The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., January 5, 1900, page 2

OUR PROSPERITY

     As a retrospective of Hood River's growth and increase of trade during 1899, we publish below the interviews of our reporter, obtained from the business men, Monday, on the conditions of business last year and prospects for the coming year. With one accord the merchants declare that business has been good, and that indications are it will continue to increase. The business of Hood River has doubled within the past year. The big crop of strawberries last spring distributed $70,000 in cash among the people of the valley, and consequently the merchants report a big cash trade. A great deal of money is left here by the transient population of strawberry pickers, and this year the railroad camps near town secured their supplies from our merchants. There has been a steady increase of population in the town and valley that has materially increased the business of the merchants. There are no empty business houses or residences within the town. And the value of real estate has advanced accordingly, the price demanded for suitable business sides is in excess of the value the business of the town will warrant. Capital cannot be induced to come here at a sacrifice. It is the valley behind the town that has made Hood River known to the outside world.
     The post office receipts afford a good insight of Hood River's increased population and wealth. Wm. M. Yates, the postmaster, reports the postal receipts for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 1899, to be $800.53, while for the same quarter in 1898 they were $591.03. The number of money orders issued for the last quarter of 1898 was 1237, while in 1898 it was 868. The Hood River post office last year was raised from a fourth-class to a presidential office, with a remuneration of $1,100 a year. A free rural delivery was established from the Hood River post office last July, that is proving of value to many farmers of the valley. Some 800 people are enabled to take advantage of this delivery system.
     A local telephone system was established in Hood River last spring by the Oregon Telephone Co., which has 29 subscribers. We are in need, though, of an electric light plant. There is a promise of a big strawberry crop next spring, and with good prices for the same, times in Hood River ought to be better than ever. Following is what the business men say of Hood River's prosperity:
     Dalles & Spangler, hardware: "We can't give you the exact figures just how but we know that our business last year was lots better than ever before. It was nearly double last year what it was any former year. Trade has been very good lately but we expect the dull season in our trade during the next two months, though prospects for the coming year are better than ever. The outlook is very bright."
     Williams & Brosius, Hood River Pharmacy: "We have done the most business in the past twelve months that we have ever done since coming to Hood River. It has been the best business. We have done more cash business than ever before."
     Rand & Stewart, general merchandise: "The condition of business has been very satisfactory for us since we started in four months ago. We have disposed of the bankrupt stock of our predecessor, and have an entirely new stock on hand. The general business situation is very satisfactory."
     H.O. Everhart, groceries and feed: "Business has been a very good. I have been in the store but four months, but judging from my experience while working at the depot the business of Hood River has increased fully 200 percent over previous years. Our logging camps are all running and as the farmers are prosperous the prospects are bright for a good business year in 1900."
     F.E. Jackson, racket and feed store: "Business has been tip top. There is no complaint at all to make. In fact my business last year was more than double that of any previous year."
     W.E. Sherrill, furniture: "Business has been good. It has been especially good during the last six months since building was commenced. When buildings are going up everybody get some of the money distributed. Prospects for the future are better than ever before."
     Chas. Tempel, jewelery: "Business is good. I have had plenty of work in my line, and enjoyed a good Christmas trade."
     S.A. Knapp, shoes: "We can report an excellent trade. Business has been very satisfactory. There has been a decided increase over last year."
     S.H. Cox, general store: "We have had a good trade, though we have been in business less than two months. The Christmas trade was good."
     Mountain State & Livery Co.: "Business has been good. It was the best year for the livery business we ever had. Last summer we took out lots of strangers who came to look over the valley. We did considerable staging for tourists to Trout Lake and Mount Adams."
     S.J. LaFrance, book store: "Business has been as good, I think, as in 1898, and my Christmas trade a great deal better. The Christmas trade was far beyond my expectation."
     A.S. Blowers & Son, general merchandise: "Business has been OK. We have a record about business for the past six years, and our trade for '99 foots up a double that of any other year. We find collections better than in former years. Money is easier, and prospects are good. We are entering the new year very hopefully."
     Geo. P. Crowell, general merchandise: "Business has been very satisfactory. Collections have been better than ever. The people have had more money, and business has been better on that account. People are paying old accounts better than ever."
     W.B. Cole, confectionery: "Business has been good. We had a big Christmas trade. Business has improved steadily every month since I located here last February."
     Clyde T. Bonney, proprietor Reciprocity Corner: "Business has been fine. It has been on the increase since the beginning of last year. In fact, our business was tremendous during the transient trade of the berry season last spring. Though even now during the dullest season we dispose of 50 beeves a month. We anticipate a big trade for the next two months. Business has grown steadily ever since we started. We have been handling a large amount of country produce at prices better than farmers usually get. And another thing, we believe in advertising. We consider that money expended for judicious advertising just as important a part of our business as money expended for clerk hire."
     Chas. N. Clarke, Glacier Pharmacy: "Business has been good. During the holidays it was extra good, and if it holds out we will have no cause for complaint."
     S.E. Bartmess, furniture and undertaker: "Business has been good. The cash trade was better than ever before. Business in my line has been exceptionally good considering that there are now two furniture stores. Business has increased over other years. I expect better business next summer than we have ever had."
     Davidson Fruit Company: "We handled 16,000 crates of strawberries last season, and distributed about $30,000 in cash among the farmers. In the cannery business our work was mostly experimental. We canned two cars of strawberries, and but a limited supply of the other fruits on account of the short crop. The cannery business has not been a financial successful so far because we had no fruit to work upon. But with plenty of fruit we expect to make it a success. The business is worked pretty close in California, but as we can put up a superior quality of fruit that will sell at a higher price we expect to make the cannery here profitable to us and the growers. Our experiments in canning tomatoes were successful, and we expect to contract for considerable acreage in tomatoes the coming year. This will be a new industry for Hood River. Our samples were well received, and if the farmers can raise the tomatoes we can can them and make it profitable for everybody.
     "The prospects are that there will be a big crop of strawberries next season. People in the East are very favorably impressed with Hood River fruit and we expect a good season. While in Denver last month a commission merchant told me that he would rather reship Hood River berries to distant points than to send out local grown berries over 24 hours. This is no small item in favor of Hood River berries."
     Mount Hood Stage Co.: "There never was such a business in the livery line. Two years ago, the firm in the red barn did all the livery business with ten horses. Now it takes two livery stables and thirteen or fourteen horses each. If the other businesses of the town had increased accordingly with our line, Hood River is all right."
     Geo. T. Prather, U.S. Commissioner, justice of the peace, insurance agent and dealer in real estate: "I have done very well in everything I have handled. Insurance and justice of the peace business has doubled. Eleven homesteads have been entered here since May 1st, and ten have made final proof Real estate business has increased to over four times that it was last year. I made out over $40,000 insurance policies for Hood River during the year 1899."
     J.L. Henderson, Real Estate Emporium: "Business has been very fair, especially during the past month. It has been just twice as good as last year. My cash receipts for Dec., '98, were $100, and for Dec., '99, they were $400. Money is a great deal easier than last year. There is twice as much money in circulation in the valley as a last year. The real estate market is twice as likely as last. Town property has increased on average from 30 to 50 percent in the last twelve months, while country property has had a steady advance. The activity in timber lands is very marked over the whole Pacific coast -- perhaps four times as active as it was a year ago.
     "At least a dozen families have left Hood River this winter because there was no place to stop, while others were forced to buy to secure a house to live in. The population of Hood River, I think can be safely estimated at 800 people."
     Bone & McDonald, general merchandise: "Our books show an increase in business of at least 25 percent over that of last year. The December trade was big -- 25 percent ahead of the receipts for Dec., '98. Average cash receipts during the year have been very fair. In June our cash receipts over the counter were nearly $3,000. Hood River does a great deal more business than it used to."
     C.A. Bell, Mt. Hood Hotel: "The hotel business in Hood River has increased considerable. It has been a very perceptible increase over former years."
     Lost Lake Lumber Co.: "We established our plant here about six months ago, and haven't as yet gotten fairly started with our work. Our plant cost $100,000, and has a capacity of 20,000 feet per hour, or 400,000 for a 22 hour run. We expect to be running at full capacity by February 1st, and to turn out 200,000 feet of lumber in a daylight run. Most of our lumber goes east over the O.R. & N., Oregon Short Line, and the Union Pacific railroads. The outlook in the lumber market is very fair."
     Wm. Kennedy, East Side Cannery: "On account of a scarcity of fruit and vegetables last season, I put up only 1,800 gallons of canned goods. My new cannery will have a capacity of 500 gallons per day, and will keep 12 or 15 pealers and packers at work. I am meeting with good success in this line, and find a ready sale for the canned fruit and vegetables in the local market, but expect to arrange for sales in the outside markets next year. I am clearing a 20-acre tract which will be planted to corn and peas to supply the cannery."
     Hood River Trading Co.: "Our company was incorporated in 1899. The officers are N.C. Evans, president; G.R. Castner, vice-president; E.E. Savage, secretary and treasurer, and these, with C.R. Bone, constitute the board of directors. The company purchased a large building formerly occupied by the Mountain Stage & Livery Co., and converted the same into a warehouse. During 1899 the company manufactured 17,000 berry crates, handles a large quantity of fruits and agricultural machinery.
     "For the year 1900 the company is arranging to supply fruit crates and packages, and to engage largely in shipping all kinds of fruits. It will also handle agricultural implements, especially Planet jr. goods, wagons and vehicles of all kinds. It is also arranging to construct a large cold storage and apple house, a fruit evaporator and cider mill plant."

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer