Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/654

 532

UNITED STATES : — OREGON

irrigation by private coini)anies. Work has been begun on Federal irrigation schemes covering 155,000 acres in Oregon alone, to cost altogethernearly 20 million dollars, while projects are under consideration for the irrigation of 172,000 acres more in California and Oregon. Oregon has one-sixth of the standing timber of the United States. In 1910 there were 45,502 farms with an acreage of 11,685,110, of which 4,274,803 acres were improved land. The leading crops are wheat (21,018,000 bushels in 1912) and hay. Oats, barley, and flax-seed are grown to some extent. Potatoes, sugar beet, and especially hops are important crops. Fruits are groAvn, especially plums, apples, pears, strawberries, and cherries, to the value 01 6,662,500 dollars in 1910. There is an active live-stock industry. Horses on January 1, 1910, numbered 308,000 ; milk-cows, 174,000 ; other cattle, 698,000; sheep, 2,581,000; swine, 267,000. In 1911 the avooI clip yielded 15,300,000 pounds. The salmon, sturgeon, halibut, and oyster fisheries are abundant. The weight of salmon caught in the Columbia River (Oregon side) in 1910 and from coast streams was 35,000,000 j)ounds. Salmon fry, 41,235,000, were libeuited in the Columbia in 1910. The State has various mineral resources. In 1911 the output of gold amounted to 30,679 fine ounces, valued at 634,200 dollars; of silver (1911), 44,800 fine ounces, valued at 24,200 dollars ; of copper, 125,943 pounds (15,743 dollars). The output of coal Avas 46,661 short tons, valued at 108,033 dollars. Granite and other building stones were extracted to the value of 583,398 dollars. Other minerals are quick silver, nickel, cobalt, lead, gypsum ; garnet and opals are found. The total mineral output in 1911 was valued at 3,198,796 dollars.

In 1910 the manufacturing industries of Oregon had 2,246 establishments with an aggregate capital of 89,082,000 dollars; they employed 3,473 salaried officials and 28,750 wage-earners ; the cost of the raw material used Avas 50,552,000 dollars, and the value of the output, 93,005,000 dollars. These industries are associated with the forest, agricultural, pastoral, and fishery products of the State.

Statistics of the more important industries fur 1910 are as follows :—

Industries

Capital

Wage- earners

Cost of material

—

Value of output

Lumber and timber

Flour and grist ....

Slaughtering and packing

Foundries'

Fish canning, &c

Dairy i^roduce

Dollars 35.031,000 5,670,000 2,481,000 3,670,000 4,162,000 1,718,000

Number 15,066

394

366 1,055

661

420

Dollars 12,413,000 7,667,000 6,015,000 1,472,000 2,187,000 3,952,000

Dollars

30,200,000 8,891,000 5,880,000 3,135,000 3,207.000 4,920,000

Oregon has good water facilities in the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia river, the Williamette river, and the Snake river. Large ocean-going vessels can navigate the Columbia as far as Portland. Rivers and harbours are constantly dredged and improved. The value of imports at Portland in 1911 was 554,522/., and of exports, 2,161,655Z. In 1910 the State had a total railway mileage of 2,122, besides 261 miles of electric railway track. The princii)al lines arc the _ Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company and tlie Union Pacific.

British Consul at Portland.— J. Laidlaw. There arc vice-consuls at Port- land and Astoria.