Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-08-07
The Moses Reservation.
Portland Standard.

Iofllanu Standard.
The tract of well-watered and we'll
timbered land in the Big Bend coun-
try, known as the Moses Reserva-
ton, was thrown open for settle
ment on the Goth ultimo. It lies in
Stevens county, Washington Terri
tory, and is bounded on the north
by British Columbia, on the east by
the Okanaeon river, and on the west
by Lake Chelun, Stahekin creek and
the Skaeit river; according to the
survey made by Lieutenant Simons,
of the U. 5. engineers corps, 4, ,675b
square miles, or 1882, 24O acres,
which consist of rich valley, fertile
uplands, and has long been known
20 possess extensive mineral depos-
its, recent discoveries indicating that
tho country is rich in this respect.
Washington Territory has a good
reputation for its adaptability to
stock raising, and this section seems
favored in that respect more than
any other. Very little feed is re-
quired. except in very hard winters,
as has been demonstrated by the
settlers and Indians, who have al
lowed their cattle to roam at large
all the year, their isolated condition
having formerly prevented them from
piling up feed. AS for shelter, such
a thing was scarcely thought Of.
The general loss of cattle in the
Winter Of 1SS0-S1 was but 2 per
cent. on the Reservation, while in the
Okanagon lake district it was nearly
80 per cent. Bands of cattle num-
bering from 1000 to $4,000 head
passed safely through the crisis and
made their owners rich because of
the great loss elsewhere. To be
such favored stock region it must
be plain that the climate has superior
advantages and that the weather is
delightful, which it really is. Snow
falls about January, and generally
disappears cs soon as it does in the
Willamette valley, the expelling
! ,JE-----A-;-o--tAv--fxruouy CnfnUox
wind, that honey-eombs the snow in
q few hours when it once begins
work.
In favorable seasons, the Spring
begins earlier than it does here.
February often, and March always,
sees the flowers in bloom and grass
growing. Moisture seems to pervade
the atmosphere in a mist or morning
fog. SO that irrigation is not needed
excepting in rare instances. OF
course the months of Summer are
hot, but even then the nights are
cool and comfortable.
Timber is not scarcity in the Big
Bend, and only the lack Of naviga-
tion on the Columbia prevents its
being = utilized. The principal
growths are pine, fir, tamarack and
cedar. There are two kinds of ce-
dar two of fir and three of pine.
The pine, however, exceeds iu quan-
tity and the fir marks "A. Cedars
have been found sixteen and eighteen
feet in diameter and pines twelve to
fourteen feet. Fir is found 80 tall
and straight and gently tapering to
fit them for ship masts and spars.
Ordinary sized pine trees yield from
l 500 to 5000 feet of lumber and
many others of these could be made
into railroad ties, boards, fencing,
palings, pickets, household furni-
ture and ship timber. There are
large groves of cottonwood, birch,
alder and willow along the water
courses. Minerals abound in all the
mountainous part. but have not yet
been opened By the miners to any
great extent, except on the left bank
of Lake Osoyoos, where H. S. Smith
has owned and worked quartz lode.
This mine was named the Eagle and
was lately bonded by capitalists for
s12, 900, who will begin the erection
of a 1O-stamp quartz mill at once.
Surface or placer gold can be found
on all the creeks, and on the Simil-
kameen has been found the finest
gold ever brought from the northern
mines. 1t assays s19 80 per ounce,
the highest grade tested.
Agricultural produce of all kinds
grows in the greatest abundance.
Every kind of vegetable grows in
luxuriance, if we'll cultivated, while
fruit, large we'll as small, cannot be
excelled anywhere. Grains of all
kinds do we'll, and the country
abounds in large meadows.
Among its water courses may be
noted the Okanagon and Conconully
rivers, while Lake Okanagon and
Methow river are surrounded by fine
valleys, suitable for any purpose and
each capable of supporting forty
families at this time.
A MASS meeting of ex-Confederate
soldiers was held at st. Antonio,