buildings around the place,
r presents a very inviting appearance.
, The unobtsructed view to the north
, presents a scene that is unrivalled for
7 beauty in the entire valley. Being
but short distance from the present
end of the Mount Hood railroad, it
brings this now somewhat secluded