The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-04-09
Argument for the Location Of the Agricultural CdGgs and
School Of Science at Yakima.
THELocATIoN OF THE AGRIcULTURAI. COLLEGE

Washington must always be agricultural State. In
deed, the Eastern portion rely agriculture almost
entirely In this section therefore, the Legislature has
wisely decided that the college shall be located Certain
counties have been thrown by the Legislature
they already have State institutions within their borders
This also wise decision provided that the remaining
counties offer advantages Of fitness equal to any Of
the others 1t is wise provision to distribute State nstu
TONS that particular section may have its possibly
superior claims overlooked for those Of its populous
and stronger rivals The State, like impartial judge
should know favor-ke wise parent should treat her
children alike-and should distribute her favors de-
veoe all sections and gain the greatest good to the greatest
number
The Commission named by the Governor is an admir-
able one, and may be trusted to weigh well the conflicting
claims of the rival Counties and to just and wise
conclusion The Counties from which the choice will
doubtedy be made, Whitman, Lincoln Adams and
Yakima and of these Yakima for many reasons would
be the best location is the most centTa-ndeed
is the connecting link between the East and West and its
County Seat the central point to mile between the two
divisions Of the State Its climate and soil noted for
their agricultural possibilities It is but stating known
truth to say that in other County Of Washington
such wonderful variety of products be shown. The
cereals fruits and vegetables produced in other Counties
here produced in yield large larger and in quality
good better Her peaches considered by the conno
of the superior in favor those of California
Her melons celebrated from Spokane to the Straits
Her vineyards yet in their infancy but most PROM
Using Her tobacco is Of undoubted excellence Her hops
have been preferred by the European market any grown
the coast Her cotton raised expermentay in limited
quantities. has brought to her farmers handsome offers and
from the largest brokers of New York to
in the cultivation Of that staple Her roots from beets to
potatoes unrivaled Her vines from grapes and pea
unequaled elsewhere in the State.
While these facts which in the knowledge Of
many and be verified by all who choose make careful
and candid inquiry, great drawback hampers the agr
culturaist Of this otherwise wonderfully favored County
has practically rain and must depend irrigation for
the production of blade of But herein lies
her strongest her unanswerabe claim for the Agricultural
College There many such colleges throughout the
country which located under ordinary farming cond
tons From these scientific methods applicable to ordinary
farming all times be learned But there is such
school anywhere in the arid rigatng belt Such college
located in Yakima County would benefit not only that
County but all similar districts in and in sister
States. 1t would acquire national and eventually
European reputation 1t would draw students from Idaho,
Montana, Utah. Colorado and California 1t would teach
the methods by which millions of of the pro-
ducve land this continent could be made the support Of
hundreds of thousands Of farmers It would do than
any other thing to build up, and that rapidly the popu
laton of State, and increase her wealth. 1t would
create wealth in the purest sense Of the expression 1t
would be clear gain because Ito hackneyed but very
expressive phrase) would teach the methods by which
the desert is made to blossom the roe and by which
much can be produced from nothing.
And this not be achieved by private enterprise the
contract too large In Mckee Yakima County the largest
and most successful private experimental farm in the State
is located While its results have been extensive and most
useful they have relatively the magnitude Of the problem
left almost untouched the thousand questions Of scientific
farming under irrigation.
The only two known methods of irrigation are by d.
verng from natural streams and by artesian wells
The first method is divided into three sub mehodscanas
winch distribute water WneeS winch
raise the from the natural streamevel below the land
be waterd and irrigation pumps which convey the water
higher levels All these methods in opera
ton in Yakima and aresian we'll is under contract and
already hundred feet These experiments and
methods use taken all together in other County
in the State, and far data at hand indicate in
other County in the United States
And since the institution to be located contemplaes
scientific education which shall go into the ground not alone
for what it will give the ter of the SOIL but well for
the base and precious metals for coal and for building and
precious stone proper call attention to the fact that
Yakima County has for its western boundary the summit Of
the Cascade range Of mountains range which has yielded
its of wealth all countries for ages has too,
several spurs from the main range which have been shown
by ordinary unscen6c prospecting to abound in iron
COAL gold silver and copper There have recently been
discovered large deposits Of onyx jasper and in
the County, between the Yakima and Columbia rivers.
There are too exhausess deposits Of mineral 6reproof
paint and the best known clay for making friedrich in the
world Operations looking to the teaching Of science it
bears upon the developing Of the eas mineral stores
will be by the foregoing statement be conducted in
Yakima with far greater advantage than in any other County
in the State coming within the range Of possibility consd
ering all requirements Of the institution. In fact the
Counties possible competitors from agricultural stand
point lay claim to these mineral requisites for
scientific education
To summarize:
Less is known of irrigation farming than Of farm