The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-01
IRRIGATION ENTERPRISE.
The Rich Yakima Lands 10 Be
Beautifully Watered.
DEVELOPMENT Work In the Great
Valley in Progress aad In Pros
pees-Aifaif. and Other Expert
mental Crops Doing Well


mental Crops Doing Well.
The tourist on sailing into the mag
nifcent harbor OF Seattle. and from
the deck OF one Of our stately floating
palaces, viewing that growing, beauti-
full commercial emporium, with its
warehouses, stores, and elegant resi-
dences. rising up, terraee-iike. from
the placid waters of the Sound. all en-
Swallowed in background OF living
green, with the snowy peaks OF the
Coast range in the near perspective,
can have but little idea from his sur
roundings OF the character OF the
country and climate, lying in Eastern
Washington, beyond the giistening
mountains.
Taking the cars at Seattle a few
hours ride. thrnush the wonderful
Sfampede-sanhel, fransposes one into
district, in which the conditions OF
climate, soil and temperature are as
| changed from the physical features of
GI8kttE - txA-J-C VI - a4@4&kE&4t 61f@kCs
Passing down on the ffne Of tia
great n. p Y. r. continental route
Through the glades and valleys OF Kit
titas. following the winding csurse of
the Yakima river, where it has cut
I its way through the southern spur of
! the Wenatchee mountsins. the trav-
eler is conveyed into the great plain
of the Yakima country,
4suara
I stead of hills covered with evergreen
/ foretss, broad, rich, alluvial plains,
are on either hand. Instead of the
moist climate of the Sound country,
there is a warmth and acidity in the
Northern Mexico or the San Joaquin
plains of California; and this is
/ Yakima county of Washington, ex-
/ tending lbs miles from the Coast
range eastward to the mighty Column
on the north to the klickitat mount
mense, prolific prairieS, a place
where the sun shines nine-tenths of
I the year, rainfall of eight inches
modified by the southwest trades
! NOul SiAiE up tut IAliN Oi VI tiiC w
I lumbia river as to remind one of
more southern latitude For years by
| the stockmen and settlers these great
plains were considered suitable only
( for cattle ranges and the home of
| the wild horse. Traversed diagonally
I by the Yakima river. a stream that
with its tributaries. the Matches,
Ahtanum, Wenass, Toprush and
! ~ hrara1hae atfnr.ll
/ ible, unceasing water Eower and sup
ply for all possible irrigable purposes,
science has noted the great posi-
bilities of this section.
( Careful thermometrical statistic
prove the climate to be about the same
as Northern California. Intelligent
estimates show that there is plenty and
/ to spare OF natures fructifyer, water.
in the rivers. Observation demon
| strates the soil TO be OF the best. unex-
celled anywhere. Necessity demands
I that these great advantages be utilized
10 supply food to the rapidly increas-
ing tens OF thousands of the Sound
I cities
The educated American farmer has
always proven himself equal to any
emergency and able to supply the de
mand, responsive to the exigencies of
the occasion.
To-day, therefore, where four wears
ago were uncultivated prairieS, the
home of great herds of unrestrined
wild cattle and vicious bands of ca
yuse ponies who knew no halter, now
stands the beautiful city of North Yak
ina, the queen of Eastern Washing
ton, and on every side acre after acre
of broad cultivated domains, rich in
fruit, hops, grain and vegetables of
every description; all brought about
in the short space of time by the intel
ligent use of the vivifying waters of
the rivers.
A short account of some of the prin-
cipal irrigation schemes in Yakima
may be of interest, which we attempt.
giving them not chronclogically but
geographically.
The city of North Yakimais situated
at the confluence of the Matches and
Yakima rivers. The waters of the
Natchess are supplied from the eter-
nal glaciers of Mount Rainier. There
are several minor irrigation bitches
taken out OF this stream, the only ex-
tensive one is the canal OF the Selah
Valley Ditch Company. of which h. f.
Young of Pierce county is the able
superintendent. This company, going
up the NatcheSs some 80 miles, posted
their notices of appropriation and
took out canal "a feet on the bottom
carrying three feet and ahalf of waite
in depth. Excayating around tn
foothills on the north OF the Matches
valley they have conducted thei
canal over into the Selah valley jus
north of the city of North Yakima
This valley contains about 20, 600 acres
of beautiful land which, now under
the impetus afforded by the Selah
Valley Ditch Company, is being rap
idly settled and brought under the
dominion of the pillow and harrow.
This same company. branching off
with a side cut, where their main
line crosses the divide between the
Natchess and the Selahy by means OF
fumes and conduits, are conveying a
portion OF this pure, fresh, icy cold
water OF the glacier, TO the top OF the
high bluff Just north of the city of
North Gakima-here is being con-
structed reservoir, 40 feet in depth
and with a surface of five acres, in the
head OF a ravine From this point the
company propose conducting the water
down the bluff, q ross the Natchess in
/ iron pipes, to supply their mains in
the city, thus affording the inhabitants
of that favored place a sufiiclency of
dure, fresh water. under 420-foot
pressure.
Just across the Yakima river from
the city are the head-gates OF the
+ Mckee Company's ditch. This com
panv, OF which Gardiner c. Hubbard,
OF Washington, u. c., and William
ker, ESQ. OF Mckee, are the principal
owners, under the intelligent super
[ vision ci Mr.. ker, the president, have
carried the science Of irrigation TO a
higher degree of perfection than any
/ other canal company in the country.
I This compSny's main ditch i Is feet
on the bottom. and calculated to
carry depth OF three feet of water,
winds around the foothills of the
( beautiful Mckee valley and supplies
all those thousands Of broad acres
with . suliiciency OF water for irriga-
I ton and domestic and stock purposes.
! The Mckee Co. use a portion OF this
supply on some 300 acres of their
own. Here may be seen broad acres
OF alfalfa. from which four crops
{ year are cut, large fields of grain, hop
{ yards with their long, straight poles.
embowered by the clinging vines.
( standing up like soldiers on dress
{ parade, row after rev OF fruit trees,
| bending under their loads of ripe
| fruit in the season. long stretches of
, vineyard concealing under their shell
] tering leaves punches of the luscious
/ grapes, of size and quality calculated
/ TO delight the heart Of q viticulturist.