Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-04-24

Social and Educational.
Although long isolated from the
outside world, southern Oregon has
fairly kept pace with other sections
in matters of education and general
culture. Both the public and pri-
vate schools are as good as can be
found in the majority of the older
states; while. the warm hearts and
friendly hands that greet the new
conner will readily convince him that
true culture and courtesy are not
circumscribed by mountain barriers.
Principal Towns.
Numerous villages are springing
up all along the line of the railroad
and in the interior, but the two prin-
cipal towns of southern Oregon are
Ashland and Jacksonville The for
mer has papidly increasing popula-
ton, now numbering about 500. 1t
is located on Ashland creek near it's
junction with Bear creek. The first
stream furnishes a fine water power
for manufacturing and irrfgating
purposes, when the latter is needed.
Situated along the stream are a saw
mill, two planning mills and furniture
manufactures, two flouring mills
and the Ashland Woolen Mills. The
town also has bank, a wagon shop,
blacksmith shops, an academy and
numerous dry goods, grocery, hard
ware and furnishing stores.
Jacksonville, II miles from Ash
land, contains a population of about
900. 1t has bank and several fine
stores. Being the county seat of
jackson county, it has always ranked
as of first importance in southern
Oregon, but the recent completion
of the railroad to Ashland, bringing.
with it the trade of the country east
of the Cascades, has given greater
prominence to Ashland population
1900, which now bids fair to be-
come one of the most important
towns south of Portland.
Timber.
The mountains of southern Ore
gcn are covered with dense growth
OF most valuable timber, among
which we find several varieties of
fir of enormous size, sugar and yell
low pine, Oregon maplpe, redwood,
mountain mahogany, etc. The i'm
mense timber belts of the Cascade
and Coast ranges contain untold
wealth that in the near future will
be developed. When tho railroad
peIetrates these timber belts the
marketing of the lumber will give
occupation to vast army of labor
ers, and the farmers of the valleys
will find their resources taxed to the
utmost to supply their needs; and
thus ready market will be found
at their very doors.
Scenery.
To describe the scenery of south
ern Oregon would require the skilled
pencil of the artist who has made
nature his constant companion and
who has been admitted TO her most |
profound secrets. Coming from what
direction you may upon the valley
of the Rogue river, you feel that
human tongue is inadequate to do
justice to its charms; and the longer |
one remains the more the charm
grows upon him. Nor is the beauty
confined to the valley. This rich |
gem has setting worthy of it's
beauty and it's value.
AS the traveller ascends the noun
tains, following the course of the
Rogue river toward its source, new |
beauties greet him at every step. The !
stream itself is indescribably grand,
as it comes tumbling along its rocky
course. The Rogue River Falls
need to be seen to be appreciated.
Their beauty and grandeur have
called forth the most enthusiastic
praises from all who have visited
them.
But probably the greatest curios-
ity in the northwest is found on the
of the Cascades beyond the
head of Rogue river. To see the
Crater Lake
would well repay "trip across the
ccntinent, or even from Europe. To
to describe it is but to dis
cover the poverty of human Ian
guage. Climbing up the steep noun
tain through heavy growth of tim
Der to an altitude of about $500
feet, the traveller suddenly comes
upon the mystic lake, and for mo-
ment he feels as if he had been
to another world. Be-
fore him in basin about 500 feet
deep, formed by an extinct volcano,
is crystal lake of more than thirty
miles in circumference and of un-
known depth. In the middle of the
lake there rises a volcanic urn to