Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-03-02


qua divide. The Coast range is
pierced by Rogue river and its princi-
pal tributary, the Illinois, the streams
flowing through extremely deep aud
rugged canyons.
Besides the Illinois, Rogue river has
another tributary which rises tc the
dignity of river. the Applegate.
The principal valleys of the county
lie along these three streams and are
separated from each other by long
spurs which extend north and west
from the Siskiyous. The divide be-
tween Rogue river and the Applegate,
some 80 miles in length, is a continu-
ious barrier from one end TO the other
with the exception of one pass near
Jacksonville, giving the upper portion
ofthe Applegate valley communication
with that town and with Medford. on
the line Of the Southern Pacific. This
divide ends abruptly just south Of
Grants Pass, the confluence of the two
streams being few miles below.
Grants Pass is by its position, the only
logical railroad point for the greater
part of the Applegate valley.
Dividing the tributaries of the Ap-
plegate from those Of the Illinois.
another long ridge juts out from the
Siskiyou range, sweeping first north
and then west. Below the confluence
of the Applegste with Rogue river the
divide turns north again till 1t reaches
the latter stream. Thereafter the
river follows close along the foot of
the steep mountains until imprisoned
on the other side by spurs from the
Umpqua divide, it flows through a
narrow canyon to pass the Coast range.
The illinois divide is broken at only
one point. an easy pass which leads
from the Illinois valley to Slate creek
aud down that stream to the Applegate
valley near its junction with Rogue
river within few miles of Grants
Pass which is by its position again
the only logical outlet to the railroad
from the valley of the Illinois.
The Illinois valley is in size the
most important in the county, being
some 20 miles long by ~ miles wide.
1t contains many OF the best farms of
the county though only the most fer
tile portions are In cultivation and il
contains large areas of unimproved
land. The hills which surround 1t are
full of mineral wealth aud both moon
tain and valley lands ha, large tracts
of good timber, virtually untouched as
yet on account of the difficulty of
transportation. The projected railroad
from Grants Pass will work wonders
toward the development of the many
resources Of this valley.
The Applegate valley, long and mar.
row. is better developed agriculturally,
the farmers having co-operated in an
irrigation system which has worked
wonderful transformation The valley
Of Rogue river at and below Grants
Pass though not large In extent, is
wonderfully fertile and productive.
From all Of these larger valleys
arms and branches extend along the
tributary streams into the very heart
OF the mountains Even after the
valley seems TO end and the creek
course becomes canyon. there will
be little openings, hooks and coves Of
fertile and comparatively level
ground. Such sheltered places are
peculiarly adapted to the growing of /
fine fruit.
The northern portion Of the county
contains no large valleys but has a
series OF long and generally narrow
creek bottoms of the same general |
character as those mentioned. The
Southern Pacific railway cuts through .
each of these creek valleys and Grants /
Pass, the nearest commercial point,
receives the trade of these and tribu.
tary districts.
The mountain lands which comprise
40 great u portion Of the area OF the
county are by no means waste lands
but in different industrial lines have
wealth bringing industries that place
them side by side In value with the
valley lands, The mineral deposits are
rich and extensive and the timbered
areas are large and valuable. The
mountains, more especially the higher
ones, contain much good grazing
ground and among the uplands,
benches aud table lands, there is con.
siderable land suitable for agriculture
and which will doubtless be brought
into cultivation when the country
reaches greater degree Of develop
nent. The roadless areas of the
western portion of the county con-
aims considerable land Of this char
acter.
When the situation of Grants Pass is
in relation to the topoera.