East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-09-10
f. p. Dodd, President Hermlston

Commercial Club
The Umatilla Project is down to a
practical working basis. 1t is begin
ming to earn its daily bread. 1t Is no
longer in the high skies of specula-
tion and possibilities, but is on a firm
footing of realization. Be that reali-
zation what 1t may 1t Is now the basis
OF operations here. 1t took five years
80 reach that basis but now that the
foundation has been found the super
structure Of progress Is beginning 10
rise.
Many events transplre in the devel-
opment Of new, raw waste of land in
to comfortable habitation for hap
py people. But We are not looking
backward on the Umatllla project.
The Speculator who boosted the price
OF land came and went but who could
stop him in his course when the whole
west was swimming In the sea OF ella
tion over the discovery of new land
values. He may have hurt the Uma-
tilla project some but only in the same
degree as he hurt the Willamette VAL
ley and many other parts OF the
Northwest, but he was one of the
means that brought the districts of
the west to the attention of the east
ern public. There was land to sell
just as there are goods on the shelf
and the land man Is as necessary az
the merchant. Because of the great
demand for western lands the price
Of land here followed the upward ten
dency OF our neighbors' land prices
until II became too high and many
who would have made good settlers
came and went They liked the
country but refused to pay the price
for unimproved land. The price is
about half that OF two years ago and
progress has therefore been made in
the price OF raw land the first thing in
new country.
The Apple Dream.
Then there was the Elysian field OF
the big red apple. No dream has
ever been sweeter than the apple
dream. But the apple business like
the speculator is on a firmer footing
also. The horticultural will take care
OF the apple OF the future as the land
man will be satisfied with smaller
margins. Several thousand acres OF
young apple trees were planted ami
this season the first apple are a guar
antee OF the good faith OF the planter.
The wait OF six or seven years for an
income orchard has proven a hard.
ship to some. Very few were able u
live on n bank account for such n
period and many others were mex
perienced In irrigation methods and
practical farming which made II diff
ficult for them TO make a living on the
land between the young trees. They
were compelled TO look about for the
means to livelihood which has re-
suited In a quick development OF the
dairy business with alfalfa as the first
base Of operation. II was found that
alfalfa on the new soil needed moth
ing but water. When planted any
where and watered for four days the
flrst two leaves would appear ana in
ten days with the third leaf and a
root three inches long II made an en-
during plant that drouth might him
der but nothing could destroy. II Is
a wonderful plant in the sandy soils OF
the Umatilla project ami the craze for
II now is as great as It was for the
fruit trees. II is especially desirable
since II produces an early income and
also because II Is great fertilizer
With alfalfa came the dairy COW, the
hog and the bees. And now with tho
slowly but surely growing apple and
other large fruits we have sources of
immediate Income that are adding
greatly to the present and future de-
velopment OF the project. A con-
crete exnmple of this Is the work OF