The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-08-15
PROGRESS SHOWN
AT UNDERWOOD
MANY IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTRICT
Building Of Big Dam AwakenS Activity
Homes Built and Orchard
Land Cleared


But few districts will be found in
he northwest that have made as
marked increase in population in the
last three years as that of the Under
wood fiat lying across the Columbia
from the Hood River valley. The
number of its residents have increased
200 per cent during that period, And
with the increase in population an
equally large progress in development
has kept pace. The forest and brush
land of but year ago has become the
young orchards of today. |
From protected hooks among the great
hrs that rise there, where not so very |
many summers ago the deer looked out |
from its hiding place and the mountain |
lion stalked its quarry, modern homes |
have been built, and their occupants |
are happy thriving people, continuing !
their development of the land in an
environment that has every blessing
of nature.
1t is typically true of all northwest.
ern communities, especially the local..
ties among the Cascades, lying among
the ranges of mountains. "The Guard
ians of the Columbia" as John II.
Williams has so appropriately called
them, that each and every one of them
has its natural charm. the boast of the
people who have lived among them
and have come to love them. In this
new Underwood fruit district, the men
and women have but to open their eyes
and look to behold one of the hand
soonest pages of natures picture book.
To the east is the silvery volume of
the Columbia hurrymg down to the sea
through its deep guarding walls of vol
canic rock and basalt canyon. On cer-
tain days the eye can penetrate the
distance until the stream seems a
thread narrowing and disappearing.
The west stretch of the rivers view
is not so distant, yet none the less
looking down the stream and scans the
south bank, he beholds those towering
cliffs, there behind Viento and at
Mitchell's Point, the high wooded peak
of Mount Defiance rising behind them.
East of Mitchell's Point are the few
orchards of the Hood River valley
along the Columbia bank. The eye
sweeps on and birds eye view is had
of the whole expanse of the Hood
River valley. If you would see this
magnificent horticultural garden all at
once, and as you We never seen it be-
fore. travel to the heights of Under
wood. Don't hurry. Go seat yourself
beneath one of those green fir canopie
and sit there resting on summer at
ternoon with the cool breeze blowing
from the west up the Columbia. TIL
Il effort of man has aided nature in tn
II formation of as beautiful bit of LIANT
scape as was ever looked upon. Noun
Hood rises making the background, it
base spread out in all directions an
the frs and pines there mingling wit
the dotted orchard clearings that ar
being made and the white top risinl
above all
Il will do any one good to spend 81
afternoon in this manner. You'll fint
yourself thinking-big thoughts vii
come welli'g up within you; for the
view is an inspiring one. Those of the
Underwood people who live on the
heights overhanging the Columbls
have these things to look at all the
time. They boast of their homes, but
do you blame them?
A thing that has hastened activity
in the Underwood district this year has
been the building of the big dam OF
the Northwestern Electric Co. in the
narrows of the White Salmon river
about two and a half miles above thG
railroad station. Twenty thousand
horse power will be developed here
to furnish light and power for the city
of Portland. The most of the prelim
mary work of the construction of the
big dam has already been completed
Four tunnels have been bored in the
side of the canyon for a distance o.
800 feet. A Golfer dam has been made
ready to divert the flow of the strean
through these. J..
The permanent concrete dam will
be 100 feet thick at its. base and J!
feet at the top. 1t will be l25 fee
high and 400 feet long when completed
When the dam is completed and tht
big dynamos have been installed lin,
will be erected to furnish the resident
of the Underwood district with ligh
and power. The people of this section
already have telephone connections
with each other and long distant con
nections. The Underwood Telephon
Co. was formed four years ago with
subscription list of eight members
Today il has sixty subscribers and it
lines penetrate all parts of the valley
W. F. Cash is the general manager o
the telephone company. Two hundre
and fifty families receive mail at tn
Underwood postoffice.
The population has increased materl
ally the past year through its birt
rate. it is declared. The stork is sal
: to have made more frequent trips
the Underwood district than to an
other section along the Columbia rivel
1 In cases he has borne double loa
and the homes have been enlivened b
the coming of twins.
With the building of the big dam,
renewed interest in roads has bee
created. To bring the big works
II the damsite in closer touch with III
n North Bank railroad, a road IS beln
H built from Underwood up the wei
4 bank of the White Salmon. 1t wi
Il cross just below the site OF the powt
Il house on bridge 200 feet long and II
II feet high. The new road will give a
airline route from Underwood to IroU
II Lake and Glenwood, and the citizet
Il of Underwood declare that this vi
II stimulate the progress at the Unde
II wood townsite on the heights abo'
II the railroad station. The new roi
II will pass directly through the townsi
II and It is predicted that a renew
H building activity will result,
II The North Bank Railroad Go. b
Il come to realize the value of the U
II derwood district as distributing ce
II ter, and is now changing the trae
II there preparatory to building nt
II passenger station. When this work h
II been completed the company will ha
III built a half mile of new siding at U
III derwood. The station of Hood is
II mile west of Underwood. F. w. !
hart operates general merchand
III store here. 1t is thought that