The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-09-03
Writes of Hood River.

Writes of Hood River.
Miss Melissa K. Hill, who is con-
nected with the School and Home,
magazine devoted to the interests
mentioned on its title page, and who
is well known at Hood River, con-
tributes the following excellent article
on Hood River to the September num-
ber Of the magazine:
Our boat has landed on a white
sandy beach of a cottonwood grove,
and shall soon te at home in Hood
toward the setting sun. The noun
tain hemmed Columbia that has in
terested me during a ride of 60 miles
from Portland is forgotten for another
scene, lift upon lift of blue green
woods. Between oak and pine, Hood
River homes present their green roots
or white or brown fronts. The wild
I'm arigolds" on the sand dunes nod
their welcome as l pass to bridge
"Where Flows Hood River" to join
the Columbia
Over the bridge | 60, down a long
street OF graded lawns. What q place
for home is the town OF Hood River
Built as H. Is on hill side, with one
street elevated few feet above anoth-
er, every home may have a view of
river aud mountain. No photograph
can show the beauty of the location as
whole.
Right about; face to south for a
long pull aud "a strong pull up TO the
third bench from the river, and
through a pine grove. | have walked
two miles along the northern and
western boundaries of the village, and
everywhere there is evidence of pros
perity
What are the sources OF this pros
perity? Hood River valley is gener-
ally known as the red apple and
straw berry country OF the northwest,
but it has won this reputation not
only because fine fruit grows in the
valley, but also because men live
there who know the advantage Of or
ganizstion. Business men and farm
ers pull together in Hood River.
The business men have an active
commercial club, with wide awake
publicity committee, who have issued
a most attractive booklet. The mer
chants have a club. The fruit grow
ers have two unions, the fruit grow
ers' union and the apple growers
union, the latter of which has 240
mem bers, 80 per cent of the apple
growers in the valley.
The value of organization for the
farmer is evinced by the prosperity of
the apple growers union. Sixty-hve
new members were added this year,
although the membership fee has been
increased since the organization Of
the sleague, in 1903. Fruit can be
purchased from members of the union
through the union only, plan which
prevents unfair combinations between
sellers or buyers, and relieves the
gr over from finding a market.
The apple growers union is now
building a cold storage plant, which
VIXEN completed, will be 400 feet long
and 40 feet wide, with capacity of
100, 900 boxes of apples. Two hun.
dred and fifty feet of the plant will be
completed this year.
The proximity of good markets is
another source of the prosperity oil
Hood River homes. With an open
river to the sea and three railroads,
one through the valley, one on the
south and one on the north bank Of
the Columbia liver, the problem OF
shipping is easily solved.
"The climate of the place has induc-
ed many to make their homes in Hood
River. The average number Of days
in each year when the temperature II
above 80, Is nine, and the ayerag
number of days when it is below .freez
ing is a. Winter commences late anc
spring early, and wild flowers picked
in February are not uncommon. Th'
average maximum temperature over q
period of Is years ia 80 degrees fol
February and Al degrees for January
and Tor July and August 79 degrees
The average minimum Temperature
for these months is 20 degrees for Jan
: uary and February and "a degrees fo
the months of July and August. Th,
! ain tall is 30 inches. '-Commercia
Club Booklet.
Many persons with tired nerves q
weak lungs or with asthmatic coughs
have found health In the mountain
breeze and sunshine of Hood River
and many strong, active people hav
retained their strength and activit.
: while they have worked and becom
s wealthy.
r The resources and Industries of thu
$ valley and town are so geneiall
known that only summary is neede'
to assure one that Hood River home
have a strong foundatio The fin
land of the valley-3O miles long an
from three to eight miles wide-th
q exhaustless supply OF water for irriga
tion and the timber make possibl
. varied industries. The town has
9 large -four mill, three cold storag
a plants-two for fruit and one fol mes
an ice plant, vinegar plant aud a
q electric light plant. In the vale
> there are three saw mills. One hur
. dred carloads of strawberries wer
a shipped flom Hood River this yea
i and the apple crop will he the largei
= Hood River has ever had.
Il Six thousand people now call Hoo
!, river valley and town home. III
! Japanese have found a home, for the
- are needed to clear the timber fio
the new land; the Turks because the
,f make good helpers on the farms, Il
- sturdy rancher, without whom tf
g west could never have been calle
II home. has built his "wee bit ingle {;
= the artist, Hood River claims at lea
/ three, has found home suited to b
4 temperament; the musician, hon
), where his harmonies are appreciate
), All are striving for equality. Il
: slogan of Hood river valley and tow
1t