The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-02-15
HOOD RIVER LEADER
SAYS ADDISON BENNETT

The story below was written by
Addison Bennett and appeared in
Sundays 0regonian:
The difference 'twixt the optimist
And the pessimist is droll
The optimist sees the doughnut,
The pessimist sees the hole.
The one who wrote the above in the
first instance was not a resident Of
Hood River, for there is no hole in the
''sinker" of that city. In the place
there is an apple. usually Spitz or
Newtown-but always an apple with
out flaw and without blemish.
| am constrained to make this state
ment after many critical examinations
of the subject, after many visits, some
cursory, some lethargy, but all bearing
on the subject of the resources, the
possibilities, the hopes and beliefs OF
the citizens.
Before going deeply into the subject
| wish to pay my respects to the peo-
pie of this bustling little city as
whole, to their excellent team work.
to their solidarity, their unanimous
upon Mrs. Smith as one of the best
examples of wife and mother that
ever lived.
wish to speak of her in what may
be called her public capacity, for she
always belonged to the community in
which she lived. And il can truthfully
be said that when her eyes were closed
in death a short time ago there depart
ed from this world a woman as sim
cerely mourned by the citizens sgener-
ally as any other who ever resided in
in the state; and perhaps no woman in
the West ever left behind so wide a
circle of mourners when the number
of people in her immediate vicinity is
taken into consideration.
For the many years she lived IN Hood
River she was ever first and foremost
in every good work and good way. A
wise counsellor, loyal friend, with
open purse and loving sympathy, she
was ever relieving distress and direct
ing Alright those who might be disposed
to wander or grow weary; and now
there are still living in this city hun
dreds who owe the greater part of their
happiness to this loving woman; hun
dreds, perhaps thousands, who have
'passed over" had their departing
days made brighter by her loving kind
ness.
Her memory is not simply heritage
of her husband, her children, her rel
atives, her. friends, her community,
but of Oregon and all of the West.
The Hood River Valley comprises
about 100 square miles. speaking of
the portion that is or will become
suitable for orchard land. This is not
all of the best. Perhaps of the ga, ,00O
acres there are so, 600 acres of prime
apple land. OF this only about l3, 00O
acres have been planted, and of this
there are probably 10000 acres bear
ing, although much of this area is OF
trees four and five years old.
The production last year was about
$50, 600 boxes of merchantable apples,
but it must be remembered that 1911
was an off year for apples everywhere
in the country. 1t is estimated we'll,
do not wish to say 1t just in that way,
for | had estimates from half dozer
different ones as to the coming crop,
these estimates running all the way
from 600, 600 to 1000, 600 boxes. So
would rather say hopes instead of esti-
mates. IL seems the apple growers
have a way of foretelling or prognosti
eating the yield some months. ahead
this being done by taking branches
from the trees and forcing the buds il
hot houses. The Davidson Fruit
Company has taken these branches
from many sections Of the valley, ant
it is SAID that the blossoms are vigor
Gus and profuse, pointing to wealth
of sets far above the normal.
. The polarization period is the crucia
and deep-grounded belief in the Hoot
River Valley and the city of HooC
River.
In all the country there is not sucI
another example of the camaraderie
of citizenship, the standing togethe
for the community, as there is in th
little city on the hill, where the app
industry has become an exact science
such science extending from the mo
ment the apple twig is planted unit
the fruit thereof has been sold an
delivered.
Does any other place IN the worl
produce as good apples as are grown i
this valley? The Hood River citizen
will tell you no; scores of other place
will tell you that in their vicinitle
they can. and do raise just as goo
apples as those grown in the Hoo
River Valley. Be that as it may, "
all know that for their system of sort
| ing, packing and marketing, this CON
| nlunity not only leads, but has pointe
| the way for other communities to fol
! low.
| Quite as a matter of course when
| came here to be enthusiastic agai
over the valley sought my old friend
K. l.. Smith. But | am not going t
say overmuch about this gentleman
for he is just now in the meshes Q
despondency over the death of his be
loved wife. Mr.. Smith and Miss Geoi
gianna Slocom were married at Wood
stock, Ill on March A, 1861, the yer
day Abraham Lincoln took the oath a
President of the United States. MI
Smith, a Vermonter by birth. had bee
a delegate to the convention that non
mated MIR. Lincoln, and celebrated tn
5 inauguration in that unique way. MI
Smith and Miss Slocum had been 8
college together, in Lombard Univei
sity, at Gaesburg, ILL.,, for somethn
like three years. On the day of the
marriage they left Illinois for Califol
ria and went into Eldorado section, an
: in 1864, when Mr.. Smith was rs yeai
of age, he was elected to the Legii
lature, being the youngest member c
/ that body, with one exception. In l8t
he was appointed by Andy johnson
I secretary Of the Territory of Washing
ton, and served until 1872, when b
purchased 400 acres of land on ii
bluffs just west of the present city {
Hood River.
am not going to say what NJ
Smith had to do with bringing tn
valley and the apple industry herr
abouts up to the present STANDARD
There will be more fitting times fl
I that, but Mrs. Smith, dead and gone
for her must say a word. For almO
81 years she and her husband had ira
eled the road of life together, and the
\ journey was so peaceful, so harmon
- Gus, so true to all of the better stan'
ards of loving communion and effor
that those who knew her ever locke
=, | .;pna in nooot annla sectionS and this