The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-05

"To one who has never been in tn
Grays River settlement. the trip ther
is one OF instruction and altogether
pleasing said Manager Whyte, of tn,
Chamber of Commerce this morning
who was one of the party of Astoran,
who Thursday visited the fair.
1T occurs to me that there is moi
a valley OF richer soil anywhere in the
Northwest, than that of >Grays River
although it rather limited in area. The
display of agricultural products we saw
on exhibition could not be exceled any.
where. One seldom sees finer apples,
finer beets, finer potatoes, finer pump.
kins, or finer anything else, than those
at Grays River. One story told us is
rather diseouraging. however. but there
is probably an explanation to it that
is not yet apparent. A farmer who
raised some of the fine apples on exhis
bition stated that ne tried to sell them
in Astoria but the merchant told him
there was was no market for them and
that it would be useless for him to bring
them here. He was very disheartened
about this and could not understand
why it was that his apples would not
bring price similar to that ordinarily
paid for apples from Hood River.
II have never seen better clothed
farming community nor a better eiu.
Gated oDe than that of Grays River,
and the people there seem naturally
happy, as well they might be. A num-
Der of us visited the farm of Isaac
Bergman where he is now milking rs
cows. | doubt if there is farm with
richer soil anywhere in the Northwest.
1t was a revelation to the many people
who had never before inspected Gnys
River farm. The merchants of Astoria
should not neglect an oportunity to
cultivate a closer business relation with
the people of Grays River, who are we'll
to-do and in the course OF the year
would purchase large amount of mer,
of various kinds from the mer-
chants.
Il talked with several OF the farmers
who had lived .at Grays River for 35
years or more and each and every one
of them expressed themselves as pre-
ferring to live there than anywhere else
they had ever lived. And l do not
blame them for that opinion.
Several prominent citizens of Asto-
ria own farms in Grays River besides
Mr.. Bergman, among whom l might
mention DR.. Barr. Therefore Astoria
people have a special interest in Grays
River, not at all ordinary. A number OF
Dur merchants made up Astoria's party
Of excursionists to Grays River and they
lost no opportunity to make a good i'm
preston upon their fellow citizens of
that settlement.
"Mr. Meserve, a prominent merchant
Of Grays River is erecting new store
building which would be a credit to As
toria. He will have his own electric
light plant for this establishment. 1t
appeared to me that the stock of goods
was quite as large and select as any
10 be found in this city.
"a trip like the one to Gray's River
giyes an excellent idea of the resources
of this section and serves in very
large measure to instill means of max.
ing it more comprehensive idea of
the resources surrounding Astoria.
And there are many localities near by |
almost the exact counterpart of Grays
River. / have invited the Grays River
people to have an exhibit of their pro-
lucts in the Chamber of Commerce and |
sincerely hope they will take advan.
5age of this offer. It is indeed laud-
lble ambition to desire to make known
is widely as possible all of the re-
sources of this section of the country.
Ind a good way to stimulate such an
impression is to go out and see these
for ones SELF"