The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-03
md view with apprehension the extension

and view with apprehension the extension
OF systems under corporate management
As examples OF some of the bitches of
the county, there may be given the
following: The Atahnam and Wide Hol-
low often takes water from the north side
of Atahnam creek. carrying il out on to
the prairie toward North Yakima. Its
length is ten miles. and its average width
hve feet. 1t was built in 1879. About $50
acres We're irrigated IN 1850, the crops be-
ing small grain, alfalfa, corn. potatoes, and
with these orchards and gardens. 1t is re-
ported that large amount of water is re-
quired by the land under this ditch, and
that on the average one second-foot is used
TOR fifty acres. The supply OF water in
the creek is not sufficient for all the de-
mands upon il. The Scott ditch takes
water from the Matches river about twelve
miles northwest OF North Yakima, running
out on the south side of the stream. 1t is
about three miles long, nearly three feet
Mlde and one foot deep. and cost
$500. 1t is owned by private par
ties, and irrigates sixty acres of al
faifa. clover. hops, potatoes, sorghum
and wheat. Union ditch takes water
from the Matches river at point two
miles northwest of North Yakima. bring
ing 1t out upon the south side through the
city. The total length of the ditch is six
miles; the average width, seven feet: the
depth. LIS feet; and the cost was 81. 600.
The ditch was first used in lS74. 1t is now
owned by an incorporated company of
farmers. There is large amount of water
In the river, and the supply has been am
pie for all demands. The Fowler ditch
takes water from the Yakima near the
town OF North Yakima. and runs out on
the east side of the river into
Mckee valley. The length is
eight miles; the average width, seven
feet; the depth, about one foot; and the
cost was 5000. No dam is used in the
river. as the fall of the stream is sufficient
to bring water into the ditch. About /, 800
acres are irrigated, the crops raised being
small grains, alfalfa, hops. corn and to-
bacco.
The bitches of the Yakima Irrigating
and improvement Company take water
from the north side of the Yakima river
and carry it out upon the bottom lands be-
low the town of Kiona, extending from
that point down to the lands at the juno
ton with the Columbia river above the
town of Pasco. The upper ditch, known
as the Kiona. is nine miles long and fol-
lows the general course of the Yakima
river. In 1891 about $50 acres of corn,
alfalfa, miilet, rye, potatoes. beets.
ETC., were watered, the alfalfa being
cut five times. The lower or Yakima
ditch heads on the river near the lower end
OF the upper ditch and follows the course
OF the stream for short distance. The
total length of this system when COM
pleted will be upward of sixty miles.
The bitches are from nine to ten feet in
width and three feet in depth. They
were first used in 1891, and are being
extended each year, the water supply be-
ing ample.
Besides these bitches and others of SIM
liar character which are already in oper-
alton, there are many large projects on
foot for constructing canals to take the
water of the Yakima river and it's
tributaries out a. various points, and
many of these will undoubtedly
be successfully constructed, as there
appears to be an ample supply of
water in the river, and there are thousands
of acres Of fertile lands on the Yakima
prairie.