The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-10-29

different tha. i. can be better designated
as being among the foothills Of the
uountaiLs rather than . part Of the
valley. |. ex.euds from east 10 west
some twenty-five or thirty ,niles. ani
from north 10 south fifteen or twenty
miles. The Yakima river crosses ITS
southwest side. so as to leave about one
fourth Of the valley southwest OF the
river. From the foothills on either side
80 .e valley streams Of living water
cross to the river, all flowing at an ele-
ya:ion high enough TO irrigate any por'
ton of the valley. II is the best wa
tered valley on the coast. Most Of the
valley is so well watered that il would
be impossible to suggest any improve
ment IN this respect. The surface Is
gently rolling. descending on each side
from the foothills. o. these small
streams several mills are already estab-
lished. notwithstanding all this, to
the eye mot Of the valley seems to be
on nearly q dead level.
The kttitss is O mountain valley.
1t is wholly surrounded by mountains.
Is elevation above the sea is supposed
10 be over fifteen hundred feet. A high
mountain, some twenty five niles across,
separates it from the Wenatchee valley
on the north, while on the south an
other mountain nearly twenty miles
across separates it from the Yakima
valley. 1t is over this mountain that
the stage runs tri-weekly each way
from Ellensburg to the Dalles, through
to Yakims City. At present the pro-
ducts of the valley are hauled to the
Dalles, about $50 miles, over this road,
and all its supplies are obtained from
Portland via the Columb ;a river, at q
cost Of fonr cents per ponnd. or $50 per
ton.
The mountains environiug this valley
are the lowest on its eastern side, to-
wards Priest Rapids Cd the Columbia
river. This place is the head of navi-
cation on that river from the Dalles,
aud i. about twenty miles from the
eastern end of the valley.
Messis. Stewart and Shoudy. the
leading merchants Of Ellensburg, are
about building a warehouse at Priest
Rapids 100 feet long by 80 feet wide,
with II feet posts. BY the o S N Co
running their boats regularly to this
point. wagon freishts will be reduced
two cents pr pound. 1t is expected
that by this arrangement the freight
from Portland to Ellensburg will be
from $50 to 500 per ton, instead of $50,
as heretofore. An excellent wagon road
already exists from the valley to Prizes
Rapids.
This valley was first settled about
ten years ago. The first corners arrived
in 1868. but none permanently settled
until 1869. Messrs. Thorp, Smith Bro
theirs, Hansen ard Lodi came in the
spring OF that year, alu. sone ten or
twelve more during the summer and
fall, anobg whom were Messrs Becker,
Bull. Reid, Coleman, Bennett, Gillespie,
Caller. (now of the Wenatchee) Splawn.
kobeson. Sc. Among the leading citi-
zens of the valley who came in 1870
were S Geddis. G p Cooke and c A
Sanders. Since then the settlements
have steadily increased, until now there
are about two hundred claims taken
and from five hundred to a thousand
settlers in the valley.
This is one Of the great certers of
the bunch grass grazing region. and
grazing and stock raising is the princi-
pal pursuit. Some of the leading stock
men have froia 500 to 1900 head of cat
tie, while few hnvo less than 100 head.
The largest owners are + Nj Thorpe, C
P Cooke and son. Smith Brothers, M
Becker, Chas Splawn. Whitson and son
and the Schnetley Brothers.
1t is very difficult to arrive at exact
estimates OF the number of cattle there,
as even the assessment rolls are un-
trustworthy guides. l suppose. how
ever, from the most reliable information
at hand. the whole number to be not far
from $1,000.
About 5000 sheep are kept in the
valley. C Wheeler and Jesse Mcdaniel
each have about 1000. M Becker 600,
Schnebley Brothers 500 and c P Cooke
$50.
Messrs NJ Becker and the Smith Bro
theirs the past season MIXED not far
from 20 cows each, while from 20 to IS
dairy cows were MIXED by each of the
following persons: Messrs Geddis, May.
Stevens & Abbott. Erricson and Damon.
NJ Becker made ton Of cheese and one
half ton of butter.
The horses owned by white men will
number over 1000. Moses and the We
natchec Indians keep cattle. but those
in this valley keep none to speak OF.
The whole number Of horses and Indian
ponies is about 1000: JPinnell has
about 200, while Messrs Jenson. Smith
Brothers. Whitson and son. Schnebley
Brothers and M Becker have each from
so to IS horses and ponies. ...t
CO.., ke's. band Of sheep are South
Dowrs, largely graded with 0Merinos.
while Coleman's are Leicester, graded
with merinos.
E. NJ.