The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-06-09

G SakA'A ~ 10 "A
e. T.
timber ard mineral region of the
mountains and their foothills; the
arabic land Of the Kittitass valley and
the grazing land which stretches from
the valley to the river. The Yakima
river, branch of the Columbia, flows
through the county, affording with
numberless smaller streams an ample
supply of pure, fresh water. In the
mountains are rich deposits Of coal,
iron, gold, silver, copper and other
minerals as yet almost undeveloped.
The Northern Pacific Coal company
Is mining 500 tons of coal daily, and
paying out $4,000 or $4,000 month.
to the miners, but this Is mere baga-
telle compared to the output OF the
near future, for there Is vast country
daily growing in population as a mar
ket for this coal, and mines as ex-
tensive as those of Pennsylvania will
be needed, ere many years have passed
by, to supply this demand. And then,
supplementing the coal mines. are the
iron deposits, which have already at
tracted foreign capital. The Moss
Bay Steel Works of England are about
to establish an extensive plant In the
county. near Gle Elum, some twenty
FIVE miles from Ellensburgh, which
will represent an Investment Of $1,000
600, and give employment to 1000
and more men. 1t Is thought by ex-
perts who are now investigating the
question, that natural gas exists near
these mineral beds; IL this surmise
proves true an immense manufacture
ing centre is assured. Coal oil Is also
one Of the possible finds of the future,
though the explorations In this direc-
ton have not yet been pushed far
enough to determine definitely IL IL
exists in the county or not. Besides
their mineral resources the Cascades
are covered with inexhaustible forests
of pine, fir and cedar, so that the fuel
and lumber question Is not one that
causes any anxiety to the citizens of
Kittitass county. Next TO the timber
and mineral belt, as l have noted
above, lies the agricultural region
the Kittltass valley-with Ellensburgh,
the county-seat, as its central point OF
attraction. The valley is thirty miles
long by fifteen miles in width. The
mountains and foothills surround IL
on all sides, and the Yakima River
meanders its way through its whole
length. Flowing into this main stream
are a number of smaller creeks and
brooks the water from which at but a
trifling cost can be turned through the
fields and over the meadows, convert
ing them into agricultural land of
surprising fertility-land which is fer
tile and productive even in the driest
years, for land that can be easily irri-
gated is independent Of rains and the
farmers Of the Kittitass Valley are in
different and do not care wheth-
er IL ever rains or not. No
failure Of crops has ever been known
and the wheat yield reaches 80 bushels
as medium crop. AS for barley and
oats they run from 80 to 65 bushels,
although Rev. A. J.. Hodge raised on
farm near here lis bushels OF barley
to an acre Of ground. Hay cuts from
two to three and sometimes as high as
four tons to the acre. There are sew
eral lakes In the county Astounding In
fish; trout weighing as high as four
pounds, are caught In the Yakima
river and It's tributary streams. There
are five flour mills in the county all
running TO their full capacity. The
fact is that the territory directly trib-
utary TO Ellensburgh and the surround
ing valley, would make good sized
state East, or an important empire I'm
Europe. Kittitass county alone with
its 5000 square miles is bigger than
Rhode Island and Delaware combined.
and has as great natural advantages
as they have, IL not greater. But
besides the county, there Is a vast trib-
utary territory. IL is the nearest pos
sible location for town OF any i'm
portance between here and Puget
Sound, and II Is the nearest point TO |
the Salmon River mining country with
which IL will shortly be connected by |
a line OF railway and which at present |
IL supplies with all the necessities of |
life. When the mines TO the west and |
north are fully developed and the land
is all occupied 10 needs no prophet TO
predict that Ellensburgh must be
large ana important business centre.
And this leads one TO say something of |
fho frxwx ff..lf Ilrnr.t..~..ls $500. .t..t.