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The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., January 30, 1913, page 1

MONTGOMERY TELLS OF HOOD RIVER
(From Shelbyville, Id., Republican)

"Hood River is making a growth, rapid but at the same time very substantial and along conservative lines," says James E. Montgomery, a resident of the famous Oregon town and fruit valley of that name, who is visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Montgomery, in Shelbyville, for a few weeks.
"Hood River is the county seat and the only town in the valley bearing that name. The city has about 2,500 inhabitants and the valley has between 6,000 and 7,000 more, while there is at least 3,000 more population tributary to Hood River in the country east of the valley and across the Columbia river and the state of Washington.
"The products of the country tributary to Hood River last year exceeded $2,500,000, the principal sources of revenue being lumber, apples, strawberries and other fruits and agricultural products. That amount will be more than doubled in the next few years when the apple orchards already planted come into bearing, while the enormous timber resources make a reduction in the lumber output a remote condition.
"The wealth of the water power available in the Hood river which finds its source in the glaciers of Mount Hood, promises to make Hood River and the location of many manufacturing establishments. The largest electrically driven sawmill in the world is on the banks of Hood river. Transmission lines run through Hood River valley and cheapness of power has made electric lights and motors common on the fruit farms all over the valley. There are now three power plants on Hood river and an enormous project will soon be completed near the mouth of the White Salmon river, directly across the Columbia from Hood River. This new plant will furnish power for the city of Portland, 65 miles away.
"Hood River Valley is growing in favor as a summer resort. It offers a diversity of interest for the tourist seldom found. The highly developed orchard community, traversed everywhere by good roads, is completely surrounded by mountains, in the almost impenetrable wilds of which may be found in plenty all the species of big game which have ever inhabited that country. The gamiest trout are thick in the cold, dashing mountain streams of the valley, while the Columbia river at the north end of the valley is famous the world over for its salmon. Cloud Cap Inn, at an elevation of almost 6,000 feet up the side of Mount Hood is the mecca of the most strenuous advocates of the outdoor life, many of whom scale the peak of the hoary old mountain each season. Several other small hotels furnished the tourist entertainment. When all these attractions are combined with an ideal climate it is hard to keep tourists away.
"The tourist and resort traffic will be much increased, it is believed, by the completion of the road now being built in the gorge of the Columbia river between Hood River and Portland. This road through the Cascade mountains along the great stream of the west will be one of the highways of the world richest in scenic splendor. At present there is but one automobile road which penetrates the mountains surrounding the Hood River valley. The United States government is opening another road through the forest reserve over the mountains between Hood River and Portland. The Columbia river road will put Hood River on the main highway between Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
"Hood River has good transportation facilities, both freight and passenger. The Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co., a part of the Harriman system, operates seven passenger trains each way daily. Three of these run between Chicago and Portland via the Union Pacific, one via the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound and one between St. Paul and Portland via Canadian Pacific-Soo line. Portland is less than two hours' ride from Hood River and the through transcontinental only take about two and a half days, to St. Paul and Chicago. The Spokane, Portland & Seattle, the North Bank road of the Hill system, is accessible to Hood River on the opposite bank of the Columbia. The competition of the steamers on the Columbia keeps in force low freight rates.
"The high financial returns to be gained and the charming rural environment have resulted in a very high standard among the people in the orchard business in Hood River and many Hoosiers are to be found here. Frank Potter Lucas, who is now here visiting his parents, Dr. and Mrs. J.N. Lucas, owns an orchard in the valley. Among the former Indianapolis people who are now Hood River orchardists are Fred W. Wasson, Felix Vonnegut, August Doschler, Clarence E. Cofflin, Henry Coburn, Fred F. and Joseph McCrea.
"Another Hoosier now a Hood River orchardist is Ray E. Scott. Mr. Scott was in the Capital-National Bank at Indianapolis before going onto his orchard in Hood River several years ago. For the past year he has been secretary of the Hood River Commercial club.