The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-09-13
HOOD RIVER AT.
TRACTS ATTENTION

Tie recent visit of the editor of the
Portland lrsdesman tn Hood River
has cslleed forth the following notice
in that estimahle iouInHl:
The big red apIl le, which has made
Hood River famous in the rrincipaI
apple markets of the world, is now
the center of interest. The opening
of the market mag be said to date
with the opening of bids for the dit
fer mt varieties which tccurred on the
2Oth The Apple Growers Union So
licited bids from leading buyers In
EnglaDd, Germany and South Africa,
and is pleased " 18th the returns.
The shipment of early apples to
Portland and nearby points has been
in progress for several weeks, but
with the Inauguration of Car ship
ments to the account Of the suocessiu ul
bidders business will be lively up to
Christmas. A large number Of new
orchards have come into bearing this
year and the yield of apples will more
than double that of last year. The
Apple Growers Union estimates this
years crop at l26, 900 boxes as against
900 boxes last year, but the David
son Fruit Co. makes much larger
estimate. The exact figures, OF course
cannot be secured until the crop is
marketed, but enough is known to say
that the crop will be record breaker
both as regards yield and quality.
The soil and Innate of this vicinity
is especially adapted to the production
of apples of the Newtown and Spitz-
enbprg varielies, which here excel, it
is claimed, any other dis riot in the
world, and always bring the highest
prices in the great fruit markets OF
New York and London. X. II. Web
or, commissioner of horticulture, in
his report ter 1904, nude the astound-
ing statement that only about ten per
cent of the available frnit land in the
Hood River vall,y was Utilized. Ii
this be true (Hnd we do not doubt it,
horticultural mtei ests have abundant
room to expand in this vicinity. The
present o. onlalion OF the city is es-
timated at 2, 0O0 aud valley at 1900 in
round numbers.
Hood River is fayorably located as
to transportation with the o. X. q
NJ, and water transportation with by
the Columbia river. The Mount Hood
railroad now running seventeen miles
up the valley, is to be made an cleo
trio road, it is stated, and extended
to the base of Mount Hood.
The Hood River Electric Light,
Water & Power Co has water power
on Hood River, only partially devel-
oped, but capable of producing many
thousand horse power. The Jos. A.
wilson Power Co. has developed $50
horse power on ludian creek. The
water is conveyed through 5000 feet
of pipe from the creek to reservoir
holding a million and half Of gal.
Ions on an elevation in the central
part of the city, and has fall Of $50
feet. About one-fourth of this power
is used in operating the Touring mill,
but the balance, representative OF
the company SAYS, is for sale at one
half rate ch .Tg d in Portland.
There are two large saWmills within
easy reach, out the only industries OF
note right in the city are the Touring
mill and bcx factory. The Hood RiV-
or Milling Co. last year erected fine
mill, which is running day and night,
up to its full capacity OF 1876 barrels.
SO successirl Las been this enterprise,
Inder the mai cement Of q. j. Gess
ling, that next year the mill Is to tt
iLcrtased to 800 barrel Cal acity.