Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-05-17
WILLIAMS VALLEY A
GOOD FRUIT DISTRICT
Is Proven By the Success of
Orchards and Berry
Patches There.

" L. Otepntusun, VINO mas the dis
tinction of being the fartherest M
settler on the right fork of Williams
creek, was in Grants Pass Monday
and was caller at the Courier office
to ascertain If the Grants Pass can.
merry was to be a go and il it would
be in operation in time for this
seasons berry crop. Mr.. Williams
has grown strawberries for the mar.
ket for the past 90 years and has
found them the most profitable crop
on his farm, he making an avers ge
net profit of 5000 per acre. Jakson.
vile has been his principal market, he
getting higher prices here than in
Grants Pass. In reply to statement
made by an Illinois Valley cores
pondent in the Courier that berries
and fruit would not be hauled the 90
to 30 miles from that Valley to
Grants Pass aud arrive in good condi-
tion Mr.. Stephens stated that he found
no difficulty at all in hauliug's straw
'ries 27 miles to Grants Pass and 30
miles to Jacksonville and he would
guarantee to deliver berries to the
Grants Pass cannery in perfect con-
milton.
Mr.. Stephens stated that the fruit
prospects for Williams Valley are the
best and no injury has been done by
frost Williams Valley, now one of
the leading dairy and stock districts
of Josephine county, will be sure to be-
come equally noted as fruit district.
The soil is well adapted to growing
fine apples, pears, peaches, grapes and
berries and losses by frost is very
seldom. At the head Of the Valley
towers up Greyback mountain to
a height Of over 1000 feet. This
mountain has considerable snow ON it
even during the summer months and
that gives an abundant water supply
to the streams making irrigation an
easy problem to the farmers of that
favored Valley. In the hills abont
the Valley are large bodies of the
finest timber in Southern Oregon and
the Valley has been noted for its rich
gold mines and considerable mining
is yet done. The most extensive de-
posit of marble on the Pacific Coast is
found in the hills about the Valley.
This marble is white, black and
striped and in both texture and finish
ing quality it is not excslled by any
marble In the United States. At one
of the ledges q plant equipped with
saws and other tools has been installed
by Jones Bros, for dressing the mar
BILE and they turn out some very fine
specimens Of monuments and building
marble. With a railroad to give
transportation to its fruit, timber,
marble, dairy and other products
Williams Valley will become one of
the wealthiest sections of all Southern
Oregon.
School and church advantages are
fully provided for in Williams Valley
In the district in which Mr.. Stephens
resides, known as the Burned dis
triot, he Estates that a new school
house is to replace the present one
now old and too small. The contract
has been let to J. II. Miller and the
building is to be completed ready for
the Fall term of school. 1t is to be
24x36 feet and will be furnished
with the best make Of single desks,
slate blscktoards and all the other
needs of an up-to-date school. The
district board is made up of Charles
Hoxie, d. W. John and ]. H. Kin.
cade with ]. w. Larimore clerk and
they are efficient, public spirited
official who gives the fullest attention
to all business affair." of the district.
School is now in session in the dis
trict with Rev W. p. Rosser as
teacher. Rev. Rosser in addition to
conducting the school in a most
efficient manner is the popular pastor
of the NJ. E. South church located in
the district And that he may have
ample physical exercise to Offset his
strenuous mental work, Rev. Rosser
cultivates the three.acre tract about
the parsonage and the fine crops that
he raises proves that he is as success
ful farmer as he is a preacher and
teacher. The Williams NJ. +. South
church'is well attended and prosper
ous Three acres Of land is owned
and on it is located commodioul
church edifce and a neat parsonage