East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-10-03
A VOLUME OF STATISTICS ON UMAT|LLA
COUNTY

county is one Of those entered in the
composition contest at the recent
county fair:
From the Blue mountains 100 miles
westward to the Columbia river, the
river highway of the west over a
beautiful expanse of rich rolling wheat
lands, timbered ridges, verdant foot
hills carpeted with luxuriant pasturage
and affording sustenance to the finest
hards of sheep, cattle and horses
produced In the west, lies Umatilla
county, called the Tyrol of eastern
Oregon.
As beautiful as Switzerland, as ier-
tile as Ireland, as rich in history ana
romance as famed and loved New
England, this delightful empire otiers
to the homeseeker. the investor, the
tourist unique and splendid induce
ments.
Astounding in beautiful and mex
haustihe mountain streams, having
an altitude ranging from 900 rect 40
Umatilla where the proud Columpia
sweeps about her western border, 10
5000 feet where the crags of the Biue
mountains are kissed by.the inVigorat-
ing sunshine of eastern oregon, Uha-
tilla county offers health, vigor, vital
izing atmosphere and new life to the
health seeker las we'll as priceless op-
portunities to the homeseeker.
Within her rugged borders having
an area of 1896 square miles OF varied
territory, lies ap empire OF promise
which is almost entirely self-support-
ing and Independent of the outside
world. :,
With her diversified soil and cn-
mate. her multiplied industries her
thriving towns, her growing country
settlements her developing manulac-
turing. she presents the picture OF
vigorous, independent, prolifc empire
which makes men bold and fearless IN
citizenship, strong in Industrial pur-
suits and rugged and resourceful IN
character.
The very vigor Of the climate ana
the diversity of the soil Is reflected
aud magnified in the character OF the
citizenship of such county and such
a country.
While many of the industries OF
I-matIlla county are conducted on
large scale-on a magnitude cor
responding to the magnificent outline
of the county, yet the foundation or
her prosperity and the anchor OF her
industrial hope is the small farm. the
small home owner with the highly de-
yeloped and cultivated tract producing
something on every foot OF his land
and utilizing to the highest degree MS
entire holding.
In the Cold Springs or east Umatilla
which
now being constructed at cost OF
s1.10O,OOO, and which will reclaim 25'-
600 acres of excellent sandy SOIL the
small farm ideal will reach Its highest
deyelopmcnt. on this tract under the
government reservoir. 40 acres is the
farm unit and sufficient water to irrf-
gate this thoroughly goes forever with
the land. and is the property of the
homesteader.
This promises to be a model set
tement, as are many other irrigated
sections in the county on Butter creek,
in the Hudson Bay, near Echo. Free
water, Milton and Hermiston. where in
all these sections of the county land
has reached high development under
irrigation.
Historical.
The history OF Umatilla county oe-
gan 20 years ago when the dauntless
missionaries from the east traversed
the wilderness to the Pacific coast and
planted their stations along the
Columbia and Walla Walla rivers
Indians now living on the Umatilla
reservation near Pendleton, remember
Marcus whitman and today may b'
heard speaking the words he taugh
them i'm his school at Waiilatpu on tbs
Walla Walla river.
After the missionaries came, i'm
migrants followed, and the deep worr
trails over the Blue mountains ant
down their western slopes into Una
tilla county were the first and famou
highways to the west.
Actual settlement in Umatilli
county began about 1860, although
for Us years before, daring adventur
ers, hunters, trappers and immigrant
had Travelled over the county In thei
wanderings through the western vii
dcrnesses.
Today the county has a population
of $4,000 people, with IL thriving
towns ranging from 200 to 1000 souls
Pendleton is the county seat and trad
ing center as well as the principa
shipping point in the county for wheat
wool, livestock and other products an
has population of 1000 people.
Towns of the County.
other towns in the county are Nil
ton, in fruit district having man
highly developed farms under irriga
ton, with population of 1900; Athe
ma, the center of the reservation whea
district, one of the richest sections
the west, population 1000; Weston,
rich wheat and hay producing distrio
and the~location of the Weston Stat
Normal school, one of the principe
normal schools in Oregon; Adams
with 400 population, the center of
rich wheat district Helix 800, In tn
heart CT the northern wheat distrit
Of the county, and an excellent grow
ing town; Pilot Rock. in the alfalf
and stock raising district, populatio
200: "a railroad Is now surveyed frol
Pendleton to this point distance {
15 miles); Echo, with population {
800 in the center of a rich irrigate
district, from which several thousan
head of cattle fattened on alfalfa al
shipped each year, also from whic
pont great quantities of wool ar