Medford, Ore., June 15.--At an enthusiastic meeting of pear growers and business men held here several days ago it was decided to form a pool for the sale of the Rogue River Valley Bartlett pears to the canneries, or to Eastern buyers, on an f.o.b. basis. An advisory committee was elected and empowered to perfect plans for marketing and organization. At this meeting there was considerable interest shown by the growers to sign up tonnage, and all agreed not to sell their Bartletts to any of the canneries until after the committee had reported its plans to the growers. On the committee are two members from the Bankers' Association, two from the Chamber of Commerce, and two from the fruit growers.
    At a second meeting of the committee it was decided to send two representatives to California to advise with the California Pear Growers' Association, and the committee named D. R. Wood and Harry Rosenberg, who will leave shortly for California, where they will make a thorough survey of the situation.
    Growers here are expressing interest in the new fruit Coates 14-18, more commonly known as the "date prune." A five=acre tract has been set out by E. C. Faber in the Willow Springs district, and if it is shown that this fruit can be grown successfully more plantings will be made. The Willamette Valley has set out large acreages of this new fruit.
    The local cherry crop will be small this year, as the trees on the floor of the valley are carrying a very light crop. Hillside Orchards will harvest normal crops. Ox Hearts are bringing 15¢ a pound to the growers, and it is expected that Royal Annes will bring around 12¢.
    The various fruit marketing agencies here will be busily engaged the next few days visiting the various orchards in the district estimating the crop. Early estimates now place the crop at about 1,000 carloads more than last year, or about 2,500 cars. Thinning of apples will commence next week, and the scarcity of labor is already causing much concern here, as every orchard is heavily loaded with fruit, and much thinning will have to be done.
    The Rogue River Fruit and Produce Association is shortly to dissolve and distribute its assets pro rata among its shareholders. This concern several years ago sold its plants to the Oregon Growers' Cooperative Association, but did not dispose of its "good will" and labels, the "Blue Triangle" and "Red Triangle" brands. From well-informed sources the information comes that the liquidation will be on a basis of 75¢ on the dollar on the outstanding stock.
    As yet no cannery offers have been made locally for the Bartlett pear crop. The California Canneries Company has established a local agency, with Court Hall as local representative.
    Box factories are quoting prices on box shook at about one-third higher this year than last season. As a result of this the minimum price that will be charged by the packing houses will probably be 50¢ a box for pears, and apples may go to 55¢ a box.
    An appeal from the Sacramento Valley for blight cutters resulted in about 20 experts in that line of orchard work leaving here last week for that district.
    Local cherries appeared on the Medford market several days ago and were sold at prices netting the growers 15¢ per pound. Owing to the heavy crop of the cherry buds the crop in the valley will be light. Cannery offers of 9¢ f.o.b. are apparently not acceptable to growers, as no reports are heard of any sales at that price. The growers hope to get around 12¢ for Royal Annes from the canneries.
The Chicago Packer, June 16, 1923, page 10


    Medford, Ore., June 29.--Work was started this morning on the construction of a new packing house for the Denney & Co. local branch. The roof of the present building is being removed to make room for a new roof, and an addition which will practically double the capacity of the plant will be built on the west side of their present building. The improvements, according to Myron E. Root, manager, will cost approximately $5,000. New and complete equipment will be installed and when finished the Denney concern will have one of the largest and best-equipped packing plants in the state.
The Chicago Packer, June 30, 1923, page 17


The Oregon Grower, magazine of the Oregon Growers Cooperative Assn., July 1923, page 16




    Medford, Ore., Aug. 17.--Up to this week 114 cars of Bartletts had rolled from here, and this week about 30 cars a day are moving.
    The cannery representatives who are "camped" here are at last realizing that their chances of securing some of the tonnage from here are mighty slim, and as a consequence they are now out buying up culls at $5 a ton from the various packing concerns and shipping these to their plants. In talking to several of these representatives they expressed themselves a few days ago as being sure that as the season came to its height the growers would flock to them with their pears, but their guesses were wrong. It may be that the grower might have realized more by turning over his pears to the canners at $20 a ton, but they are up in arms at what they term holdup of the canners and would rather take a chance on anything than to give up their pears at the above price. It is common gossip around Medford that the canners have sold heavy futures on pears at prices equaling last season's prices and that it was their intention to make a cleanup this year on pears in order to offset the heavy losses they have taken on other fruits they have canned.
    As soon as the Bartlett crop is disposed of the movement of Comice and Anjou pears will commence. There is a fine crop of these pears here this year, and already some very good orders have been placed. it is also believed that Bosc pears will this season command a better price than they have in several years. About 75 cars of Bosc will represent the total crop of that variety this season.
    Pear packers are being paid 5¢ a box this season, sorters 30¢ an hour and packing house laborers 45¢. There are plenty of packers here, and no shortage is anticipated during the balance of the season.
The Chicago Packer, August 18, 1923, page 22


    To the Editor:
    In justice to the members of our city council and mayor in  regard to the circling of the poplars in our city park, permit me to say, this has been a serious matter confronting the city administration for several years and our city fathers are to be commended rather than criticized for the stand they have taken, at the suggestion of the park commission and anyone who doubts the wisdom of removing these most destructive trees should visit Ivy Street between Main and Eighth, in order to see the condition of the pavement caused by these poplar trees. Besides this they have retarded the growth of other trees in the park, planted at least fourteen to sixteen years ago and which should afford quite some shade by now, but for the sapping of their vitality and sustenance from the ground, by this most rapid growing, but destructive tree, that is the first to shed its leaves,, beginning in July. Study the nature of this tree and you will commend, rather than criticize those whose efforts are to beautify and prolong the lives of the various trees in the city park. Respectfully yours.
    Medford, August 20.
MEMBER CITY PLANNING COMMISSION
Medford Mail Tribune, August 20, 1923, page 2


    Medford, Ore., Aug. 31.--Five hundred cars of Bartlett pears have been shipped from Medford to this week, and many orchards as yet have not commenced picking their second picking. It is now estimated that close to 700 cars of Bartletts will roll from here this season.
    Returns received from Bartlett pears in the East seem to be highly satisfactory to growers here, and many are feeling quite elated over the prices being quoted on Eastern sales.
    Cannery representatives who have been here during the Bartlett season, and who have been hopeful of receiving all the pears they wanted at $20 a ton f.o.b., are now eagerly buying pears at $35 a ton, but growers are reluctant to dispose of their pears even at that figure in view of the good prices Bartletts are bringing in the Eastern markets. Canneries will as a result have a very light run of pears.
    It is now estimated that 2,200 cars of pears and apples will roll from the Medford district this season. A large part of the apple crop will be packed for export and will move by water from Portland, through the Panama Canal.
    There has been no car shortage as yet this season, and a good supply of refrigerator cars is on hand and more coming in daily to handle the record-breaking pear crop that this valley is moving this year.
The Chicago Packer, September 1, 1923, page 19


    Medford, Ore., Sept. 14.--Considerably more than 1,000 cars of pears have been shipped from Medford this season up to this date, and from present indications the total pear tonnage will amount to 1,500 cars. Bartletts are now out of the way, and d'Anjous are shipping out heavy now. These will be cleaned up in a few days, when Bosc and Comice shipments will follow. Some cars of Bosc and Comice are now rolling.
    The Bartlett season is expected to be very successful to growers and shippers alike. Prices have maintained a very satisfactory level, and growers will realize an average of better than $70 a ton. This is in the face of recent offers from canneries of $20 a ton for No. 1 and practically nothing for lower grades.
    Several cars of Winter Banana apples rolled from here last week, but it will be some time yet before apple shipments are on in full swing. The valley is having continued hot, sultry weather, and this is tending to mature fruit rapidly. It is hard to make any estimates as to the apple tonnage that will go from here this season, but it will be heavier than last year by far. There will probably be in the neighborhood of 1,000 cars of apples shipped from Medford.
The Chicago Packer, September 15, 1923, page 24


    Medford, Ore., Sept. 21.--Up to this week 1,324 cars of pears had left Medford and shipments will continue at the rate of about 30 cars a day for a few days, when the pear season will be over. This will bring the total pear shipments up to 1,600 cars, the largest year in the history of this valley. Bosc, Comice and Anjous are now rolling.
    Apple packing will commence this week, and a heavy tonnage of Yellow Newtown Pippins will roll from here this year. A large part of the apple crop is being consigned to Europe and will go by steamers from Portland, through the Panama Canal. The apples this year are good size and of excellent quality.
The Chicago Packer, September 22, 1923, page 41


    At the meeting of the Civic Club of Ashland last week, following the business session, Miss Alice Hanley of Medford gave a brief historical sketch of Southern Oregon, enlivened by stories and incidents. The address, in part, is reported by the Ashland Tidings as follows:
    "Woman's part in the early drama played in this valley was emphasized. The first white woman came to the valley in 1851, in December of that year. A woman lectured on "Temperance" in those early days, showing that women then, as now, were interested in the forefront of reform.
    "In those days, there was a distillery below the old Eagle Mill. Very interesting indeed was the story of old Jacksonville, when it was the commercial center of all this country, from Lake and Lane counties to the coast.
    "The Pony Express was the means of communication with the outside world; later followed by the stage coach, with its pocket underneath, a box perhaps three by six, for the mail.
    "The cost of transportation was almost prohibitive, as one well understands.
    "A bit of the history of 'Cayuse George' was sketched and the pathetic story of Mary, his mother, told.
    "This poor mother, whose grief was so terrible at the death meted her son that she cut her hair and placed ashes on her head in token of her sorrow, was granted the body of her boy for burial.
    "A beautiful tribute to 'Pioneer Mothers' was paid, and to the hospitality of those mothers under circumstances that seem quite beyond our power to picture.
    "Speaking of the coming of the railroad to the valley, Miss Hanley told the local story current, relative to a valley town.
    "It seems an overcharge for bacon, a jump from 12 to 26 cents, was so prejudicial to the claims of this town that they lost the road.
    "Some of Miss Hanley's own experiences were told and proved most thrilling.
    "She also told of her earliest memories of Ashland; the old grist mill stands out clearly and the Applegate place, where the Southern Pacific station now stands, was one of the show places of the country. The peafowls, the elk, and the deer in its park, all these things were pictured in her childish memory.
    "A most amusing story of the first Fourth of July float evidenced the fact that the same interest was taken then, as now, in up-to-date raiment and although far from fashionable centers, echoes were heard and heeded.
    "To the old pioneers, the story of the hay wagon; the pretty young girls in dresses, the material for which came from far San Francisco; the hoop skirts that would not fit into space allowed in the float and because of the mothers' insistence were worn willy-nilly may be very familiar, but to those who came later it opens up
a page vastly interesting and romantic.
    "How they overcame difficulties to secure the ice for the Fourth of July drink, going ten miles for it, was related.
    "The club, and all who heard Miss Hanley's address, were very appreciative, and felt it was a gracious thing for her to give her time, busy as she is, to do it."
Medford Mail Tribune, October 6, 1923, page 3  Originally printed in the Tidings' Society column, October 4, 1923, page 3.


    Medford, Ore., Oct. 5.--One of the highest prices paid for pears in years is reported here in a sale of Seckel pears from the Del Rio Orchard, prices realized ranging from $7.85 a box to $10 per box. These pears were marketed through Sgobel & Day and sold in New York City. There were 1,535 cars of pears shipped from this point up to this week, and the total pear shipments will be in the neighborhood of 1,600 cars this season. The crop is practically cleaned up now, only two or three cars a day moving out of here.
    With the Bartlett crop out of the way and nearly all of the crop sold, marketing agents here will soon commence making disbursements to growers. This has been the most successful Bartlett year in many years for Rogue River growers, and prices realized will range from $65 to $110 a ton, computed on a tonnage basis.
    Apple picking is now on in full swing, and from now on apples will roll from here rapidly. The Newtown crop is very good this year. Cars going from here now are practically all consigned for foreign shipment. Owing to heavy rains the past week picking has been delayed somewhat, but as soon as the weather permits picking will commence in earnest.
The Chicago Packer, October 6, 1923, page 6