Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-03-27
GRANTS PASS AS SEEN
THROUGH THE 0REGONIAN
Editor Conklin of the Outlook
Interviewed and Tells of
Our Activity.

OF tDls CiLy WulCu oppohIou III Moi
day evenings Portland Telegram is a
partial ratification of the old "saw''
that we sometimes have to go away
from home to get the news
Brother Conklin went down to Port.
land a few days ago to look after
business matters and encountered a
Telegram man with the result that
many other people will sit up and
take notice that Grants Pass and this
vicinity on the Rogue River are not
only wonderfully resourceful, bat
entering upon q new and splendid
growth which the soil and other
natural advantages here so abundantly
justify. Following is the interview
and Mr.. Conklin has not exagger.
ated one jot or title:
Southern Oregon. according to re.
port, is not only forging ahead rapidly
in the production of fruit and grapes.
but the various cities Of that part Of
the state are making wonderful strides
in population and developing civ ic
pride, causing them to make many
improvements. The outlook is said to
be roseate, indeed, for the region as a
whole, and Grants Pass is asserted to
be in the vanguard of this noteworthy
progress.
at is asserted by Arthur Conklin,
proprietor of the Pacific Outlook.
succeeding the Oregon Mining Jour
nal. of Grants Pass. that the city now
wears quite metropolitan aspect.
lone large steel bridge across the
Rogue river will soon be in process of
construction and another is planned;
many street improvements are under
onsiderstion and automobiles are
getting to be as common as other vs-
hicles. Grants Pass Is growing
rapidly, said Editor Conklin, and
settlers in that district are coming
from all parts of the United States.
The immigration from eastern Oregon
and from Spokane has been large.
A number of settlers have even come
from Hood River. We had few
arrivals recently from South Dakota
MANY tracts Of property large and
small are being sold right along tor
fruit lands and vineyards. The keen
est inquiry is for property on which
to grow Tokay grapes. There is
plenty of sidehill land, with south
eastern exposure, which exactly fills
the bill for Tokay grapes. / have no
figures with me, but think that an
acreage of somewhere between 500 and
1000 has been planted iu grapes this
year. Tokays are usually planted
because that grape is the best markst-
able.
"A. II. Carson of our section may
be looked on as the father OF the grape
industry. His example was followed
by few, and in short time the
commercial advantages of that part of
the state for producing grapes was
realized generally, because of the su-
perior quality. the firmness and juci'
ness of the grapes. Then almost
everybody planted vines, and it is now
big industry. We have some OF the
best river land for apples of any place
in the southern par. of the state.
Grants Pass has received a great
impetus this last year and the populs-
tion has increased from about 2OOO to
5000 or 5000. The Commercial Club
has taken up the matter of advertising
the district through the Southern
Pacific; we are getting up 64-pag7
pamphlet, descriptive Of our climate,
natural advantages, resources and
other desirable features, and 2OOO'
Of them will be placed in ejaculation
They will be distributed from railway
stations aud many of them Will
sent to per.ous making inquiry by let
ter. The amount raised for advertis
ing purposes is about $1,000. All tue
real estate dealers are inserting ad
vertisements in the Eastern news
papers and in realty journals.
the city is also making NOV
toward development in the way o
paving the streets. The city councl
has this matter under consideration
and as the sentiment is strongly II
favor of such u step, there is no qu5s
tion that ordinances authorizing tn
work will be adopted. The CONNER
cial Club is proving a valuable facto
In the progress of the commonly. 1t
secretary. b. L. Andrews, is a wide
awake man, who is giving geDers
satisfaction. The membership OF tn
club is more than 100. 1t is doin