The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-22
RAIN IN THE PALOUSE
Four Weeks of Downpour, In
surfing an Abundant Crop.
WHEAT SELLS At "a CENTS
prosperous Farmers Who Do Not R.t..
Aheir Own Butter and Bacon-In-
creased Value Of Land.

Souatrv couiu not De better then a
present. Never before in the history Q
AT country has so much rain fallen du,
ing the fall months as has fallen durin,
November and the first week of Decemba
.his year. 1t was one continual pour TO
TOUR weeks, hardly an hour passing with
out rain falling gently but steadily da,
ana night. The roads became impossible
ana farmers could not get to town with,
out great difficulty. It was very incon
convenient. but every one seemed happy
Inc farmer hitched four horses to a wager
ana grove to town for a few pounds o
groceries. Through mud and rain he went
OUT never lost the pleasant smile of happv
assurance that the rain meant the bigges
crop next season that this great grain pro
oucing empire has ever known.
history repeats itself, and it has neve,
neen known to fail that a wet fall was fol
lowed by a large yield of grain. Sixteen
years ago the fall was nearly as wet as the
present one, and the next summer wit.
messed q larger yield of grain per acre than
was ever known before or since. Old set.
TIERS says there has been more rain fall
curing the months of November ana De.
cemoer, 1892, than in 1876. Taking the
history OF the country year after year, we
can snen expect a larger yield per acre
A0n III - 0Ilu tQ0 3CIeaQ6
Will be at least twenty times as great,
Times are hard here now. and mono y
very scarce, but this is easily accounted
Tor. The price of wheat has fallen 70 a
cents per bushel, and farmers will not sell
at that price. hence the scarcity of money.
put the country is prosperous. During
the past thirty days deeds aggregat1ng
over $4,000 have been recorded In Whit
man county The price of farm land i,
steadily advancing, in one instance reach
ing 500 per acre for and that ten years ago
was worth only $2.5 30 per acre. There ia
an increased demand for farm lands nv
Eastern farmers, who generally have the
money to pay down for their purchases.
ms Is giving the country a better name
In the financial world, and greatly
strengthens Its credit. The fact that the
0 per cent. bonds of Whitman county sold
Tor par the entire issue of 500. GOO. which is
the highest price ever paid for bonds on
the Pacific coast, shows how the credit of
the county stands in New York. Thu
general manager of the New York Life In
surance Company, which company after
ward purchased the bonds at Al per cent,
was recently in Colfax. and is very desir.
Gus of getting any more bonds which the
county may wish to issue.
Mortgages have been released at Quite a
rapid rate during the present month. there
not being a day this month when less than
hve mortgages were released, and the
NUMBER Tor one day has gone as high as
ten. This shows that the country is in a
prosperous condition. The records of
whitman county show that during the
past sixteen years but forty mortgages
have been toreclosed. which is a showinp
In any agricultural countv in
the United States.
The fact that farmers are able tn hold
their grain for higher prices shows that
they are In a better condition than in
former years. for heretofore thew have
been compelled to sell their grain as earlv
as possible, no matter what the price.
mere IS still a large amount of grain in
the hands of the farmers, which they are
hoiding Tor better prices. Fifty cents is
generally the price asked. and few will sell |
ior less II they have to hold until next fall
to get it.
The deep mud is now covered with a few |
inches OF frost, on top of which about four
inches OF snow has fallen. The roads will
be worn smooth and farmers will be
aole to do more travelling. 1t is not likely
that any more blowing will be done until
but there has been quite a large
acreage OF fall grain sown and this is in
lne condition.. The experience of the past
TWO years demonstrates the fact that fall
gives the best returns. and it 10
Quite likely that in a few years fall sowing
VIII be the rule instead of the execution
Is at present.
There are many things that will have tn
De changed before the farmers of the Pa
ouse country reach the highest standard
armlng. IA of the great evils of the
present system is the tendency to produce
one crop-grain-to the exclusion of
Ill other crops. and especially vegetables
dairy products. 1t seems strange
nat SO rich an agricultural country as the
,aiouse should import the greater portion
It's pork, dairy and garden products.
ct that Is just what is being done Mt
ana has been done during the
'ast.
Such strange sights as farmers going
one from town with butter. lard. bacon
even potatoes and other Vegetables
can be produced SO easily in this rich
that they have purchased at stores ia
OF uncommon. Hams retail at i6iL cents
er pound. Lard. bacon and shoulders a. Il
ents. cheese at 20 aud butter 81 to Is cenrs
er pound. and eggs are now worth al
ants per dozen and cannot be had at that
rice only as an occasional case is sent
ere from spokane. to which point eggs
re shipped by the car load from Ne
raska, low n other Missouri river
ates. There they retail at from 10 to 20
,nts per dozen, the latter being a high
Yet the farmers of those states find
profitable TO raise poultry. paw an ex-
freight rate half way across the /
merican continent. pay good profits 10 :
le wholesaler at each end of the road. and
IL them IN a richer agricultural country
their own. This shows that there is
something wrong, and it needs a
inedy at once.
The same is true as to dairy products.
I many farm houses throughout this
milk is almost unknown. and but
r. when used at all, is brought 10 the
ate AT enormous prices. Live hogs never
Il for less than 5 cents per pound here.
which price there is . good profit in
them, yet the farmers of the
s!ouse country who have hundreds of
res of stubble upon which hogs can be
with the aid OF a little patch of
cen grain before harvest and q little
ain to fatten them. who should turn off
hundred dollars worth of hogs each
ar. often buy their pork and lard at
IN IL 10 1875 cents per round. These
like the eggs mentioned above.
ing shipped from the middle OF the
States and passing through the
.nds Of several middiemen, all Of whom
AXE a profit OF the goods. and vet the