The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-29
NALLA WALLA NEWS.
Development Of IN Irrigation
System in the County.
SENATOR ALLEN ON HIS FARM.
Mech Wheat In Bins and Prospects 81
Another Heavy Crop-The Sugar
Beet Industry.

While no gigantic irrigation projects such
as those undertaken. in the Yakima
country are under way here. there are sew
eral irrigation bitches beng completed in
this county thi. year. With the excep-
ton OF few small private bitches no irri-
CATION systems have heretofore been in
use in fhss county, our large agricultural
and horticultural products having been
grown practically without irrigation. But
during the pas. two seasons enterprlsing
citizens have been endeavoring TO make
two blades of grass grow where one grew
before, and as a result many thousand
acres Of arid land viii be added to our pro-
ductive acreage next season. Among
the largest of our irrigation bitches
now under way Is that OF the
Waila Walla and Columbia River
Irrigation Company commenced last tall.
II takes water from the Waila Walla river
about nine miles above its mouth. follows
down the south side of the river some dis
lance and is then carried over it in tiume.
and has sufficient elevation to carry water
up the Columbia TO Snake river. 1t will
be twenty-six miles in length when COM
p!eted and is now excavated as far as
Wallula. about half the entire length. 1t
will reclaim about l., 900 acres Of land lying
along the Columbia between the Walla
Walla and Snake rivers. 1t will carry I'D
cubic feet Of water per second. the volume
Of the river at the point of supply At the
lowest stage in the dry season beingnO
cubic inches per second. 1t will be IN
ished in time for next seasons
crop. The Walla Walla Irrigation
Company is pushing the construction
Of ditch about twenty miles in
length. which will also be supplied from
the Walla Walia river, and extend through
the Hudson bay" country, watering
about 1900 acres. 1t is about twenty
feet wide on the bottom and is excayated
for distance Of about four miles. Two
bitches, one known rs the Boyer ditch
and the other as the Willis ditch. are de-
signed to irrigate practically the same
region. of about 5000 acres in area. south
of the Walla Walla river. below Raymo
station, and lively contest for right-of-
way is in progress by their respective pro-
jectors. One of them. about twelve miles
in length, will certainly be constructed
this season as soon as the question of
right-of-way is determined. The first large
ditch in the county to take water
is the Touchet ditch. completed
this season, which u now irri-
eating about $500 acres near Touchet
station. 1t u about seven miles
in length. The Lowden ditch will also be
completed about eight miles this season
and will water about 400 acres below
Raymo on the north side Of Walla Walla
river, its source Of supply. This county
has been less aggressive than other sec.
tons in irrigation enterprises, because
there is larger area that can be cultivated
without artificial watering But there is
an abundance Of water for the retaining
of vast area of arid lands, which has al
ready commenced, and which tho rapid
growth in population will undoubtedly
crowd to the limit in q few years.
County Assessor Jessup is all at sea ,
again on the question Of railroad assess
ments. 1t was at one time understood
that the assessors of Eastern Washington
would make a uniform assessment of IS 900
per mile on all railroads. but the assessors
now seem to be farther apart than ever.
In Whitman county. where there is q
strong anti-corporation Populistic senti.
ment, railroads will probably be assessed
up to the point Of open mutiny. The
ASSSSSoA ~ sH0s SVu"sy purposes W SiIpOst
a valuation of 81. 900 per mile, so Assessor
Jessup is informed. The assessors of
kittitas, Columbia and Spokane counties
have also notified Mr. Jessup that they
will depart from the figure heretofore
agreed upon. Spokane wants the assess
ment put down as low as 81. so rcr mile.
and Columbia and kittitas want to reduce
II TO 500 per mile.
Senator John Il. Alien, since his return
from Washington City, has been taking a
much needed rest, spending most of his
time at his home south of town. His
health is much improved. his agricultural
pursuits seeming to agree with him. He
is not at all alarmed about the outcome of
the vote OH the seating of the appointed
senators. believing that they will be ad-
mit.ed. Although he never attempted
anything like poll of the senators, he
found that among the large number with
whom he talked on the subject this
seemed 10 be the universal opinion
There has been another havy rainfall
during the past week and crop prospects
have gone up correspondingly The old
settlers declare they have never seen SO
brigh: crop outlook. We have now all
excess of over two and a half inches Of
rainfall. which not only insures q good
crop this year, bat will help materially