News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-07-23
Kettle Falls and Vicinity.
KETTLE FALLS, Wash,
july z. lS.G.

KETTLE FALLS, Wash,
July Z. 1871.
EtLitor of News and Citizen
have endeavored i'm the preceding
letters to give n description of n trip
across the continent. will now try
to give a description of the state,
and people of Washington in Kettle
Falls and vicinity. Kettle Falls sew
en- months ago was a virgin forest.
About year ago n party of Roch-
ester, n. Y, capitalists were making
a tour of this state looking for a site
TO start a city, such as spring up in
western states like mushrooms, in a
few years. At length they came TO
the juncture of the Colville with the
Columbia river. Here they decided
to build a city. Why would they
build it here 2 Because there was
plenty of lumber, agricultural and
mining lands at our very door, an
unlimited water power and a very
healthy climate. / am not writing
this to boom Kettle Falls, as | have
no real estate for sale, but to show
how cities grow in the west. just
think of it Seven months ago an
unbroken forest to-day a town of
over 1000 inhabitants, two banks,
church, school house, three sawmills,
sash and blind factory, flour mill,
electric lights, sewers and sidewalks
all completed, besides numerous bus
mess blocks and residences. The city
is on the east side of the Columbia
river, the falls from which the city
takes it's name are at the northern
end. The Colville Indian reservation
is across the river. The reservation
contains 2,S00,000 acres, one-half
of which it is expected will be opened
for settlement this coming winter.
This is the farmers paradise. The
sizes and amount of fruits, grain and
vegetables raised are phenomenal. /
have seen timothy that stood over
six feet high. Wheat yields 35 20 80
bushels per acre, oats go TO 20, po-
tatoes from two to five hundred
bushels. This without any fertilizer
whatever. The soil is Of the nature
of black loaTIi. without any imped-
iment TO the plow after the stumps
are out. Potato bugs and other in
furious insects are unknown. i have
seen potatoes that weighed three
pounds, beets 24X26 inches, parsnips
26 inches long and carrots the same
length, without any heart or pith
whatever. Strawberries grow TO nm
enormous size, some of them measur-
ing as high as nine inches in circum-
ference. 1t is nothing unusual to see
fHf Nn lHnN
Other fruits grow in likeproportions.
l will enclose n sample of Marrowfat
peas, brought in by an Indian from
the reservation to-day. They are
about six inches long and one inch
wide. The farmers here are not as
as those of the Green
Mountain state. They do just what
work is necessary to raise the crops
and no more. The buildings are
poor and as a rule everything has an
unkempt look. Those that peddle
garden produce and dairy products
have all kinds of vehicles from a
prairie schooner TO a two-wheeled
dump cart. The country is sparsely
settled, any amount of land being
open to settlement. To take upland
one must be an American citizen and
of age. Under the Homestead Act
one can take up 160 acres of land
and get a clear title by being a resi-
dent for five years and paying N
small fee for patent. A war veteran
gets title by being resident for
five years lacking time of service.
Under the Presumption Act anyone
that is an American citizen and OF
age can get n title by living ON It
thirteen months and paying $l.25
an acre. III. G.. WHITNEY.