Rogue River Valley is an intermediate link between the inland valleys lying east of and parallel with the Coast Range and extending from the Willamette on the north to the Sacramento on the south. Here is where the conflicting elements meet and compromise between the dreaded drought of the south and the excessive rains of the north. Here all extremes are amicably adjusted, and the result is no drought and no unusual rainfall. In addition to the rare climatic conditions with which this valley is specially favored, it is one of the most productive and healthful to be found on the coast, and withal a very gem cozily nestled in a richly variegated mountain setting. The valley is an irregular amphitheater about forty miles in length and twenty miles wide and is completely surrounded with lofty mountains. Sharp spurs, alternating with low hills, extend into it at intervals, and the whole is delicately touched and toned with striking diversity and mellowed by the pleasing light and shade peculiar to mountain scenery. It is truly a lovely valley, such as would delight the artist's heart and almost attune with poesy the most determined stoic. It is little wonder that the outraged Red Man, crowded to ocean's surf, with not a foot of land to call his own, fought and fell and died to save this, his goodly heritage, for surely there is none fairer on earth. The fabled vales of cashmere, with all their wealth of blooming flowers and perennial founts that fling their silvery spray amid a world of richest fragrance, could scarce excel the reality that here alternately delights and inspires the rapt beholder when first this valley greets his wondering gaze. What is now the valley was once a lake. The evidences of this fact are most unmistakable, and Rogue River was doubtless the stream that fed it. Sometime in the remote past it discharged its waters through what is now known as Sterling Creek. Applegate at that time was a large river, as is abundantly shown by the immense wash from the head of Sterling to its present junction with Rogue River. How long the waters of the lake were discharged through this channel, if at all, it would be impossible to tell; but from the deep wash in the solid bedrock for miles down the creek it would be safe to say centuries elapsed before this gorge was cut to its present depth. The mountains at the head of Sterling were probably much higher than now, and that there was no opening or low pass through which the waters of the lake were first charged, cutting the deep channel referred to above [sic]. Later, there must have been a great slide from some of the adjacent mountains, and the pass and river channel were filled up and the pent-up lake was forced to find an outlet elsewhere for its surplus water. This it did by cutting a pass through the mountains from Gold Hill to Grants Pass and thus finally flowing into the old channel where it now forms a junction with Applegate. This is bold speculation, but there is strong presumptive evidence to support it, and one gratifying feature about it is that it can be more readily believed than disproved.
Democratic Times, Jacksonville, February 3, 1893, page 2


    We make the following extracts from a private letter from Central Point, Jackson County, Oregon, dated March 2nd, giving some interesting facts regarding that country:
    "We are having delightful weather now, and gardens are being made and spring crops put in. We have not had near as much rain as usual this winter, so the mud is only hub deep instead of being clear over the wheels. While all those storms were raging in the north part of the state, and in the Willamette Valley, we had very good weather here.… Southern Oregon has got a boom this spring. Several rich ledges and pockets of gold have been discovered, some near here. A party of capitalists from Seattle are here, and have made arrangements to build a flume from near the headwaters of Rogue River to open up the vast forest of sugar pine up there. The shares have been sold, and our town being the terminus of the flume of course makes things lively. A bank will be established soon, and the Southern Pacific R.R. Company have contracted with a man hereto furnish him 1,000 tourists at $8 apiece, if he will put on a line of stages and run to Crater Lake, about 80 miles from here. He says he has ordered the coaches and necessary tents, etc., and will be ready for business in June. I only hope all this will materialize. The Rogue River Valley R.R. will be extended up the river also. They took a layoff not long ago, and swept the car out and gave it a coat of paint. The mail was carried to Medford in wagons, and the passengers walked down the railroad while all this was going on. Business was dull. The folks from the "states," as they say here, are not coming here by the hundreds, as they used to. They are wise, for when one has a good home there, they had better stay. When the climate and fruit is taken out, there is little here to induce one to stay.…
    "Eggs are low here now, only 12 cents per dozen; butter 20 cents, wheat from 40 to 52 cents per bushel, pork $6 per cwt., beef 10 cents per pound. Vegetables are plenty and prices reasonable. Apples are scarce and high, fish plenty at 5 cents per pound and sometimes cheaper than that. The canneries at the mouth of Rogue River were compelled to take out their nets this spring, so the run of fish is larger. There was nearly as many salmon canned at Gold Beach last year as there was on the Columbia."
Blue Valley Blade, Seward, Nebraska, March 15, 1893, page 3


Written for the Medford Mail.
    Leaving Talent on Friday morning, June 22nd, after the soaking rain the day before, we found the dust well laid and some puddles of water, but the weather was as clear and pleasant as we might ask. After procuring a 9x10-foot tent and complete supplies at Talent, Medford and Central Point while passing through these places, we lunched at the Central Point camp meeting grove, and camped and pitched our tent on the bank of Rogue River near the venerable Dr. Colvig's residence [in Rock Point]. The second night near Wilderville, the third near Waldo, the fourth, three miles beyond Patrick's Creek, and the fifth on the plaza in Crescent City. We found the Coast Range very hilly and but very little level land after crossing the Illinois River four miles beyond the mining town of Waldo, but the road is superb and an easy grade all the way, but the toll is $3 each way for a two-horse vehicle. We considered this cheap after learning the grading cost, at least $100,000. The toll gate is at Gasquet's ranch, 15 miles from Crescent City. We found the redwoods immense and the ocean more so. We found the citizens of the place and its suburbs clever--both whites and Indians. We camped five days on the bluff near Pebble Beach two miles southwest of the city. Leaving our goods in care of the Indians near by, we visited around daytimes and went home evenings. We visited the logging camps, saw mills and dairy ranches on Smith River to our heart's content and reached Talent on Thursday, July 6th. We had an enjoyable trip and cost, all told, $12.
Medford Mail, July 21, 1893, page 1