East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-02-27
STORY OF UMAT|LLA
STATISTICAL CIRCULAR
FOR HOMESEEKERS.
Facts Condensed for Information OF
Srangers-Pamphlct Issued by the
East Oregonian for the County
Court-Over $4,000 Copies Distrib-
uted at the Lewis and Clark Fair.

While hundreds of strangers are
coming into Oregon, many of them to
Umatilla county, information concern
ing the county is being eagerly sought
and the East Oregonian takes pleas
ure in reprinting the following statis-
teal circular issued by the East Ore
gonian for the county court, over 50,-
600 copies of which were distributed
at the fair. The circular, In full, is
as follows:
Umatilla county, the world famous
wheat county of the state of Oregon, is
situated in the northeast portion of
the state and is bounded on the north
by the Columbia river, the most mag
nificent navigable stream on the Pa
cific coast; on the east by the Blue
mountains, covered with forests Of
fir and pine timber; on the south by
Grant county and on the west by
Morrow county, formerly a portion Of
Umatilla.
The county enjoys an altitude,
rainfall and climate as varied as is
walton ranging from 300 feet at the
Columbia river TO $500 feet at the
summit of the Blue mountains, the
altitude OF Pendleton, the county seat,
being 1069.2S feet, and the altitude
of the settled portions of the county
ranging from 1900 to 200O feet.
The average rainfall Is Is inches,
and the climate IL mild and invigorat-
ing, being neither too cold in winter
nor too hot in summer.
The area of the county Is 1895
square miles, or practically 100000
acres. OF this amount 100000 acres
is tillable, $4,000 acres being wheat
land. and $4,000 alfalfa and fruit
land.
The Umatilla Indian reservation Is
located in the center of the county
and comprises 10000 acres, $4,000
acres of this being choice wheat lands,
which rent at from 81 to $3.50 per
acre per year. The remainder of the
reservation is grass lands used by the
Indians for grazing purposes. There
are lice Umaulla Indians on the
reservation. who spend total of over
tary to the reservation.
The wheat land of the county is
divided into two classes: No. l and
No. .. Grade No. l comprises about
100000 acres In the heart of the
wheat belt, produces 20 to 40 bushels
of wheat per acre. and is worth from
$50 to SIS per acre.
Grade No. comprises about 150.-
O0e acres, yields from 10 to 25 bushels
per acre, and is worth from $40 to
$40 per acre.
The total wheat crop of the county
averages about 100000 bushels, or
one per cent of the total wheat crop
of the United States.
The price of wheat ranges from so
to 75 cents and the cost of produc-
ing wheat in the county ranges from
2S to 33 cents per bushel.
Five large Touring mills supply the
county with flour and export large
quantities OF choice flour to all the
markets of the world.
In portions of Umatilla county corn
grows well, producing from 25 to 35
bushels per acre.
The alfalfa land of the county COM
prises about $4,000 acres, and yields
three crops of hay per year, making
a total yield OF seven tons per acre.
The average price of alfalfa hay on
the farm is Sc per ton, and the aver
age value of well improved alfalfa
land is $50 to $3.50 per acre.
The cost of placing raw land in cul-
tivation under irrigation is So per
acre. Seventy-two miles OF ditch was
built in the county in the past year.
The non-tillable land is made up OF
timbered mountains. which produce
thousands of cords of wood and large
quantities of lumber, rolling foothill
pasture lands covered with bunch
grass and supporting an enormous
livestock industry.
The range and timber lands are
worth from $3.50 to $40 per acre, ac-
cording to conditions. This land Is