Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-04-06
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF GRANTS PASS
Interesting Facts OF Eaily Day as
Told by a Form-r Editor
OF the Courier.

one Grants Pass was in embryo; there
is bat one conspicuous item of which
she had more then than now. aud
that is bench and box whittlers;
box or bench upon which to whittle is
a pessimists roost, aud the better the
box or bench the longer he will re-
main perched upon it, In the early
days she bad brigade OF them who
almost gritted their teeth when some
one built a house and the bigger the
house the madder they got IL was an
avery day exclamation OF these
silurians that the town was as big az
it ever would be and that man WHO
would invest money in 1t was a fool !;
[ they wosld not believe in the town
nor would they leave it and give some
enterprislng man a chance. On Satur-
day, July 31st, 1886, l fell in with
some of them and as Lam an expert
whittier and always carry good
pocket knife for that purpose, we all
went to work on now goods box in
front of the Sugar Pine store. ar
gued about the diversity OF industry
possible under our natural conditions,
admitting of course, that il we were
too lazy to improve these opportunities
and perferred to put in our time doing
nothing, the town would never grow.
"Grow, " said old Mr.. Plaster, why
In the name Of God, man, there is
nothing to make 1t grow - We ar
pued, parried and whitfield; COM
pletely forgot the dignity OF my posi-
ton as Il ublic servant and fooled
away whole hour. ''How can you
prove that this town has got fu-
ture," said one croaker, as he peeled
off a long white shaving of Michigan
pine. pulled my knife for longer
one aud replied with some heat, thus
ny counting tue houses and publish
: ing them in the Courier and I'll count
every house in this fiat tomorrow
henhouses and all, and l want yon fel
lows TO come to the center in 10 year
from now and see what fools you have
> been. -. Accordingly on Sunday
August list, 1885, / did 80 and thu
Courier of August 9th, 1886, had thi
= local under the caption of "Ou
Town: "Last Sunday, to satisfy
curiosity, we 'tramped' the town an
counted every building in it. We fin
. that there are 1876 residences an
buildings used for residences. Their
49, are 81 business houses all told. BE
.. sides these are the NJ. Il. cburcl
court house and Jail. two liver
stables, three windmills, town ha
and rink l. o. .. F., Masonic and
o. G.. Il. lodge rooms. brewery IN
-, finished, saw mill, sash and door fac
tory, size b0xls5 two stories, tw
bakeries, academy, two laundries, 81
stall round house, railroad machin
shops, wagon shop, brick kiln and
. $40 900 bridge almost completed. Ad
To to this 90 barns ..and we have 2l
buildings in our little city and th
On town no more than 23 months ole
- This does not include host of sma
buildings, nor do we count the raj
road turntable aud water tank. -
After the advent of the S. p, ID.
,Ss l.. 90. the first capitalist to come
49, town was one ]. G. Boyd, wife, mai
- and valet, Mrs, Boyd was a linei
defendant of Daniel Boone Of colonii
times and who carved in the BARK of
tree that "her cilled Bar" Mr.
Boyd evidently had oonsiderab
money and it looked as though J.
married IL to get which lie reluctant
had to take her too. Mrs, Boyd was
good woman Of noble impulses sn
was esteemed by all who knew hel
the maid also was respected an
Louis. the valet, was gentleman
his sphere; next and last came I'll
strutty j, O., who, as Hearst woul
M have it. belonged to the bette
element A" He boasted OF being wort
quarter Of million aud objected
paying his little hills, One Of h
first breaks was TO enter the HON,
NY stead of Mrs Lucy Allen, four mil,
south of town Her place had bee
- bought by her husband while Orego
was territory At that early Ha
V the title came through the governo
In this case the governor had neglecte
cr TO cancel the land and 1t appeared Q
the records vt the land Office as ope
to entry. Boyd, with his quart,
o., million, entered the lani aud mao
every preparation to dispossess Il
old lady who had occupied the lar
l. between 80 aud 40 years. She eu
ployed Judge Prim. In the meal
time, jeff Allen loadea his winche
ter and the nejghbors stood behir
ON Jed Doubtless 4 Boyd could ha,
ls establIshed "a legal right he wou