The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-05-06

seLlIement. he trHVeseu tDe MI. hOOu
stage road from Booth hill as far as
China hill, now known as Valley
Crest, and visited the homesteadels
on the east side OF the East Fork, and
along Dog river. With few excep-
tions he visited every ranch and
homestead. With regret he missed
some well-improved farms east OF
0. II. khodes' place and that OF Q.
l.. Rogers on the East Fork. His
time was limited on bis return Satur-
day and this is his excuse.
Everywhere in the Upper Valley he
found the work OF clearing land going
on industriously, every body at work,
and all elated over the bright pro-
-pects for their sections. He found
no idle men, on the other hand there
is great demand for laborers. The
work of clearing land will go on all
simmer. At some places he found
apple packers at work, packing tor
shipment to Portland aud Seattle,
where apples command top prices at
this season. Think OF marketing
Northern Spy, Baldwins and like var
ieties in the month OF May These
varieties, kept in the ordinary APP
pie house over winter, are now as
solid and crisp as when picked from
the trees.
| 1t can readily be seen what a great
advantage the apple grower in Up
per Hood River valley has over his
competitor IN other apple growing sec
tions.
The different irrigatinR systems sup
1 nlu ah nf vuafar tor trRiUo
tion.
Many settlers are supplied with
pure water from springs aud creeks.
The ditch companies are supplying
water at sstonishingly low rates COM
pared with other irrigated sections.
Never need an American look be-
yond his own country for the sub.
lime aud beautiful OF natural seen
cry" wrote Washington Irving. Had
he lived to be whisked by in an cleo
trio car thro ugh apple orchards of the
lower valley to view the sublime aud
beautiful scenery of this upper valley,
| he would have been convinced there
is nothing OF the like to surpaes it In
America. The grandeur OF Mount
Hood when viewed In snch nearness is
unspeakable, and one stands In silent
admiration. The snow peaks of
Hood, Adams and Rainier are seen
from many puin' In the upper valley.
The electric railroad projected and
now in fair way to mater iRliZe will
make this upper valley the objective
point of the tourist. No one OF the
many thousands who will tour the
Pacific coast each summer will wish
to leave out the trip through the
famous valley of Hood River to the
snow line of Mount Hood
Ibis line Is now surveyed and right
of way procured through the upper
valley as far as Valley Crest school
house where the southern terminus 10
for the present located. The survey
ors are now at work In the lower val
ley, and the work will not be finished
until the survey Is completed tor the
whole line. The road will greatly
heneht this upper valley as we'll
as the lower section. Population will
double in two years. Land is com
paratively cheap, ranging In price
from $50 TO $3.50. In this land of great
posi- bilities, the man OF moderte
means can establish home. With the
advent of the electric line, the large
holdings of land will be divided into
small tracts and dozen or more tam
lilies can be located where now there
Is but one The wagon roads through
out the upper valley are now In ex-
ceIIent condition, but it is long haul
from the town of Hood River from
whence supplies OF oil kinds are haul
ed, and for this reason the electric
line must come. Besides, the pro.
duee from this section sent to market
mnst all be hauled by wagon. Men
With capital have recently come here
aud have planted thousands OF apple
trees. The clearing now being pro-
secuted vigorously by these new com.
ers will make room for thousands OF
trees to be set In the fall or next
spring.
Descending from the Booth hill in.
to the upper valley, the first clear
ing that meets the eye is that OF j.
p Hillstrom. He has 300 acres, 90
cleared $50 Spitzenbeig and Newtown
trees. Sixty acres of his place is rich
bottom land, balance we'll drained
and excellent tor orchard. The sur
vey for the electric line passes with
in 200 yards of his place. lie has
land to sell to bomeseekers, but will
not sell to specuIators. A hydraulic
ram is taking water from the Bone
ditch, with which he will irrigate his
hay lands. His orchard land will need
no water at least until the trees are
Of mature age. Mr.. Hillstrom has
always kept considerable stock and
along with others is much hampered
now for pasture on account OF the
herd law. While this law Is the right
thing iu the lower valley, here where
there issunlimited range, 1t works
hardship on the az tual settler. Mr..
Hitlstrom is native OF Finland and
came to the United States In 1867, to
the Pacific coast in 1869, and settled
Oh his homestead here In 1882
O. II. Rhodes, native of Minnesota,
has 100 acres which he has resided
upon for tthe past l3 years. lie has
been 27 years 10 Hood River Hls 40
acres of bottom land cleared and set
to hay brings him good Income OF
acres of alfalfa first cutting be has
taken Ga tons OF hay. He cuts his al
falta three times III season.
+ T., Bradford has 10 ncres par
ticalIy cleared All old timers know
Flint Bradford. He is the son OF on
Oregon pioneer, z. +. Bradford, jr.,
and was horn in Portland during the
time Of he Indian war Of 1856 while
his mother was a refugee from the
dangers OF an Indian laid at the Cas-
cades.
j. M. LEM, Is located on 60 acre.
of bis original homestead. Has 70
acres improved, 400 apple trees, l00
bearing. Mr. Lenz located here ID
years ago. lie was born In Wisconsin
In 1867. lie Ia a mighty hunter and
the walls Of the rooms In his large
and comfortable house are decorated
with reminders OF his proves. His
10. ten yesr-old son killed his hIst
deer last summer. He dropped the
deer at frat shot. immediately be
asked his father the time and then
said: "At ii o'clock August q, 1908,
at 10 years of age | killed my first
deer. ! will write 1t down"
M. Dumas native OF France has