The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-09-02

But the disadvantages OF the dis
trict were more or less offset by tn,
natural productiveness of the soil
the ease with which the land coult
be subdued and placed under cult
vation and the abundant supply OF
water for irrigation and for domesti,
use. The country naturally appeal
ed to the good roads enthusiast be
cause highways could be built and
maintained at nominal cost, compare.
lively. This fact offered timely en-.
couragement to the community spirit
which must be the basis of success I'm
irrigation districts. The summers
were hot, IL is true, the growing sea.
sons were long and the winters short
and mild, two the material advantag.
es of Importance to one slight dis
advantage save in a corn-growins
section.
With this brief resume of condi.
tions as they appeared 12 or Is years
/ ago 1t should be easier for the cit.
izen who has not had opportunity to
study conditions in extreme eastern
Oregon to understand how and why
Snake river people are facing a per-
iod of reorganization and reconstruc-
tion such as seldom has been faced
by the residents of Oregon. And
they are facing the future and its
problems hopefully, even optimistic
ally.
At the dawn OF the irrigation age
when the demand for government
construction or at least government
aid was voiced strongly for irriga-
tion projects-land along the Snake
river could be bought at very low
prices. Early buyers gained choice
tracts by paying n few dollars per
acre for the land, and later arrivals
paid as high as $500 to $4,000 per
acre for the same land The values
scared and prices went kitIng for
several years. ending In more or less
speculation. In which number of
real estate dealers were active and
piled up snug fortunes. At the same
time the men on the land were really
proving the district as well adapted
to the production of alfalfa and
fruit Orchards were planted every
where and dreams of easy money and
even independence were the lot OF
every man who had bought 10 to so
acres OF the newly-discovered Gar
den OF Eden. Everything was going
delightfully."- when the bottom dropp-
ed out OF the western fruit business
Two or three years ago. The shock
which paralyzed well known fruit
had the effect along Snake |
river OF forcing a new deal In soil |
and production methods.
rhe day OF exclusive fruit growing |
had closed,
After the shock OF disaster had
passed every thoughtful man near
Ontario concluded again with the old |
that II is an error to
keep all ones eggs in one basket,
rhe conclusion produced results. for
soon the leading farmers built silos,
began growing corn and bought dairy
COWS. Corn growing was an expert
ment from which many shrank, but
Oregon Agricultural college workers
and the businessmen of Ontario urg-
ed and even oajoled many tillers of
the soil into trying II and the result
production OF forage was little less
than wonderful, The success of
corn-growing gave four crops worth
while, alfalfa, apples. corn, milk.
Then dawned the day of the dairy
cow-the full blood Holstein--in the
valley OF the Snake. Market for the
cream was readily found in Portland,
Walla Walla, Seattle. Everett, Boise,
Spokane. Salt Lake City and Ogden.
Not many years ago the man who
lived on the land near Ontario bought
eastern packed bacon, hams and lard
for family consumption. Dairy cows
were not TO be found on farms and
the family" COW scarcely supplied