Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-04-09

age of flax and its average yield would
seem too large to even be credited for
moment by the eastern farmer. We
will not attempt to give figures, believ-
ing that the best method for the in
quirer, is to talk with our farmers,
see the fields and the threshing reports,
and like Thomas of old, 'see and be-
lieve." In one ware house on the Pot
latch river, at kendrick, was stored
one years raising, 125,00O bushels Of
flax. At this date II gotiations are
under way, to establish Linseed Oil
mills on the Potlatch and mills for the
manufacture of flour, sorghum mOlasses,
Irvine, sacks, rope, paper, shingles and
the like. The farmers of this section
are unusually well off, financially. One
would naturally suppose that where
the farmer was required, as in the past,
to haul his grain twenty-five to forty
miles in order to find market, and
over the most primitive of mountain
roads, that the advent of the railroad
would find him living in the most
primitive structures, farms poorly
fenced, and a destroying Is per cent
mortgage on the premises. Not so,
however; the farmer of to-day, at least
in this section, is found with
good houses and barns, farms well Gull
tivated and fenced, and more or less of
a bank account to his credit.
| To the investor who has been over
other portions of the farming sections
of the northwest, this state of affairs
will seem almo4t ncreditable; but when
we note the class ofpeople who have To-
Gated here, we begin to realize the diff
ference. Here we find the farmer of
the eastern states, such as New York,
Ohio, Mass, Vermont and New Hamp-
shire; also the economizing and careful
Sweed and German element-men
who have been taught from childhood
''to watch the pennies.' Here we find
the farmer no longer paying II per
cent interest, but having money to
loan. TO the man who has travelled
over eastern Washington and the Pot
latch, one finds the secret of, success
plainly written on the farm, or rather
standing in the fence corners. Here
we find the machinery of the farm not
standing with the stubble. but nicely
housed and protected; also on nearly
every farm one sees the large barns and
gcaineries in which the farmer can
store the hay and grain until such
time as he can get his price for the same.
Another item which we cannot over
look in referring to this grand section
is this: Every farmer seems to realize
the advantage of diversified farming.
Here we find him not only raising hay
and grain, but cows, horses, chickens,
and hogs, as well; turning the other
wise loss into profit and avoiding the
necessity, as is often noted in other por-
tons of the country, of adding to the
grocery bill such articles as eggs, cheese
and butter.
The Idaho extension of the Spokane
& Palouse railway, now under construc-
ton to Lewiston, and completed as far
as kendrick, for the first time in the
history of the Potlatch offers railway
advantages to the farmer. Now he has
to haul his grain but short distance,
when he finds a ready market. Spo-
kane, Tacoma and Seattle are already
| turning their attention to this section
for their feed and farm produce. Veg
etables equaled by no section for their
productiveness, flavor and size, have
caused the consumer to wish for more,
and our farmers are ready to meet the
demand.
The name Potlatch, taken from the
Indian, although it may not be inter-
preted as intended at the time, mean
ing "pay up' or give forth, we believe
could not be better applied than to this
wonderful section, as even the rocks
not only "pay up' but lead the In
quirer to hope for a second return.
Considerable attention has been at
tracted of late to the discovery of coal
formation on the Potlach. Parties,
supposed to be experts, have pro-
nounced it sure indications of coal.
Lately a grindstone quarry has been
discovered, which promises to develop
into an excellent deposit of this valu.
able formation.
Kendrick is situated near the centre
of this vast region on the Potlach river,
at the forks of little and big Bear
creeks, near Pine and Cedar creeks,
and promises quite well to become
city of some size, but Lewiston, situa-
ted on the edge of this country and
near the mouth of the Potlach, on the
Clearwater river, has this section
tributary to it in the export of wheat
and other cereals, and with railroad
and river communications it Is destined
tn he the fIlturp Stlnnlv nOint and con.