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The Infamous Black Bird Southern Oregon History, Revised


Medford News: 1922

Medford-related news items from 1922. Also see descriptions of Medford and Jackson County for this year.


    W. F. Biddle, owner of the famous "Kenwood" orchard at Medford, has been named a member of the Medford advisory committee. Mr. Biddle has been a very successful business man of wide training, and his decision to serve his organization in this capacity augurs well for the future success of the Rogue district, in the opinion of the local directors.
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    Medford's new irrigation district will serve water to the land it covers in 1922, according to the latest assurance of J. L. Perry, president of the district. While the storage dams and reservoirs will not be completed in time to catch and retain their ultimate capacity of water for use next year, sufficient will be available to allow every member in the district a minimum of one "soaking" for his land. It is estimated that the tonnage of apples and pears out of Medford will double within three years, due to bringing the land under irrigation.
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    The Southern Oregon Newtown crop is moving out of storage slowly. Upwards of one-fourth of the tonnage has been sold. The Spitzenbergs have all been sold, and that pool is now being closed.
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    Unbounded faith in the future of the pear industry of the Rogue River Valley is exhibited by Dillon R. Hill, and sons Howard and "Ted." Besides operating one of the most famous orchards in the valley--a 120-acre tract adjoining the Medford city limits--Hill has set to work to develop another "showplace" on the Central Point foothills ranch he recently purchased from L. P. Hubbard.
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    H. B. Jordan, owner of the "Buckeye" orchard at Talent, is spending the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Starr Jordan, in Palo Alto, Calif. Jordan's father is president emeritus of Stanford University.
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    Colonel R. C. Washburn, owner of the Table Rock orchard and a pioneer fruit grower here, has sold his property to Captain Tuttle and removed to Portland.
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    Under the direction of Prof. C. L. Long, of O.A.C, and County Agent C. C. Cate, local orchardists, are devoting the entire week of December 19-24 inclusive to pruning demonstrations.
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    Frank C. Doremus, Medford grower, is in California  superintending the pruning of one of the largest pear properties in the Santa Clara Valley.
"Rogue River District," The Oregon Grower,
magazine of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Assn., January 1922, page 10


    The large electric sign surmounting the California-Oregon Power Company building, which explains to the general public that the building is occupied by the "Copco," is being raised several feet by a number of workmen. This is being done in order to increase visibility from downtown districts.
"Local and Personal," Medford Mail Tribune, January 7, 1922, page 2


    The electric sign on the roof of the California-Oregon Power Company offices has been raised ten feet by a force of workmen this week.
    Get acquainted with [the] cash and carry system. This store was built up for the good of the hundreds of people that have been working hand in hand with us, and have learned to live and let live. We are now bringing down the high cost of living. All goods are marked in plain figures--100 cents, that is the value you get for every dollar's worth of goods you buy--just the best of everything for less, at the Spot Cash Basket Grocery, at the Vinson Barn, 226 N. Riverside Ave.
"Local and Personal," Medford Mail Tribune, January 13, 1922, page 2


Oregon Growers Protest Against Freight Rates.
    Medford, Ore., Jan. 27.--Jackson County farmers and horticulturists during the Farmers' Week sessions here last week sent resolutions to the Oregon congressional delegations calling attention to what they termed excessive and confiscatory freight rates on fresh fruits, particularly tariff on pears and apples from the Rogue River Valley. The resolution declared that based on the 1921 [season,] valley fruit crop figures showed that the average farmer was struggling under a freight rate on apples and pears which amounts to a mortgage on his ranch on which he is paying 18 percent interest. These figures show that out of every $2.79 received for Bartlett pears during 1921 the Rogue River grower received an average of $1, and the railroads got $1.79.
The Chicago Packer, January 28, 1922, page 12


    We were interested in having even competitors tell us, in such markets as New York, Chicago and Boston, that the heaviest pack and finest packed pears offered to the trade this year were our Blue Triangle pack from the Medford plant of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Association. Many went so far as to say, "Your pack has been so fine that your pears will be received next year at a premium."

"Oregon Pears," The Oregon Grower,
magazine of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Assn., April 1922, page 22


    MEDFORD, ORE.--What is said to have been one of the first free and open bidding contests for irrigation work in the state of Oregon for many years was held in Talent, in Jackson County, recently, when the contract for building the Talent Irrigation District dam was awarded to D. M. Stevenson of Portland for $78,595 and the contract for the construction of the 18.2 miles of canal to William von der Hellen, of Eagle Point, for $67,444.
"Construction News and Industrial Developments," Journal of Electricity and Western Industry, April 15, 1922, page 333


    W. B. Biddle, Medford. 135 acres pears. Retired two years ago as president of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, commonly known as "The Frisco Line," to "Kenwood Orchard," his 200-acre home in the Rogue River Valley. He was associated with the Santa Fe Railroad for 28 years.
    Charles C. Cate, Medford. 40 acres pears. Graduate Oregon Agricultural College, 1904. Former County Agent, Union County. For seven years County Agent, Jackson County. Also Fruit Inspector, County Pathologist and Weather Reporter. Well known for his work in fighting blight. Prominent in various civic activities.
    A. H. Davenhill,  Talent. 25 acres apples, four acres pears. Formerly fruit grower in California, where he was an active member of several cooperative marketing associations.
    P. A. Scherer, Central Point. Operates two ranches, one known as "Rogue Farm" and the other "Alberta Orchards," comprising 70 acres of pears and apples. He was a lieutenant in the army. Born in Ohio.
"Our Board of Directors," The Oregon Grower,
magazine of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Association, May 1922, page 6


Pres. Harding Is Not in Sympathy with Ku Klux Klan
    Medford, Ore., May 26--(Special)--A declaration made by a speaker for the Ku Klux Klan at the Klan's public meeting held here recently that President Harding was friendly to the organization so aroused Mrs. Frank L. Applegate of Medford that she wrote to the President concerning the truth of the statement. Today, she received the following reply:
    "The White House, Washington, D.C., April 18, 1922
    "My Dear Mrs. Applegate: Your letter of April 12 to the President is received. You may be very sure that any statement of the President's interest in or approval of the Ku Klux Klan is a complete and egregious misrepresentation of the President's attitude. In some quarters it has even been represented that the President is a member of this organization. Not only is that untrue, but the fact is that the President heartily disapproves of the organization and has repeatedly expressed himself to this effect.
    "Very sincerely,
        "George B. Christian, Jr.,
            "Secretary to the President"
Phoenix Tribune, Phoenix, Arizona, May 27, 1922



CITIZENS WILL FIGHT KLANERS
    Medford, Ore., July 14--A citizens' committee of 50 has been formed here. This follows the issuance of Gov. Ben W. Olcott's order to State Attorney General Van Winkle to push prosecutions on night mobs outraging in Jackson County during the last three months. The committee issued a statement that it proposed to start a recall of Sheriff C. S. Terrill, who is linked with the activities "of a certain organization" and further charges that it is "time for the people to think."
    The statement charges the police officers and constables are members of "this society" and that "prominent members of the National Guard at Medford have urged members of this society to fill the vacancies in the guard."
    Governor Olcott, in directing the attorney general to take charge and prosecute the lawless ones, said the local authorities have failed to uphold the law.
Daily Alaskan, Skagway, Alaska, July 15, 1922



MISSING WITNESS IN KU KLUX KLAN CASE FOUND
    Medford, Ore., July 31--Arthur Burr, the negro witness against the Ku Klux Klan, who disappeared last week during the special grand jury investigation of the Klan, while supposed to be in the custody of a federal officer, turned up here today but refused to give any explanation of his absence. He is being closely guarded for the present in order that there may be no further mysterious disappearances.
Cordova Daily Times, Cordova, Alaska, July 31, 1922, page 1


RETURNS OREGON RECALL ELECTION COMING IN
    Medford, Ore., July 31--The complete unofficial returns in the recall election instituted to remove Sheriff Terrill from office because of his reputed connection with the Ku Klux Klan shows that Terrill received 29,043 votes while his opponent D. W. Lowe received 26,038 votes.
Cordova Daily Times, Cordova, Alaska, July 31, 1922, page 1


INDICT THREE FOR HANGINGS
    Medford, Ore., Aug 5--Dr. Jouett Bray, J. F. Hittson, a former chief of police, and Howard Hill, a prominent fruit grower, were indicted on a charge of having participated in several night rider gangs.
Daily Alaskan, Skagway, Alaska, August 5, 1922


    A final separation of the Grants Pass district from the Medford district was made and the accounting system covering the Grants Pass business was transferred to the Salem office.
"Proceedings of the Last Monthly Meeting of the Board of Directors, August 11, 1922," The Oregon Grower,
magazine of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Assn., September 1922, page 10


Fruit Crops  Are Abundant.
    Medford, Ore., Sept. 15.--Fresh fruit is almost a glut on the market in the Rogue River Valley, due to the fact that this section not only has the largest and finest fruit and vegetable crop in years, but that the state and entire country seem to be likewise fortunate.
    Leading business men of Medford are back of a movement to have home folk help out by liberal canning for two years ahead, or at least canning much more than usual.
The Chicago Packer, September 16, 1922, page 14


PERSONNEL OF THE MEDFORD DISTRICT
    Jas. E. Edmiston is manager of the Medford district of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Association. He has able assistants in the various packing houses in the Rogue River Valley. H. T. (Tom) Pankey, former fruit inspector, is in charge of the Medford Cold Storage and Packing Plant, which is the largest and best-equipped plant in Southern Oregon. Bert Stanfield is in charge of the Bardwell house. Raymond Fish is foreman of the Phoenix plant, and H. D. (Johnnie) Reed is manager of the Gold Hill house. C.W.  Glasgow, apple and pear grower of Talent, is field representative.
The Oregon Grower, magazine of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Assn., October 1922, page 16




Last revised October 20, 2019