The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-12-16
TRUTH FEATURE
OF HOOD RIVER
EXACT HONESTY" WAS MOTTO
Sam &. Campbell Tells of Methods
Used at Chicago Land Show
Display.

Sam q, Campbell returned Sunday
from Chicago. where he and Joseph
A. Wilson had charge of the the Hood
River exhibit at the recent National
Land show. 1t was the pulicy of the
Hood River representatives to tell peo.
pie interested the exact situation In
this part OF the country and they
we're careful not to ovsrstate the
facts.
"The Hood River display" said
| Mr.. Campbell, "had the reputation
throughout the show OF exact honesty.
We did not have land to sell and we
did not have apples to sell as did
many of the representatives from dit,
erent parts of the west. We did not
even keep list of the people who
were inter- ested and we referred them
to no real estate men. We told them
the truth about Hood River, about
conditions in various paIts of the
valley and invited them cordially to
come out and see the country, assur
ing them that they would receive fair
| and honest treatment at the hands Of
| our people.
"Our method of dealing with the
visitors TO the show lead them to have
confidence In what we told them and
many OF them came to us because
they had been told we would tell
them the truth. We did not knock
ether localities and when asked out
candid opinion OF the other places,
We gave it, whether 1t happened to be
good or bad. Every body with whom
we talked seemed to prefer Hood
River, although we did not have
some Of the high.sonnding stories
which we're being dealt out by the
real estate exhibitors from other
Localities, We told them that there
we're no gold pieces growing on the
bushes out there and that II there
we're the bushes wouldsall be oornered
by this time. However, we dId
explain the extent OF the undeveloped
land In the valley, which would make
them good profits in apples.
Zone man came to talk with me
tour times and the fifth time he told
me that he wanted to come out, to
Hood kiver right away but that sick
| ness IN his family would prevent his
coming west for two OF three months.
he wanted to place money in the
bank out here and have me pick out
good farm for him, but 1 told him
l could not do it as there was a pos-
sibiity that he might not be entire a
satisfied. urged him to take
run out here as soon as possible and
look the field over for himself.
lone OF the best. posted truit men
in Chicago told me that the methods
we used would bring more net good
results to the Hood River valley than
any other display or all the other
displays combined would bring for
their localities. We did not try to
MAKE Hood River look cheap and we
would tell the people the Advantage Of
coming into the vslley with several
thousand dollars to invest rather than
tew hundred. We told of the envi
ronment which they would find and
of the peculiar advantages which they
would find here. We assured them
that Hood River did not foster any
"get rich quick" artists ana they ap.
preclated seeing an exhibit where the
prime object was not to unload a few
acres Of land onto them. Many people
who had heard of the famous Hooa
River valley we're surprised that there
was any land tor sale here at all.
'Ths people visited the show In
immense crowds, not only from Chi
cago, but from ell the middle states.
lhsy were interested In the west and
they wanted to hear about it. AT first
We were a little disappointed not to get
on the main floor Of the show, but
of N fa IN al hah
an advantage because we had chance
to talk to the peOple who came anu
ha zeal interest in learning of the
country.
"Of course our apples we're far and
away better than anything else at the
show and people who knew apples ap.
preciAted that fact and told us so.
We had practically the only exhibit of
SpItzen ergs, Newtowns and OItteys,
ss the other distI lots we're represented
chiefly by the cheaper varieties. Ihe
Chicago people are accustomed to the
| Grimes Golden and the Jonathan a.
their best apples, and it WAS easy to
see large market for Hood River
| trnt there when We are able to supply
| them. They we're bit surprised to
learn that oui apples we're all sold iD
New York month or so before .hey
we're taken from the trees.
at was the first time Chicago had
eVei been put next to the real thing
IN the apple line, and / believe that
we had no less than hundred deal.
ers, both wholesale and retail, ap.
proaoh and offer to tuy the whole
carl Dad SteinhaTdt ~ Kelly disposed
CT the apples t. the Gibson Fruit Go. =,
aud ] believe that firm had nearly all
OF them sold around the So mark he
| fore the show was over. Mr.. Gibson
showed us a great many Go1rtesies
during our stay in Chicago, and we
appreciated very much the way In
which he treated US.
"Msny people who had paid dime
FIR an apple which did not look very
good to US, would come along and try
TO buy p Hood River apple. We told
them that we would gladly give them
away II we had any to spare. Our
display outclassed the other districts
which were represented to such de-
gree that we we're given universal
respect. We we're the only represen
tatives from all OF Oregon, while all
of the other western states we're repre-
seuted by many displays. We held up
the honor of Oregon with regard to
apples but the state would have
gained much by being represented by
other products. The show was the
biggest thing of the sort ever pulled
off, end will result in incaloula bic
benefit to the whole west.
'Mr. Wilson and myself we're dele
gates to the Land Congress which was
meeting 10 Chicago ato1t the same
time. We went to the congress and
expected to stay but few minutes.
When We handed In our credentials
and people found we we're from Ore.
gon, 1t took US an hour or so to gel
away, as there Is an intense interest
IN this state throughout the east, anG
in fact the interest seems to be focus
ing on Oregon.
On his return, Mr.. Campbell visitet
In Oskalooss, Ia, and Crookston