Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-03-03
klrIITAS VALLEY.

Ben. Dolbear, a correspondent os .b,
Butlstin, wrote from Kittitas Valley
Jan. 18th, as follows:
came from wenas across Tront.,,,r
Mountain the 26th day of Deeemba-
On the top of the mountain was ten :,
1l,een inches OF snow. In parts of thi,
Vaiisy there was no snoT-in other part,
one or tWo Inches. Since that date snow
aas fallen at different times in small
quantities, the whole nos exceeding
'eree 10 SIX inches IN depth. until las,
night about midnight il conimencsd
coming Gown q1ita lively, and thi;
morning at 10 O'Clock has added seven
10 ten inches 10 the amount previously
on the ground and still il SHOWS. So
'ar, both wagons ard sleighs have been
nsed with equal convenience, bat from
present appaarsnce wagons will be laid
aside FOR the remainder OF the W nteF.
Old settlers 81. that deep snow is s1re
70 be followed by heavy crops OF grain.
iae high price Suddenly demanded for
hour has not been maintained, and Il
has dropped from IS to 81 a barrel, aud
rather dull of sale at that. Some would
re snarties undertook 10 make a corner
IN -four. and not having sufficient money
10 do 1t well. succeeded in cornering
themselves instead of the pubic. Most
Of the present winter has been pleasant.
The mercury seldom going ~ low as
zero. Not more than ten DAYS have
been very cold. and three mornings the
thermometer ranged as low as 10 to %
teerees below zero.
Ellensburg, the only village, Is con-
SANITY Improving. A large sehool
house has been built and filed with two
teachers and a large number ef scholars.
There Is large new hall, which will ac-
commodate eighty dancers at one time.
There are several new settlers, who seem
% be enterprisiEg and intelligent
Among them Is j. 81. Shelton, VINO has
resided many years in Colorado. He
has brought with HIN plenty of means,
tnd knows how 10 use il to benefit the
surrounding community az we'll rs him
elf. Ills intelligence will bs blessing
10 the valley, and he assures Us tina.
With care in cultivation fruit can a.
.asily be raised here as in Colorado OF
Kansas. This point dsss not exceed
10 miles from Seattle, and if good
wagon road had been made across .he
Cascade Mountains, the trade wbicl
,oes TO The DaIles would go directly tc
seattle, On Page. Sound.
There il constantly gradual improve
nent going on III the valley IL all that
lsrtaius to the farm, and there is {
.reat contrast between kittltas today
md kitti:as as il was four or i've years
go. The new comers bring with then
ne new ideas OF the older States. and
u five years more the customs of the
oast-the big jrngting spars aud the
lariat will be abandoned. Yakima River
fises in tho Cascade Mountains near the
iummit, and flows rapidly through the
middle of tho valley, continuing it
,onr5e 10 miles to the Columbia, ten
niles above Ainsworth, which IS located
q the junction of Columbia and Snak.
Rivers. The valley ia Accommodated
With five Touring mills and four saw
nills. There Is talk of more saw mills
Lumber IL mostly made from pine. bu;
occasionally stick of fir timber is
sawed. Cottonwood, balm, alder, viii
low and quaking asp ars found growlns
along most OF the streams large enough
for firewood and fencing poles. Fish
tre not plenty; trout are IN all tie
mall streams, bit not so plenty as III
no streams running into Puget Sound
Bear, deer and wild goats are aigh up III
he mountains. Cougar, wild cat, lynx
ray aud black wolves, corotes, otter
beaver, mink and martin are to founG
nero, though not in great Numbers. III
Tho future will come people who vii.
'tay and b1ild good homes, and in al
'espects change the appearance of the
'ountry aud its way of doing business.
10 far no coal has been found. Is wonio
70 blessing to the whole country il
,oal existed in Euch quantities as t,
supply fuel. There are some men nj
york about fifty miles away, at points
named Swauk and Pcshastin, both III
cock and soil dig2ing.; We do not hear
Of any great strikes, and presume they
make only enough TO supply thsm with
Jrub and whisky.