Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-08-12
THE WAY WE
DON'T DO THINGS
Why Not Get the Spirit and Follow
the Good Example Of jackson
County.

superior resources lie dormant while
we are being outstripped by our
neighbor on the south.
Fourteen years ago a party of us
visited Big Butte creek on a fishing
excursion. In stay of several
days we did not meet a human be.
ing. There were few settlers in
that region, but we saw nothing but
the primeval forest with its great
wealth of timber 1t then seemed as
If at least generation would pass
'o"a the spirit of progress would
cross the desert and utilize that
wealth A few days ago we again
visited the Big Butte country, going
by way Of the Pacific and Eastern
railroad to Eagle Point, thence by
stage a distance of eighteen miles to
Butte Falls The trip out from Med
ford was a revelation of the spirit
of which we complain. Where we
had before toiled over dreary miles
Of uncutivated land we now passed
through mile after mile of well-keDt
orchards, giving promise Of great
wealth in the near future Even
the aDparently hopeless desert is
humming with activity In every
direction teams are grading, bitches
are being dug, roads built and
homes are being erected A fine
boulevard has been graded through
the desert and it is the claim Of the
promoters that in few years this
old time desert will blossom as the
rose. The Fish Lake Ditch company
proposes to cover this whole tract
with water. and thus make it one
vast series of orchards. Whether It
will be a great success, or whether
there are insurmountable obstacles
in the soil itself, remains to be seen:
but one thing is certain, that in the
push and energy displayed we have
elements that will insure success.
where success is within the range Of
human possibility.
As We neared Butte Falls we pass
led some of the old farms of the
early settlers, There we saw fruit
trees that looked as if they might
be thirty or forty years old. trees
that have seemingly had no care or
cultivation, yet they are breaking
down with their loads of fruit. They
give us a hint OF what may be the
future of that section with its splen-
did soil, water and climate when the
spirit that is conquering the desert
shall have laid hands on It.
Butte Falls is a revelation. Stu
ated on a plateau about 500 feet |
above Big Butte creek, with an air |
that is like wine, water as clear as
crystal, surrounded by thousands |
rOCr irOueorTs ~ ,oro. ~ iN~ ei,~
timber in the world, and a soil that
is peculiarly adapted to the growth |
of all kinds Of fruit, an abundance of |
water for irrigation and with the P.
& f, railroad so nearly completed |
that the cars will be running there |
within six weeks, it would be a rash |
man who would undertake to nut the
limit to future growth and wealth Of |
this gem Of Jackson county,
We do not know the corporate |
name of the company owning the |
land about Butte Falls. but we are
informed that they hold not far
from $4,000 acres OF that splendid |
timber, a body whose value runs up
into hundreds of millions The pa
cific 4 Eastern railroad opens this
vast body to the market, and as It
is proposed to extend the line
through the whole great timber belt |
to klamath Falls, II will not take
a prophet to foretel the future Of .
the city that Is the center Of their
operations
We found Mr. Mills. the oonial F.
manager for the counany. ready 20
give information as To the couutry
mud ppnnlly rtnBy IA holm iu an,. an .