La Grande, Oregon-La Grande, although not
the county seat, is the largest town in Union county. Its present
population is about 3,500. It is situated on the west side of the Grand
Ronde valley, and it is the principal supply for a section of country
whose area is estimated to be 500 square miles. The trade of this
district includes everything that a marvelously fertile soil, favored by
an equable climate, will produce. Chief among the productions of the
territory tributary to La Grande are grain, hay, hops, fruit and
vegetables, as well as wool, hides, cattle, sheep and horses, and
lumber. Within a radius of 20 miles of La Grande there are no less than
25
 sawmills,
whose output during the cutting season is from 10,000 to 100,000 feet
each per day. La Grande is the end of a division of the Union Pacific railroad, and is 305 miles east of Portland by this line. A branch of the Union Pacific extends out from La Grande to Elgin, in Indian valley, a distance of 22 miles. The Union Pacific has established repair shops, round houses, coal bunkers, etc., at La Grande, at a cost of about $100,000. About 200 men are regularly employed in the company's shops at this point and the monthly pay-roll averages about $25,000. La Grande is fully abreast of the times in all modern improvements. The main streets of the city are 100 feet wide and they are well macadamized with gravel. The city contains 30 brick business blocks made attractive by gracefully designed fronts. A water-works plant, built by the city at a cost of $50,000, and a well equipped fire department, are recent additions to the city's improvements. The water supply of the city is forced from a series of wells near the Grand Ronde river to a reservoir near the city, with a capacity of 1,500,000 gallons. The streets, business houses and best private residences of the city are thoroughly lighted by electricity. The efficient electric light plant was recently completed here at a cost of $37,000.  LaGrande contains one roller-process flouring mill with a daily capacity of 100 barrels, three planing-mills and a number of smaller manufacturing enterprises. The Grande Ronde river furnishes during nearly the entire year 150 horse power available for manufacturing purposes here, but this power is not being utilized at the present time. The various mercantile pursuits at LaGrande are conducted by an enterprising class of business men. Two national banks, with a capital stock of $60,000 each, are located at this point. The city also supports three weekly newspapers, The La Grande Gazette, The Grand Ronde Chronicle and The Union County Farmer. La Grande contains a neat little opera house and two brick hotels, one of which, The Foley House, was recently erected at a cost of $30,000.This hotel is strictly modern in all its appointments and is heated throughout by steam and lighted by electricity. In addition to the above, there are also two smaller hotels conducted in the place. The public schools of La Grande are conducted in a large handsome building of six rooms and in two wooden buildings of four rooms each. The main school building was erected at a cost of $12,000. A principal and a staff of 11 assisant teachers are employed in the public schools here. The courses of study taught range from the primary to the high school. The average daily attendance of scholars at the public schools of the city is about 625. The Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal and Catholic organizations own their own church buildings at LaGrande. The gross assessed valuation of taxable property in La Grande for 1892 was $1,500,000 and the total bonded indebtedness of the city at the present time is $50,000. During the past three years La Grande has made very substantial progress. In 1889, 35 new private residences were erected here; the following year 152 new residences were completed. In 1891, 183 private dwellings were added, and in 1892 this was still further increased by the erection of 100 more. La Grande is the trading center of a rich section of country and its growth during the past few years has been no more rapid than it is expected it will be in the immediate future. La Grande boasts of having one of the finest hotels in the state outside of Portland.  The
Hotel Foley at this point, an illustration of which appears in
connection with the present article, is a handsome three-story brick
structure, occupying one of the most prominent corners in La Grande. The
house is heated throughout with steam and it contains 50
elegantly-furnished rooms, all of which are lighted by electricity. Free
sample-rooms are provided for the convenience of commercial travelers.
The Hotel Foley was erected in 1891 at a cost of $30,000 by the present
proprietor, J.E. Foley. Mr. Foley is an experienced hotel manager and
has earned a patronage for his excellent hostelry such as is won only
first class accommodations and thoroughly courteous treatment of guests.
The rates at the Hotel Foley are from $2 to $2.50 per day. Since the above was written the city of La Grande has signed a contract with the La Grande Electric Light Company for lighting the city by electric lamps. Twenty 1,200 candles power arc lights will be used for this purpose. The Oregonian's Handbook of the Pacific Northwest ©Shauna Williams |