The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-01-04
YEAR 1905 WAS
PROSPEROUS ONE
MANY new PROJECTS STARTED
Thousands Of Dollars Spent in Build.
ingS and ImprOvements-City and
Vally Progressive and Liberal

Vally Progressive and Liberal
During the past year many import
ant events have transpired in the up
building of the city of Hood River
and projects have been either started
or finished in the valley that will mean
much in the progress of this commun
ity. Thousands of dollars have been
spent in bettering the conditions of
property and in erecting new build
ings, and thousands more are being
spent in building railroads and for
irrigating purposes.
1t was during the year just closed
that the idea of building the Mount
Hood railroad was born and put into
execution. In few weeks it is OK
pected to have this road completed to
its present destination, and the end
of summer may see it pushed even
further up the valley, While the rail
road was built largely for the purpose
of giving the new mill OF the Oregon
Lumber company an outlet for its
products at all seasons of the year, it
cannot help bat prove OF mutual in.
terest to the railroad and those living
along it to put into effect passenger
and freight service.
The construction of the road has
been the means of bringing no small
amount of money into the city of
Hood River during the year, and
more is yet TO be spent.
The lumber business has received
an added impetus by the cree
tion of the immense new mill of the
Oregon Lumber company at the new
town of Dee, which is said to be the
largest mill in the northwest, and
which is equipped to turn out any.
thing from a lath to an so foot tim
Der. Another large mill owned by
the Stanley Smith Lumber company
was projected. and is nearing com
pletion at Green Point, and win add
its quote of business to the city dur
ing the coming year.
Nineteen hundred aud five also saw
the erection of the new electric light
and power plant at an expenditure of
$50, 600, aud an almost like sum spent
in the Improvement of the water sys-
TEN. 1he new block of the Davidson
Fruit Company was built, and also its
brick warehouse, cold storage plant
and ice making apparatus, and cleo
tricity installed in it in the place of
steam.
The Apple Growers Union built its
new concrete warehouse and made
better arrangements for handling and
shipping fruit and 1908 can be written
in big letters as the year in which the
growers here received the highest
price ever paid for apples anywhere.
The past year was an active one in
the building line, and it is estimated
that at least fifteen new residences
we're erected The new Catholic
church was built and additions made
to the city schools, Early in the year
the freight station Of the O. II. N.
was completed and the passenger sta
tion remodeled during the summer.
A new industry was instituted in
the building Of the cider mill and vim
egar works, and many minor improve
ments were made to other business
buildings about town.
The banking facilitates of the city
we're improved by the Inauguration of
a savings department by the First
National Bank, and the prosperity of
the valley indicated by the incorpora-
tion OF Butler Co. into the Butler
Banking Company and the doubling
of its capital stock.
Merch ,nts have had profitable
year, as has been shown by the open
ing of larger stores with better stocks.
A number of new firms have gone into
business ana Jne outlook tor trade
next year is better than ever before,
Considering the small amount Of
revenue at the disposal Of the city
government, it has accomplish he'd
much in the way of I'M + yenents
and has handled the affairs of the city
on wise and economical policy. The
passing Of the ordinance Tor the con
struction of the sewer was one of the
most important features of the year
and indicates the spirit of prOgIe ess-
iveness for which Hood River is not
ed.
Educational facilities in the various
districts throughout the valley have
been bettered, both in the matter of
supplying teachers and in quarters for
the pupils 1t has been necessary to
enlarge many Of the school hOuses, and
the taxpayers have not been backward
in voting mduey for this purpose.
In fact, they have shown spi.it wor-
thy of emulation by many larger and
wealthier communities in this matter.
Money for good roads purposes has
also been readily Forthcoming, Sey-
eral districts have agitaed the matter
of purcha sing rock crushers, and the
coming year will probably see one or
more of these machines at work max
ing material for permanent highways.
Irrigation has received its share of
attention, aud the Farmers lrriga-
tion company has discussed plans for
improving its present plant which it
is expected will TAX definite shape
before many months. The bonds of
the Hood River lrrigatng district,
calling for an expenditure Of $50, 900
have been foated and approved and
the end of the coming year will see a
new and valuable waterway added to
the resources of the valley.
Last, but not least, it was during
the year which has just run its course
that the plan was given birth for the
building of the north bank railroad
What its benefits may be to Hood
River are yet an unknown quantity.
1t may prove blessing or the oppo-
site. However, it was one of the
most important undertaking in this
section of the country, and marks a
new era in the history of the Colum-
bia river valley.
A number of new projects of wide
spread Importance have been pIomul-
gated by our eighbors across the riv-
eI, the building of the proposed cleo
trio railroad up the White Salmon
valley being one of them The pro-
ject as yet has not taken definite
shape, but there is every reason tor
believing that it will do 50,
The new railroad now being built
has already been the means of bring
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