Paleofutures: The future of the past--or the past of the future.


    TWO CENTURIES HENCE.--The following fancy pictures of what may be familiar enough two centuries hence is no more improbable on the face of it than our railway, electric telegraphs and the like would have seemed a century ago:
    Scene--Library in the house of elderly gent; somewhere in Australia. Old gent telegraphs to the kitchen, and waiter ascends in a balloon.
    Old Gent--John, fly over to Calcutta, and tell Mr. Johnson that I shall be very happy to have him sup with me. Never mind your coat now, but go.
    John leaves, and at the end of five minutes returns.
    John--Mr. Johnson says he will come; he has got to go to St. Petersburg for a moment, and then he will be here.
    Old Gent--Very well, John. Now start the machine for setting the table, and telegraph to my wife's room and tell her that Mr. Johnson is coming. Then brush up my balloon, for I have an engagement in London at twelve o'clock.
    John flies, and the old gentleman runs over to the West Indies to buy a fresh orange.
Democratic Times, Jacksonville, November 20, 1874, page 1


    On October 3, 1886, I took the train at Roseburg for a trip to the East. I left the beautiful little city of Roseburg enveloped in a fog, the Umpqua River nearly dry and a dead lethargy hanging over the place of whose future little was predicted in a business way. Its streets were muddy and out of repair, it seemed a very unpromising place to me the day I took the slow-going train for Portland when I paid $8 to ride two hundred miles. My stay in the East was protracted, but finally, on the death of a wealthy aunt, I was left with an income of ten thousand dollars a year and determined once more to visit the Pacific Coast and Roseburg, the home of my childhood. This place was then growing famous for its manufacturing interests, coal mines, and numerous other industries.
    It was a warm sultry morning on the 9th day of Sept. 1901, that I left New York, on the limited express, and coming by way of Chicago, Cheyenne and Eagle Rock to Boise City, thence by the Crater Lake and Coos Bay railroad in four days I was landed in Roseburg. The handsomely uniformed conductor cried "Roseburg! Through passengers remain seated; passengers for Portland, Vancouver and Sitka take the train on the north for San Francisco and southern points the train on the south." Hearing these words my mind was bewildered. A railroad to Sitka, Alaska and the O.&C.R.R. completed! Rousing myself from my seat in the luxurious parlor car, I alighted and found myself in an immense granite depot, twenty tracks running through it, uniformed railway officials directing the people whither they desired to go. Finally reaching the waiting room I inquired if this could possibly be the city of Roseburg. The official was courtly and pleasant with a genial face and appeared very busy. Twenty-five years had made a change, yet I thought I recognized the face of the official, and ventured to ask how long he had been there. He replied, "For thirty-five years. My name is Williams, known as Johnny Williams. I was station agent here when the station consisted of a 15x20-foot building, when one track could carry more than all the traffic offered and Roseburg was a town of 1000 inhabitants." I then asked him if he remembered a Jack Powers who had lived there twenty-five years ago. He said "Yes." I told him I was the man and he grasped me warmly by the hand and welcomed me warmly home again. I was invited into his private office. Passing through numerous offices filled with many busy clerks, I found myself in his luxuriously furnished room. "Sit down and I'll tell you of my doings since I last saw you. When you left twenty-five years ago I was about entering on my new project as a granger, having established a 'Prohi.' colony, which rapidly grew and prospered, and I was contented. So many dissensions among the 'Prohis' for office arose however that the colony broke up and each one looked out once more for himself alone. Upon the completion of the Crater Lake and Coos Bay R.R. I was offered the charge of the depot, accepted it, and here you find me not hard worked as in days gone by but enjoying life." I asked for a hotel, when he touched an electric bell, his colored waiter came and I was shown to his private carriage and driven to the Grand Pacific Hotel. I was surprised at its grandeur, occupying as it did the whole block, where Dr. Hoover's residence was in days gone by. I walked a stranger where once I knew everyone and was known. I looked upon the unfamiliar faces and longed for the sight of one I had once known. The once quiet town was now changed into a live, bustling city. Dray wagons, handsome carriages etc., rapidly passed the hotel. I decided to take a stroll determined once more if possible to grasp the hand of an old friend and find some familiar landmark. None appeared. I stopped in front of a large handsome building and found it was the post office. Making my way through the throng of people to the postmaster's private office I found James Cawlfield Esq., a courtly and pleasant gentleman, as postmaster. He failed to remember me, but asking about the prominent business houses he informed me that Asher Marks & Co., had their place not a block away. I betook myself thither and found a massive, five-story iron front building immense in its proportions. It was with difficulty I found the head of the firm; twenty-five years had made a change in him, yet his countenance was as genial and kindly as ever. He glanced at my card and recognition beamed upon his face and his grasp of my hand was the same old cordial grip as of yore. In reply to my query as to how all this wonderful change had been accomplished he said, "In the winter of '86-87 a fire broke out in the frame houses below my then humble store, and rapidly swept the town. If the citizens had raised $3000 for water works as had been suggested a few months previously, this catastrophe would have been averted. After this terrible fire, in which the greatest sufferers were the men who refused to give the water works their aid, it appeared as though the town would be a thing of the past. Eastern capitalists, however, examined the water power, prospective railways etc., and started a woolen mill where the grove used to be. They now employ 1000 men, boys and girls. This was the start. The city began to grow, streets were widened, and Jackson Street is now 100 feet wide. The railroad from the east via Crater Lake to Coos Bay was completed, and shops located here. They are across the river in that part once called 'West Roseburg.' A large tannery was the next in order to start, which now employs five hundred workmen, and the surrounding country furnishes all the hides. Rolling mills, foundries, nail works, machine shops, furnaces for the reduction of iron ore, one after another were rapidly built. The coal mines surrounding the city furnish excellent coal, and these beds are the principal source of supply for the whole coast. Iron ore is inexhaustible. The nickel and copper mines employ hundreds. These industries opened up so rapidly one after the other that Roseburgers wondered. Cable cars were run over the surrounding hills, the summits of which are as seats for the finest residences of the city. Roseburg now covers an area of ten square miles. Electric lights have taken the place of the old coal oil lamps. The old lanterns, which the inhabitants carried on dark nights, are preserved as relics. Instead of a close non-progressive manner of conducting the city's finances, sound liberal disbursements were made." Here a gentleman entered and was introduced as Bishop J. R. N. Bell, formerly editor of the Morning Review. Old acquaintanceship was renewed and he proposed showing me the rounds. The land office was visited but business there was very slow as all the desirable land for settlers was taken and it was thought the office would be closed in about a year. A gentlemen from the Dalles was in charge. The U.S. signal office was visited. The officer in charge was busy, so also were his three assistants. Numerous meteorological self-registering instruments filled the room. No change in the weather for the next forty-eight hours was reported. We turned our steps then to the U.S. bonded warehouse and custom house, from thence to the police court where his honor police judge C. Ball presided. The usual drunks, disorderlies etc., disposed of. A murderer was then tried, being ably defended by the Hon. Lafayette Lane, the most noted criminal lawyer of the coast. His brilliant speeches and quick and searching questions to the witnesses were listened to in breathless silence. From there we went to the county court house, a fine brown stone building, and in its rear were the massive walks surrounding the jail. Being interested in churches Bishop Bell first showed me the handsome cathedral and near this upon a rise of ground, where the old Roseburg reservoir was dug, a large well-fitted and pleasantly surrounded building which he informed me was the Central High School. Having formerly been interested very much in the school question, he informed me with pride of the increasing interest the people had taken in this question. The result being twelve well-appointed schools. He referred to the old wooden school building which was the only one when I resided there. The people got over their meager allowances for school property after many children had suffered from the want of room and overcrowding and several have been badly hurt by its partly falling to pieces one day. Now upon the old site, the gift of the generous donor and founder of the city Aaron Rose, a large brick building stood. The remaining important churches were mentioned and their spires pointed out. The St. George's Episcopal Church was the leading one in the place both in wealth and in number of communicants. It occupied the same ground that the humble frame building did twenty-five years ago. Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Baptists all had their commodious places of worship. I noticed in my stroll that the streets were of asphaltum, and the sidewalks artificial stone. The bishop also informed me that the schools were conducted upon the first-class educational basis. After graduating from the high school a normal school supported by the school board was open for those desiring to become teachers. More were then graduated from the normal than could be accommodated and only graduates from this school were eligible for teachers. The streets were all well graded and in the dry season were washed every morning by opening the fire plugs and allowing the water to rush out. The reservoir was situated upon the summit of Mt. Nebo, and there is sufficient force to throw water over the highest buildings. Beautiful parks surrounded the city and some within it of from five to ten acres. The police system of the city was mentioned as first class and I was introduced to a portly gentleman as he met us, who turned out to be Chief Langenberg of the force. He has the reputation of being a very conscientious chief and has his force under splendid discipline. I asked after Mr. Walter Hamilton, as I had looked in vain for his store, but was informed that he had left the retail business and at present had the largest wholesale house in that line on the coast. The bishop then with a lurking smile told me that the city boasted four military companies, Company A being under the command of Capt. Flint, and was said to be the finest on the coast, its medals and prizes being many for proficiency in drill maneuvers and marksmanship. There was also an armory, a fine two-story brick building. I remembered an effort made twenty-five years ago to organize a company but which had been defeated by the old cry of economy. But was told that the necessity for a company was felt during a time of riots and strikes among the thousands of working men, at which time over a million dollars worth of property had been destroyed and the county been obliged to pay the damages. Then they concluded it was cheaper to support military companies than to pay damages caused by riot.
Roseburg Review, December 24, 1886, page 4


    A contemporary indulges in the following suppositions in what we may be likely to witness in the way of progress in the near future: "A great deal has been accomplished within the last century in the way of invention, but we fully believe that more will be accomplished within the next decade. Among what we thoroughly believe to be within the possibilities of the future is a substance that will insulate magnetism. That would mean perpetual motion. We believe that ocean ships will be propelled by the motion of the ocean, and as rapidly as they are now propelled. There is in the ocean unlimited power. A boat weighing 5000 tons is tossed about like a nutshell. This power will one day be practically applied. We believe that balloons will be made to travel very fast from one place to another where the wind is regular, as on the coast. We believe that cars will come across the continent at the rate of a mile a minute. We believe that men will successfully navigate the air. We believe that private residences will within a few years be lighted with electricity as cheaply as they are now lighted with coal oil. We believe that a telephone will be invented that will work short distances, say 50 miles, without connecting wires. We don't claim to be a crank, either."
Ashland Tidings, February 10, 1888, page 1


    The predictions for 1993 that have been going the rounds of the press have reference mainly to the large cities of the Union. One prophet lifts the veil of the future and sees Denver the largest city in 1993; another sees Chicago the largest.
    Of course New York and other cities have their friends among the prophets.
    It is presumable that each prediction favors the city in which the prophet is most interested. Now, ye editor of the NEWS is, of course, most interested in his own town. Nothing would suit us better than to read the horoscope of Talent and make a full report to our readers; but there being no astrologer doing business in this valley, we can do nothing in that line. But we are not discouraged.
    Spooks are always available. There are probably more spooks, good, bad and indifferent, to the cubic foot about Talent than can be found around any other town in Southern Oregon, not even excepting Ashland. Now, spooks are bashful creatures; they don't like to talk with people that are wide awake. It is necessary to enter into a full or semi-trance condition.
    If one has learned how to do this, his way is clear. Having taken lessons in the art of going to sleep at will, we resolved by this means to woo the sprites of the air and note the result. So, with note book in hand, we seat ourself in the one chair in our office, with our feet resting comfortably on a type case, draw the mantle of forgetfulness about us, close our eyes, become mentally "passive" and await developments. After the usual preliminaries we are controlled by a spook gentleman who announces himself as a noted prophet of old, who has been constantly perfecting his prophetic powers during the long centuries since he was doing business in that line on earth, and that he has got the art of reading the future down to so fine a point that he is sure of hitting it every time.
    Then we asked:
    Then in slow and measured phrase he gives us the following startling information, our pencil keeping pace with his words: --
    "Verily the hamlet of Talent hath a wonderful future. With my trained eyes I will peer through the mists of the century to come and thou shalt know the truth.
    "Knowest thou that the growth of a city dependeth upon the mighty men that dwell therein? Verily there are many valiant men in Talent and they have great possessions; but their desire lyeth not in the way of building cities. One would sell all that he hath and journey to a far country, yea to the city of Oakland; another selleth goods in the market place and maketh bacon of swine's flesh, yea the flesh that was condemned under the Law; the desire of another is to thresh out the grain that groweth in the valley; another putteth his shekels into banks and the town seeth them not. The mighty captain of the tribe of Populists looketh afar off for greater honors than the tribe may give unto him; another liveth the forlorn life of a bachelor and his desire is to return to a far country, yea the country of Faderland, and take unto himself a wife. I see two mighty men of your town, yea they are spiritual counselors, but they would not have the people place their affections on things of earth, even to the rearing of cities. A worker in wood also dwelleth in your town but I see that he laboreth in neighboring cities more than in his own. Your young men and maidens journey to the south and to the north and Talent knoweth them no more. Many there are that dwell in the country round about who might come out to the help of the city if the mighty men therein would lead the way. I see a man of large possession who dwelleth on the highway that leadeth towards Medford, but he has many trained dogs and his desire is to hunt the bear, the deer and the coon; yea he is a mighty hunter; there is none like him in the land. To the west I see a man who tilleth a large orchard where groweth the peach, the apple and the pear, but his chief desire is to delve into the earth for the gold that is the root of all evil. I see a highway that leadeth by a creek that is called Wagner. One of the dwellers thereon is, I should judge, a collector of taxes, for he constantly journeyeth throughout the country round about. The desire of many others that dwell nearby is to read the blasphemous writings that are found in certain books and papers and they have no part in the town. Verily none of these people putteth forth an effort to build up the city of Talent. But verily I make known unto thee that in a brief time a mighty man will journey to Talent. Yea he will become a leader. He will establish a great market place and people will come from the uttermost parts of the valley to exchange their produce for his wares. This mighty man will employ scribes to write the merits of Talent and publish the same in the NEWS and all other great newspapers of the land. Verily thousands of people from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, that read of the beauties of your town, journey hither, buy town lots and build houses upon them and dwell therein. Workers in wood and workers in iron, carvers of stone, makers of raiment, skilled workers in brass, teachers of schools, preachers of the gospel, doctors of medicine, and doctors of law; yea every trade and every profession is represented. A score of years pass and lo! and behold, Phoenix is absorbed in Talent. I peer into the future and note its marvelous growth. A century passes.
    "I see spread out before me a mighty city. It extendeth from beyond Ashland on the south to Medford on the north; yea these three are one and the length thereof is one score miles and the width thereof is one fourth of the length thereof.
    "But lo! the name is changed. The three cities unite, their names are blended, the great city is called TALASHFORD.
    "I behold massive buildings and lofty towers, extensive parks and lovely gardens. An electric railway runneth the length of the city. I see magnificent school buildings supplied with the most wonderful apparatus for use in teaching the young the beauties and wonders of the world around them. I see a mighty structure in the center of the city; yea it hath eight stories. On the front is an arch on which is written NEWS BUILDING. I look within. Wonderful to behold! Verily the NEWS is as large as the blanket that covereth a horse and it hath a million readers:"
    That quickly brought us out of our trance and the spook fled. But we sat and pondered over the wonderful disclosures, gazed long and musingly about our office and -- drew comparisons. 
Edward Robison, Talent News, April 15, 1893, page 3


    The introduction of bulletproof clothing as an offset to smokeless powder and improved two-mile guns will make the art of war one of pleasurable exhilaration, with very little danger. About the only people who will be injured by a war in the twentieth century will be overworked tailors and machinists.
Medford Mail, April 21, 1893, page 2

OUR POSSIBILITIES.
Harry M. Ball Casts an Eye into the Very Probable Future
of the Great Rogue River Valley.
Farmers Plenty and Prosperous--Diversified Agricultural Pursuits and Big Cities Galore.

    EDITOR MEDFORD MAIL:--Your special edition of Dec. 1st came duly to hand, and I have read with interest your excellent and valuable write-up of the Rogue River country. It contains much information that would be greatly appreciated by, and valuable to, eastern persons who are dissatisfied with their present condition and surroundings, and by others who may contemplate emigrating to some portion of the Pacific coast. Every Jackson County reader of The Mail should do his share toward distributing information concerning the resources, climate, lands, etc. of the county by mailing one or more copies of this special edition to friends, acquaintances or others in the eastern states, and I feel that the individuals as well as the country would be benefited by such action.
    One of the present drawbacks to the success of the valley is too large an area of uncultivated land and too many farms of such a large area that they are only partially cultivated, and therefore not very profitable to the owners. If we could divert some of the large immigration that is sure to come to the coast within the next two years to your valley, you would soon see a great change--the farms would be greater in number and smaller in area, say in parcels of 40, 80 or 160 acres each, and much more thoroughly cultivated, thereby considerably increasing the yield per acre. Many more orchards would be set out by these newcomers, and the country now famous for its magnificent fruits would increase and extend that reputation manyfold. With this increased population, composed largely of sober, industrious, saving people, and your lands so largely and well cultivated, your towns would be the first to feel the effects of the good times that would follow and would rapidly increase in population too, as well as in manufactories, trade and wealth, which would place them in such a condition as would practically make them independent and affected very little by the panics and so-called "hard times" that are periodically felt in America. It would render all our lands, much of which is now unproductive, readily salable and at greatly increased values. Lands now selling at an average of from $20 to $30 per acre would soon appreciate to $50 and $100 per acre. This large increase in values would also be felt on the assessment rolls by reducing the rate of taxation by nearly one-half and dividing the whole tax among a greater number of taxpayers. A great many of the modern improvements would come to you by reason of this increased population and wealth, viz, good water works, affording water power for manufactories at a low cost, affording protection from conflagrations, water for flushing sewers, thus contributing to the sanitary condition of the towns, electric lights, and in time a system of interurban electric railways would no doubt pay. These latter would reach out in all directions, furnishing transportation for not only the people, but also for the grain and produce which could be hauled by the electric cheaper than by teams. Their supplies could also be cheaply taken out into the country from the shipping points on the Southern Pacific railroad. Such systems of railways are in operation in certain districts in the eastern states, and they are not only a great convenience to the public but pay handsome profits to their stockholders. To my mind there is now no portion of this northwest country that can offer so many substantial advantages to the intending emigrant as the Rogue River Valley. There he can find in abundance soil of the choicest and most fertile and at moderate prices; a climate unsurpassed except by California--the winters are not long and wet as on Puget Sound, nor extremely cold as in eastern Washington, Oregon and Idaho. You have a vast wealth in your timber on--and mineral within--your hills and mountains, and which a few years hence will be very important factors contributing to your prosperity. Hops, which contribute so largely to the wealth and prosperity of the rich and fertile valleys on Puget Sound, the Willamette River and in California, can without doubt be successfully raised in the Rogue River Valley. The profits of this industry, as you are doubtless aware, are quite large, often ranging from $100 to $500 per acre--the former is considered a low average profit. I hope to be able to interest some large growers in the establishment of an experimental hop farm, and if the experiment proves successful, you can look forward to the time when Jackson County will rank as a large producer of this valuable commodity. A large area of your lands are well adapted to producing alfalfa, of which three to six crops can be out per year and the yield brings from six to ten tons per acre, usually considered worth $4 to $5 per ton in the stack--it sells here readily at $14 per ton, baled. When it comes into general use it will largely supplant the native grasses, and enable the raising of a much larger number of fatter and sleeker cattle and hogs than are now raised, and which will find a ready market at good prices in the cities on Puget Sound and elsewhere. There are also many thousand acres of choice land on the foothills surrounding the valley that are especially adapted for the growing of fruits. These lands when in bearing orchards will be fully as productive as those immediately surrounding Ashland and brings the same large prices, viz, from $200 to $500 per acre. In fact, you have a glorious future before you, but in order to ensure the greatest measure of success, and that reasonably soon everyone must put their shoulder to the wheel of enterprise and progress.
    If you have 100 copies of your special edition to share, kindly send them, with bill, to yours, faithfully,

HARRY M. BALL.           

Medford Mail, December 22, 1893, page 2