Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-06-26
Written by Helen F. Hall
to Eastern Friends.
HAS TIE BOOSTER SPIRIT
This I etter Is One of the Winners
In the School Letter Writ
ing Contest.

Grants Pass. the metropolis and
county seat of Josephine county is
without an exception the finest place
for a health resort of any place in the
vast state of Oregon. But you will
say it is shut in by mountains. Yes,
we are surrounded by mountains on
all sides, the Cascades ON the east. the
Siskiyous on the south, the Coast
Range on the west, and the Umpqua
Divide. which is rugged portion of
the Cascades on the north.
But friends, If it were not for these
huge monsters our climate would not
be so mild and beneficial as it is, it
is these that protect it from the win
try blasts. cyclones and storms of the
middle west, central and eastern states.
Grants Pass has q population of
nearly 5000. Its school population has
increased about eighty per cent in
five years and in the last two years
the high school alone has increased
about seventy per cent.
Mr.. Thomas Richardson. the great
boomer of Portland was here a few
days ago and to his surprise and our
joy when he asked for standing vote
of all who had come west in the last
five years eighty per cent rose to their
feet out of large attendance. He
VISA here for the purpose of interesting
the people in their own country enough
to aid new oomers, which are con-
stantly coming in. He asked in behalf
of our commercial club If every pupil
would write letters to as many as
we could out of the state of Oregon,
but to be sure to tell nothing but the
truth. | hereby, as one of the many
pupils, pledged myself to aid our en-.
terprising commercial club in what
ever way l could though it be but
little.
Our city supports nine good
ohdrohes. three ward schools aud one
high school, which in the near future
will be supplsnted by a larger and
more modern one. two box factories.
one planning factory, foundry. two
ice plants and many nice public build
iugs of important interest.
The country adjacent to Grants Pass
is noted for its vast forests, mines and
orchards of apples aud pears, also To-
kay grapes lands, which yield net
of $500 to 5000 per acre. 1t has been
proved that the Tokay grape of the
Rogue River valley brings a larger
price in New York and the eastern
states than any other Tokay grape in
the entire country. Its color is deep
er, being the same all over, while
Others are colored on one side the
other of whioh is green.
Fruit lands can now be obtained at
low rate in order to give the i'm
m grant an opportunity to come west
with however small an amount Of
money he may have, and be- able to
make rich income 10 a short time.
There is su unlimited amount of " at I
power from Rogue river and many
other streams. to aid the farming and
fruit Industry. Tn re are three kinds
of soil, loam of the bottom laud, which
if watersd properly viii produce won
derfully. The red land requires more
cultivation than the loan, but IT j.
on this that we grow such fine graz es
OF various varieties. The fruits OF
Josephine county are said to be uusur-
passed both in flavor and in quality.
Pears and apple. of the Rogue River
valley have gained a Worldwide rrpu
tstion for quality. flavor and perfect
ness and demand the highest prices il
the United States and foreign markets
Pruues, peaches and pears are Away
abundant aud always bring goo'
prices.
The cherries are unequalled any
where as shippers because of thei
keeping qualities. They are large an
have an excellent flavor. The Blsc
Republican and Royal Anne make
Continued on Second Page.)