Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-09-18
Polk County Hop Industry
One of Great Magnitude

; is accounted for by the fact that spray
!. ing was early, timo being taken to do
the work thoroughly and with the best
of dope"
The ranch is one approaching tle
ideal, and reminds one very forcibly of
southern plantation, there being the
same 'big house, surrounded byl
commodious buildings and warehouses,
and "quarters for farm help. There
is general supply store and restaurant
both of which are open the whole year
through, butcher saop and bakery, a
dance hall with floor l50x50 feet, O |
moving picture show, besides sixteen
dry kilns S0x30 feet each, and other
buildings. Every other night during
the picking season dance is given, |
and oftimes more than two hundred |
/ employees trip the light fantastic, to
, music furnished by the management, of
an evening. Major and Mrs. Rose fire.
quent the dancing pavilion and not only
enjoy indulging in tne terpsichorean
art but in niingling with the men and
, women, a goodly number of whom have
! picked hops ON the place during the
} four seasons that the major has been
in charge, and to whom more than $780,
III
work. This is one of the ways Major
Rose has of studying the labOring class.
: Hops are shipped direct to London
, from the Wigricn ranch, which isl
+ reached by siding from Independence.
0 In 1913 a train of fifteen ears went
: forward; in 1914 it required fourteen
o cars to deliver the product to the sea-
Y board, but this year fully twenty cars
e will be necessary, If expectations are
Y realized, for 5000 bales, or more, is the
e hope of the manager. In addition to
/. hops the ranch this year had 300 acres
e in wheat, from which bumper yield
d was harvested There is IL acres of
, orchard and 10 of loganberries The
Il berries from this field were sold on
It the vines at one cent per pound.
l. AS soon as the crop is safely disposed
m of it is the purpose of Major Rose to
Ie commence preparations for next year 8
ID harvest by the erection of a number of
II additional cottages for the occupancy
S, of pickers. The eight four-rocm houses
already on the place will be doubled in
IL number and to these others will be add
I'd ed as the tents now used become worth
to less by usage. 1t Is believed to be
IN cheaper to build small houses and equiv
n them than to supply tents, the deterior
n, alton Of which is considered too great
ed to be economical for housing pickers
he These cottages are ecorstructed alonl
es avenues, and are fifty feet apart, eacf
n. having a porch, and modern convent
ps ences, made possible by splendid wat
ng er system. The permanent help on thu
re place occupies eight houses, built espe
n cially for the purpose.
op The administration of the Wigans 4
ge Richardson company is as follows; Ma
all ior j. Lewis Rose, manager; Perc,
as Goble, bookkeeper; F. i. Brew, assist
,p. ant bookSceper Frank Luke, yard fore
Dr. man; Algier Conger, riding boss; peac
officers, Homer Mills and j. Hayes
he These are the men who have made i
ng possible for the Wigrich ranch to b
of characterized as having the best no
M yard and the best plant in Oregon.
lot Gilbert g. Patterson Yard.
,ps In approaching the headquarters o
lrs the Gilbert & Patterson ranch at Eol
of one finds il unnecessary to make il
m. ouirv for the chief high moeul, Nj
,ps Isaac Patterson, fcc that individual ha
he. beaten YOU to it. and is awaiting you
he coming even though it be unannouncet
ur. with n welcome that Immediately put
am the visitor in good spirits and goo
)ut spirits in the visitor. Few are tn