Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-11-17
A FERTILE REGION.
Eastern Washington Territory. Its
Cn6oyelOpel Resources.
tCor. S. +. Chronicle.l
DApENponT. W. r. Oct. IS. 1888.

ana 'itHcn. cannot LOT moment Ne
"ainsaycd Esl ctially rapid has been the
stride of the eastern portion of the terri
t,rv and state, where cultivated fields,
VIII PCS and even cities now mark the
s,ychrush and bunch grass dtaserts Of
1879. The immense acreage in grnin now
being harvested in Eastern Oregon and
Washington Territory, the heavy yield that
viii; bless the farmers this year and the
growing demand tor laborers, together
with good prices, have all had the effect
of attracting the attention of the discnn-
tented and poorly paid farmers of the
East, and the influx of those classes who
are seeking homes in the section OF coui-
try described as contingent 10 tie newly
const ructed railroads will cause the price
of land, already increasing, tn still further
advance, until it will be out of reach of
the poorer classes
THE BIG BEND.
Each year new section, formerly dcs-
ignatcd Ms waste land or as being TOO tar
from market, has surprised all by its pro-
ductivcncss, and the announcement has
brought an influx of settlers to 1t. VIII"
have soon converted its hilsdes and wall
leys into farms and dotted i, with vil>
lagos. Lately il has been announced
! tina: settlement was being made 10 tile
Big Bend country The land so designat-
ed lies north OF the Northern Pacific road,
and as its name might imply, ia situat Il
! in the l'enl Of the Columbus river. From
the neigh5orhood of Spokane Fails 10 n
point forty miles west of there the Co
lumbis river flows first slightly to the
north ii tlen again takes a course lit
tie south OF west until it reaches point
near Fort ChilaH. Here the m.jpstic
stream suddenly sweeps south and con
tinues in its cour until its Junction with
Snake river at Ainsworth. Immediately
10 the south of the river. Ms 1t flows from
near Spokane until it reaches Chilan, and
directly to the east of il after il swertes
to tho south. is n high plateau nearly
thirty miles square, unusually level tor
land ia Oregon or Washington. Rising.
rs it does, upwards Of 1000 ieet above the
Columbia, this plateau, with scarcely an
un,luIa,ion, extends (" u range If hills de-
void OF timber, known rs Badser moun-
tains. which hound it an THE south
| mum uu.Nn r,,rrEl
The only exception to the level surface
oi this pisteau is the Grand Coulre. This
great natural curiosity. nearly anil across
a thousand feet below :hr platter u, extends
d rcctly across the lower portion at the
Big bend, and is universally believed 10y
NJ! who have examined il to have or ce
b on the course of the Columbia river At
its eastern end. where the river now. ID
supposed to have entered, arrange at low
mountains apparently once extended
across tile poiit where the river is sup
posed Ia have broken through 10 form its
present channel. The only obstruction Il
the river passirg along the Grand C"nlre
IS n narrow bin that extends across 1t i
few hundred yards from where the river
now starts north. This 10 explained by
the accrptors of the theory that the river
hischanged its course as having been
inadc 10y tile washing away of the noun
tain. The natural grain field known a
the Big Bend is covered with growth oi
buncb-grass and few scattering sage
brush of the small variety. Few Mt
tempts have as yet been made tn get wat
er, but SO far AS we couli learn they have
usually been successful ones. Wood for
fuel can easily be obtained at the river,
and also ut the Wensntchie range ol
mountains, that extend along the eastern
side of the Columbia after it leaves Othilun
AT this point sawnills have already been
established and a number one class OF lum-
Der is being supplied.
NEW TOWN.
The only town so tar established lie
named Davenport. 1t is supplied with
store or two, \ saloon and blacksmith
shop, although on the settlement of the
vast region OF farming land about it,
doubtless it will be place of considera-
BILE importance. Opposite and across the
Columbia, northward from tn Big Bend
country, 10 the reservation OF Chief Moses.
over which there has lately been consider
able conflict and wrangline, but which
the Government has happily purchased.
1t is known to I've rich with gold and
silver qsar:z and Is being mined considers
ably by compAnies that have long claimed
Interests there. A splendid quality OF lime
has been found near the Big Bend coun-
try and there ire indications OF coal de-
posits along the Wensstchie range of
mountains. Land is rapidly being claimed
in this rection Of the country and unless
settlements are made soon, parties seek
ing homes will soon find the same set le !
up and in cultivation. In addition to the
Grand Coulce, the ct'untry 10 not devoid
OF interest to the tourist ar PLEASURE seek
or. At Cl1ilan, where the Government
squandercd million of money in attempt.
ing to establish tort and in getting u
| Al.