The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-11-02
What Irrigation is Doing for the Great
Yakima Country.
no BUSINESS TROUBLES HERE.
Room for Thousands OF Families ON
Land Where Crops Never Faii-Aw
Article Rcpiete with Important
Truths for the Immigrants.

me strongly with the Importance and
value Of retaining the arid lands Of the
state. visited one farm under the Sum-
nyside canal which will turn off this year
more than $4,000 worth Of products,
more than two-thirds Of which is net
profit On this farm were eighty acres Of
hops. seventy-five acres of corn, some
wheat, oats, barley and alfalfa, but no
fruit. There were also 100 hogs. It was
refreshing to meet man who had no &C.
casion to talk about hard times. The
same aifof prosperity spread over the en-
tire settlement OF the Yakima valley. The
hops had yielded well, as they always do
on those lands, and were selling at 10
cents pound when was there, the last
day of September. All crops had done
well and the people were happy and con-
tented. The condition of the valley was
reflected In the town Of North Yakima,
where houses for residence and business
are in great demand and several new
brick buildings are going up. Instead OF
stagDation there were the life and stir of
a growing community. And yet it had
been an exceptionally Indictment year. A
late spring followed an unusually cold
winter. The summer had been unusually
cool, but no crop except peaches had
failed to yield the customary product.
The lice had done no injury to the hops,
an assurance that the climate of the val
ley is q sure protection against them.
No previous season had afforded so con.
elusive evidence that this hot, dry climate
will not permit them to ravage the vines.
A great variety OF crops have been cult
waited with unvarying success for more
than twenty years, and it is now settled
beyond doubt or apprehension that
agriculture in its most diversified forms
may be prosecuted with large profits by
irrigation throughout this great valley
and afford support to dense population.
While there are several large ranches the
tendency is, as it everywhere is under
irrigation, to small farms and close set
Element of the people, and consequently
improved social conditions. Rural life is
thus relieved of the loneliness VIII oh 30
Cypress the women especially. Neigh
bors are not located by the cheerful smoke
rising in distant horizon, but live with
in call of each other. The density of
population makes the land more valuable
also, as it is in the suburbs OF city. The
social as well as the economic outcome OF
irrigation is attracting attention, as it
deserves to do; for the Southern Cali
fornia settlements and other reclaimed
wastes give the assurance that the high
social, educational, religious and political
advantages OF the old New England town
system are to be repeated throughout
arid America.
"At the present time, and on account
OF the general condition of this state and
the Union, l look upon the Yakima
valley as the land Of best and most i'm
mediate promise for us as q state. 1t is
on the railroad, which gives it good out
let to markets east end west, and is cap
able of supplying the great commercial,
manufacturing and maritime interests on
Puget Sound, the wheat market of East
ern Washington, and the mining districts
OF the northwest with the agricultural
products which are now obtained largely
from distant states. The reclamation and
settlement OF this valley and other irrig-
able sections of the state are matters of
public interest which should be made
prominent and encouraged at this time.
1t is the most available form OF develop
ment We now have. The Sunnyside can
al is complete to cover about $4,000 acres
of choice land. With fortyecres for each
family, which is more than the average
will be, when the whole tract is occupied,
there is an opportunity under this canal
for more than 10000 people to engage in
diversified and intensive farming. This
is Immediately available, and besides
there are many other and large oppor-
tunities for settlement under other
canals and artesian wells in the valley.
A moments reflection will show
what such an addition of
self-supp ,rting and money making
people would mean to all interests In the
state-that it would stimulate all branches
OF trade, increase the demand for lumber
and coal, and in short time, by furnish
ing meats. fruits, vegetables, butter and
eggs, result in keeping within the state
the money that now goes out OF it for such
supplies. The state will not begin to &C.
cumulate money until this and other por-
tons OF it are developed SO that it can be,
in a great measure, self-supporting. AS
soon as that point is in fair degree real
lied our great resources Of raw material,
such as lumber, coal and other minerals.
our maritime interests, including fisher
les, will yield US vast amounts of money
which will stay with US as capital. 1t is
a time when the state should put its best
foot foremost. Public attention should be
directed by the press of the state to the
most valuable opportunities for settle
ment. We should offer our strongest at
fractions to immigrants. At this time
wide attention is turned to agriculture.
The old abandoned farms of New En-
gland are being re-occupied by people
who are crowded out of the towns and
cities. The pressing question with great
numbers, after every such strain as the
country has suffered this year, is that of
a home and daily food. and then many
return to the land, the mother earth, for
their living. 1t is this tendency Of popu-
latiOu that uunuerved action should beI