The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-08-17
BEAUTIFUL MT.
HOOD COUNTRY
CONTINUED from Page 81

pointment awaited us, as he and al
the family except one son we're ava!
packing blackberries.
Pausing a moment and hearing tn,
sound Of the buZzing saw at the mil
below we urge our horse down through
the Cooper meadow, and in a few
moments we are greeted by A. M
Kelley, one Of the lumber kings o
Mount Hood. Kelly took time to til
his hat, but was too busy for an In
terview. Talking glibly moment ht
said: ave are awful busy; every
thing all right; plenty Of lumber or
ders till further orders; lots of i'm
provement going on over across the
west fork. etc.
1t was then close to high noon and
the inner man appealed to US strongly,
so we urged the horse faster and fast.
er, turning corners quickly until we
reined our horse up at the cross roads
at W. s. Gribble's, the country mer.
chant, postmaster and all round bust
ness man of Mount Hood. Mr.. Crib
BILE was busy, but took time TO extend
all possible courtesy as we lunched in
the shady park west of the store. Mr..
Gribble tells us his business is spread
ing, and his responsibility is conse-
quently ON the increase. Like the
Little White Store people, he is both
merchandising and ranching. He has
our sympathy, as well as our best
wishes for success. He highly favors
the creamery proposition and we
mutually agreed that inasmuch as the
Ha1aImooJ paopIa haJ faLan nm Tho
work here by placing separators and
establishing cream route, that much
Of the responsibility of the success of
the enterprise rested with them, and
that we we're perfectly willing that
they should shoulder IL, and help
make the business a success. We
must not forget to say that at Crib
ble's store we met Mr.. Owen, who
owns homested two miles east of the
store, and who is delighted with his
location, and his prospects for build
ing home over in the hills in the
Mount Hood country. We also had
the plesure of an interview with Mr..
Mckinney, who owns 40 acres of land
two miles southwest of the store. Mr..
Mckinney Is thoroughly imbued with
the idea of diversified farming, and
is unqualifiedly in favor Of the cream
cry business. The fact Is that this
was one of the matters discussed
while covering that territory and it
was the unanimous opinion that the
creamery business was the most inn
'portant question as touching the fu-
ture welfare of the Mount Hood sec
tion, as we'll as the valley In general.
Leaving Gribble's we were anxious
to interview Mr.. Helmer, but found
him absent, both going and coming.
His mill was running as we passed by
but the day was lengthening and we
had to pass on.
Mr.. Rush, formerly from Morrow
county has now 40 acres of the Fred
enburg place north of Helmer's and
60 acres across on the east side the
road opposite Helmer's store. Mr..
Rushhas about 20 acres cleared on the
two places and seems contented and |
expresses himself as satisfied with his
location and Investment and highly
in favor Of the development of the
creamery business.
Leaving there we close up the work |
of the trip at the house of j. X.
Steel. Mr.. Steel and wife are sturdy
Scotch people who are thrifty and are
and make good American citi-
zens. Mr.. Steel is the owner of 100
acres having sold 40 recently. He has
% acres under cultivation l5 acres in
hay the balance in orchard and gar.
den. Mr.. Steel Is believer In alf- |
alfa, lie says that one acre Of alfalfa
will keep eight COWS during the sum-
mer months, He has already cut from
one scant acre six tons besides feed |
ing two COWS during the summer.
lie has taken 70 tons of hay from the
first cutting with another crop COM
ing. He says that this shall always be
his home but he intends to reduce his
acreage and give others a chance for
4 happy home In Hood River valley.
He IL engaged in the chicken business
having about 400. He has arranged
his chicken houses 80 that with proper
,are he makes money ON them. Mr.
Steel Is believer In the merits Of
water. He pays annually $50 and says
Il pays. He has an orchard of 600 or
100 trees part bearing. He believes In
diversified farming, and expresses
himself as highly In favor of the
creamery business. Mr.. Steel, In ad.
lition to being an all round rancher,
3 genius. You arrive at this con.
fusion upon looking at several ar
icles of furniture made with Jack
Inife In sort of patch work style,
including bookcase, lounge, chairs,
picture frames, etc. Tho chief attrac,
ion about the place for the children
Il beautiful dappled fawn captured I
" Mr.. Steel's little girl, after having
'ecome fastened In the meshes of the I
lire fence in its effort to escape cap.
ivlty. She has ii uniformed with
ibbon and bell around it's neck. Ii /
pends the day In the flower garden
nd makes its bed among green bows I
a one Of the chicken houses at night, {
{ Is five or six weeks old and a
eauty. The fowls now gather In the I
background on their feeding grounds |
nd liberal supply of wheat Is scat G
sred, and about the same time Mrs,
teel announced supper. Well, we'll, '
tier having breakfasted early and !
Inched at Gribble's store, the supper d
al was gladly responded to, and we Il
1t down to a bountiful feast OF good u
lings. On the bin of fare was one |
these chickens. Mrs. Steel is one
those women who Is perfectly at
ONE in her own home, and proved a
hostess This supper | 4
llled the reporters banquet. The e
of this square meal proved f
no of the most delightful duties Of /
10 whole trip, but | forgot, for Mrs. 81
.eel's last request was not to men.
on the supper, so | will say no more q
jout it. n
At p, m. we left their house and IT
10 minutes we alighted at the Little h
hite Store, after delightful trip of Ii
rec days, during which time we
eaned much information, renewed c'
d acquaintances and formed new oi
les. With all that, we are glad to q
at home, for the post OF duty is p'
3 post of honor. Besides "Be il lii
er so humble, there is no place .
le home" di
In closing this article | feel that | 70
. the readers of Mount Hood an pa
ology. Realizing the magnitude of da
81